The Greek on Broadway (Social Menu)

I'm sure you remember me yammering about food prices these days in several of my posts.  Sure, there have been some pretty good deals out there including some affordable AYCE options.  However, the Social Menu at The Greek on Broadway is something else.  Everything on that menu is 40% off (until October 31st) as long as you do a social media post of some sort.  These including following The Greek on IG, posting a story, reel or static post on IG and/or an online review.  I personally love the food here and for 40% off, it is a frickin' steal!

So for only $7.80, you can order the Taramosalata that comes with grilled pita.  Of all the available dips, this is my favourite with an appetizing tanginess to go with the brininess of the cured cod roe.  This is fairly thick, but still creamy in texture.  The best part of the dish is the grilled pita.  It benefits from the charring as the smokiness and nuttiness really come through.  The bread itself is crispy on the outside while still chewy on the inside.  Really nice compliment to the dip.

Another excellent small plate that is available on the menu is the Spanakopita for $11.10.  Unlike other versions that feature little triangles of phyllo pastry stuffed with spinach and feta cheese, the one here is a long whole piece.  Therefore, we find much more filling than phyllo.  It isn't as if the phyllo isn't there though.  The thin layer is nicely browned and crispy while the ample amount of spinach is tender, yet not mushy.

Also for $11.10, the Keftedes sports 4 pork and beef meatballs sitting in a homemade tomato sauce.  These meatballs are large and features lean meat.  Hence there is a real meatiness to them.  The slight heaviness of the meatballs is completely offset by the delicious tomato sauce.  There is a certain freshness about it and the tang is perfectly balanced with the sweetness and oregano.

Now the previous 3 dishes are really good, but the one that I love the most is the Grilled Humboldt Squid for $15.00.  This large piece of squid is super tender with the perfect amount of textural bite.  It is masterfully grilled with appealing sear marks.  These are not only there for form, but they also there for function.  Caramelized smokiness abound, the squid benefits also from proper seasoning and a wealth of olive oil.  Be sure to squeeze some lemon for acidity.

One of my favourite Greek dishes is Moussaka and they do it justice here.  It is only $12.60 on the Social Menu, yet they do not skimp on the meat.  There is a thick layer of tender beef and pork within the layers of eggplant, zucchini and potatoes.  Of course, on top we find the usual creamy bechamel sauce.  Love how this layer is not too thick.  Some other versions have far too much bechamel that can also be heavy.  Not this one.  It is velvety and has the unmistakable taste of nutmeg.  That combining with the cinnamon in the meat make this the perfect fall dish.

The best value on the Social Menu must be the Souvlaki Platters for a mind-boggling $17.40!  You can choose between 4 different skewers including chicken, pork, beef (+$1.00) or prawns.  It includes all the fixins' including rice, roast potatoes, tzatziki and veggies.  All of the skewers are well-charred and seasoned.  I like the chicken and pork the most as they are tender and juicy.  The beef is a bit chewier and drier.  Prawns are excellent with a meaty snap.  Overall, the food at The Greek is solid and it is now even more appealing due to the rock-bottom pricing.  I suggest you go check it out before October 31st.

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

The Good:
- Well-prepared proteins
- Fair portion sizes
- That Social Menu (only until Oct 31st)!

The Bad:
- Currently with the Skytrain construction, you must park a bit farther away

Ngon Cafe Burnaby

For since I can remember, I've loved snacking on Banh Mi or having a few of them for a meal.  They were really cheap back-in-the-day, but like everything else, they have gone up in price.  Let's be honest about it, they were probably underpriced at one point, so the prices now are more in line with what they should be worth.  I really am enjoying some of more progressive spots that have the classic sandwiches as well as some reimagined ones.  One of these places I checked out recently is Ngon Cafe in Burnaby.  Their menu is pretty simple with a selection of Banh Mi, coffees and now noodle bowls (in lieu of their salad rolls).

So the thing to get here is their #1 or Ngon Special.  This fully loaded sub consists of siu mai (aka pork meatball), braised pork, fried egg and pate.  If you can imagine, this is packed with umaminess and various meat flavours.  The tender meatball is sweet with onion vibes while the braised pork adds body and rich stewed essences.  Of course the pate gives plenty of punch with mild gaminess due to the fat content.  They also add a fried egg to it so you have even more protein in the way of fluffiness.  

The next best thing to get in my opinion is the Meat Lovers (as if the Ngon Special is not a form of that already!).  This features all the goodness of a Banh Mi Dac Biet (or cold cut) including more interesting components such as banana leaf pork, ham, pork belly, beef ham, jambon and pate.  This is seriously a loaded sandwich as every bite is a mouthful of meat.  The great thing about those meats is that they all have their distinct flavour.  Hence it is a real party of sweet and savoury as well as aromatics.

