Elia Pleasanton

Here we go with our biennial visit to the Bay Area once again.  Last year, we headed down to LA to get away from the rain, but it seems like the rain followed us to SFO this time around.  Once we landed, it was straight to an In-N-Out for a double double before heading over to Pleasanton to meetup with Cable Car Guy and Cable Car Girl.  Always a pleasure to dine with them and catch up!  They suggested that we try out Elia in Downtown Pleasanton.  Never been out there and wow, if there was some snow, Main Street would look like something straight out of a Hallmark movie!  

Anyways, we weren't there to scout out film locations, rather, we were going to eat!  That we did with some appies to start including the Kolokithokeftethes (or Zucchini Cakes).  At first, I thought they were crab cakes and in fact, when I bit into them, they were firmer than what I would associate with zucchini.  This would be the result of mixing it eggs and flour.  I liked the texture as it was not too wet, so that the outside would crisp up uniformly while the inside had some body.  This was served some garlic yogurt on the side.

Next, we had the Octapodaki or Grilled Spanish Octopus.  This was my favorite dish where the large tentacle was tender and meaty while having a bite.  It was grilled until there was a light char on the outside which afforded a rich and appealing smokiness.  There was enough seasoning for it to stand on its own, but the addition of some pickled potatoes, orange wedges, carrots and radish in a honey mustard dressing, there was crunch, brightness and sweetness to balance the dish.

One of the most interesting things we had was the deep fried Smelt with chipotle aioli.  Now if you are into Chinese cuisine, deep fried smelt aren't anything new.  However, I've never had such a dish at a Greek restaurant before.  Well, I have to say that this version was very much like the Chinese dish.  The smelt were full of roe and only lightly-battered.  They were crispy and beautifully salted.  The side of lemon and aioli complimented the smelt with acidity and some creaminess.

Plated much more intricately than I would've imagined, the Seabass Carpaccio was presented as a bouquet of flowers sitting in a mix of lemon, orange, garlic, olive oil and dill.   Although not completely "cooked" by the acid, this ate very much like a ceviche.  The firmness of the seabass along with the high acidity made it less of a carpaccio.  It was good though, as the fish was fresh and the marinade was extremely bright, tangy and appetizing.

Continuing on with the small plates, we had the Kounoupidi Tou Fornou (Roasted Cauliflower) with garlic-chili butter, pimenton, toasted almonds, fresh herbs and crumbled feta.  Really enjoyed this as there was a real oven-roasted appearance and taste to the dish.  Hence, each cauliflower floret was smoky and had a firm crunch despite being cooked through.  I thought the addition of feta really added some body to the dish and creaminess.

We also had the Keftedes featuring lamb & beef meatballs in tomato sauce and topped with tzatzki.  The meatballs were super moist and meaty with a noticeable gaminess.  Personally, I love that lamb flavor but I can see how some people might find it overpowering.  As for the tomato sauce, it was pretty bright and tangy with background sweetness but a bit one note.  The dollop of tzatzki added some creamy brightness to break up the heaviness of the meatballs.

Of course we couldn't do without the classic Kalamarakia featuring Monterey calamari with fried jalapenos and shallots.  I have to say these were some of the largest squid rings I've ever seen.  Despite this, they were not overly chewy.  Sure, they had a definite bite, but the rings were still tender and the batter was crispy while properly seasoned.  I thought the side of chipotle yogurt to be a refreshing change from the usual tzatziki.  It was light with a slight spiciness.

My favorite part of any Greek (or Mediterranean meal) is the lamb.  So when the Arnisia Paidakia hit the table, I was super excited.  These lamb rack chops were beautifully charred (without burning them) with a smoky caramelization.  These were properly marinated with hits of garlic, lemon and earthiness from the herbs.  Best of all, the lamb was cooked to medium where the meat was still juicy and plenty tender.  This came with some roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, campari tomatoes and latholemono (drizzle of lemon EVOO).

Continuing with lamb, we also had the Kokkinisto served with orzo, mizithra, diced veggies, romesco and jus.  This large lamb shank was braised just enough that the meat was super tender and gelatinous without all of the meat falling apart.  It was delicious due to the braising jus as well as the romesco.  There was so sweet garlicky tang going on that flavorful without being too strong with any one component.  Orzo on the side had a great al dente texture.

