Kurrywala Indian Restaurant

Sometimes, I cut through New West on my way home and go up 6th and onto Edmonds.  Therefore, I must have drive past Kurrywala many times over without ever thinking of stopping to eat there.  All I know is that it used to be Big 6 diner and I enjoyed their burgers.  Well, we finally made it out there since they wanted us to check out their buffet as well as some a la carte items.  More on the buffet later, but I'll start with the regular menu first!

Arriving on an extremely hot sizzling cast iron plate, the Tandoori Prawns were excellent being charred, but not burnt.  The smokiness really came through while the marinate ensured that each prawn was spiced and had some heat.  They were cooked perfectly where the meat was still juicy.  Even though the plate was super hot, the prawns were perfectly placed atop onions to ensure they didn't overcook.

Nicely plated on a long plate, the Fish Pakora came in huge pieces.  The fish they used was basa and personally, I didn't mind it.  Naturally, most people would prefer a cod of some kind, but that would make the dish ultra-expensive.  Back to the fish, the pieces were lightly coated and fried until crispy.  The fish was buttery soft and  there was a nice earthiness to the batter.  Served on the side, we found tartar sauce, which went well with the pakora.  Some people would prefer a chutney and I'm sure you could substitute. 

We tried the Vegetarian Momos, partly due to the fact they were out of the meat ones.  No matter as the dumpling skin was really good.  Being house-made and never frozen, it meant the skin was moist and not dry.  It had a nice chew to it, but ultimately was tender.  Inside, the fresh veggies offered up natural sweetness and that fresh crunch which would never be found in a frozen dumpling.  Really solid and I didn't miss the meat at all here.

We tried an array of curries including the Smoked Butter Chicken was creamy and mildly tangy with noticeable depth.  It wasn't just that it was smoky, but the richness of the flavour created a lingering effect.  The chicken was tender and moist where it had taken on the impact of the sauce. The Palak Paneer was noticeably darker in colour and as a result was also quite a bit more layered.  Rather than being one-note with just onion and ginger, this had a stronger earthiness and background sweetness. The Coconut Chicken was creamy, yet not heavy.  It was definitely aromatic and purposefully sweet. Surprisingly, I really liked the Mushroom Curry.  The problem with mushrooms is that they make most things soggy due to their moisture content.  It wasn't like this here where the flavours were still full of depth and spice.

For our carbs, we had the Garlic Naan first and it was a pretty fluffy version of the flatbread.  Most of it was pillowy soft while other parts had a nice elasticity.  On the bottom, it was slightly crispy.  There was enough ghee and garlic for impact.  We also had the Keema Kulcha featuring soft and fluffy bread while paired with a chicken curry and of course, butter.  I joyfully applied the butter generously on the bread while dipping it into the rich gravy.

Sure, usually we would get some basmati rice to pair with all of our curries and naan, but to make it more interesting, we selected the Chicken Biryani instead.  This featured some perfectly-prepared rice which was chewy, nutty and dry enough that it wasn't clumpy.  It had taken on all of the wonderful sweetness of the chicken as well as the spices.  This gave it a bit of heat as well as some earthy notes.

We also tried their buffet and we loaded up our dish with rice and a selection of curries including Goat Curry, Chicken Curry, Yellow Dal Tadka, Rajma and Makhni Paneer.  On the next plate, we had Samosas, Pasta Salad, Green Salad and Raita.  They also had Gulab Jamun, but didn't get any.  Obviously, the a-la-carte dishes we had were superior to the buffet, but the curries were still good and if you are hungry, it is a good value.  I enjoyed the goat curry and paneer the most.  Overall, the food at Kurrywala is delicious with good portions and fair pricing.  I prefer ordering off the regular menu than the buffet though.

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

The Good:

- Large portions

- Generally on point execution

- Well-priced buffet

The Bad:

- Buffet could use a few more appies

The Lodge Steakhouse

"Did you want to try The Lodge Steakhouse in Langley?" asked Nikita one day.  I was totally game as I love venturing into the burbs for food.  I wondered where it was located and she replied, "It is above an ice rink and curling facility".  That totally confused me because I equate restaurants above or attached to an ice rink as mostly a pub or a bar.  However, when we arrived, the steakhouse was nicely appointed and had class.  Super interesting location where they share the washrooms with the actual bar on the other side of the building.  A bit too bright for a steakhouse (as it is hard to see the doneness of the steak), but a nice change from the usually dark dining rooms.

