Imran Halal Beef Noodle

For an amazing Asian food metropolitan such as the GRVD, we don't have as many hand-pulled noodle spots as one would imagine.  Refining the category even more so, there aren't many Halal beef hand-pulled noodle restaurants to choose from either.  Have no fear since Imran Halal Beef Noodle checks all the boxes with their location on Robson near Nicola.  The place is spacious for a noodle joint and features counter service which is quick and efficient.  All of their noodles are made-to-order, so they are as fresh as can be.

Prior to our noodle experience, we tried some of their smaller places first.  We had a trio of appetizers/sides dishes including Cold Mixed Wood Ear with Onion, Spicy & Sour Shredded Potato and Spicy Cucumber.  I thought these were solid with crunchy wood ear with a mild sweetness and potato being tender but still retaining a bite.  I would've liked to see a bit more spice though.  Cucumbers were crunchy and fresh with plenty of garlickiness.  We also had the Tea Egg and it was more or less standard being a bit overdone (no way to avoid this).  It did have initial flavour but could've used more.

We got two small meat appetizers in the Five-Spice Beef and the Shredded Peppercorn Chicken.  If we had known the beef would be same found in the soup noodle and the cold noodle, were would've opted for the spicy beef instead.  This one was a bit plain and needed some chili oil and vinegar (found on the table) to wake it up.  On the other hand, the chicken was had some numbing spice to go with some mild sweet and salty notes.  Loved the gelatinized texture of the skin.

There were 3 BBQ dishes available and we got all of them.  They were all well-seasoned with the usual spice mix including a good amount of cumin and a touch of spice.  We got the BBQ Beef Skewers in mild and they were pretty tasty.  The meat was tender with a good amount of spice but it wasn't spicy.  For the BBQ Lamb Skewers, we got it in spicy and there was just a bit more heat, but not significantly.  Meat was also tender and not really all that gamy.  The Roast Chicken Wing Skewers were almost juicy with somewhat rendered skin.  Flavours were similar to the beef.

We had a collection of hand-pulled noodle items and of course we had to get the Lanzhou Halal Beef Noodle.  It came out steaming hot with a broth that was daikon-forward with the unmistakable sweetness of the root vegetable.  It was on the saltier side, but combined with the noodles and the addition of chili oil, there was balance.  The slices of five-spice beef was no different than the one we got as an appie.  It varied between tender and fatty to a bit dry (with those slices with less fat).

Onto something without soup, we had the Lanzhou Cold Noodles.  This came on a large plate with a considerable amount of hand-pulled noodles.  They were chewy and since they were cold, the chew was more robust.  They were tossed with only a mild amount of seasoning and moisture.  Hence, they did get a bit clumpy if not manipulated right away.  There was some Taiwanese cauliflower and also broccoli for some veggie content.  They were crunchy and vibrant.  Not sure of the five spice beef could've been better off mixed in rather than sitting on top?

For our fried noodle, we got both the Noodles with Stir-Fried Cumin Beef as well as the Noodles with Stir-Fried Cumin Lamb.  Once again, the freshly hand-pulled noodles had a remarkable chew to them and that in itself was pleasing.  Theere was some wok hei with caramalized flavours and pepperiness.  Of course the cumin really came through with both plates of noodles.  Overall, the food at Imran was delicious, freshly-made and served in generous portions.  The place was pretty full while we were there on a weeknight and it further reinforces it as a solid place for hand-pulled noodles in Downtown Vancouver.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Texturally on point hand-pulled noodles (made to order)

- Large portions

- Great for people who are on a Halal diet

The Bad:

- Since they hand-pull the noodles to order, you must be patient (but worth it)

- Some pieces of the five-spice beef were dry

Sumu

One look on the outside, Sumu on Burrard appears to be some high-end, boogie restaurant.  Well, it certainly isn't low end, but in reality, it is only a moderately-priced place that dishes up a mix of cuisines.  Upon entering, you will be greeted with a more elevated "Big Way" setup where you can pick-your-own-ingredients and broth.  Then perusing the menu, the most prominent section is their large assortment of Yakitori and other grilled skewers.  Completing the menu, we have Mini-Donburis and also Japanese "Izakaya-like" dishes to share.  A little bit strange for sure, yet, I always have an open mind.

