Cayenne Bistro and Grill

New West isn't usually known for its culinary scene but I swear they have so many hidden gems.  I guess it goes hand-in-hand with what I just said about New West because most would be hidden gems right?  I'm not sure if I'm making sense here but stay with me.  One of these hidden gems is Cayenne Bistro & Grill located on 6th Street in Burnaby.  Wait, didn't I just say New West?  Well, anything in that area is essentially New West in my mind...

So we started with the Appy Platter consisting of 2 samosas, 3 kebabs and 3 nylon bhajia.  On the side, we found tamarind and mint chutneys.  Really enjoyed the samosa because the pastry was not too thick and was fried up crispy while not being greasy.  Nice spice on the potato filling too.  Those kebab meatballs were a lot more moist than they appeared.  Sure, they were crispy on the outside, but completely moist on the inside.  Once again, nice spice to them.  The thinly sliced fried potatoes were a touch greasy, but were soft and fluffy with a crispy surface.

Next, we had a dish that I've never heard of or tried before.  The Patra Bhajia were patra leaves tempered with spices, rolled, steamed and then fried crispy.  This was certainly a unique texture that was a bit firm, yet at the same time tender due to the steaming.  They were nicely seasoned with earthy notes with some spice.  As for the leaves themselves, they had a leafy green flavour but with a slight metallic finish.  Certainly unique, but not really up my alley.

Similarly to the appy platter, I got the Choma Platter consisting of Beef ribs, Mishkaki and Pili Pili Chicken.  This was quite the plate of meat as it was a lot more filling than it looked.  The mishkaki sported tender chunks of beef that was a bit earthy with some peppery notes.  The beef ribs underneath were tender in a chewy way (a good thing).  We chose mild and it was as such.  As for the chicken, it was tender and juicy as described with a mild spiciness.

We moved onto 2 curries starting with the Chicken Rafiki.  This featured tender pieces of chicken that were moist.  It sat in a tomato-based coconut curry that was smooth and buttery.  It was aromatic and creamy due to the coconut milk, but then than merely tempered the tomato portion of the curry.  It was definitely there, but the tang was muted while the sweetness was present.  It was mildly spiced, but had nice earthy notes.

 

For our second curry, we had the Malindi Seafood Medley with prawns and halibut cooked in creamy tomato-based curry.  Sure, this was somewhat similar to the chicken rafiki, but different at the same time.  It took on some of the seafood flavour while the peppers added some vegetable sweetness and bite to the dish.  I found the fish to be rather flaky and tender (meant it was fairly fresh) while the prawns to be meaty with a nice snap.

So we decided to get some rice, but in the form of Bombay Beef Biryani.  Yes, I know plain basmati rice would've been the best compliment to the curries, and we did actually order some.  Besides, we also had some Garlic Naan anyways.  That biryani was quite good with moist, yet al dente basmati rice.  It was nicely spiced and with beef (usually I've had it with chicken, lamb or goat), it took on more body and flavour.  As for the naan, that was probably only thing we were indifferent about.  It was soft and fluffy, but lacked blistering and the buttery aromatics of ones from a tandoor.  Other than that, the food was unique and well-executed.  Unique dishes too as there are both African and Indian influences.  Yes, this is a hidden gem for sure.

The Good:
- Unique food
- Nice flavours
- Wonderful owners

The Bad:
- Tight dining room
- So-so naan  

Arike

Back when it first opened, I had hit up Arike out on Davie Street.  It was one of the rare African restaurants in the GVRD and even more unique, it had a Nigerian focus.  I came away quite satisfied with my meal, but apparently, this was confusing for people looking for Nigerian cuisine.  It was not the big share portions of home-style cooking normally associated with Nigerian cuisine.  So on this recent visit with Mijune, we discovered they feature only a tasting-menu that focuses on a variety of dishes that have African-influenced flavours and ingredients.  I guess they are doing something right as they have been recently graced with the Michelin-recommended status.

