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After our foray into Richmond for some new Shanghainese eats at Z&Y located within The Central at Garden City, it time to change it up and do what softball teams do after the game... No, it is generally not in search of Xiao Long Bao or Sweet and Sour Pork! Yes, we actually headed to a sports bar for greasy eats to go with some beverages! But surprisingly, we went back to the scene of the crime once again to The Central at Garden City. Tucked off to the side facing the corner of Alderbridge and Garden City Road, there is actually a legit sports bar in The Canadian Brewhouse and Grill.
Since the special of the night was the Dry Ribs (for $5.95), we went ahead and got 2 orders for the table. Unlike many places which only served the salt & pepper variety, we could choose any of their wing flavours. Hence, in addition to the aforementioned salt & pepper, we also got the honey hot. Due to the moisture of the sauce, the honey hot ribs were more moist and definitely more flavourful with an appealing sweetness to go with a good amount of heat. As for the S&P, it was pretty typical and of course drier. We went for another appy in the Face-Off Fried Pickles served with house-made tzatziki. These were decent with juicy tart spears coated with a medium thick breading. They were crunchy and the creamy tzatziki was fairly garlicky.
Since we were sharing anyways, we got a Meatza Pizza on thin crust. Okay, this was more like piles of ham and pepperoni topped with bacon, ground beef and sausage. The layer of meat was 2 times the thickness of the crust! About that crust, it was crunchy and held up to all of the ingredients. Due to the amount of meat, the pizza ate a bit salty and a touch greasy. However, the tangy tomato sauce did help out in that regard. Something that caught our eye was the Miss Vickie's Salt & Vinegar Fish & Chips. Yes, they used crushed chips to batter the 2 pieces of cod! As a result, the outer crust was fairly firm and crunchy. Furthermore, there was an inherent salty tanginess. The fish itself was a bit overdone though and the fries were pretty pedestrian. The creamy tartar sauce was quite nice though.
Okay, we couldn't resist and ordered The Rita Challenge even though no one was actually going to tackle a six-patty beast of a burger with bacon, cheese, fried onions and mushrooms on a brioche bun. We ended up sharing it and surprisingly, it wasn't merely a gimmick. The thick and meaty patties were well-seasoned and almost juicy. They were subjected to a smoky char and with the melted cheese between each, we enjoyed them. I was able to reform a single burger with the soft brioche bun (that didn't really hold up to the amount of meat and moisture including the Brewhouse secret sauce, think Mac sauce). We could see that a regular burger with all of the ingredients would actually be pretty good. If one was to take the challenge, they would eat this for free if finished within an hour.
Now that wasn't the only part of the challenge though as one would have to finish a large Poutine on the side too! For me, this was so-so as the fries were too dense for my liking and not nearly crispy enough. The melted mozzarella should've been cheese curds instead since the texture was not right. As much as the thick gravy was the right consistency and did taste okay, there was the taste of flour that was a bit overwhelming. On a return visit, we had high hopes for the Nachos, but it ultimately was a disaster. We found the chips so hard, it almost had a stale quality to it. It wasn't stale because it didn't smell of it, but I almost chipped a tooth trying to eat them. We also thought there could've been more cheese and less veggies. The chunky guacamole was pretty tasty and the salsa was rather spicy.
Since we had a thin crust pizza last time, we wanted to give the regular crust a go with the large Greek Pizza. Maybe it might have to do with my personal biases, but I didn't enjoy this pizza. There wasn't a shortage of toppings which included tender chicken, feta, onions, olives, tomatoes and tzatziki. But that was partly the problem as the pizza ate wet and raw since the veggies were not cooked through. The crust was fine though being more robust than the thin version. One dish we didn't get to last time was the Short Rib Shepherd's Pie, so we got that too. It was decent with tender shredded short rib bathed in a flavourful and thick gravy. Loved the pop of the sweet peas. It was topped with a thick layer of somewhat dense mashed potatoes.