One of the more surprising sandwiches on the menu is the BBQ Pork.  Sure, that does not sound very interesting and in fact, it maybe is one of the more basic options.  However, this was one is a solid option for those who didn't want the aforementioned sandwiches.  This features tender and slightly fatty pork that is juicy and well-seasoned.  The sweetness helps balance out the savouriness.  As for the bread itself, it is light, crunchy and airy.

One of the most neutral options is the Lemongrass Chicken banh mi.  What I mean is that chicken is easy to eat and probably fits most diets excluding vegetarians.  With that in mind, the chicken is the least meaty of the available non-vegetarian options.  It is moist and has plenty of flavour while it goes well with the other ingredients such as the pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber and cilantro.  As I said, a good neutral choice.

On the other hand, the Grilled Beef is the opposite of the chicken as it is denser, more meaty and richer in taste.  I find the beef sufficiently tender, yet due to its leanness, the texture is a touch dry.  It is slightly peppery and plenty beefy.  The rest of the ingredients are needed to keep things from being too heavy.  Thankfully, the bread, as mentioned, is light and airy.  So it keeps the balance within the sandwich. 

Lastly, they have a selection of Vietnamese coffee, in particular, cold drinks.  In the picture, we see the Salted Cream Coffee and the Coco Coffee.  I'm not usually a coffee drinker, but these are aromatic with balance from the coconut cream.  A real treat in itself apart from the delicious banh mi.  Overall, the stuff at Ngon Cafe is carefully made with great ingredients.  Their take on the meatball sandwich (#1 Ngon Special) is my choice here.

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

The Good:

- Quality ingredients

- Lots of filling

- Bread is airy and crunchy

The Bad:

- This particular location doesn't have much seating, mainly take out

 

Win Win Chick-N

Boy, I haven't been back to Win Win Chick-N in quite some time.  In fact, I don't even recall the last time I visited the Steveston location.  When I was doing my fried chicken quest (I stopped because my bloodwork came back horrible), I had went to the Main Street store (which is not there anymore).  This time around, we were here to sample some classics as well as their Summer Sliders.  Yes, it isn't Summer anymore, but they are still available until October 21st!

Let's get right to the Chicken Sliders!  There are 5 choices including BBQ, Szechuan, Mango Tajin, Honey Dijon and Original.  Beyond these flavours, if you just look at the sliders, you'll notice that they are pretty large with 2 whole chicken strips.  These were crispy with moist breast meat.  I liked the batter as it was well-spiced and seasoned.  My favourite flavour of the bunch was the Szechuan with its salty spiciness.

If these sliders aren't big enough for you (it would be hard to finish even 2 of them by yourself!), then you can go outright to the Fried Chicken Sandwich.  As you can see, it was pretty large too with enough moist chicken to occupy every bite.  I've actually had this a few times before and it is a solid sandwich.  The toasted brioche paired well with the crispy spiced batter, mayo and lettuce.  You won't go hungry with this one.

Of course we couldn't visit Win Win without ordering some Fried Chicken right???  We ended up with original dark meat pieces with drums and a thigh.  Unlike some of my previous visits, the chicken was pretty juicy.  I like how the batter (much like their other items) was flavourful with some spice.  But I still dunked it into their peppery gravy because it just made the chicken even better.  Good for the fries as well.

They also have some pretty good sides too including the Filipino Mac.  Consider this a version of Filipino spaghetti (but with macaroni).  It was sweet as expected and yes, the sliced hot dog wieners were there.  Surprisingly, their Poutine was super legit with crispy house-cut fries (and they were still crispy even with all the gravy), real cheese curds and of course, the gravy.  I would recommend this as a must order.

We ended off with an Mini Ube Flan Cake.  As you can see, there was an actual flan right on top.  This was quite good with the unmistakable flavour of ube and a purposeful sweetness.  The flan really did it for me with its silkiness and caramel flavour.  Overall, this was a delicious visit to Win Win Chick-N.  Chicken and sides were solid while their featured sliders could be considered full-blown chicken sammies.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Solid fried chicken with a flavourful coating

- Those sliders are huge

- Good sides

The Bad:

- Um, it is far for most?

Mama's Diner

I'm sure we are all familiar with Korean food in the Lower Mainland.  We have enough of it to get a good sense of what to expect and what is considered good.  However, we don't see much in the way of Chinese-Korean cuisine.  By the name alone, it is pretty self-explanatory, but I would say it is more Korean than Chinese.  There are Chinese influences and interpretations of Korean dishes in my mind.  But then again, there are related dishes that have benefitted from influences both ways.  On that note, Jackie and I checked out Mama's Diner (yep, serves Chinese-Korean eats!) located near the Walmart on Garden City Road.