For $65.00, we felt this was a reasonable price for a tasting menu in a Downtown restaurant.  We began with the Herbed Foccacia with peanut hummus and chili oil.  Normally, I don't rave about bread, but I'm going to do it this time.  Crispy and nutty on the outside, the foccacia was soft and warm on the inside.  That peanut hummus was smooth with a spicy nuttiness that elevated the bread.  I could put spoonfuls of that in my mouth.

Up next, we had something I wouldn't have expected, but at the same time, shows the creativity of the chef.  Featuring a beautiful lightly torched Scallop atop jerk pork belly rice, this was a great interpretation of nigiri.  Beyond the buttery sweetness of the fresh scallop, the luxurious and richness of the rice underneath was a nice counterbalance.  Add in the sharpness of ginger and the tang of lemon, there was enough acidity to make the flavours pop.

Pretty with mandarin, mint and coconut ricotta, the red kuri Squash "tart" was perfectly-placed in the progression of dishes in the tasting menu.  The squash base was sweet, nutty and soft.  The addition of mandarin added some sweet and juicy tanginess to break up the heaviness of the squash.  Providing some crunch, we had some nuts and creamy aromatics was provided by the ricotta.  To top it off literally and figuratively, we had the herbaceous hit of the mint.

After this fairly rich course, we were treated to a Palette Cleanser in the form of lemon ginger granita.  Once again, the use of lemon and ginger provided a refreshing combination of acidity and sharpness.  This took away any of the flavours of the last dish.  The granita was fluffy, yet crunchy at the same time.  It did not melt and was consistent in texture.

Good thing we had the palette cleanser as it allowed us to enjoy the Duck ravioli to the fullest.  This was an overstuffed creation with perfectly thin and al dente pasta encasing a considerable amount of moist and tender duck (that also had a good rebound texture).  On top we found some grated cured egg yolk, pickled mustard seed and fermented iru bean.  I can't tell you how delicious this was where the duck was definitely the star.  I found the flavours of the other ingredients to be complimentary and in balance.

My favourite course was the Lamb shoulder sausage atop chermoula with pickled carrots and grilled yam pita.  That sausage was so juicy and well-spiced, I would've been happy with it alone on a plate.  However, the chermoula complimented the rich sausage with acidity and brightness.  The carrots added another layer of tanginess and a bit of crunch.  Loved the soft chewiness of the yam pita as it was a nice foil to the meat.  The trick here was to have everything in one bite.

For dessert, we were served the black Sesame cake with cappuccino panna cotta with cardamom and ginger.  Soft and warm, the sesame cake was nutty and only semi-sweet.  Digging into the panna cotta, it revealed a creaminess accented by spice and slight sharpness.  I enjoyed how this dessert was more about subtly rather than sweetness.  In the end, I was truly blown away with the tasting menu at Arike.  It was thoughtful and the progression of courses made sense.  I love the direction they have taken with the menu as it is creative and delicious.  I will be back 100%.

The Good:

- Just downright delicious

- Creative incorporation of African spices and influences

- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:

- Currently open everyday in December, but only on Friday and Saturdays in January, hence it will be difficult to get a reservation

- Location is a bit hidden, but IYKYK

Arike Restaurant & Cocktail Bar

We are pretty lucky living in Vancouver with the temperate climate (especially in Canada) and quality of life (some more than others, but that is another story altogether).  Sure, that has some impact on our house prices, which makes us less lucky (unless you are selling and leaving...).  Another huge plus about living in Vancity is the bounty of ethnic food which is generally reasonably-priced.  Sure, some are creeping up there, but compared to other parts of the world, it still isn't expensive.  One thing that is sorely missing is non-Asian ethnic eats.  So when I found out that Arike out on Davie Street was dishing out Western African-inspired cuisine, I rounded up Grace to help me try out their wares.

We began with the Fried Habanero Corn Fritters stuffed with confit garlic and salted tomato.  These fluffy little bites were pleasantly crispy (and not greasy).  Inside, the sweetness of the corn came through as well as a touch of spice.  Little bursts of tang were afforded by the tomato.  As much as the Cassava Fries looked plenty pale, they were actually uniformly crunchy on the outside.  They were lightly salted and were tasty on their own.  However, the hot and sweet tomato dip was in-your-face tasty.  It combined tang, sweetness and saltiness into one bite.  Not to be outdone, the creamy cashew garlic mayo brought balance.

