Sang Nuua Catering

Of all the blog posts I've ever done, this would be the most unique of them all.  So after I had visited Portland in November, I got a message from Sang Nuua Catering asking if I was interested in trying out their catering services.  Yep, I was definitely interested, but there were a few issues.  First, I don't live in Portland and second, wouldn't we need a kitchen?  The first problem was solved quickly as I was heading down to PDX with the fam.  Second problem was alleviated since I was staying somewhere with full kitchen facilities.  Since plates and utensils were provided, we had nothing else to worry about.  Hence, we made arrangements for the fam to try their Pan-Asian dinner.

We started things off with the Vietnamese-Style Glazed Wings.  Chef Aurora has worked at the famed Pok Pok and Nong's Khao Man Gai, so she knows a thing or 2 about Thai cuisine.  Hence, it was by no surprise that the wings were fried up crispy, but were super juicy and tender inside.  The fish sauce caramel was pungent being briny, sweet and garlicky.  I thought this was a great start.  My only wish is that the wings were darker in color (for aesthetics, as it made no difference in the eating enjoyment).  It is true that it is more difficult to get a darker color with rice flour though.

Next up was the Green Papaya Salad served with sticky rice on the side.  This was a fairly large portion, just like the chicken wings.  This meal could serve more than 4 people in my opinions (stay tuned for the rest of the dishes).  Fresh and crunchy, the salad featured julienned green papaya, green beans and tomatoes.  The dressing was sweet, briny and plenty tart that was an excellent appetizer.  It only whet our appetites for the rest of the meal.

We moved from that onto 2 salads including the Thai Steak Salad (can be had as Mushroom for those who are vegetarian).  This sported a considerable amount of tender strips of steak that were first seared, then stir-fried in herbs and seasoning.  It was then plated with Thai basil, onions and cilantro in a spicy dressing.  The result was essentially an all-meat dish that was sort of a "salad".

Chef Aurora then proceeded to fry up some eggs (Fried Egg with Vegetables) in oil until they were crispy on the outside, but still fluffy on the inside.  These were served on a bed of greens with fish sauce dressing.  Not a complex dish by any means but super tasty nonetheless.  I love eggs, so this was a textural delight to go with the fresh crispy greens.  Of course the dressing was at its briny and fishy best with sweetness and some acidity.

One of my favourite dishes was the Turmeric-Fried Catfish over rice noodles and herbs.  The fish was fried up beautifully where the color was appealing and the texture was buttey soft.  Lots of flavour from the marinate itself, but it didn't hurt that we had a spicy pineapple sauce to go with it.  Normally, catfish can taste quite muddy, but this was kept to a minimum.  Rather, it was more naturally sweet than anything else.

Lastly, we were served the Whole Roasted Bird (that was dressed and put into the oven at the start) served with GinGar sauce and sweet garlic sauce.  Slathered with hoisin and 5-spice, then roasted with herbs, the chicken was aromatic.  The skin was crispy while the meat was moist, even the breast.  Loved the gingar sauce as there was both ginger, garlic and scallions.  But really, the sweet garlic was pretty rad too with lots of fresh garlic.

For dessert, we were served something simple and refreshing in a sliced ripe Mango.  Overall, the food prepared by Chef Aurora is restaurant-quality, but served at your choice of venue.  Ingredients are fresh and prepared beautifully.  The amount of food is enough for more than 4 people.  So there we had a lot of leftovers, but Chef Aurora packed-up everything for us.   As mentioned by Chef Aurora, a kitchen isn't necessary for her catering services.  The menu would just be altered for the venue.  However, I wanted the full-meal deal and ensured that my hotel had a full kitchen.  I guess an Airbnb would work for this purpose as well.  Whatever the case, I am glad we got to experience this.  Totally spoiled with delicious food!

*All food for this blog post was complimentary*

The Good:

- Lots of food!

- Impactful flavors

- Beautifully cooked proteins

The Bad:

- To get the full-experience, a full-kitchen with enough counter space would be ideal

 

Food Affare

With the end of the Covid-19 pandemic no where in sight, it seems like take-out, delivery and food prep services are becoming more popular than ever.  Personally, I don't think I've ever done so much take out and food delivery in my life!  So just like how I mentioned that food trucks have the right business model at the moment (since they aren't paying for dining space), I also believe prepared food ready for pick-up is also quite attractive.  Restaurant-quality food for a fraction of the price.  Why not?  Recently, I have sampled 2 pick-up orders from Food Affare in Richmond that was rather impressive.