We began with the usual Banchan consisting of sprouts, kimchi, daikon and garlic scapes.  I loved the addition of the garlic scapes as you don't see it very often.  They were cooked through while being still crunchy.  Our first dish was the classic Tteok Sausage.  This was solidly-prepared with soft and chewy rice cakes that were crispy on the outside.  The sausages were seared enough that there was aromatics whereas the overall texture was still juicy and bouncy.

One of the best tasting dishes was the Sweet & Spicy Squid.  That sauce was so flavourful and appealing where it was completely balanced.  Also, it was bang on in viscosity and just enough of it to coat each piece of squid.  However, the starch batter was a bit gummy where each piece of squid stuck to each other.  So when we picked it up, the batter slid off.  Other than that, the squid was tender with a bite and of course the sauce was fantastic.

Another solid item was the Seafood Pancake.  This was the thinner type where the outside was uniformly crispy without being overly greasy.  As you can see, it was subjected to a proper sear where it was golden brown, but not burnt.  Hence, it was nutty and aromatic with good caramelization.  Inside, the pancake was soft and but not wet.  It had just enough green onion for impact and there was the right amount of seafood.

With our choice of soup, we went for the classic Gamjatang.  This was loaded with big pork neckbones that were meaty and cooked down perfectly.  The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, but did not actually fall-off-the-bone without us manipulating them.  The soup itself was meaty with some spice and the unmistakable herbal background taste. Potatoes were also soft and delicate while not melting in texture.

We decided on 2 noodle dishes and sure it was a bit defaultish, yet at the same time, we really enjoy Spicy Cold Noodles as well as the Jajeunmyeon. Both were really large portions of noodles  Normally, you see a small clump of noodles, but in the pictures, it is obvious that they skimp.  Texturally, both noodles were chewy, I think the cold noodles could've used a few ice cubes though.  As for the jajeunmyeon, it was on point with enough sauce that had the right viscosity.  Flavourwise, it was impactful but in a mild way.  Nice sweet onion hits.

We ordered an equal amount of rice dishes as well including the Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap and the Kimchi Fried Rice.  There was so much beef in the rice bowl that it ensured every scoop would be 50% meat.  It was savoury and sweet while being tender due to the beef being sliced thin.  Only wish would be the dolset to be hotter so a rice crust could form.  As for the kimchi fried rice, it was tasty.  The rice was chewy and subjected to a good wok-fry.  There was good spice and overall seasoning while pieces of squid were appealingly chewy.

Now the most impressive-looking dish of the bunch, the Mama Hot Plate Special features a cast iron UFO with the featured dish in the middle (Stir-Fried Spicy Beef Intestines), rice and cheese.  On the outer ring we found corn cheese and fish cake.  Loved this dish as there was plenty of tender intestine that was not overly gamy.  Nice spice on it and when mixed with the rice and cheese, it was satisfying.  Overall, the food at Mama's Diner is solid and served in generous portions.  I found the Chinese influences to be quite minimal and hence, things seemed to be how they should be.  Would come back.

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

The Good:

- Apparent flavours

- Large portions

- Nothing seemed out-of-the-ordinary (which is a good thing)

The Bad:

- The dolset should've been hotter

Nonna's Cucina Pop-Up (Commercial Drive)

Ever since I first visited Nonna's Cucina on Hastings back in 2022, I was hooked onto their made-to-order pastas and sandwiches.  Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of seating at that spot since it is more of a take out restaurant.  However, my prayers have been answered as they have opened up shop on Commercial Drive where Vivace used to be located.  Now their menu has been expanded as well as offering cocktails and other bevvies at their bar.

Before we got to the dishes we ordered, they started us off with some Pizza Bread with fresh cheese, basil and tomato sauce.  Loved the chewiness of the bread while the crust itself was slightly crunchy and nutty.  Well-seasoned and a great appetizer.  Onto the actual appies, we had the Tuna Crudo with Limoncello cured albacore tuna, lemon puree, pickled onions, castelvetrano olives, fresh basil, radish, chili threads, pea shoots and micro basil.  The tuna itself was bright and lightly sweet while being delicate.  The Limoncello was there, but not overwhelming.  That allowed the lemon puree to add acidity and freshness.  The pickled onions and olives provided some texture, tanginess and saltiness.

Onto another appie, we had the Bomba Chili Prawns. Sometimes, when there is the promise of spice, it is ultimately a fail, but not here.  Those perfectly cooked prawns sat in a sauce that was definitely spicy with a combination of calabrian chili, butter, parsley, pizza bianco, olive oil, charred lemon and white wine.  This offered up hits of saltiness, tanginess and of course spice.  That bread was great for soaking all of this up.

Not looking like much, the gigantic Carbonara Suppli (similar to an arancini) was stuffed with tubettini rather than aborio rice.  Hence it was a pasta dish within a fried ball.  To make this a carbonara, we had the usual ingredients such as egg yolk, guanciale, pecorino and Parmesan.  However, we also had mozzarella inside since it was a Suppli after all!  This was quite rich and somewhat creamy with plenty of cheesiness.  The pasta was actually still somewhat al dente and the panko crust was crunchy.