Since it was super thin, we were initially afraid that the Grilled Suya Beef Strip Loin would be dry and chewy.  This was completely not the case as it was moist, buttery and tender.  The meat itself was seasoned enough that it was nutty and aromatic.  However, the caramelized yogurt didn't hurt either as it was sweet and creamy.  The hits kept coming with the Spiced Goat Dumplings with sweet chili oil, aerated herb yogurt and fried onion.  I thought the dumpling wrapper was excellent being both delicate and al dente at the same time.  Wonderful mouthfeel and chew that gave way to a smooth and spiced goat filling.  Yes, the sweet chili oil was not only the focal point of the dish, it added complexity.

The Pulled Oxtail and Cured Pork Belly Flat Bread took awhile to come out, but it was certainly worth the wait.  Crunchy and with even leoparding, the crust was nutty and aromatic.  On top, the combination of meats provided a robustness while the cured tomato added bursts of tanginess.  This was complimented by the intense sweetness of the caramelized onions and the heat from the pickled habaneros.  For dessert, we really enjoyed the fluffy Pof Pofs.  They resembled Chinese egg puffs in texture with a delicately crispy exterior.  These were dressed with ginger honey and cinnamon sugar.  Yes, they were sweet, but that was the point.  I'm pretty sure you can feel my enthusiasm about the place.  I thought the food was tasty and unique.  Not sure why it isn't any busier.  Probably the location isn't that obvious from street level.  I encourage you to try it though!

The Good:
- Unique dishes
- Defined layers of flavours (not muddled)
- Reasonable-pricing

The Bad:
- Location is hidden and dark
- Could go more hardcore with the African dishes

Nando's (Richmond North)

Alright, who hasn't tried Nando's before?  I bet most, if not all of you have stepped into a Nando's somewhere (and there are many of them) to dine on their Peri-Peri Flame-Grilled Chicken.  Okay, to get this out-of-the-way first, it originated out of South Africa and no, it isn't really Portuguese, but it does have influences (this is for those, "hey, I'm Portuguese and this isn't authentic Portuguese" complainers).  Now with that said and done with, I will proclaim a personal bias that I've always enjoyed the chicken at Nando's (when there were less locations).  Hence, when I was invited to the new Central at Garden City, they didn't have to ask twice.

We were started off with the hot Peri-Peri Whole Flame-Grilled Wings which, as the name suggested, were both the drumette and mid-wing still attached.  Not sure it had anything to do with the meat being juicy and tender, but I'll go with that.  On the outside, the skin was fairly rendered and charred.  Personally, I love it extra-hot, so I doused each wing with even more Peri-Peri.  Before we got down to the chicken, I sampled some sides first including the Peri-Peri Fries.  These were hot, crispy and spiced.  No need for any ketchup here because...  yes, I doused them in some Peri-Peri!  I could drink that stuff!

Other than the Green Salad, we also had the Spiced Rice and Hearty Coleslaw.  To everyone's horror, I actually dug into the salad.  Hey, we all need our greens right?  There needs to be some balance with all that spicy chicken.  Anyways, the rice was indeed nicely spiced with only a touch of heat.  There was the sweetness of onions and the rice itself was not too soft exhibiting a dry chewiness.  As for the coleslaw, it was crunchy and appealingly tangy.  It was fairly aggressively dressed though, but again, the tang kept things light.

Of course we couldn't forget about the Flame Grilled Chicken right?  We were served a platter of the aforementioned chicken with medium Peri-Peri.  Naturally, I doused it with extra-spicy to kick the flavours up.  As for the chicken itself, the meat was tender and moist, including the breast meat.  It wasn't juicy per se, but not dry either.  I thought the marinade to be mild, yet it was not really that important as I added more sauce anyways.  Since this was a media event, I can't comment on the service, however, the food was typical Nando's.  For me, this was satisfying and just gimme more of that extra-hot Peri Peri.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Tasty Peri Peri sauce
- Moist flame-grilled chicken

The Bad:
- Don't go when you're in a rush, but then again, wouldn't you want freshly made food?
    