For my first pick-up, there were a variety of items including the Baked California Roll (aka Sushi Bake) featuring sushi rice with citrus essence, imitation crab, tobiko, fried jalapenos, nori and bonito flakes.  This included 2 boxes of nori sheets as well.  The trick with this one was to bake it until warm and then add the toppings.  Scoop into the nori sheets and it becomes a tidy little bite.  Loved the crunch and spice from the jalapenos.

One of the more finely-tuned dishes was the Mushroom Ravioli on Buerre Noisette with blistered tomatoes, parmesan petals, reduced red wine couile, fried capers and truffle oil.  I kid you not, this would be right at home at any fine-dining Italian restaurant.  The pasta was thin yet firmly al dente.  The woodsiness was strong and the truffle oil was restrained.  Tang and saltiness was provided by the tomatoes and capers.  So good.

Last dish of this pick-up order was the Mentaiko Kimchi Udon with with crispy pork belly and onsen egg topped with katsuobushi and scallions.  Yah, this was also excellent with the brininess of the cod roe and the creaminess of the egg.  Loved the fusion where the kimchi added a light spice and tanginess.  Adding more body to the dish, the pork belly was tender and meaty.

On my next pick-up, there was a similar variety featuring a traditional Italian offering in the Rigatoni Bolognese.  The slow cooked meat sauce was full of depth and of course melt-in-my-mouth tender.  Flavours were apparent, yet subtle at the same time.  Saltiness was provided by the melted parm on top.  Rigatoni was on point being chewy, yet still tender.

Back to the Korean fusion, we found the Beef Bulgogi Spaghetti with sous-vide egg.  This was good with all of the sweet and meaty flavours of bulgogi accented by jalapenos and the silkiness of the egg.  Once again, the pasta was perfect and I loved how it didn't clump together despite being prepared in advance.  It really did feel like I was eating an Italian dish, but with Korean flavours.

Lastly, I had a traditional Korean dish in the Pork & Tofu Kimchi Jjigae with rice (and a small portion of XO sauce).  This was chock full of ingredients and the broth was impactful with moderate spice and plenty of acidity.  Of course it went well with the rice!  Consisting of mainly scallops, the XO sauce as a flavour bomb of spice and briny sweetness.  To be honest, I wasn't expecting the food to be so good, but it surely is.  Totally restaurant quality dishes at a reasonable price ready for take-out.  I highly recommend.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:

- Restaurant-quality eats

- Reasonably-priced

- Fusion that actually works

The Bad:

- For now, only pickup is in Richmond (but there is available delivery with a surcharge) 

Private Dinner with Chef Kristian Leidig

Awhile back, I had visited the now-closed Ham & Eggmans with a few others for a delicious brunch.  Owner operator Chef Kristian Leidig created a menu that was both familiar and unique that satisfied many different palates and dietary needs.  Unfortunately, Covid-19 came on full force and his restaurant (like many others) was forced to close.  However, he is still cooking, holding private dinners in Squamish.  We were recently invited out to try his 5-course French-inspired dinner out on a gorgeous rooftop (regularly $69.00).  Definitely a nice way to finish a day out in Squamish, where there are not many choices left for fine-dining ever since Covid-19 helped close restaurants there as well.

To kick things off, we had an Amuse Bouche consisting of a Prawn-stuffed Tomato with smoked paprika, mirepoix and garlic panko.  A little more than one-bite, the tender tomato still retained its shape.  Inside, the buttery shrimp had a light meaty snap while the veggies were well-seasoned and naturally sweet.  As much as the base of garlic panko served as a stability device, it also added aromatic crunch to the dish.

At first, I thought the Rillette de Carnard was going to be shared between Jacqueline and myself, but alas, we were served ONE EACH!  Very generous portion of tender and delicious tasting duck with rosemary potatoes, cherry gastrique as well as crostini and almonds.  There was actually more duck than crostinis on the plate.  Naturally, the tangy and sweet gastrique went well with the rillette where the crunch of the nuts and crostinis added another texture.

