Hamono Sushi

While trying to decide on which Omakase we were going to try while in Portland, I briefly considered Nimblefish and Nodoguro, however after reading up on Reddit, we narrowed in on Hamono Sushi in Downtown Portland.  Besides the Omakase course, the one thing that makes Hamono unique is that they offer an AYCE menu once the Omakase has been served.  Yes, that is a strange concept, but something we were willing to try especially for their reasonable $110.00 price tag.  The place is pretty intimate with only 4 bar seats and around 7/8 tables.

We started with some small side dishes including a Potato Salad, Imitation Crab Salad and a Cucumber Salad.  As much as these were pretty simple and basic, I enjoyed them.  Potato salad was creamy and sweet with chunks of tender potato and shredded imitation crab.  The crab salad had a great bounce texture and the savoriness was tasty.  Cucumbers were crunchy, sweet and a bit tangy.  Appetizing.  As for the Miso Soup, it was mild and had a rich saltiness.  Loved the fresh snow crab hidden on the bottom.  It was fluffy and briny.

So our Omakase featured a large wooden board with 15 pieces of Nigiri and a fried shrimp head.  By looks alone, all of the fish had a nice sheen and things smelled right.  As much as the uni looked a bit dark in color (could be a male), it tasted fine.  My favorite bites from this was the A5 Wagyu, Bluefin Otoro, Hotate and King Salmon (with delicious chili crunch).  This was a nice plate of nigiri but they were a little overzealous with the scallions.  Maybe change it up with the condiments instead of using it 9 times.

Our last course before the AYCE portion of the meal was the Seafood Chawamushi.  This was very delicate and maybe a touch too watery.  However, it ate with a silky texture and mild dashi notes.  The prawn hidden underneath was still buttery with a meaty texture.  It was briny and sweet.  The piece of snow crab was fluffy, briny and also sweet.

Now that we were at the AYCE portion of the meal, we got some more Nigiri in the form of King Salmon and Hotate.  We asked that the salmon be served plain without the garlic crunch on top.  Turns out that it actually needed it as the salmon wasn't that flavorful on its own.  It was buttery soft though.  The hotate was large and soft with natural briny sweetness.  Just like I said before, it didn't need any of the green onions on top.

We got a few smaller bites in the Yellowtail Jalapeno and the Uni Toro Tartare.  Although not the most attractive thing, the hamachi was fresh, buttery and sweet.  Nice kick from the jalapeno.  As for the tartare, it featured buttery tuna belly that had a nice tinge of the sea along with pops of brininess from the ikura.  Once again, the color of the uni wasn't the best, but it did eat well adding a creamy sweetness.  It sat atop a fried tortilla chip that added crunch.

Even though I knew it would put me over the edge, I had to get one of their specialty rolls.  I went for the Bluefin Tuna Roll that had a tempura ebi in the middle with imitation crab and cucumber.  On top, there was bluefin akami, scallion, fried onion, eel and ponzu.  Yes, this was quite the hefty roll with warm sushi rice that was a touch soft but still had a chew.  I though this roll was good but was a bit too big.  Also, they overused scallions quite a bit here.

One of the best things we ate was their Grilled Beef Shortrib.  Unlike other AYCE spots, these were good quality (as in more meat than fat) being tender and meaty.  The marinade was great being sweet and savory while the char on them was on point.  Although the batter on the Tempura was a bit thick, it ate crispy and fairly light.  Things were cooked right including the buttery ebi, sweet potato and zucchini.  Surprisingly, there was a piece of snow crab leg (not imitation crab) in the mix.

There were a few options for dessert, but we were stuffed at this point, so we opted for the Mochi Ice Cream in the form of matcha, passionfruit and mango.  We particularly enjoyed the passionfruit as it was flavorful with a soft mochi exterior.  Overall, we rather enjoyed this meal.  However, we thought this would be better named "higher-end AYCE" rather than Omakase.  Sure, the nigiri portion was good quality and reasonably-priced for $110.00.  Yet, it didn't feel like most other Omakase meals we've had elsewhere (as in not in Portland).