Starting with the Yakitori (different grilled chicken parts), we had several skewers including the Lemongrass Pork Shoulder (grilled skewer, not Yakitori), Red Date Glazed Chicken, Chicken Heart and House Tsukune.  The pork shoulder was tender and almost juicy with strong hits of lemongrass.   Really enjoyed the red date chicken as it really did capture the sweetness of the date.  Chicken was succulent.  Chicken hearts were a little overdone, but still had an appealing chewiness.  Could've used a bit more salt.  We found the chicken meatballs to be a bit crumbly, but chock full of white and green onion notes.

Next set of skewers consisted of Premium Grade Certified Angus Beef, Enoki wrapped in Beef Rolls and Honey Glazed Pork Jowl.  This was a really great selection of grilled meats where the Angus Beef was served in large pieces and turned out to be supremely tender.  They were well-seasoned with lots of natural beef flavour.  The enoki beef wraps were also good with juicy meat encasing just enough enoki.  Pork jowl had that unmistakeable bounciness that was also a bit smoky.

Our last set featured Garlic Butter Prawns, Miso-Glazed Sablefish and Citrus-Charred Chicken Wings.  Butterflied and topped with flavourful garlic butter, the prawns were sweet and meaty.  As expected, the sablefish was fatty and flaky being buttery soft.  The skin was crispy while the miso on top added some fermented saltiness.  With crispy and fairly rendered skin, the wings were slightly dry, but had some nice smokiness to go with the brightness of citrus.

We ended up trying 3 of the Mini-Dons including the Grilled Unagi & Mango, Grilled Scallop and Salmon Oyako.  Yes, these were not very big, however, there was much more topping than rice.  Hence, every spoonful had a considerable amount of impact from the components.  I particularly enjoyed the diced unagi as it was sauced just enough and buttery soft.  The mango offered up some sweet tang to brighten things up.  The grilled bay scallops could've been a bit more rare, but they were still soft and sweet.  I found the salmon to be texturally on point, but maybe a bit more seasoning would've helped.

Onto the pick-your-own-ingredients Hot Pot, we had roughly a pound each which cost around $25.00 ($4.19/100g).  For mine, I went for the Red Curry which was fragrant and a bit creamy.  It wasn't overly spicy, which would appeal to most people.  Jackie had the Tom Yum Broth and it was appealingly sour with lemongrass and galangal notes with just a touch of spice.  Of course there was a help-yourself sauce bar that included the usual components as well as some fruit and veggies.  Overall, our experience at Sumu was rather interesting as they combined 3 different restaurant concepts into one.  Usually, this is a recipe for disaster but in some strange sense, it worked.  It gives people options and the pricing is reasonable.  Worth a try.

*Partial food credit was given for this blog post*

The Good:
- Three restaurants in one and it isn't bad
- Nice dining space
- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:
- Menu can be a bit confusing for some

Amber Road

What if I told you there is this new stylish European restaurant that features cuisine inspired by the ancient trade route connecting the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean?  Head Chef and owner Jarek Jaroslaw has crafted a menu that touches everywhere from the Mediterranean to Eastern Europe.  Consider this, would you believe it is located in the Holiday Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown?   Yes, it isn't the first place that comes to mind when guessing its location.  That would probably explain the inclusion of some more recognizable North American dishes and breakfast on the menu.  However, we came here to experience the unique cuisine at Amber Road!

We started off with things I've never had before including the Elk Pyzy Of The Northern Forest which were Polish potato dumplings filled with elk and sauced with light cream, bacon and chanterelles.  These were stealthily delicious as they initially didn't give away how flavourful they would be.  Once past the soft potato casing, we found tender and surprisingly non-gamy elk.  But the strongest part was the aromatic woodsiness of the plentiful chanterelles combined with the cream and salty bacon.

Another surprising item was the Polish Croquettes because they didn't look like how I envisioned what would be classified as a croquette.  Featuring folded golden crêpes filled with mushrooms, spinach and cheese, these reminded me more like a spanakopita (at least the filling that is).  Oh and how delicious was that filling...  It was creamy and cheesy with tender spinach and the umami of mushrooms.  The exterior was crispy and light.  This was served with traditional red borscht on the side.  It was earthy, sweet and tangy.

Something much more recognizable was the Arancini Dell'ambra.  These were quite massive and featured a slightly crispy breading that was seasoned.  Inside, the risotto was somewhere between firm and soft, so it was quite easy to eat and had silky texture.  There was plenty of cheese inside that was melted and quite stringy.  Underneath, the marinara sauce was tangy with a bit of sweetness.

