Phuket Cafe

Ever since we had a great experience with Langbaan and it's delicious Thai tasting menu, we were rather curious with their more casual outfit in Phuket Cafe.  Situated in a train car-like dining space just outside of Langbaan, the menu is more typical Thai, Southern-inspired in this case, with plenty of share plates.  Reservations are recommended as the space is small and it is quite popular.

We ended up with a bunch of items including the Mon Tod.  This was essentially a bunch of aggressively-fried fingerling potatoes that were glazed with yellow curry.  They were further topped with chili, fried garlic and fried Thai Basil.  Despite being coated in creamy curry, the potatoes were crispy while creamy soft inside.   I thought the flavors could've been more intense but the textures were great.

Now if we were looking for a flavor bomb, the Miang Plaa Ta Deaw was it.  This featured deep-fried sole that was tossed in a Miang Kum sauce.  Much like the one we got at Langbaan, the combination of ginger, lemongrass, lime, dried shrimp, shallots, peanuts, palm sugar and fish sauce made for an explosion of everything that tickled our palates.  We wrapped the crispy fish with lettuce and betel leaves for extra freshness and crunch.  This was a pretty large dish and definitely needs to be shared.

Not far behind in terms in overall impact was the Crying Tiger.  This large piece of marinated Wagyu flank steak was beautifully-grilled to rare.  Normally, anything Wagyu that isn't cooked to at least medium-rare, it can be chewy due to the fat not being rendered.  It wasn't the case here though. It was super tender with a strong beefy taste.  Of course it wouldn't be a Crying Tiger without the sauce and it was so flavorful.  Lots of sweetness with tang and brininess.  Combined with the side of sticky rice, this was great.

Another excellent dish was the Goong Yang or grilled head-on prawns.  These were beautifully-charred where the prawns were smoky and the inherent brininess was concentrated.  Meat was moist with sweetness.   It all sat in a turmeric and peanut curry which was thick and tangy with some spice and earthiness.  The shell had been cooked so well that I was able to eat the prawn whole without deshelling.

Onto our next set of dishes we had the Pad See Ew with fried tofu.  The dish was subjected to a good deal of work hei which meant things were caramelized and smoky.  There was intense sweetness from the palm sugar and possibly a bit more saltiness was needed for balance.  Noodles were chewy and charred as with the firm tofu.  Veggies were still crunchy but we would've liked to see gai lan but maybe they couldn't source some good quality ones.

The Pad Thai was pretty good as well with chewy noodles and a sweet & tangy sauce.  Loved the small dried shrimp on top for texture and seafoodiness.  I would've liked a bit more sauce as the noodles were somewhat clumpy and dry.  Mind you, that is subjective as some people like the noodles drier and subjected to more wok hei and searing, which was the case here.  We found some crunchy pork rinds on the side for texture.

We had to add more veggies (Pad Pak) to our meal as we weren't getting much lately.  Same as the pad see ew, the veggie of choice was Shanghai Bak Choy.  But that didn't bother me as I happened to like the vegetable and also, it was prepared so well.  Cooked through, but still plenty crunchy, the bak choy was caramelized and a bit smoky.  The oyster sauce used in the stir fry was flavorful and there was plenty of garlic.

Onto dessert, we Sacuu Piek that consisted of tapioca pearls, lychee and strawberry jelly.  This was somewhat like a mango sago except without the pomelo.  The creamy coconut was sweet and tropical with the pops from the tapioca pearls.  Crunch came in the form of meringue and of course the fruit helped layer in some fruitiness.  Fairly straightforward but refreshing nonetheless.  Overall, the meal at Phuket Cafe was really good and had great wok hei.  Things were caramelized and smoky.  Flavors were impactful and delicious.  Totally a return visit candidate, much like Langbaan.

The Good:
- Things had wok hei
- Flavorful
- Generous portions

The Bad:
- Sitting outside is neat, but I can imagine it being a bit stuffy on a hot day

Hiyaku Buffet

Okay, here we go with another Asian buffet, but this time, it has pretty good reviews.  In fact, it has a 4.1 average rating on Google.  Yes, yes, I know that Google may not be the most reliable place to get a restaurant review, but I decided to check it out myself.  The place is fairly new and sports a pretty large parking lot.  That is completely necessary because the restaurant is fairly large and for the time being, it is generally packed (for all the times I drove by, which was 8 or 9 times). 

Upon walking into the place, it was pretty clear they do a good job in keeping things clean.  Sure, the place is new, but for all the time we were there, the food was replaced quickly and the counters were kept relatively clean (until the next person messed it up).  The buffet started with a selection of Fruit (Watermelon, Orange Slices, Honeydew, Banana Salad and Lemon Wedges).  It was okay, but the fruit was a bit lackluster.  Right next to it, we found Jello, Mango Jelly, Canned Peaches, Banana Pudding and Tapioca Pudding.  Once again, not super inspiring, but I liked the mango jelly (despite not tasting too much like mango).  Next section over, we had some Asian Appetizers including Edamame, Sliced Beef Shank, Seaweed Salad, Marinated Pig's Ear, Cucumber Salad and Cold Chicken Feet.  Yes, this would not be everyone's fancy, no matter what ethnicity.  However, I'm strange and I ate everything here.  Pretty decent.  