I wasn't a huge fan of the regular poutine we had last time, but was slightly happier with the Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine. We only got a small order (should've had a large) and it consisted of fries, cheese, diced pickles, smoked meat and a side of mustard. I'm still on the fence with the gravy as it was a bit floury in flavour, but the fries were better and the pickles somehow worked. Surprisingly, the mustard really made the dish with a tangy sharpness. After these 2 visits to the Canadian Brewhouse and Grill, it showed us that there are some good dishes to be found within the enormous menu. However, with restaurants of this ilk, there are a fair share of misses too. If you stick to the tried and true items, your experience could be a good one.
The Good:
- Fair portions
- Attentive service (especially with the buttons at the table)
- Burgers are good
The Bad:
- Really hit and miss though
- Not particularly cheap
2 years ago, when I first visited Yah Yah Ya Ramen in Richmond, I came away satisfied. I went back shortly after and it I was once again happy with the results. The broth was more mild due to the combination of shoyu and tonkotsu broths (Yokohama-style) which meant it was less heavy and completely drinkable. Over the years of eating many types of Japanese ramen, it is beginning to be my preference. No offense to places like The Ramen Butcher, because taste in food is purely subjective, but overly fatty and rich broths are not my #1 choice. I was recently invited to reacquaint myself with Yah Yah Ya at their new location on Robson by Steph (picture credit Foodology).
We were started off with their original Shoyu Ramen with chashu, spinach, nori and egg. As expected, the soup base was on the lighter side, yet not devoid of meatiness. It had a noted rich pork essence, just without the greasy heaviness. For me I enjoyed the drinkability of the soup although I personally could've used a bit more saltiness. The chashu was thin, fatty and melted in my mouth while exhibiting an appealing porkiness. I found the egg to be nicely runny and mildly seasoned. As for the noodles, they were al dente and had a great mouth-feel. For many, they much preferred the Black Tonkotsu Ramen featuring black garlic oil. This in itself added an Earthy punch that was both subtle and impactful at the same time. Hence, the broth was also a bit more rich and flavourful. I liked this one due to this, but for some reason, I liked the original shoyu more for its simplicity.
When the Gyoza hit the table, I was impressed with the uniform and attractive sear on the bottom of the dumplings. A few bites and it was indeed lightly crispy and nutty while the rest of the dumpling skin was tender with a bite. I found the filing to be juicy and moist while being mildly seasoned. I would've preferred a bit more meatiness though as the pork was almost too soft. It was served with a soy vinegar dip that was nicely balanced with an tasty tang. One could customize this with the chili oil found at each table. We moved onto a bowl of noodles devoid of broth in the Mazesoba. On top of chewy ramen noodles, we found a mixture of ground pork that was nicely spiced where the heat lingered beyond the last bite. The raw egg yolk on top added a silkiness to the mixture. There was also bean sprouts, nori, bamboo shoots and green onion.
Since it was one of the hottest days of the year so far, it was nice to dig into some cold noodles in the Abura Soba. We had one each of the spicy and non-spicy. The spicy version featured a good amount of pungent kimchi which emanated a strong fermented odor. When mixed with the rest of the ingredients (chashu, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and egg), it was flavourful, spicy and refreshing. As for the non-spicy version, it consisted nearly of the same ingredients minus the kimchi. Hence, it was much more mild and in fact, a little on the bland side. With that being said, one could adjust the flavour with the various condiments found at the table. With that being said, it was refreshing and still tasty with a noted sesame oil hit. I found the temperature (quite cold) to be perfect where the noodles were firm and chewy.
Last but not least, we also sampled 2 dons including the Negi Chashu Don. This was pretty loaded with tender shredded chasu that was aggressively seasoned. It was rather salty with a background sweetness. However, when mixed with the chewy rice, the flavours balanced off a bit. We also had the Salmon Don featuring a large filet atop the same chewy rice. I found the fish to be slightly too done for my tastes, but hardly dry. It was mildly seasoned with a balance of salty and sweet elements. Overall, I thought the ramen at Yah Yah Ya to be good in terms of key elements including broth, meat and noodles. For me, I prefer less heavy broths and this satisfied that criteria.