Another classic dish was the Mediterranean Calamari.  This one is the Italian version and really, it has been debated if the fried version is Italian or Greek.  Well, both have grilled, stewed and fried dishes.  Whatever the case, this was good where the calamari was tender with a slight rebound texture.  The light batter was crispy and properly seasoned.  It came with a lemon aioli and a fresh herb tartar sauce.  Both were good, and depended on whether you liked a tangier dip or more herbaeceous one.

I'm pretty sure the Galician Free-Range Chicken Wings were on the menu to satisfy local tastes.  However, with us choosing the Mediterranean herb flavour, it could be considered Hungarian-style.  Of course one could order them as BBQ, garlic or Buffalo-style as well.  These were well-prepared wings with a crispy exterior and rendered skin.  No flabby skin on these ones and they were well-seasoned too.  Inside, the meat was tender and moist.

Our last appetizer or small plate was the Rollatini Di Melanzane which consisted of baked eggplant rolls stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella in a marinara sauce.  This was quite familiar as it had similar elements to an eggplant parmigiana.  I happen to love that dish and this was no exception.  It had a tangy tomato sauce with plenty of ricotta and melted mozzarella on top.  The slices of eggplant were tender, but not mushy.

Onto our main dishes, we had the Amber Road Cheeseburger.  Once again, this was mainly catered for those less adventurous.  However, it was a solid burger with a nicely charred grass-fed beef patty that was lean and meaty.  Some melted Swiss cheese helped add some European content while the portobello mushroom provided another layer of meatiness and earthiness.  That thick-cut bacon was lean with big flavour.  This could be had with a beer for only $20.00 on Tuesdays!

Heading over to Executive Chef Jaroslaw Faryna's native Poland, we had the Galician Pierogis.  These were really good with a thin dumpling wrapper that was tender with appealing elasticity.  Inside, we found a creamy and soft potato and cheese filling which was plenty flavourful on its own.  However, it sat on a bed of creamy and thick sour cream while topped with crispy guanciale.  Classic salty bacon vibes with sour cream.

Sitting in a rich champagne and saffron cream with fresh herbs, the Mediterranean Lobster Ravioli featured a firm house-made pasta that was still cooked through.  I found the filling slightly dense, but still impactful in terms of lobster essence.  I found the sauce to be heavy, so a little went a long way.  I did like the addition of champagne as it provided a bit of brightness.  The little smattering of ikura did add little pops of brininess.

Going with some of the biggest hits, we head to Austria with the Viennese Schnitzel.  This was a pretty thick piece of pork cutlet which was quite meaty and firm.  The breading was not too thick and fairly crispy.  It was topped with a runny sunny side egg and bacon.  That in itself made things a bit breakfast-like, but hey, that is how I like it!  We found tender red cabbage and hasselback potatoes complementing the schnitzel.

One of my favourites from the meal was the Crown Roast of Lamb.  This featured 4 Frenched lamb chops that were grilled to about medium.  They were juicy and super tender.  Maybe it is because I love eating lamb that I didn't consider it too gamy.  Although properly seasoned and sauced, the carrot-ginger puree really added a bright sweetness and bite.  On the side, we found a beautiful potato gratin that was layered with tender slices that had crispy edges.

Arriving with 2 really large and meaty bones, the Braised BBQ Ribs had some Romanian inspiration with a smoky tomato coffee sauce.  This had plenty of depth with the smoked paprika and slight aromatic bitterness of the coffee.  The ribs super tender where the meat had not shrunk considerably.  This way, it retained more moisture and the meat maintained its structure and didn't tighten up.  This was served with some fries and slaw.

One of the more surprising dishes was the Classic Beef Wellington.  Despite the flaky pastry being a touch dense in spots, the entirety of Wellington was well-executed.  Firstly, the beef tenderloin was a perfect medium-rare.  It was soft with its juices intact.  I know this might be bold to say, but I enjoyed this one more than Gordon Ramsey's version at the River Rock (mind you, the one in Vegas was better).  Veggies were also good being cooked just enough.

Onto the sweets, we tried all of them including the Limoncello Tiramisu.  Loved the light and creamy mascarpone that was balanced in terms of sweetness.  Ladyfingers were soft and moist without being soggy.  Of course the bright citrus flavour of the limoncello was welcomed as well as just a touch of booziness.  Some lemon rind on top provide an extra hit of lemon and slight bitterness.