Service was great and we got things started with a few appies including the Beef Carpaccio and the Tuna Stack.  The plating with the carpaccio left a bit to be desired, but ultimately, they were both very good!  The beef carpaccio featured peppercorn and all spice-crusted tenderloin, arugula, grana padano, olive oil and spicy mayo.  Despite the massive amount of mayo, the beef carpaccio ate well with tender thin slices of beef that were a bit peppery.  The mayo added moisture and a bit of spice.  As for the tuna stack. the large chunks of ahi tuna were fresh and buttery.  The togarashi spiced wasabi aioli and yuzu vinaigrette completely flavoured this dish including the buttery and ripe avocado.  Loved the crispy tapioca crisps that went with this.

I actually returned with a friend sometime later and had the Salt Spring Island Mussels as well as the Strawberry Pecan Salad.  Plump and cooked perfectly, the mussels were bathed in a heavy cream broth with white wine, garlic and thyme.  Many places these days do not use cream and the broth ends up being quite thin.  This one adhered to each mussel which meant all of the great flavours were front and centre.  Loved the airy grilled bread on the side.  It was light and soaked up the broth beautifully.  As for the salad, the picture only represents a half-portion as we split it into 2 plates.  It was bright and fresh with ripe strawberries and tangy vinaigrette.

For both meals here, we had the 12oz Ribeye that included vegetables and a choice of side.  As stated on the menu, this steak would be charred and that is truly was.  Excellent grill marks and smokiness all around.  Inside, it was perfectly medium-rare and juicy exhibiting classic ribeye meatiness.  It was also well seasoned and topped with a compound butter.  We added peppercorn sauce on the side and it was creamy with of course, peppery notes.  We had the Truffle Mac n' Cheese as a side and although it was plenty cheesy with truffle, it ate quite dry and needed some form of bechamel to keep things creamy.

During the first visit, we tried both the 10oz New York Striploin and 8oz Tenderloin as well.  Despite both being tender in their own way (the striploin had more chew while the tenderloin was buttery soft), the flavours and overall textures were not as good as the ribeye.  The charring and seasoning were just as impactful though.  We had Mashed Potatoes for both and it was excellent.  It was potatoey while smooth and creamy with plenty of seasoning.  The veggies were still crunchy, yet cooked all the way through.

Even though the Lobster Spaghetti rings in at $55.00, I knew I just had to order it.  Good choice really because the lobster bisque-like sauce was aromatic, briny and sweet.  Hidden within, there was a wealth of moist bouncy pieces of lobster (and it wasn't just claw meat either).  The pasta itself could've been more al dente, but it was still delicate and buttery.  The same grilled bread was perfect for soaking up the residual sauce.

Despite looking like a well-composed fine-dining dish, the Sea Scallop Risotto was a complete miss.  First of all, the well-seared scallops were totally overdone.  Texturally, they were chewy and dense.  Probably some of the worst seared scallops I've had in quite some time.  As for the risotto, it didn't fare much better.  I found it overcooked and a bit too saucy.  It did taste good though with enough seasoning and cheesiness.

As much as we regretted ordering the scallops, the Brown Butter Sablefish totally flipped the narrative.  It was expertly-prepared being buttery and flaky while sporting somewhat crispy skin and enough salt.  However, the charred and sauteed asparagus, baby potatoes, grape tomatoes, edamame and mushrooms were no slouch either.  Exhibiting smokiness and being well-seasoned, the veggies were not overdone either.  That bourbon maple brown butter was super delicious and complimented the dish with a sweet nutty butteriness.  Of note, they actually delivered our dish to the wrong table, but instead of serving us that particular dish, they cooked up a new one (very professional).

In addition to the truffle mac n' cheese and the mash potatoes, we tried 2 more sides in the Broccolini and the Truffle Fries.  As you can see, the broccolini was still vibrant and had a nice crunch.  It was well-salted.  The fries were quite good (I've had them twice already) being crispy with lots of potato creaminess in the middle.  Just enough truffle oil added to the mix too.  This was also well-salted.  In both visits, we didn't opt for any dessert because the options were pretty standard.  Who knows, maybe we are missing out.  Overall, the food at The Lodge is above-average.  Sure, some things could be better, but there are more things good than bad.  Pricing is fair and things are well-portioned.  I would be open to coming back for a third visit.

The Good:
- Well-charred and cooked steaks
- Well-portioned
- Service is friendly

The Bad:
- That sea scallop risotto was not good
- Mac n' Cheese was too dry

Chez Max

Sometimes, we just want to keep things simple and really, when on vacation in a foreign  place, it takes some of the stress away.  This is especially true after driving around and touristing all day.  I did have some ideas for dinner but they were either too far away or was much too formal of a place.  Hence, we did a quick google of what was casual and ultimately decent to eat nearby.  It lead us to Chez Max where the menu items were very familiar: burgers!