Other than a roasted lamb shoulder, my other favorite Greek dish is Moussaka.  Normally, I find versions that are heavy on the bechamel and low on the layers of eggplant and potato.  However, the one here was one of the most balanced I've had.  As you can see in the picture, there were defined layers of eggplant, meat, more eggplant, more meat, potatoes and then a proper amount of bechamel.  This all sat in a tangy tomato sauce.  Consisting of lamb & beef, the meat was tender with plenty of natural meatiness.  Eggplant and potato were tender without being mushy while the bechamel was creamy with the unmistakable taste of nutmeg.

With the Bucatini Astakos, we found a large lobster tail with garlic prawns with al dente pasta.  Due to the thickness of the bucatini, it was pretty chewy, but in a good mouth-feel kinda way.  It sat in a spicy urfa pepper lobster sauce that was almost like a creamy bisque.  It was definitely aromatic and briny, but also surprisingly with a lot of heat.  The lobster had a nice rebound texture while the prawns had a moist snap.

Of course we couldn't forget about the classic Kotopoulo Souvlaki right (Chicken Souvlaki)?  However, unlike most other places, the one here employed chicken thighs instead of breast.  Hence, there was much more meat flavor in addition to it being juicier.  There was a nice char on the outside, which made things smoky while the marinade ensured the meat was tender.   This came with vermicelli-bulgar, roasted almonds and arugula.

Going out with style, we had the Lavraki (Whole Mediterranean Sea Bass) with arugula, heirloom tomatoes, sumac red onions and roasted potato.  The fish was prepared well with the skin being mostly crispy while the meat was flaky and moist.  I think the fish could've been salted a bit more aggressively, but it wasn't bland either.  Some lemon really helped bring out the salt. In the end, we didn't end up ordering any desserts because we had our eye on Meadowlark Dairy just down the street.  So the fish was our last dish and it was a fine end to a really solid meal.  Proteins were cooked properly and dishes were composed.  This was a little more refined than the usual neighborhood Greek restaurant.  The prices reflect that too.

 

The Good:

- Well-prepared food

- More refined than other Greek restaurants

- Excellent service

 

The Bad:

- It does cost more to eat here, but the food quality did reflect that 

- Although there are parking lots nearby, it was difficult to find a space

 

Plaza Premium Lounge (US Departures)

So back in December, we made the trek out to the Bay Area to visit relatives.  We ended up visiting the Plaza Premium Lounge in the US Departures terminal at YVR.  Being the holiday season, I could understand the increase in passengers at the airport and thus, more people visiting the lounge.  That was the case for us as we struggled to find seats in the relatively tightly-packed room.  We did end up getting a table near the end though, but even with that, there was not a lot of space for our carry-on luggage.

There was a selection of included alcoholic beverages but if you wanted something fancier, it was as surcharge.  Near the bar, we found some breads during breakfast and it changed to soups when it was lunch service.  They were not able to keep them filled though as one of them remained empty until we had left.  There was a hot and cold drinks station near the washrooms and they struggled to keep cups stocked for the soft-drinks.  I was not able to get a proper cup for soft drinks during the entire time there.  I had to resort to using coffee cups instead.

Next to the drinks, we found a refrigerated section that had some juices, iced tea, cold water and an array of salads, yogurt and mini-cakes. On top, there was an assortment of bundt cakes as well.  This section was fairly well-stocked and the salads were not bad.  I thought the quinoa was the best of the bunch.  The best way to describe the cakes was that they were serviceable.  Once again, we had no cups for the duration of our stay for the juices and water.

When we arrived, it was still breakfast service with a modest selection of items including French Toast, Pork Sausages, Vegetable Fitatta and Hashbrowns.  They were trying to refill the food as fast as they could but there were times when some chaffing trays were empty.  Nothing particularly good or bad about the food other than resembling a complimentary breakfast at a Marriott Residence Inn.