The Good:
- Ingredients are high-quality
- Preparation is quite good
- Price is reasonable for what you get

The Bad:
- Not really Omakase, but rather high-end AYCE
- Overuse of scallions on almost everything

Kann

I've been trying to get reservations for Kann in Portland for quite some time.  For those who don't know, 2-time Top Chef finalist Gregory Gourdet is the owner and puts his Haitian roots into the cuisine.  By employing a live-flame, the food exhibits a rich and impactful smokiness normally not present at most restaurants.  We were fortunate to answer the phone when there was a last minute opening for a late dinner.

We began with their Plantain Brioche Buns with epis butter.  With a firmly crispy exterior, the buns were a bit denser than typical brioche.  However this sturdiness afforded a certain chewy fluffiness.  The plantains also imparted some natural sweetness.  Beyond this, the epis butter made this dish.  It was creamy with noted spice, rich herbaceousness and some sweetness.  Since the buns were firmer, it gave me all the reason to use up all of the delicious butter!

Next we had their stunning Summer Fruit Salad.   In addition to the blackberries and strawberries, we found heirloom tomatoes, pickled cantaloupe balls, cucumber, avocado and charred pineapple in a passionfruit vinaigrette.  This was so refreshing and full of natural sweetness.  That passionfruit vinaigrette was tangy and sweet but balanced so it didn't overshadow the components.   The charred pineapple was deliciously sweet and smoky.

Not looking like much, we were concerned at first with the dark exterior.  However, the Akra or taro fritters were really crispy and had a somewhat mochi-like filling which was dense and chewy (in a food way).  The flavours were nutty, sweet and somewhat earthy.  However, the remoulade was the key to the dish with its spicy creaminess. It also added the necessary moisture as the fritters (even though they were great on their own) were in need of a sauce. 

Hands-down, the best thing we had was the Head-on Prawns.  They infused so much smokiness and depth-of-flavour, that this was a flavour bomb.  Combined with the brininess of the prawns and sweetness of the pineapple along with the spicy sweetness of the African pepper sauce, there was a lot going on.  Things didn't end there as we also had pickled peaches and lime zest.  This helped provide acidity and freshness to the dish.

Onto the meat of the meal with the Ribeye that was prepared a beautiful medium-rare.  Loved the rub on the ribeye as well as the char.  Definitely had blackened vibes.  Lots of smokiness and rich flavors where the steak was delicious on its own.  Since it was cooked evenly and rested properly, the juices within the meat ensured that each bite was moist and tender.  Just in case we needed some tang and acidity, there was some blistered tomatoes as well as aromatics from the shallots and confit garlic.

We got some sides to accompany the steak with the Peanut Creamed Greens and Diri Ak Sos Pwa.  The mustard greens were tender but not mushy while being nutty and sweet.  Initially, I thought the peanuts would be too heavy for the greens, but they were perfectly soft and tender. As for the beans and rice, it was interesting to hear about the it being near and dear to Chef Gregory's heart, but it was just okay for me.  I did get some of the garlic and slight heat from the tender beans, but otherwise, it wasn't as mind-blowing as the other dishes (but comparing apples to oranges here though).

One other vegetable we had was the whole head of Cauliflower with jerk spices and sour coconut cream.  The cauliflower itself was cooked perfectly being tender with a crunch.  The jerk spices were low-rolling and kicked in at the end providing plenty of heat.  This was heightened due to the cauliflower being roasted.  On the bottom, we found the coconut cream, which cooled things down and provided tropical aromatics.

Onto dessert, we had 2 including the stunning Baked Haitian which was a nod to a Baked Alaska.  Evenly and beautifully torched on the outside, the meringue was fluffy and smoky.  I'm pretty sure you have seen the theme here as they embrace the live flame cooking!  Inside, we found some firm cake and that delicious charred pineapple.  It was a lot lighter than it appeared and it was quite refreshing with balanced sweetness.