Hands-down, my favourite dessert was the Flambéed Crêpe à La Mode.  The thin and tender crêpe was delicate with an appealing elasticity.  It was buttery and caramelized.  Inside, we found some sweet slices of apple and pear.  On the outside, this was topped with a black currant compote and a scoop of ice cream.  Sure, with all these components, the dessert ate on the sweeter side, but it was still balanced.

One can't get anymore classic than a Crème Brûlée.  This was indeed a textbook version with a silky custard that was aromatic but not all that sweet.  Perfect really since it allowed the on point torched layer of sugar on top to do the heavy-lifting.  That it did with a proper thickness and uniform texture.  It cracked with a firm strike with our spoon.  There was definite caramel vibes and just the slightest of smokiness.

Finally, we had the Panna Cotta that was beautifully presented.  The panna cotta itself was silky and soft without being too firm nor dense.  It was semi-sweet and sat atop a sweet raspberry sauce and berry sorbet.  Loved the textural contrast of the thin cookie accents on the side.  Overall, the food at Amber Road was interesting and diverse.  Sure, there are some universally recognizable hotel menu items, but hey, they need to take care of every customer.  For me, I would go for the unique items and experience the European touches Chef Jaroslaw Faryna incorporates into every dish.  Very large portions here also.  Best to bring some friends and share.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- The unique European dishes stand out

- Large portions

- Comfortable and upscale dining space

The Bad:

- To satisfy all customers, there is forced fusion of more recognizable dishes (totally understandable being in a mainstream hotel)

French Creek Pub (Burrard)

Despite my recent obsession with doing some of the top restaurants wherever I've been travelling, I'm always down for casual comfort eats.  Everything has a place and time where they can all be equally delicious.  This takes me to the newly opened French Creek Pub on Burrard across from the soon-to-be-closed St. Paul's Hospital.  If the name sounds familiar to you, the original location is in Parksville on Vancouver Island.  One look at the menu and it is clear they go hard into the classic pub favourites as well as some interesting spins on some dishes too.  We came here to mainly try their viral Party Boat! 

So let's get to that Party Boat shall we???  This monstrosity goes for $119.99 but can feed 4-8 people.  From my experience, this  can easily feed 4 hungry people and comfortably feed 6.  If you aren't big eaters, then it can feed 8.  Underneath at floor of the boat, we had a good helping of Calamari, Popcorn Shrimp, Fries and Onion Rings.  These were all fried just right where the calamari was crispy with nicely seasoned batter.  The squid itself was tender with a bite.  Although I'm usually not a fan of tempura-battered onion rings, these were quite good with a uniform crunch and tender onion in the middle.  The popcorn shrimp were more like fried shrimp as they were large enough to be detectable beyond the crunchy breading.  Fries were crispy with plenty of potato texture within.  The one last item sitting in the middle was a big bowl of Coleslaw.  Sporting big pieces of cabbage and carrots, this was crunchy, fresh and pleasantly tangy, but just a bit watery.

Moving onto the top part of the boat, we had 3 pieces each of Fried Cod and Fried Halibut.  These were legit where the cod was flaky and moist with a crunchy batter that was fully cooked through.  However, the halibut was even better where it was thick-cut and buttery soft.  This indicates that the fish was fresh and cooked perfectly.  We found 3 Shrimp Skewers that were grilled just enough that the shrimp still had a juicy bounciness.  Lastly, we had 3 Lobster & Shrimp Rolls at the aft of the boat.  The mix was appealingly textured with bits of onions to add crunch and brightness.

Of course we needed beverages to go with all that fried goodness right?  We had it all under control with the Mimosa Tower.  Yes, this is enough for as many people that are sharing the Party Boat!  We went for grapefruit and it was plenty refreshing and perfect with our food.  Another bevie came in a cute fish cup in the Limoncello Puffer Fish Drink.  As expected, this was also refreshing very easy going down.  Great summer cocktail!

To get a better feel of the menu other than what was included in the boat, we had to get an order of their Lemon Pepper Wings (because wings are some of the most important things on a bar menu!).  Good thing we tried these because they were great!  These were gigantic with crispy, well-rendered skin (without any breading).  There was more than enough lemon pepper seasoning for a great tang while the meat inside was juicy and tender.

Another prominent item on the menu is their mac n' cheese.  Hence, we went for one of the many choices with the Hot Chick Mac n' Cheese.  This was served in a large bread bowl and it was totally overflowing with saucy cheese.  Therefore, the whole thing was completed coated and plenty satisfiying.  There was a combination of real cheesiness and saltiness.  We found the noodles to be decently firm while the chicken was crispy and mildly spicy.