While we were eating, they did a changeover to lunch where the selection included Turkey, Veggies, Stuffing, Rainbow Tortellini and Yams.  This was a bit better than breakfast where the turkey was moist and yams were pretty tasty.  Veggies were predictably overdone and soggy while the stuffing was a bit on the denser side.  Tortellini was surprisingly not overdone, but a little lacking in flavour.

So after posting all the food, I'm going to post a picture of the washroom.  pretty basic, but mostly clean, except for the toilet itself.  It needed to be cleaned but really, there was not enough staff to handle that let alone provide some cups for the soft drinks and juices.  Overall, the Plaza Premium Lounge was anything but premium.  Rather, it was no better than a complimentary setup at a lower-branded Marriott.  That in itself is not worth the $55.80.  I had free passes from my credit card and even with that, I don't think it is worth wasting a pass on.

The Good:

- It is in a convenient location right after customs pre-clearance

The Bad:

- Food is meh

- Staff were trying their best, but things weren't being refilled fast enough

- No cups to be found for soft drinks or juice

- It is far too small for the amount of people using it

Petrichor Social Restaurant & Bar

When I heard that Jules Bistro was closing at the end of 2023, it marked the end of its run in Gastown since 2007.  I had made a visit way back 2010 and then again in 2022, which would almost bookend their years in existence.   Not long after it closed, a new French restaurant, Petrichor, opened up in March 2024 in its place.  French native chef/owner Luc Duval offers up a slice of Southern French cuisine in a remodelled dining space that is inviting and quaint.

We arrived in time for happy hour and decided to get some cocktails for only $10.00.  Yes, that is correct, any of their cocktails are only $10.00 during happy hour!  We had From Mexico with Love and the Grenoble Sour.  I liked both but preferred the former as it had more pop in the form of lime, blueberry syrup and ginger beer.   The sour was much more subtle and the sweetness of pineapple juice.  

Also, we went for the Crab Croquettes for $15.00, also on the happy hour menu.  This came in a trio of crab cakes that were topped with saffron aioli and sat on a bed of spring mix.  These crab cakes were on the lighter side with an airiness inside.  Hence, it wasn't exactly packed with crab, but especially for the price, there was a sufficient amount that was fluffy.  Outside was uniformly crispy and the aromatics from the aioli was impactful.

Next, we had the House Brioche served with brown butter for $12.00.  This featured a whole brioche charred on the grill.  It had a lightly crisp exterior with some nutty smokiness from the char.  On the inside, it was super fluffy and steaming warm.  Presented as streaks on the plate, the whipped butter was super creamy and amplified in terms of tasting like butter.  Naturally, being brown butter, it was nutty and sweet.  There was minimal salt added to it, which meant the aforementioned flavours were more pronounced.

Onto the regular items, we decided to go for the Coquilles St. Jacques for $38.50.  Plated with 3 whole scallops on the shell, it was dressed in its classic bechamel with carrots, leeks and bread crumbs.  There was some piped potato puree on the perimeter of the shell.  I thought this was prepared quite nicely as the scallop was plump and still bouncy.  It was super sweet and had a concentrated scallop flavour where the brininess really came through.  The bechamel was creamy with sweetness from the veggies, but could've used more salt.  On the side, there was a salad and grilled herb brioche.

We also decided on the Creamy Sausage Ragu Pappardelle with sage, dijon mustard and confit onion-infused cream.  This was also quite good with al dente ribbons of pasta that were not clumpy.  There was enough cream sauce to keep things fluid without drowning the pasta at the same time.  Flavours were rather subtle with the meatiness of the sausage being the dominant texture and taste.  I could get a bit of the sweet onion as well as the background with the earthy herbal taste of sage.  

Lastly, we shared the 32 oz. Dry Aged Bone-in Ribeye.  We asked for this to be prepared medium (since my dining partner prefers it this way).  It came out more-or-less medium with some medium-rare portions (that I personally prefer).  The meat was nicely crusted and just salted enough.  The meat was full of umami and a bit of mustiness due to the dry aging.  Great flavour and super tender.  It didn't look like a lot, but we didn't finish it.