Also refreshing and light, the Shaved Soursop ice featured a blanc mange base.  It seemed so familiar because it has similarities to Cantonese almond pudding.  Hence it was aromatic from the almond and slightly creamy.  On top we found peaches and strawberries combined with the soursop to create a tangy and sweet compliment to the blanc mange.  Nice finish to an excellent meal.  Love their take on Haitian cuisine and highlighting the traditional cooking over a live flame.  Things were so smoky and full-of-depth.  Highly recommended.

The Good:
- Smoky from the live flame
- Well-seasoned food
- Things were prepared properly

The Bad:
- Loved the story, but the rice and beans were just okay

Hot Spot Buffet

As you already know by now, AYCE is a thing again.  In fact, they are coming up with different ways of doing things compared to the past.  Once upon a time, AYCE meant ordering off a checklist and waiting for staff to bring you the items or in most cases, the items did not arrive and/or you got the wrong items and also the incorrect amount.  Well, Hot Spot Buffet on Kingsway has solved that problem by offering most of the items available for Korean-style BBQ and hot pot as self-service (a la Bigway).  Hence, you can get exactly what you want and how much you want every time (keep in mind, if you waste food, it is $10.00 for every 100 grams).

So how much is this AYCE?  For the basic Korean BBQ, it is $24.99 for lunch & late night.  $35.99 for Korean BBQ and skewers for dinner and an extra $2.99 for hot pot.  We had both and it was a lot of food for 2 people.  Probably best to grab some friends and make it a group thing to try more items.  First and foremost, there is a Large Big Way-esque refrigerated display case with hot pot items on one side and BBQ items on the other.  Considering the reasonable pricing, the selection is quite good.

We got roughly everything in for our hot pots with Tender Beef, Basa, Chicken Thigh, Chicken Giblets, Cuttlefish, Beef Aorta, Crab Stick, Luncheon Meat, Quail's Egg and a variety of fish ball products.  As for non-meats, we had Tong Ho, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Wheat Gluten, Wood Ear, Corn, Konjac Noodle Bundles, Kelp, Wintermelon, Bean Curd Stick, Yam Noodles and Dried Instant Noodles.  There was more things available, but we didn't get them.  Nothing amiss with the items as things looked and ate fresh.  

On the bottom of the hot pot ingredients section, we found plates of meat including Lamb, Pork Shoulder, Pork Belly and Fatty Beef.  These cooked up quickly in our individual broths (Mala for me and Mushroom for Jackie).  I found my spicy broth to be mildly hot, but fairly flavourful.  The mushroom was better in our opinion since it was plenty mushroomy while well-seasoned so that it helped flavour the meats.

Onto the Korean BBQ portion of our meal, we got a selection from the display that included Thinly Sliced Beef (plain or marinated), Chicken Wings (different marinades), Chicken, Spicy Pork, Zucchini, Squash, Pork Shoulder (plain or marinated), Mushrooms, Marinated Shortribs and Shrimp.  The BBQ grill was relatively even and cooked things quickly on the high setting.  Need to pay attention as it could burn.  We thought the wings were great being well-marinated and juicy.  Shortribs were great too with a tender chew.  In fact, all the meats were quite good.

There was also a Self-Serve hot and cold food section near the front of the restaurant.  We helped ourselves to Shredded Potato Salad, Pork Ear & Cucumber, Edamame, Pickled Radish and Kimchi.  Across from it, we found some hot dishes in Fried Rice, Spicy Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork and Shrimp & Fishballs.  Right next to that was a warming oven with Fried Glutinous Sesame Balls, Portuguese Tarts, Spring Rolls, Fried Chicken Skin and Chicken Wings.  Next to that, we had some Steamed Dumplings and Bao.  The food was okay but some of it was not hot enough, which diminished its appeal.  Wings were good though.  There was also some dessert and also a soda dispenser.  However, the diet cola ran out and was not refilled.