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
- Despite being lighter, the soup base was still meaty
- Ability to customize
- Reasonable pricing for the portion size
The Bad:
- For those who want a richer broth, this is not it
- Gyoza filling could be more robust
If you haven't noticed or have an aversion to sweets, there have been a bunch of Asian dessert shops popping up all over the place. Some have opened multiple locations such as Snowy Village and Sulmida. Another hot trend is the Mille Crepe Cake made famous by Lady M. Now we don't have a Lady M in the GVRD *yet*, but there are plenty of copycats. Of course we have the first being L'otus in Richmond and also Candy Tree in Burnaby. Heck, even T&T has them now (but I can't vouch how good or bad they are...). Enter the newest Asian dessert shop, Sugar Lab in Burnaby, to arrive on the scene with a large variety of mille crepe cake.
We hit up the place right after Whiskey Six, despite filling up on meats and sides. We didn't waste time and went straight for the Mille Crepe Cake in both Tiramisu and Matcha Red Bean flavours. In terms of texture, I found the tiramisu to be lighter and fluffier while the matcha was more dense and doughy. Was it to do with the actual flavour or was it the crepe or was it both? Flavourwise, I preferred the tiramisu more as it was impactful in a light manner. It wasn't very sweet (could've been sweeter) but it definitely appeals to the Asian palette. The matcha was super mild and there was only a hint of bitterness at the end. When eaten with the sweet and appealing red beans, we couldn't even taste the matcha.
The star of the show was actually the Mango Pancake. Naturally, it didn't look that impressive before we cut it (and really it isn't that photogenic). However, one bite and the generously large chunk of ripe mango was delicious with the ideal texture and balance of sweetness and slight tang. The whipped cream was light (yet a bit greasy) and not overly sweet while the pancake was thin and fluffy with an appealingly ending elasticity. Lastly, we tried the Serradura Pudding Plant neatly served in a jar. It was more or less what we expected with a nutty and powdery dust with whipped cream and jello-like pudding. There was a nice aromaticness as well as a malt-like finish.
A few days later, I returned with the fam to try a few more items including another mille crepe cake in the same Serradurra flavour as the pudding plant. The cake was lightly dusted with serradura which was just right as it didn't greatly affect the texture of the cake. Again, there was a nutty and malt-like flavour that was aromatic while not overly sweet. The texture of the crepe mirrored the one in the tiramisu being light. We also gave their Mango & Strawberry Shaved Ice a go. In terms of fruit, the mango and strawberries were ripe and generous in portion. However, the ice itself was not good. It was grainy and too icy being nowhere close to being fluffy.
When mom spotted the mille crepe on my IG (yah really), she wanted to try it too. So off we went for our 3rd visit in a week... For me, I decided to try the Black Sticky Rice with coconut milk. This was fairly sweet, but aromatic from the coconut milk. There was probably a bit too much red bean, but it was still fine. We also went for the Mango Sago and we lamented that there wasn't any grapefruit. No matter, it was refreshing and only semi-sweet. There was quite a bit of sweet and tangy mango. The soup was a bit thin though. But really, Sugar Lab is all about the mille crepe cake as it takes up most of the menu. 2 of the 3 were not bad while the pancake was surprisingly good. The shaved ice was not so good though.
The Good:
- Decent mille crepe cake
- Excellent pancake
- Okay pricing
The Bad:
- Grainy shaved ice
- Flavours are generally mild (unless you like that)
Cornering Mijune and actually meeting up with her is super difficult these days. If it weren't impossible before, it takes a Herculean effort now since she is now a resident judge on Top Chef Canada (renewed for another season too!). Now add in a wild card in Nora, who is also super busy, the impossible happened - we all met up for dessert! Lucky me right? Well, we ended up visiting the Richmond location of Sulmida for some shaved ice and dessert toast.