In addition to the appies, there was a whole section on the menu dedicated to a Burrata Bar.  As such, we sampled 2 versions from the available 5 choices.  We had the classic Caprese featuring heirloom tomatoes, balsamic macerated strawberry, fresh basil, olive oil and maldon salt.  Loved the fresh tomatoes while the sweetness and tanginess of the strawberries came through.  The other one we tried was the Prosciutto & Peach with rosemary honey, olive oil and maldon salt.  This was a good combination of sweet and salty to go with the creamy burrata.

Onto the pastas, we took some photos first (of course that is what we do), but we didn't waste too much time and dug into the Mezze Rigatoni featuring meaty Italian sausage.  This was was quite good where the pasta tubes were firmly al dente while the braised fennel ragu was aromatic with rich tomato vibes.  It was bordering on salty, but hey, we like flavour (rather than being bland!).  There was ample sausage that had some spice.

The Spaghetti alla Chitarra was topped with massive meatballs (another $8.00) and bathed in a pomodoro sauce with, basil, olive oil and parmigiano.  More tangy than the ragu (because it is a tomato sauce = pomodoro), this was bright and it really benefited from the fresh basil (adding herbaceousness).  As for the pasta, it was pretty firm, but that is what we like!  The meatballs were meaty with very little filler.  So there was no airiness to them.  That is what I like more too.

Probably my favourite pasta of the bunch was the Orecchiette Cime di Rapa.  This is normally their vegetarian option, but we erased that with the addition of fennel sausage.  Loved that sausage as it was tender and flavourful.  The pasta itself was also firm (like the others) and had an appealing chewiness to them without being overly heavy.  The combo of rapini, garlic, house made Calabrian bomba and pecorino romano gave elements of brightness, spice and saltiness.

My least favourite pasta was the Herb Ricotta Gnocchi, not because it wasn't good per se.  I just found it the heaviest of the 4 we had due to the cream.  Now if you like pesto cream, then you will probably disagree with me.  It did have a nice flavour to it with the pesto coming through.  There was some background fennel essence as well as a bit of brightness from the arugula.  As for the gnocchi itself, they were somewhere between pillowy soft and firm.

We also had some dishes that were not pasta including the Veal Scallopini Marsala.  This was a well-executed dish with tender slices of veal that were lightly floured and seared.  The marsala wine sauce with mushrooms was moderately rich with plenty of earthiness.  I found that the veal was seasoned enough to stand on its own, so the sauce only added to the layers of flavour.

Described as the PLT on the menu, it was actually referring to the Pochetta sandwich with lettuce and heirloom tomato.  I liked this sandwich but didn't love it.  I thought the toasted bread was good being firm enough to hold everything in.  However, the pork belly itself was not as soft as I would've liked.  It did taste great though with natural aroma and roasted flavours.  Still a solid sandwich with all things considered.

Not sure why there was a burger on the menu, but we tried Nonna's Burger anyways.  Turns out it was pretty good!  A little on the salty side, but can't say this was lacking flavour.  The meat patty was nicely charred and still moist in the inside.  Lots of melty mozzarella in the middle oozing out.  The pistachio pesto aioli added some herby nuttiness while the crispy pancetta provided even more salt content.  Fortunately, the lettuce, tomato and roasted peppers help cut the heaviness and saltiness.  Potato bun was soft and held everything together.

We ended up trying all 3 of their desserts including the Affogato.  This featured pistachio gelato (also fior di latte option) with espresso.  Loved the espresso as it was richly-flavoured and when combined with the gelato, things got creamy and just sweet enough.  The second dessert was the Almond Granita with whipped cream and toasted almonds.  This was refreshing and sweet with the crunch from the aromatic almonds.  There was some interestingly shaped brioche on the side for dipping.

Our last dessert was the Tableside Tiramisu which can be seen as a novelty.  However, this particular one was prepared properly with soaked ladyfingers in espresso and Kahlua, mascarpone cream and shaved chocolate.  I think the best part of the tiramisu was the mascarpone as it was light, creamy and purposefully sweet.  We also had some cocktails that included the Tiramisu Espresso Martini, Creamsicle Sour, The Sexy (Non-Alcoholic) and a White Peach Negroni.  My favourite of the bunch was the creamsicle sour as it was fruity and tangy.  When paired with the fairly heavy dishes, it helped keep things light.  Overall, I though the food was really good and properly executed.  A good alternative to other Italian spots out there with fair pricing for what you get.  Since it took over a fairly nicely appointed spot already, the dining experience is not only about the food.

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

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Generous portions

- Nice dining space and vibe

The Bad:

- Some things were bordering on salty