International Lobster Rolls

I love Lobster Rolls, full stop.  When I was travelling around the East Coast many years ago, I went nuts and had them whenever I could get my hands on some.  This included the popular chain Luke's Lobster as well as the famed Neptune Oyster in Boston with their buttered Connecticut-style roll.  Well, we are able to get some renditions in Vancouver, B.C., but they are pretty expensive and not particularly stuffed with enough lobster.  However, I think we might've found one of the better places along the West Coast in International Lobster Rolls in Seattle. 

Before I get to the Lobster Rolls, we had some smaller items including the Lobster Bisque.  This was quite a rich and creamy version with big pieces of claw meat.  They didn't skimp on the lobster and that helped with the overall lobster flavor as well as texture.  The bisque itself had plenty of lobster essence and sweetness.  My only wish would be it to be a little less thick.

We also had the Lobster & Crab Bombs that were bonded with cream cheese.  I'm normally not a huge cream cheese fan when it comes to anything like this, but I didn't mind these.  Definitely creamy and briny with a uniformly crispy exterior.   There was enough seafood in there for texture and flavor.  We found little fluffy nuggets of crab and bouncy pieces of lobster. Nice little bites.

The Crab Fries were a real treat as it was topped with a considerable amount of fluffy and sweet crab.  Crispy with soft potato filling, the fries themselves were infused with the crab flavor.  However, the trick here was to take a fry, dip it into the side of mayo and then pick up pieces of crab.  That one bite was delicious and addictive.  We got a non-seafood item in the Wings in both Butter Fish Sauce and Cajun Mango.  Wings were lightly coated and sported rendered skin.  Meat in the middle was tender, yet not overly juicy (worked well with the flavours here).  The butter fish sauce was salty, fishy (in a good way) and of course buttery.  Classic flavor.  Sweet and spicy, the Cajun Mango was actually my favorite.  It had a slow-rumbling kick.

What makes their lobster rolls different, among other things, is that they have unique international flavors for their lobster rolls.  However, to get a baseline, we went for the classic Connecticut Lobster Roll to start.  This featured a roll that was sturdy and not too soft which meant everything stayed together.  Also, unlike the split brioche bread found at Luke's, the lobster filling went from top to bottom evenly.  There was more then enough knuckle and claw meat to satisfy every bite into the roll.  As a binder, we had chopped body meat mixed in.  With only melted butter as the main condiment, the natural sweetness of the lobster came through.

Their best selling lobster roll is the Garlic Parmesan and after one bite, it was obvious as to why.  beyond the creaminess of the mayo, the hits of garlic and nutty parmesan helped give this roll considerable impact.  With that being said, the lobster still stood out with that unmistakable briny sweetness.  Furthermore, the texture was just right with a fluffy bounce and with the claw meat, some firmer parts.  Loved that there wasn't an excess of mayo in this, which could make it considerably more heavy.

Pairing truffle and lobster could be seen as a natural combo made in heaven.  That was the case with the Truffle Lobster Roll.  Also modestly tossed with mayo, the lobster mix was great to eat on its own where the aromatics and woodsiness of the truffle being impactful.  Once again, there was great consideration to the main ingredient.  Yes, the lobster essence was still completely on display but only complimented by the truffle.

Probably the most interesting roll was the Honey Walnut, reminiscent of the Chinese dish made with fried battered prawns.  It wasn't as if the creation wasn't tasty.  It was indeed that with the unmistakable sweetness of the honey mayo.  We just felt that it was less impactful than the others as it was a bit one note and the sweetness competed with the sweetness of the lobster.  Overall, the Lobster Rolls at International Lobster Rolls were fully stuffed and worth every penny.  Loved their firmer rolls that kept everything together while allowing more lobster to stuffed inside.  I would totally go back when I'm in Seattle.

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

The Good:

- Fully-stuffed lobster rolls

- Well-priced

- A wide selection of international flavors

The Bad:

- Parking in the area is difficult

- Loved the flavour of the lobster bisque but it could've been less thick

Bag O' Crab (Federal Way)

The last time we visited Bag O' Crab, it was at the Kent location.  It was a pretty good experience with fresh seafood and impactfully spicy sauces.  I also found that the pricing for the set combos to be reasonable considering all that was included.  This time around, we travelled a bit further south to the Federal Way store located in a large strip mall.  As much as they are primarily a seafood boil restaurant, they have some other items to satisfy those who do not want to partake in the messy affair.