Finally, a pub is not a pub without a burger.  But this was no ordinary burger though.  It was the Surf n' Turf Burger with house sauce, bacon, shredded lobster roll mix, cheddar cheese and topped with a garlic aioli shrimp skewer.  Beyond all the festivities of the other components, the actual burger patty was lean and bit firm while being evenly seared on both sides.  Bacon was crispy while the lobster roll mix added creaminess and more texture.  Burger was huge and more than enough for one person.  In fact, everything at French Creek Pub is huge and you will definitely get your money's worth.  However, the most important thing is the food itself is well-prepared.  I most certainly will be back to share some food with my friends and/or sport teams.

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

The Good:

- Large portions

- Well-prepared comfort food

- Oh that mimosa tower...

The Bad:

- Yes, there are some gimmicks here, but for me, the food itself is still good

- Parking in the area can be challenging 

Kita Steak & Ribs

Trying to find another spot in Beaverton to visit while in the Portland area, we decided on Kita Steak & Ribs.  Located in a new residential development on SW Tualatin Valley Highway, the place features traditional Southern Vietnamese eats along with steak & ribs (like their name implies).  The place sports welcoming decor with a modern twist which also translates to the entire menu including cocktails.  We were excited to try the place out since it has received some local acclaim.

Right off the bat, we were served with one of the best dishes of the meal - Vietnamese Nuoc Mam Chicken Wings.  These were plump and gigantic with perfectly rendered skin.  They were super crispy and devoid of the dreaded flabby chicken skin.  Sweet and briny, the caramelized glaze was intoxicatingly delicious.  As for the chicken meat itself, we found it to be juicy and beautifully brined.  One of the best wings we've had in awhile!

We went for their Pho Kita Special as well.  This consisted of rare beef, brisket and meatballs.  As much as the broth was clean and had good natural sweetness and some aromatics, the rice noodles fell apart on contact (hence we used a spoon to lift the noodles instead of chopsticks).  Strangely, they weren't mushy per se, there was still somewhat of a chew to them.  It's just they didn't stay in noodle form.  The good news was that the meats were plentiful and tender.  Loved they also included saw leaf herb to the mix of bean spouts, Thai basil, lime and peppers.

The dish we were most looking forward to was the 28-day dry-aged 12oz Kita's Fusion Angus Ribeye.  This is what started it all where Chef Chinh started marinating his steaks at home and serving it to guests.  Now with a B&M restaurant, we can all enjoy these steaks as well.  Oh and did we ever enjoy it!  It was cooked to our specifications and was well-rested.  Hence, the meat was juicy and super tender.  It had been charred well, so that the caramelization was evident and the smokiness added depth.  Best of all, the marinade created a briny and aromatic flavor to every bite.  Hits of lemongrass and fish sauce were at the forefront.  One of the better steaks I've had lately (and I just went to Ringside too!).

Since their name also includes ribs, we got the Half-rack of Pork Ribs to truly represent their menu.  Using gigantic side ribs, this half-rack was thick and meaty.  I can only imagine how big a full-rack would be!  Meat was fall-off-the-bone tender while still maintaining a certain meatiness.  These BBQ ribs were coated with chef's special sauce that was tangy, sweet and plenty garlickly and gingery.  Nice fusion of Western and Asian flavors here.

Both mains came with a side and we subbed the mashed potatoes with Fries and Cucumber Salad.  Really generous with the metal bowl of shoestring fries.  They could also be had as thicker steak fries as well.  As for the ones we ordered, they were crispy and had some McD's vibes to them.  Nothing wrong with that!  As for the salad, the shaved cucumber were crunchy with a nice marinade that was tangy, sweet, aromatic and slightly spicy.  Really refreshing.

Onto dessert, we tried the Mango Strawberry Tiramisu which was only okay for us.  They did recommend the olive oil cake and maybe we should've went with that instead.  The Tiramisu was creamy and a bit fruity, but no particular flavor stood out.  Furthermore, the ladyfingers were a touch dry.  Now on the other hand, the rest of the meal was fantastic (maybe except for the Pho) and I highly recommend you come for the ribeye steak if you are ever in Beaverton.

The Good:

- The wings!

- That ribeye steak

- Nice people

The Bad:

- Pho noodles were fragile