Salchica

After returning from my most recent vacation (those posts will be up shortly), it has given me a greater appreciation of what we have in Vancouver in terms of eats.  However, there are certain things that are still lacking in the local food scene, especially when it comes to non-Asian cuisine.  I could start naming them, but it would take too much time and space on this blog post.  So I'll cut to the chase, I was recently invited to a tasting at Salchicha Homemade North African and Middle Eastern Cusine to sample dishes that are sometimes hard to find in the GVRD.

Now the first few items weren't exactly foreign to us as it included Baba Ganoush, Coleslaw, Tabbouleh and Hummus.  In the middle was some bread accompanied by tahini, sahoug and harissa.  The best item of the bunch was surprisingly the coleslaw.  It was crunchy, creamy and appealingly tangy.  I found the tabbouleh fresh, but a little heavy on the onion.  The hummus was smooth, aromatic and nutty with a strong tahini presence.  Lastly, the babaganoush was smooth, mild and sweet.

Onto some appies, we had the Chicken Skewers with house chipotle mayo.  Despite the use of breast meat, the chicken was tender with a robust texture.  With a light char, there was some smokiness to be had as well as the spices from the marinade.  I found the dip to be tangy with a mild spiciness.  Consisting of grilled eggplant, zucchini, carrots, yam and red bell peppers, the Antipasti was a pleasant dish.  I found the veggies to be cooked just enough without being overly wet.  I would've liked to see a slightly more aggressive char, but the caramelization was definitely there.

Something a bit different was the Sweet Liver Pate with toasted focaccia and homemade cherry tomato jam with cinnamon and bay leaf.  I thought the pate itself was extremely "liver" tasting with a touch of grittiness and iron-finish.  It was really sweet from the tomatoes and there was no mistaking the cinnamon.  The bread was a nice textural contrast being crunchy and well-charred.  Being pretty straightforward, the Cherry Tomato Salad was bright, refreshing and mild.  It sported lettuce, red onion, mint and feta cheese to go with the 3 colours of tomatoes.

From light to the "meat" of the meal, we got the Cous Cous Maraguez.  I really enjoyed this as the reduced harissa sauce had depth-of-flavour, but could've used some more salt.  The meaty Alberta lamb Moroccan sausage was meaty and flavourful while the cous cous was fluffy and moist soaking up the tang from the tomatoes.  On the same theme, the Shakshouka Maraguez featured a slow-cooked spicy tomato sauce with poached eggs and maraguez.  I found the sauce to be be rich and flavourful, yet not all that spicy.  Rather, it was tangy and sweet.  I liked the contrast of the buttery eggs with the meaty sausage.

We got yet another dish with meat on a stick, albeit a cinnamon stick in the Beef Kebabs.  These were served atop a tasty creamy potato concoction.  I found the beef to be well-charred, yet a bit dry.  The onions provided a nice caramelized sweetness while the cinnamon surprisingly was rather mild-tasting.  Our last meat dish was the Spring Chicken with carrot rice and drizzled with date molasses.  Being aggressively charred, the chicken was smoky and a touch bitter.  It remained moist and tender though while the sweetness of the molasses was a good match.

For dessert, we were served Malabi consisting of corn flour and milk topped with rose water and maple syrup, coconut shavings and peanuts.  Okay, I've had variations of this before, but for me at least, this was the best yet.  I loved the thick custard texture that was more aromatic than sweet and the crunch from the peanuts added a nuttiness.  By nearly sampling all of the best dishes Salchicha has to offer, I thought the ones featuring maraguez to be the best.  I would be pretty satisfied with one of those with an appie and the malabi.

*All food, beverages and gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Something different
- Hearty and robust dishes
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Charring could've been more consistent
- Loved the flavours, but could've been more aggressively seasoned