We decided to try the standard in a large order of Mango Shaved Ice (or Bingsoo). This was a decent portion of fluffy and almost creamy shaved ice that was nearly on par with Snowy Village. As evidenced in the picture, the mango was barely ripe which meant it was sweet with a noticeable tang. The conservative amount of mango sauce meant things weren't too sweet. For our second item, we chose the Injeolmi Toast topped with ice cream. I found this version rather flat and lacking in toast. There was a decent amount of rice cake in between that was soft and chewy. The dessert was a lot less sweeter than it appeared, but it wasn't bland. There was a certain powdery nuttiness from the bean powder.
On another visit with Nora, we ended up with another mango bingsoo and also a Strawberry Lava Bread (think toast box) with custard and fruit. I wasn't a huge fan of this as the bread was dense didn't have a good mouth-feel. Inside, the whole thing was sweet where it didn't seem to be enough fruit to provide balance. I gave up on this and decided to finish off the bingsoo instead. That really summed it up though as the bingsoo is the thing to get here. I really wasn't super impressed with the other items. With that being said, I still prefer Snowy Village, but Sulmida does make a decent bingoo still.
The Good:
- Decent bingsoo, fluffy and light
- More options than Snowy Village
The Bad:
- The other items were meh
Honestly, my visit to Lady M Confections in New York City was more of an afterthought than an eagerly planned destination. Blame it partly on our intense itinerary, but more importantly, dessert is not really in my wheelhouse. However, that is the complete opposite for Costanza. So when he spotted a location in Rockerfeller Center, he motioned for me to join him in line. Oh all right, since we were there anyways, I ended up getting some crepe layer cakes and to my surprise I liked it! Now there is no Lady M here (yet), but L'otus Cake Boutique in Richmond tries to emulate the same experience.
I picked up all 3 of their flavours to see how they stack up (sorry for the pun) to Lady M. I started off trying the Earl Grey first and it appeared to be neatly prepared and pretty stable when I took it out of the plastic wrapping. Initially, I didn't get much essence with my first bite, but in the end, the tea flavour came though. It wasn't bitter nor was it weak, hence it was just right in my books. Surprisingly, I found the cake needed a bit more sweetness for my tastes. The tender layers of crepe were texturally on point until I got to the edges where they became rubbery and dry. In between, the creme was light and airy. Next up was the more impactful Matcha where the green tea came through on the initial bite and got more intense at the end. It wasn't too bitter though, where the sweetness still came through.
The Creme Brulee was my favourite as it encompassed all the same good features as the previous 2 cakes in terms of texture. With the addition of a torched sugar top, there was a smoky and sweet caramel essence that was quite nice. This is where I appreciated the mildly sweet cream since it did not interfere with the sweeter and more intense torched sugar. Again, the edges were pretty disappointing though. Just stopping short of the end made for a better experience. I hate to compare with Lady M since it is not even available here, but the ones at L'otus are still good and worth trying.
The Good:
- Impactful flavours
- Light
- Not too sweet
The Bad:
- Edges could be better
A pet peeve of mine is the misunderstanding of BBQ in general. For instance, people tend to judge American BBQ all in one category like they should all be the same. That is an unfair way to compare and really, there are many different types of BBQ with their own nuances. Hence, when descriptions like "dry", "too saucy" or "not saucy enough" are used universally, it makes me cringe. Some forms of BBQ are meant to be without sauce and others are basted with sauce. To top it off, the sauces, depending on the region, are also very different. We recently checked out Whiskey Six BBQ and their Westcoast BBQ. From what I can gather, they seem to employ similar techniques found in Texas BBQ but not completely.