From this, we headed off to something much lighter in the Carrot and Fennel Salad with Summer greens, pears, walnuts, and comté dressed in orange & ginger vinaigrette.  As Maggi mentioned, this was a good transition from the heavy rillette as we progressed towards the main protein.  Really enjoyed the comté as the saltiness with a touch of sweetness complimented the veggies and crunch from the walnuts.  The salad was lightly dressed where it allowed us to taste the individual components.

Our main dish was Roasted Sablefish atop saffron hominy grits and haricot verts with a bouillabaisse sauce.  As described in the previous passage, the progression made sense from the salad to the buttery fish.  The best part was the sauce as it had a rich aroma from the shellfish and depth from the reduction.  It was more than enough to flavour the dish in terms of taste and smell.  Loved the extra hit of aroma in the saffron with the nicely textured grits.  Beans were perfect being vibrant and crunchy.

We ended off with the perfect Summer dessert in the Peach & Berry Dacqoise with hazelnut meringue and Chantilly cream.  Other than the fresh fruit, the best part of the dessert was the meringue as it was airy, crispy and light.  Not too sweet either and of course a bit nutty.  The cream wasn't too sweet as well, instead letting the fruit do the heavy-lifting.  Overall, I really enjoyed the meal as it was not fussy while well-prepared.  I went away full and satisfied.  Chef Kristian is planning to bring this back into Vancouver and of course, he can be booked for catering dinners too.

*Dinner was complimentary*

The Good:

- Well-prepared

- Well-portioned

- Lovely setting

The Bad:

- Well, it is in Squamish, but make a day of it

 

Gaea Foods

I was approached recently to test out the services of private Chef Dimitri Georges of Gaea Foods.  Seeing how I wasn't going to be the only one testing out his wares, it seemed like a good idea to gather up everyone for one dinner at one location (which was my house).  Therefore, we saw the likes of Sean, Joyce, Grace, Amy and Diana join me for dinner.  Now before we get to the "meat" (will be ironic btw) of this post, Gaea specializes in healthier alternatives and even offers nutrition services.

We started off with the Eggplant with mint pesto and cashew cream. Thinly-sliced, while not crispy, the eggplant discs acted as the base for the canape. I found the pesto to be chunky, mild-tasting with only a hint of mint. Creamy and light, the cashew cream was aromatic and added a pleasing texture.  Next, we had the Foamy Garden Pea Soup with basil and avocado cream. Texturally, the soup was appealing with a light airiness accented by the dollop of rich avocado cream.  I felt the flavours were pretty muted, but there was a certain natural sweetness that went well with the basil.

From that, we moved onto an Arugula Salad with grapes, pistachios and tomatoes in a light vinaigrette. This was pretty straightforward and to be frank, not really something that showcased Chef Dimitri's repertoire and skill. I personally would've liked to see something cooked other than a salad that I could make myself. Onto our main dish, I was a little perplexed to find a large portion of Salmon Tartare on a bed on lentils du puy, topped with fresh micro greens. Okay, I love salmon tartare, but as a main, there was just to much of it. It was good though with buttery pieces of salmon lightly dressed with a balanced acidity. However, there were some improperly cut long pieces.

For dessert, we were served a Mini-Pumpkin Tart with a Chaga Hot Chocolate. I really liked the tart as it featured a firm and crunchy shell that was not overly sweet nor greasy. The pumpkin topping was creamy and not overly "pumpkin-tasting" while easy on the sugar. As for the hot chocolate, it was somewhat thick in consistency while easy on the sugar. There was a certain appealing aroma which could've been stronger. It fit the theme of the meal though as it didn't feel heavy nor unhealthy. Now therein lies an issue with this dinner. The food as a whole was decent and definitely healthy. If one was in the market for a healthy private chef, then Chef Dimitri is your man. In terms of wowing us, I guess he was behind the 8-ball from the start with a light and relatively nutritious meal. I applaud him for sticking true to his style and convictions, but it didn't hit any high notes personally. With that being said, he will cooked whatever a client desires, so maybe one might have a different experience depending on the type of cuisine. 

The Good:
- Healthier alternative
- Chef Dimitri does everything for you, so you don't have to

The Bad:
- Our meal was too light and healthy in my opinion which left me wanting for more

*All food and services were complimentary*