Before we got to the combos, we had a few things to start.  Unlike last time, we didn't go for the chowder and opted for the Gumbo instead.  Great decision as we enjoyed this much more.  It was thick and fairly flavourful.  There was spice from the sausage and plenty of impact from the peppers.  Naturally, it didn't compare to the stuff I've had in Louisiana, but it was fine for what it was.  We got the Cajun Fries as well and these were good.  Fries were plenty crispy with soft fluffy potato inside.  It was dusted with seasoned salt where it was a bit spicy, somewhat sweet and definitely savoury.

We got two orders of wings including the Mango Habanero and Lemon Pepper.  These were decently-sized flats with the drummettes being huge.   We much preferred the Mango Habanero as they featured barely any coating while the skin was properly rendered.  They were still slightly crispy despite the dousing of sauce.  It was a good mix of sweet and spicy where the spice could be considered medium.  As for the Lemon Pepper, the flavour was a bit muted and the coating a touch too thick.  The wings were crunchy though and the meat inside was plenty juicy.

Onto the combos, we had Combo #1 and chose 1lb mussels and 1lb head-on shrimp (you have a choice of 2 seafood options from mussels, clams, head-on shrimp and head-off shrimp).  Whatever we would've chosen, the combo included 2 pieces of corn, 2 potatoes and 4 slices of sausage.  For our sauce, we went for the Atomic in medium spice.  All the mussels were open and plenty plump.  The head-on shrimp were sweet and had a good meaty texture.  Loved the corn as it was still juicy and not overcooked.  Even though this was medium spice, the Atomic sauce had a good kick with lots of garlickiness.

We got Combo #3 with the Dungeness Crab option that also included a choice of shrimp.  For this one, we got 3/4lb of head-off shrimp.  It also included corn, potato and sausage.  We went mild with the sauce option here with the Garlic Butter.  The whole crab was really good as the meat filled all of the shell and was fluffy and fresh.  Too bad they scraped off all of the crab butter within the head shell (as it is our favorite!).  The shrimp was meaty with a bounce texture as compared to the denser texture of the head-on.  Since the sauce was mild, it was mainly garlicky while of course buttery.

The other option for Combo #3 is to have 1lb King Crab Legs and yes, we got that too.  We went for 1lb of the head-on shrimp this time around and had the Louisiana sauce in mild.  Even though it was not spicy, it still had a bite.  Plenty of garlic once again and there was some earthy notes.  The king crab legs were also full of meat and it was bouncy and briny.  Personally, I think the head-off shrimp is a better choice as they were easier to eat and the texture was more to my liking (more bouncy).  Potatoes were soft, but not melting while the sausage had a nice springy texture.

Our one main menu item that didn't have any seafood at all was the Beef Short Ribs served with rice and salad.  So don't sleep on this dish because it was actually quite good!  There was a wealth of short ribs that were well-marinated and tender (with a classic short rib chew).  I would've liked more char on these, but they were still good nonetheless.  Rice was properly textured and even the salad was decent.  I personally wouldn't go for this while at Bag O' Crab, but good for those who don't like seafood.

 

We ended off with some Tiramisu and it was more of a cake than the classic version.  Also unlike the authentic version, this had whipped cream, but it also made it lighter.  The ladyfingers could've used more moisture, but hey, this wasn't an Italian restaurant!  Yes, Bag O' Crab is a seafood boil and it does it well.  Prices are reasonable for what you get and the seafood is on point.  I like the Federal Way location more as it features more parking and the overall vibe of the mall is better.

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

The Good:

- Seafood had all the right textures

- Sauces were flavourful and could be spicy if you wanted it to be

- Reasonable pricing with all things considered

The Bad:

- The breaded wings were a bit too dense

- Tiramisu not really a tiramisu, but hey, it isn't an Italian restaurant

Tahini's (North Vancouver)

At first, I wasn't sure what I was getting into when we were invited to try out the North Vancouver location of Tahini's.  It focuses on Shawarma bowls and wraps that have an international twist to them.  I've been to many similar quick service spots and they haven't been memorable.  However, we found some clues that Tahini's could be quite different.  First of all, everything is freshly made, including the saj bread (which are made to order).  Secondly, they have flavours not normally seen at a Shawarma place, such as Korean BBQ and Tandoori.  I guess we were in for a treat as many of the things on the menu seemed quite appealing.