Instead of the platter, we decided to order each individual meat a la carte. This way, we could control the portion size of each and also have more sides. We agreed on getting the medium size of the Johnston's Prohibition Pulled Pork with the sides being Southern Biscuits and Coleslaw. Meaty and fairly moist, the pulled pork was actually quite wet. That was fine as it beats being dry. The flavour was mild, so I used some of the supplied BBQ sauce. It was rich in colour, but mild-tasting as well. There was some smokiness and background tang, but it could've been saltier. The biscuits were firm on the outside and somewhat soft on the inside. It was fine but did have a baking powder finish. I found the coleslaw to be overdressed as it was sloppy and wet. However, the flavours were quite good with an impactful tang and creaminess to go with the fresh crunch.
My favourite meat of the bunch was the Blue Goose Cattle Co. Organic Beef Brisket which was also in medium size. It was smoky with a nice flavourful bark. Although it wasn't exactly succulent, it was a tender and fatty. This didn't need any sauce in my opinion as the caramelized flavours and smokiness really did come through. For the sides, this one came with Braised Greens and Chicken Wings. The braised kale was still chewy and not overdone, yet underseasoned. As for the wings, they came as one piece with the drummette and wing tip attached. They were pretty crispy on the outside with well-rendered skin. It definitely needed the accompanying hot sauce or BBQ sauce since they were mildly salted. The meat was neither juicy nor dry.
The full rack of Johnston's Pork Ribs were pretty decent where most of the meat was tender and not completely dried out. They weren't juicy per se, but for a smoked rack of ribs, these were fine. The smokiness was minor while the inherent flavours were mostly natural pork flavour. Again, the side of sauce was necessary for both moisture and added punch. Underneath, the mound of fresh cut Kennebec Fries were quite good. They were crispy and stood up to the ribs sitting on top of them. There was some potatoness left even though they they had been fried twice. The other side of Smoky Beans were much less sweet and smoky than we were used to. It didn't matter though as we prefer these mild-tasting beans over the sickingly sweet version.
We ended up getting the 2 Free Range Framcrest Chicken Legs with coleslaw and Potato Salad. Similar to the chicken wings, the legs featured fully-rendered skin which were crispy and completely edible without any fatty portions. The meat underneath was not dry, yet not juicy either. However, we fully expected this for a free range smoked chicken leg. On the other hand, the smokiness was again very much in the background. Also like the chicken wings, the meat was not very flavourful and needed the sauce in that regard. Mind you, with this type of BBQ, unlike the Texas version, there isn't a tonne of sauce slopped onto it. The chunky Potato Salad was good with cooked-through potatoes that still retained a firm texture. It wasn't over-dressed where the flavours were slightly sweet with a mild tang.
Our last dish was the Windsor Meat Sausage Links (which we got 2) with more chicken wings and braised greens. This was another favourite featuring tasty and impactfully seasoned sausage. They were meaty with only enough fat for texture and full-bodied flavour. There was a noticeable spice that wasn't overwhelming. With all of the meals, they included Fife Bakery bread, Barrelhouse brine pickle and grainy mustard. Overall, I found the food at Whiskey Six BBQ serviceable with some highlights. Things could've been more impactful in terms of seasoning though. Loved the personable and friendly people there as it made our meal relaxed and enjoyable.
The Good:
- Reasonably-priced for what you get
- Brisket is on point
- Friendly staff
The Bad:
- Due to its style of smoked BBQ, some might find the meats drier (but I didn't mind)
- We found most items underseasoned
As mentioned in my Urban Thai post, it appears that Vancouver's happy hour game has stepped up in the past few years. There seems to be more and more choices, but more importantly, the pricing is more competitive. I've always been jealous of the cheap and tasty happy hours found in the States and am now thankful we have great options. Recently, I decided to stop by the new Glowbal at Telus Garden to try their revamped happy hour menu with the fam.