We ended up sitting outside across the street (yes, the server had to cross the road!), because it was far too hot inside.  For myself I was all over their All-You-Can-Eat Moules et Frites!  I could pick one of 3 flavours and decided on the basic mussels mariniere with white wine, butter, garlic, parsley and onions.  I would say this was acceptable.  Nothing amazing, but definitely serviceable.  The mussels were a tad overdone, but the broth was tasty and well-seasoned.  The side of frites were crispy and I enjoyed them.

Everyone else went for burgers and Viv ended up with the Jack Daniels with of a shot of JD.  This was served on a freshly toasted bun but the way they cut it was rather strange with so much more bun on the bottom than the top.  The meat patty was thick and rather juicy.  There was a good amount of BBQ sauce that would naturally go well with the JD.  You know what, this was a satisfying American-style burger North of Nice!  Who'd knew?  

My son went for the Royal with greens, tomato, cheddar, onions and burger sauce.  Hey, isn't this a Royale with cheese (see Pulp Fiction)???  Well, this also featured an aggressively toasted bun that was cut like the last one.  The fresh ground beef was moist and nicely seared.  Having burger sauce rather than BBQ sauce, this tasted more along the lines of a Big Mac, but with better meat.  Very strange that the burger ate well despite having more bun on the bottom.

My daughter went for the Madame with greens, tomato, cheese, pickles, sunny side egg and burger sauce.  The bun on this one was cut a bit more evenly.  It featured all of the same ingredients as the royal except with the addition of the egg.  This made things messier and also more wet, but in a good way!  In actuality, this meal was rather good and prepared properly.  A taste of North America in between all the other food we were having.  

The Good:
- Burgers are good
- Made with fresh beef
- AYCE Moules & Frites available

The Bad:
- Maybe a little pricey, but there isn't anything cheap around

Le Fromager de Saint-Paul

Luck would have it that Mijune would be in Nice at the same time as us and she would have time to meet!  We ended up driving over to St. Paul de Vence to rendezvou at Le Fromager de Saint-Paul.  Similiar to Mougins, but bigger, St. Paul is a medieval town that sports beautiful views, artisans and of course, excellent places to eat!  Like the name suggests, the restaurant specializes in cheese with other accompanying dishes as well.  We didn't go for anything complex and shared a bunch of little bites.

This included their absolutely delicious rendition of Pissaladeriere.  For those who haven't had this, it is basically a flatbread with caramelized onion, olives, capers, thyme and nutmeg.  Well, this was truly excellent with a thin crust that was slightly crispy in places.  The intense sweetness from the onions was balanced off well by the saltiness of the olives and capers.  Of course the tanginess from both also helped keep things from being too heavy.

Even though we had left Italy several days ago, we couldn't resist ordering some Burrata with tomatoes and balsamic. Mind you, Nice and the surrounding area used to be part of Italy...  Anyways, the burrata was supremely fresh with a creamy and cheesy centre.  It was topped with an aromatic and nutty pesto.  This went really well with the supplied baguette.  We got more of it since there was so much burrata (and other things on the table).  The tomatoes were super fresh and juicy.  Loved the simple balsamic and EVOO drizzled on it.

We ended up also getting our meat fix with a Charcuterie plate consisting of coppa, saucisson and jambon cru.  This was a nice collection of familiar items including the nutty and firm saucisson and the coppa was salty with plenty of fat due to use of pork shoulder.  Essentially prosciutto, the jambon cru was nutty, salty and fairly lean.  It was soft with the classic chewiness.  We had a baguette on the side and we ate that with the meat and cheese.

Also on the table was the Terrine de Cochon Maison served with a green salad, conichons and pickled onions.  We found this terrine very rustic and almost a bit fluffy.  This was not a tightly packed terrine and it was not overly meaty.  The combination of whipped meat and fat, it was almost spreadable.  I say almost, since it still had some chunks, so it didn't really spread.  Flavourwise, it was meaty but mild-tasting.  It was nutty from the pistachios strewn throughout.

And finally we had a slice of Truffle Brie as per my daughter's request.  This brie was really good being creamy and buttery without completely melting upon contact.  It was lightly sweet and nutty while the thin layer of truffle add the usual woodsiness and aromatics.  We combined this with the baguette and some meats to create layers of flavour.  So as you can see, the things we had at Le Fromager de Saint-Paul was pretty simple.  But really, this was sufficient as a light meal especially on a hot day.  Was cool to sit outside and catch up with Mijune while thinking of other things to eat later!