To get a baseline of the food, we had to get one of their most popular items in the Habibi Bowl.  We chose a rice base that came with chicken shawarma on top.  Nicely charred with crispy smoky bits, the chicken itself was rather tender and almost juicy.  It was topped with sauces that made things a bit spicy and creamy.  Some pita chips added some crunch.  Solid bowl that had plenty of chicken and flavourful rice that had a nice chew.

We had another top-rated bowl in the Butter Chicken Bowl also on a rice base.  This was also made with chicken shawarma that was crisped up on the flat top while mixed with butter chicken sauce.  We asked for mild and indeed it was, but also had some background spice.  Chicken was moist and the sauce had an earthy tanginess.  A dollop of sour cream added more tart creaminess.  Sumac coated onions provided crunch and another layer of tanginess.

We had something different as well as being vegetarian in the Falafel Salad.  These falafels were legit as they were made-to-order by hand.  Hence, they were not overly dense, yet still held together.  Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  Nicely spiced with mild herbaceousness.  It was served with hummus, pickled turnips and tomatoes.

So what if you didn't want rice or salad?  How about some Messy Fries, which is their ode to poutine.  What we had here was a bed of crispy starch-coated fries topped with a considerable amount of chicken shawarma, and a few sauces (that were tangy, creamy and spicy), feta cheese and parsley.  Completely messy, but super-tasty since the chicken itself was already plenty seasoned while the sauces provided hits of heat, tang and saltiness.

We had one more bowl in the 50/50 Bowl consisting of half salad and half rice.  It was topped with beef gyro and halloumi.  Tender in spongy way (which is typical of the processed beef), the beef was tasty on its own with an intensely savoury flavour.  As for the fried halloumi, there was a slight crispiness giving way to the classic rubbery texture.  Some sumac onions, tomatoes and some sour cream rounded out the bowl.

Onto the wraps, we went for some of the other fusion flavours such as Korean BBQ Chicken Wrap.  As expected, this was on the sweeter side with only a bit of spice.  Nice compliment from the sumac onions with some tang and sharpness.  This added a crunch as well.  But the best part was the saj bread itself since it was made-to-order with fresh dough that was pressed and then cooked on a saj domed maker.  So fresh, soft and full of elasticity, the bread had a great chewiness and was beautifully seared.

One of the most flavourful wraps was the Jerk Chicken Wrap.  We asked for this to be made spicy and it was indeed that.  Lots of tingling on my lips and lingering sting on my tongue.  This was exactly how I like it and the fermented and earthy flavours of the jerk spices added plenty of umami.  Once again, the chicken was juicy with crispy bits and the saj bread was texturally on point.

We had one last wrap in the Tandoori Chicken Wrap.  Employing the chicken shawarma with the tandoori spices was such a natural pairing.  We had smokiness from the char itself where it complimented the earthiness of the spices.  Nice tang as well from the yogurt and the crunch from the cucumbers and pickles helped brighten things up.

We had a few smaller items as well in the Beef Samosas and the Chicken Tenders.  These mini-samosas were crispy without the heaviness of the dough-heavy larger versions.  Inside, the beef was tender and moist with some spice.  As for the chicken tenders, sure, they didn't look any different than any other tender, but they did have a good crunch and some spice as well.  Chicken came out moist and tender.  Overall, we were thoroughly impressed with the food at Tahini's.  They pride themselves on "unbland food" and I would say it is accurate.  Furthermore, things are indeed fresh where the saj bread is the star.  I could eat that just by itself with just a bit of their creamy hummus.  Highly recommended and also cost-friendly too.

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

The Good:

- That made-to-order saj bread!