After perusing the new menu, it appears they are going with smaller options rather than merely discounting regular menu items. Before we tried those, we started with a dozen of their Buck-a-Shuck Oysters. These were fresh and sweet with a noticeable brininess. They were accompanied by the usual horseradish, cocktail sauce and classic mignonette. We found a few of them were haphazardly shucked though with shell fragments. Next up was the Ahi Tuna Tartar with ponzu, avocado and cucumber. The bits of tuna were meaty yet buttery. There were bright flavours and a nice crunch from the cucumbers and chives. Loved the amount of sesame oil in the mix but there was too much ponzu. The side of crunchy taro chips were great, we just wish there was a few more of them.
Now onto the "smaller items" where we could order by the piece. These included the Braised Beef Short Rib with truffle aioli. We got 3 of them ($2.25 each) and they were served on spoons. We found them to be tender and gelatinous while completely sauced with a sticky and silky red wine reduction. Although flavourful, the sauce was rather salty and that was a bit overwhelming. We did like the Earthy aioil on top as it added a different layer of taste. We also got 3 pieces of the Beef Tartaki ($2.00 each) that consisted of puffed mustard chip topped with beef, black garlic, spring onion and smoked egg yolk. I liked the airy and aromatic crisps, but they did have a hard time standing up to the beef. About that beef, it was super tender where it was tangy and sweet.
Continuing on with the per piece items, we had the Buttermilk Parmesan Fried Chicken ($2.00 each) with peppercorn lime aioli and jalapeno. These were more substantial than the previous 2 items where the chicken was succulent and well-seasoned. The batter was crunchy and also nicely seasoned. It was a touch on the thicker side, but didn't feel heavy. It was also easy on the grease. The aioli was slightly spicy with a background acidity. Moving away from the meat, we had the Mushroom Tempura ($1.50 each) with kabayaki sauce and dusted with togarashi. This was one of my favourites as the mushroom was still firm despite being cooked through. The batter was light and crispy while the kabayaki sauce was sticky and sweet.
My son really enjoyed the Confit Duck Poutine mostly because he loves poutine in general. In many aspects, it was a good dish since there was a plethora of tender duck (it was very good where all of the pieces were not dry at all). The fries were fairly crispy while the amount of cheese curds was also generous. Although the sauce was flavourful, silky and exhibited a nice hit of 5 spice, the salt content was a little much. If there was less salt, the dish would've been nearly perfect. One dish I could've done without was the Spinach & Cream Cheese Arancini with red pepper emulsion. They were undercooked where the filling was mealy and dry. Texturally, the dish was a complete miss and flavourwise, I found it be bland as well.
On the other hand, the Cauliflower Nuggets were really good. Unlike many other restaurants, they prepared each piece as a large florette. Hence, the cauliflower remained meaty and with a nice bite. Outside, the batter was thin and crispy. What really made the dish was the roja hot sauce as it was spicy enough without being overwhelming. There was a equal amount of sweetness for balance. Our last dish was the Mussels Provencal with tomato, summer squash, garlic and toasted focaccia. This was more or less a straight-forward dish where the mussels were fairly plump and sweet. There was an appealing brininess to go wit the impactful tartness of the tomato. Okay, at this point we were only missing the shrimp cocktail and calamari, but we couldn't eat anymore. We thought there were some highlights, but things were rather salty. However, given its location and the see and be-seen vibe, the happy hour at Glowbal is reasonably-priced with plenty of options.
The Good:
- Reasonably-priced happy hour consider location and high-end feel
- Attentive service
- Lots of options
The Bad:
- Some items were rather salty
- Arancini was almost inedible
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After our foray into Richmond for some new Shanghainese eats at Z&Y located within The Central at Garden City, it time to change it up and do what softball teams do after the game... No, it is generally not in search of Xiao Long Bao or Sweet and Sour Pork! Yes, we actually headed to a sports bar for greasy eats to go with some beverages! But surprisingly, we went back to the scene of the crime once again to The Central at Garden City. Tucked off to the side facing the corner of Alderbridge and Garden City Road, there is actually a legit sports bar in The Canadian Brewhouse and Grill.