Of course there was a Sauce Bar with also some seasoning salts above.  Had all of the usual items to create your own custom dipping sauce for hot pot and Korean BBQ.  In addition to the pricing aforementioned pricing, there are also 2 more options including a Premium menu for $45.99 and a Tasting menu for $58.99.  As much as they add some really appealing items to each tier, the basic already includes so much.  I'd stick to that personally.  Overall, we felt the basic was a great value since it included essentially everything.  I do think that one should save their appetite for the hot pot and BBQ and skip the cooked food.  It was fine, but more of a filler than anything else.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Excellent value

- Meats and veggies were vibrant and fresh

- Lots of choice, even for basic

The Bad:

- Cooked food and sides were only okay and the hot food wasn't hot enough

- Soda machine needed attention

Entrecôte Restaurant

A few years ago, while in Paris, we visited Le Relais de l'Entrecôte and its one dish menu - Steak Frites.  If you are still peqish after your initial portion, they come around and offer you more of both steak and frites.  There is also this green sauce that has a bit of everything in it - herbs, creaminess, bitterness, acidity and in this case, some chicken livers.  There are no reservations, so people line up and trust me, it fills up fast, even though there are 3 locations in Paris.  In fact, they have spots in other parts of the world as well.  But not in Vancouver.  That is where Entrecôte Restaurant comes into the picture.  Independently-owned, this spot in Gastown gives the same vibes and one menu item as the original.  Jackie and I stopped by to see what they were all about.

After we got our drink order in, we were presented with some sliced Baguette served with mustard.  We were informed that this is how they eat it in France.  Honestly, I did not see that was the case while I was in France, so this was new to me.  We asked for butter and they got us some.  Just like the original, our meal started with a Fresh Green Walnut Salad with house vinaigrette.  This was great as things were fresh while the walnuts were great.

Since half of the restaurant has a good deal of natural light, it can deceive your eyes as to the doneness of the steak.  We asked for medium-rare and yes, it was done correctly.  However, without my camera (which took the actual colour of the steak), to the naked eye, it looked well-done.  That is why steakhouses are dark, so you can see the actual cook on the steak.  I found the Steak to be quite tender and paired well with the green sauce.  It was creamy, herbeceous, a little bitter and having backround acidity.  Fries were pretty good but could've been crispier.  Overall, a decent plate of food.  You are welcome to ask for more fries and sauce, but unlike Paris, you can't ask for more steak.

Naturally, dessert is a la carte and we went for 2 of them including the majestically-plated Le Vacherin Framboise.  This featured meringue base topped by vanilla ice cream and then another meringue, then raspberry sorbet, another meringue with raspberry coulis poured on top.  We enjoyed the refreshing fruitiness of the dessert with the coulis adding tartness.  Nice compliment to a steak dinner.

We also tried the Profiteroles sporting choux pastry encasing vanilla ice cream.  This was drizzled with chocolate sauce and some sliced almonds.  Not a complex dessert, but a solid one nonetheless.  Choux pastry was crispy while not being overly dry.  Chocolate was sweet, but not crazy sweet.  Overall, the experience as a whole at Entrecôte was decent.  The steak frites weren't life-changing, but they did capture the Parisienne vibe.   Service was excellent and highly attentive.

The Good:

- Decent Steak Frites

- Excellent service

- Nice ambiance

The Bad:

- Steak Frites could be refined even further

- Maybe some butter should be offered with the baguette

Stackhouse Steak Sandwich (Gastown)

As you know from my previous post about Stackhouse Steak Sandwich, I really enjoyed them and appreciate how reasonably-priced they are.  I'm not the only one having that sentiment because now they have opened a second location in Gastown.  Setting up shop in the former Brathaus, the space offers a few counter seats and one table.  Their menu is pretty much the same as the original location but with the addition of breakfast sandwiches.  We came to try those as well as some classics.