- Fresh food

- Flavourful

The Bad:

- Parking in the area is a bit hard to come by sometimes

Kavita

You know I really enjoy a delicious Indian meal every now and then.  Well, it isn't hard to find good Indian food in the GVRD, especially Punjabi cuisine.  There is a smattering of South Indian and some Goan spots as well.  One of the newest Indian restaurants in town is rather unique as the Head Chef and Owner, Tushar Tondvalkar meshes his experience at Michelin-star restaurants abroad to local high-end dining with classic Indian techniques from different regions.  Something definitely different and completely elevated.  Viv and I decided to give his Ammakase a go which is a chef's curated menu that is highly-seasonal and thoughtfully-designed.

To get things started, we were presented with 3 different small bites and a steaming hot broth.  The first (right to left) was a Achappam, Beef Tartare with Himalayan mustard, Sunchoke Croquette and Shorba.  The crunchy Achappam was floral and sweet while the beef tartare was tender and buttery with a crispy papadum shell.  Croquette was crispy and creamy with some spice.  That broth at the end was a flavour bomb with tang and depth.  There was some balancing sweetness at the end with a gingery finish.

Next, we had the Morel Chick Pea with yogurt kadhi and mustard.  Unlike most curries, the one here was light and tangy with an appealing butteriness.  We found an earthy finish while witnessing much restraint and balance.  Texturally, we had some softness complimented by crispiness as well. This was a preview of what was to come as we usually associate heaviness with Indian food.

One of our favourite dishes was the vegetarian Momo sitting in a lemongrass tomato jhol with Swiss chard.  Oh wow, for such a humble and simple dish, this was my favourite of the tasting menu.  Fragrant with lemongrass and spiciness that became more pronounced at the end, the broth was impactful.  The dumpling skin was thin and full of elasticity.  Hiding within, we found vibrant and crunchy veggies.  There was a bit of bitterness from the chard.

Then we moved onto the Halibut Cheek in fisherman's green sauce and kolarabi.  Although the cheek itself was a bit more cooked than I wanted it to be, it was still classic cheek texture.  It was a bit bouncy and had a bit of a chew.  Nice crispiness on the exterior and caramelization.  Sauce was super herbaceous and silky, yet still subtle.  Kohlrabi on the side was crunchy with acidity and topped with briny ikura.

The most filling course was the Wild Boar encased in black garlic fried rice and then wrapped in a banana leaf.  Although the boar was lean (as it tends to be), it was still moist and tender.  It was also naturally flavourful.  Although encased, the rice was not mushy.  It absorbed the flavours from the leaves.  The fermented umaminess from the black garlic was quite evident.  Lastly, the black sesame came through with a rich nuttiness.

Composed and carefully-prepared, the Aged Duck came with a vindaloo sauce, fried cassava and potato.  Perfectly medium-rare, the duck featured crispy skin that was mostly rendered.  It sat in a tangy vindaloo sauce which had the perfect viscosity.  Once again, there was restraint as the sauce complimented the duck beautifully, yet did not dominate the dish.  We found a pleasantly crispy cassava on the side as well as charred broccolini.

As a pre-dessert, we were served a Kokum Sorbet that was tangy and only lightly sweetened.  There was definite tamarind vibes to this, but kokum belongs to the mangosteen family. Texturally, it was smooth as if there was cream, but in fact, there was none. There was an earthy finish at the end.  This helped us wash away the previous flavours and to get us ready for our dessert.

Our actual dessert consisted of a Christmas Cake that was effectively a festive rum cake with plump raisins, orange and ginger.  Somewhat like a Christmas fruit cake, but actually tasty, this had hits of cardamom and cloves.  It was not dense like a fruit cake, so it was fluffier.  I found the pops of sweetness from the raisins to be the surprise in each bite.  I would've liked more of the gel to go with the crispy parts of the dessert.

Lastly, we had some small bites to end the meal in some Whey Peda with pine.  This chewy and thick bite was a bit creamy and mildly sweet.  Definitely some grassy notes too.  Overall, we were really impressed with the creations that Chef Tushar Tondvalkar presented to us for the tasting menu.  Flavours were familiar but presented in a different manner which had incredible balance and we didn't feel heavy eating it.  We would be more than glad to have this again, as well as his regular menu.

The Good:

- Familiar things but reimagined 

- Not heavy and well-balanced

- Thoughtfully created dishes

The Bad:

- Halibut cheek could've been less cooked