The Good:
- Outstanding location with a nice view
- Quality products
- They have hot dishes too, but we didn't try them

The Bad:
- Limited parking in the area, but that is a given

Le Rendez Vous de Mougins

Initially, we were planning to do some more AYCE sushi at L'Asia in Mougins (don't judge me!), which is North of Cannes and somewhat close to where we were staying in Sophia Antipolis.  However, they must have the most dysfunctional parking lot I've ever seen.  I barely got out of there without damaging my rental car!  Hence, we were hungry and needed to find another spot to get some eats.  We set our sights on nearby Mougins village (which was super quaint), but never ended up at the restaurant we had our sights on.  We couldn't find it for the life of us within the maze of streets.  Hungry and tired, we settled for Le Rendez Vous de Mougins as it had availability.

We didn't get any appies this time and went straight for the mains where I inexplicably ordered the Salade Niçoise.  I guess I was partly wanting something lighter and also when in the vicinity of Nice...  When it arrived, it didn't look like anything familiar as it was missing potatoes and had an inordinate amount of greens.  Their interpretation consisted of 2 types of tuna with crumbled and marinated tuna throughout while a small filet of tuna was served on the side.  Hence, this salad did not have any absence of meatiness.   The dressing was bright and acidic while the greens made me feel healthy.  Sure, this was missing a few components of a traditional Salade Niçoise, but it was good in its own way.

My son didn't deviate from his usual ordering habits and went for the Grilled Beef with frites and salad.  This was well-prepared with a beautiful sear on the outside that was smoky and well-seasoned.  The steak itself was medium-rare as requested and the result was a fairly tender texture.  The compound butter on top added luxuriousness as well as lots of aromatic nuttiness.  Frites were crunchy and nicely salted.

My daughter had the Tuna and Avocado Tartare with a Japanese wasabi sauce.  In reality, this tasted very much like it was marinated in orange juice (lots of it too).  Hence, it was watery mess.  However, it did taste and eat a lot better than it looked.  The small nuggets of tuna were buttery and soft with the complimentary sweetness from the juice doing its thing.  We would've liked to see a bit more acidity though.  Frites on the side were crunchy like the other dish.

Viv ended up with a Braised Beef Pasta which was the best dish of the bunch.  It featured buttery soft noodles topped with delicious stewed meat that was super tender and gelatinous.  There was considerably depth and body that flavoured the entire dish.  Overall, the food at Le Rendez Vous de Mougins was serviceable.  Really, that is the best description as we were a bit desperate for food and time was running out.  So in that respect, we were satisfied.  Thought the service was pretty good too.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Friendly service
- Cute spot

The Bad:
- There are better choices

The Hard Bean Brunch Co. (Port Moody)

Back in January of this year, I was at Earl of Sandwich in Willoughby and noticed a new brunch spot a few stores down.  The Hard Bean Brunch Co. looked like a place I would definitely want to try sometime.  I filed that away in my mind for the next time I would be out in Langley.  Coincidentally, Nikita message me shortly after suggesting we meet up at Hard Bean for brunch.  I guess she read my mind!  However, the place is so popular, I wasn't able to get a reservation.  Then I turned my attention to the Port Moody location and we ended up going there instead.

We ended up with a wide range of dishes including the Nacho Breakfast with black beans, pickled onions, corn salsa, scrambled eggs, cheddar, jack + feta cheese, pomegranate seed and guacamole.  Beef was added for another $6.00.  This was a pretty large portion of nachos for one person to eat.  Frankly, this would probably be better to share for the table.  This was quite good where the nachos were crunchy and well topped with tender spiced beef.  They remained crunchy despite the amount of wet toppings.  There was some spice to this, but not overwhelmingly so.

Probably the most aesthetically-challenged dishes was the Chicken Pesto Quesadilla with pumpkin seed pesto, sundried tomato, marinated chicken, roasted red peppers, jack & feta cheese and hard ranch dip.  Not much you can do with a quesadilla as it is always flat with the ingredients hidden by the tortilla.  Despite its appearance, it was also quite good.  The pesto chicken was tender and had all of the bright flavours we expected.  Lots of melted cheese and the addition of sundried tomato and peppers provided some sweetness and tang.

For myself, I had the Hard Bean Burger with a house-made patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, bacon, cheddar, burger sauce and fries.  I really enjoyed this burger as it reminded me of some of the better smash-burgers I've had in town.  The patty had a crispy exterior while still moist inside.  Fresh produce and melted cheddar help add even more moisture while the brioche bun held things together.  Fries were good too being crispy.