Since the special of the night was the Dry Ribs (for $5.95), we went ahead and got 2 orders for the table. Unlike many places which only served the salt & pepper variety, we could choose any of their wing flavours. Hence, in addition to the aforementioned salt & pepper, we also got the honey hot. Due to the moisture of the sauce, the honey hot ribs were more moist and definitely more flavourful with an appealing sweetness to go with a good amount of heat. As for the S&P, it was pretty typical and of course drier. We went for another appy in the Face-Off Fried Pickles served with house-made tzatziki. These were decent with juicy tart spears coated with a medium thick breading. They were crunchy and the creamy tzatziki was fairly garlicky.
Since we were sharing anyways, we got a Meatza Pizza on thin crust. Okay, this was more like piles of ham and pepperoni topped with bacon, ground beef and sausage. The layer of meat was 2 times the thickness of the crust! About that crust, it was crunchy and held up to all of the ingredients. Due to the amount of meat, the pizza ate a bit salty and a touch greasy. However, the tangy tomato sauce did help out in that regard. Something that caught our eye was the Miss Vickie's Salt & Vinegar Fish & Chips. Yes, they used crushed chips to batter the 2 pieces of cod! As a result, the outer crust was fairly firm and crunchy. Furthermore, there was an inherent salty tanginess. The fish itself was a bit overdone though and the fries were pretty pedestrian. The creamy tartar sauce was quite nice though.
Okay, we couldn't resist and ordered The Rita Challenge even though no one was actually going to tackle a six-patty beast of a burger with bacon, cheese, fried onions and mushrooms on a brioche bun. We ended up sharing it and surprisingly, it wasn't merely a gimmick. The thick and meaty patties were well-seasoned and almost juicy. They were subjected to a smoky char and with the melted cheese between each, we enjoyed them. I was able to reform a single burger with the soft brioche bun (that didn't really hold up to the amount of meat and moisture including the Brewhouse secret sauce, think Mac sauce). We could see that a regular burger with all of the ingredients would actually be pretty good. If one was to take the challenge, they would eat this for free if finished within an hour.
Now that wasn't the only part of the challenge though as one would have to finish a large Poutine on the side too! For me, this was so-so as the fries were too dense for my liking and not nearly crispy enough. The melted mozzarella should've been cheese curds instead since the texture was not right. As much as the thick gravy was the right consistency and did taste okay, there was the taste of flour that was a bit overwhelming. On a return visit, we had high hopes for the Nachos, but it ultimately was a disaster. We found the chips so hard, it almost had a stale quality to it. It wasn't stale because it didn't smell of it, but I almost chipped a tooth trying to eat them. We also thought there could've been more cheese and less veggies. The chunky guacamole was pretty tasty and the salsa was rather spicy.
Since we had a thin crust pizza last time, we wanted to give the regular crust a go with the large Greek Pizza. Maybe it might have to do with my personal biases, but I didn't enjoy this pizza. There wasn't a shortage of toppings which included tender chicken, feta, onions, olives, tomatoes and tzatziki. But that was partly the problem as the pizza ate wet and raw since the veggies were not cooked through. The crust was fine though being more robust than the thin version. One dish we didn't get to last time was the Short Rib Shepherd's Pie, so we got that too. It was decent with tender shredded short rib bathed in a flavourful and thick gravy. Loved the pop of the sweet peas. It was topped with a thick layer of somewhat dense mashed potatoes.
I wasn't a huge fan of the regular poutine we had last time, but was slightly happier with the Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine. We only got a small order (should've had a large) and it consisted of fries, cheese, diced pickles, smoked meat and a side of mustard. I'm still on the fence with the gravy as it was a bit floury in flavour, but the fries were better and the pickles somehow worked. Surprisingly, the mustard really made the dish with a tangy sharpness. After these 2 visits to the Canadian Brewhouse and Grill, it showed us that there are some good dishes to be found within the enormous menu. However, with restaurants of this ilk, there are a fair share of misses too. If you stick to the tried and true items, your experience could be a good one.