So let's get right to those aforementioned breaky sammies right?  They have 4 to choose from including the ones pictured above - Steak & Egg and Steak, Bacon & Egg.  Okay, I first have to say that they made a good choice in bun.  They are using the Gold Bun by Dempsters.  Featuring soft brioche that won't disintegrate either, I found it the perfect vessel for the fillings.  With fluffy egg, tender steak, processed cheese and mayo, the sandwich wasn't complicated, but ate well.  The addition of bacon with steak made it a pretty filling sammie.

The other 2 available options for breakfast sandwiches include the Pulled Pork & Egg and the Bacon & Egg.  I found the pulled pork to be the most flavourful due to the sweet and slightly tangy BBQ sauce.  The pork itself was tender and moist without being overly saucy.  As for the bacon & egg, I actually preferred it over the one with steak.  Without the steak, it allowed the bacon to be the star and it was so meaty and lean already.  The sandwich didn't need more meat.

Okay, let's get back to the regular programming and focus on what has made them successful - the Stackhouse Steak Sandwich.  With beef prices these days, it is amazing they can keep this sandwich at $15.00.  They didn't skimp with the flat-iron steak here it was also cooked to around medium-rare, keeping it juicy and tender.  With some fried onions for texture and aroma as well as a generous helping of chimichurri, we had some real brightness as well.  

For those who want a softer bread experience, they could opt for the Beef Dip Sandwich.  This particular sammie consisted of tender and juicy beef brisket with, melted cheese, horseradish and fried onions.  That in itself could be a tasty concoction already, but with a side of beef jus, it allowed for the bread to soften up and absorb more meatiness.  Loved the crispy onions and wished there were even more as it provided texture to the softness after the sandwich was dipped.

The most unique item on their menu has to be the Steak Tartare Open Sandwich. Yes, this would probably best eaten in-store or as quickly as possible since it is raw.  I gotta say this has to be better than some restaurants, let alone a sandwich shop.  Diced into manageable pieces, the beef was tender and buttery.  It was made with classic accompaniments such as dijon, crushed capers, red onion and parsley.  It also featured a jammy sous-vide egg yolk.  Delicious on the bread, but even better on the ripple chips.

Of course they also have options for non-beef eaters with the Chicken Dip Sandwich.  As you can clearly see, they didn't cheap out on the nicely seasoned and sliced chicken breast.  There was enough for every fulfilling bite.  It was tender and moist while topped with melted cheese, horseradish and chicken skin crackling (some parsley too).  Just like the beef dip, this made for a great sandwich without the chicken jus, but for those who wanted something softer and saucier, the mild jus did just that.

If one didn't want beef nor chicken, there is also a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich available.  Rest assured, behind all that fresh and crunchy cabbage, there was a good amount of tender and fully-sauced pulled pork.  Just like in the breaky sandwich, the BBQ sauce was sweet and slightly tangy.  The pulled pork and cabbage provided the necessary moisture to soften the bread.  Onion chips provided the crunch beyond the crust of the bread too.

We had a few of their sides as well just like the other location, they are full-service restaurant quality.  Check out the Caesar Salad and the 2 anchovies on top.  I can tell you that not many quick-service restaurants offer such a quality salad like this.  On the same theme, the French Onion Soup was also legit with charred melted cheese on top with a piece of baguette underneath and a rich onion broth.  Unlike many other versions, it was not salty, just natural sweetness of the onions.

One last item on the menu is the Chips & Dip.  We didn't order that since we had chips with all of our sammies already.  But we really wanted the Truffle Aioli, so we got that separately.  Make sure you get a side of that as it is so creamy with just enough truffle.  The chips are naked without it.  Overall, I enjoyed the food at Stackhouse as they put effort into the product and it shows.  Things taste good and the textures are on point.  Prices are reasonable too.  Now they have breakfast sandwiches too!

The Good:

- Inexpensive

- Beef is tender and cooked properly

- Legit sides

The Bad:

- It is probably a limitation of the kitchen, so the egg is microwaved.  It still eats well, but the shape is a bit odd.