My son went for the Yorkshire Benny with bacon and smashed hashbrowns.  Rather than having an English muffin, the Yorkshire pudding was so much softer and eggy which made things not as heavy.  The medium poached eggs featured fully cooked egg whites while the yolk was still runny.  The hollandaise sauce was creamy while properly seasoned with just a touch of acidity.

As usual, Nikita and Bluebeard ordered the same dish in the Hard Bean Co. Hash with smashed browns, ham, onion, bloody mary sauce, red pepper, eggs, garlic toast, Brussels sprouts, grana padano cheese and green onion.  As much as this was satisfying in terms of the amount of well-prepared components, the overwhelming sour tomato taste of the bloody mary sauce made this dish completely one-note.  Hence, both of them had a hard time finishing it.  

My daughter went big with the Brunch Charcuterie Board with sliced hardboiled eggs, maple drizzle French toast sticks, marmalade, bacon rolls, blueberry maple sausage and seasonal fruit.  This was a bit interesting in terms of presentation, but ultimately, it was just a collection of breakfast things.  She enjoyed it though as the French Toast sticks were crunchy while soft on the inside.  Sausage was moist and tender with the sweetness of the blueberries and maple syrup.

The last plate at the table was the Barnyard Omelette with hard ham, free run eggs, corn, peppers, jack cheese, red onions, spinach and smashed browns.  This was essentially a fold-over omelette that featured fairly cooked eggs, so it wasn't exactly fluffy.  It wasn't rubbery either, so that was good.  Inside, the amount of filling was substantial enough for impact.   In the end, the food at Hard Bean was not bad.  I wouldn't say it was outstanding, but there were some highlights. 

The Good:

- Some interesting items

- Cool space, cool vibes

- Most items are good

The Bad:

- The hash was too sour

L'Epicurieux

Although our itinerary said that we were visiting Nice for a few days, we were actually staying a bit aways in Sophia Antipolis.  We had a car anyways, so there was no need to stay in any city centre.  We were actually closer to Cannes than to Nice, so our first day in the area, we made our way to Cannes for some lunch.  Naturally, parking was hard to find and even their free parking lot was totally full.  We did some driving around looking for parking to no avail, so we ended up in a pay lot.  By then it was 2:00pm and we just made it before our restaurant of choice, L'Epicurieux, closed for their afternoon break.

We ended up sharing 2 appies including the Escargots which were tender with a nice rebound texture.  But we all know the best part is the garlic butter and this one was delicious.  It was buttery (of course), garlicky and bright while being perfectly seasoned.  This was excellent with the snails, but really, it was great for soaking up with the bread.  We got more bread to not waste any of the liquid gold.

We also had the Terrine Maison that was meaty with plenty of aromatics.  This featured tender nuggets of meat mixed with just enough processed meat and fat to create a texture that was both appealing to be eaten by itself or with bread.  We enjoyed how this was obviously fatty without it tasting nor feeling like it was fatty.  Rather, the fat was a great binding agent and provider of aromatics.

For our mains, we shared them all including the Beef Tartare that was served with frites.  This was the the most flavourful dish of the meal with plenty of tang and acidity.  It also benefitted from enough olive oil to give it some moist texture and separation (rather than being clumpy).  The ample red onions gave the dish some bite and brightness.  The accompanying frites were crispy and aromatic due to being cooked in beef fat.

We also had the Grilled Pork Spider with chorizo, baby potatoes and meslun greens.  Although this cut of pork generally has striations of fat, this was cooked pretty aggressively.  There was a hard sear on the outside that was well-seasoned, yet it made the pork pretty firm.  Understandable because you can't undercook pork.  It was still tender though with a chewier exterior.

My favourite dish was the Roast Seabass Filet with Marseillais Panisse and Pesto.  The fish itself was cooked beautifully where it was tender and flaky.  The skin and the fish itself was seasoned enough while the skin was seared until crispy.  Not just sitting there as a side, the panisse was quite delicious.  They were not overly dense while the exterior was crispy.  They were also well-seasoned.

Somewhat of a surprise, the Fiocchietti with gorgonzola cream was only mildly sharp with plenty of mild flavour.  The sauce was creamy, but not too creamy while perfectly seasoned.  The pasta itself was thin and delicate while still a dente.  The ricotta filling was moist and mildly-seasoned.  So in the end, this was a delicious lunch that was reasonably-priced.  People are super nice there too!

The Good:

- Well-executed dishes

- Super-nice people

- You have the option of A/C inside

The Bad:

-Seating is a bit tight