So let's get to the good stuff right?  They had Cocktail Prawns, Mussels and Snow Crab on ice right after the fruit, quasi-desserts and Asian bites.  They kept these stocked at all times and the snow crab was quite meaty and had a nice rebound texture.  We got our fill of that.  Right around the corner, we found the Sashimi.  The sashimi (as stated in the picture) is only available during dinner and featured Red Snapper, Atlantic Salmon and Tuna.  There was also some Wood Ear Salad, Fish Skin Salad, Seaweed Salad and Tako Wasabi.

There was quite the selection of Maki Sushi available.  Many were based on California rolls or Dynamite Rolls and then topped with various fish, fruit or vegetables. I found the rice to be just slightly gummy, but otherwise, had a good chew still and was mildly seasoned. The amount of rice was average, so it wasn't cumbersome to eat the sushi, but for an experienced buffet eater, you would be best to only eat a modest amount of these.

There was a small selection of Nigiri as well.  This included Kani, Tamago, Mackerel, Inari, Wakame, Red Snapper, Atlantic Salmon and Tuna.  The ratio of rice to fish was quite good.  Normally, we would find too much rice and a thin sliver of fish, not here though.  Around the corner, we found some Fried Sushi and also more fried things in the Glutinous Sesame Balls, Tempura Fish, Chicken Katsu and Tempura Vegetables.  Nothing out of the ordinary here, but the veggies were kinda of greasy though.

Moving along, we got to the meat of the buffet, literally.  We had Teriyaki Chicken, Beef Short Ribs, Grilled Salmon and Octopus.  Chicken was decently tender and flavorful while the shortribs were tender and sweet.  They were a bit fatty though.  Salmon was overcooked whereas the octopus was tender with a chew.  Right next to it, we found Chicken Gyoza, Pan Fried Sole and Beef Ribs.  I liked the sole as it was crispy but still flaky inside.

The next station featured the second best thing (for me that is) in the Salt & Pepper Crabs.  These were full of meat which was fresh being delicate with a slight bounce (and not mushy). The Salt & Pepper Shrimp were good too but without being deveined, it was slightly a turnoff.  The Salt & Pepper Calamari was good though with a chewy, but tender texture.  Baked oysters were great too being fresh (they were going fast!).  Rounding the corner, there was an array of steamers with mostly Steamed Buns.  I didn't try those.  I did sample the Deep Fried Shrimp, which were not bad as well as the crunchy Spring Rolls.  The Deep Fried Chicken Wings were juicy with crispy rendered skin.

I really love Steamed Scallops in the shell with vermicelli.  So I was happy to see them.  However, those must've been the smallest scallops I've ever seen.  No matter, it still tasted good and I had a few of them.  The Honey Shrimp were tasty, but the batter had gotten soft, so it wasn't crispy anymore.  We also found some Mushrooms and Potatoes (that I didn't try).  Shockingly, the Gai Lan was outstanding.  Not only were they fresh and cooked perfectly (being crunchy), the seasoning was on point.  So tasty!  The Chili Chicken, Chicken & Broccoli and Mongolian Beef were okay, but you could skip it for more seafood!

We had even more seafood in Steamed Clams, Cajun Seafood Boil, Stir-Fried Shrimp and Crayfish.  Really enjoyed the clams as they were buttery and plump.  Seafood boil was slightly spicy and garlicky but the blue crabs were difficult to eat.  Shrimp was alright being cold-water crunchy.  Didn't touch the crayfish as they are notoriously a lot of work for very little meat.  Yes, that is Orange Chicken you see in the picture and no, it wasn't as good as Panda Express.  However, they were serviceable, being not as flavorful.  We had the requisite Fried Noodles and Fried Rice.  Both were acceptable.

We finally got to the Desserts and there was a selection of cake squares and cookies.  I didn't have any of these because I was more interested in the individually-packaged ice cream and popsicles.  These were actually decent quality and I loved how they offered these rather than messy soft-serve machines and even messier scoop yourself ice cream.  Overall, I enjoyed Hiyaku Buffet.  Of course we need reasonable expectations when it comes to buffets in general, but Hiyaku's food was decent in quality and execution.  Seafood was fresh and refilled often.  I would come back if I was back in town.

The Good:
- Food is fresh
- Lots of selection
- Clean

The Bad:
- Fruit was so-so
- Desserts were so-so (except for the ice cream and popsicles

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