 

We had a choice of 2 sides to go with the steak as well as a herb butter.  Our choice of sides included the Pommes Dauphine and the Roasted Butternut Squash.  Those crispy little potato pillows were so delicious.  Beautifully salted, they were like a little snack.  The roasted butternut squash was caramelized and sweet.  They were soft, but not mushy.  Overall, we enjoyed the meal at Petrichor and it did bring me back to Southern France.  Only thing missing was a version of socca!  The place is cute and the happy hour is a good value.  Would come back.

The Good:

- Cute and quaint

- Solid eats

- Happy hour is a good value, especially the cocktails

The Bad:

- Some dishes could use more salt

New Fuji

Ever since my initial visit to New Fuji on West 1st, I've been meaning to go back.  Well, with Mijune back in town, it was that time!  For those who do not know, New Fuji belongs to the same group that brought us Kingyo, Raisu, Rajio and Takenaka. Hence, you know the food will be interesting and of course, delicious.   There is an obvious 80's theme going on at New Fuji with Japanese CD covers adorning the entranceway.   Prominently at the centre of the restaurant, we find a wall of glass bottles.  This all blends into the bustle of the grill where the chef pushes out many of their grilled and seared dishes.

Just like the last time, I was happy to see the Tofu Cheese arrive at our table.  This seemingly simple dish (which really is a simple dish) is one of my favourites.  It features a house-blend cheese dip that is rich and creamy while beautifully sweetened with maple syrup.  With the addition of figs, this ate very much like a dessert.  There were some cheesecake vibes going on but creamier and silkier.  Once spread onto the buttered crostinis, we had a nice textural contrast as well as a temperature contrast.

Also like my first meal here, we had the Fulffy "Rare" Unagi Omelette.  What they mean by rare is that the eggs are a bit underdone, yet not raw.  It is a fine line between the two, but they managed to perfect this here.   The eggs were truly fluffy with some moisture to keep things even more "soft".  Mixed into this, we had a generous portion of buttery unagi.  Flavours were subtle, but it had the usual sweetness of unagi sauce as well as some brightness from the chives.

We continued on with the Truffle Corn Karaage that were lightly deep-fried and tossed in truffle butter sauce.  These corn ribs were really good where it was fried enough so that the flavours had caramelized and the outside was slightly crispy while the niblets were still juicy and sweet.  The truffle flavour was subtle but definitely there while the amount of salt was just right.  From this, we had the Dashi Butter Scallops.  These large and whole Hokkaido scallops were sweet and buttery with the wonderful textural contrast of the mantle and skirt.  That sweetened soy butter was so rich and full-of-depth, but was subtle enough to not overwhelm the scallops.

With another grilled item, we had the Whole Aged Mackerel marinated in a sweetened soy Japanese BBQ sauce.  Really loved just looking at the fish as it was large and in a beautiful shade of brown.  Since it was dry aged, the meat was firmer and less moist.  However, the flavours were more pronounced as a result.  Typical of mackerel, the fishiness definitely came through.  However, since the meat was a bit drier, it was quite pleasant and provided more depth-of-flavour.   The slice of lemon was more than garnish as it provided the brightness the fish needed.

I enjoyed their battera last time and was pleased to have all 3 of them for this meal.  This included Wagyu Long Yukhoe Pressed, Bluefin Negitoro Long Pressed and Salmon Kimchi Long Pressed Sushi.  If you look closely, there were 10 pieces in each pressed sushi.  Great for sharing and especially if you get all of them!  My favourite of the bunch was the bluefin where the buttery texture and sweetness of the fish was complimented by brightness of the green onion.  Extra texture and sweetness was provided by the chopped onions and apples.  That would be somewhat similar with the Wagyu as it also had the same compliments, except with the usual beefiness from the fat.  The crunch on top of both added a nice textural contrast.  Both also had shiso, which added some bright herbaceousness.  As for the salmon, it was both different and similar to the other 2 pressed sushi.  Sure, the seared Atlantic salmon still had a buttery texture like the others, but it was topped with chives, ikura and sweetened soy and yuzu-kosho mayo.  A good balance of salty, tangy and sweet.

One dish took awhile to come out was the Squid Ink Kamameshi Rice.  These take a bit longer  (about 30 mins) and should be ordered right away.  This featured a mix of prawns, scallops, squid legs, snow crab, clams, king oyster mushrooms, tomatoes, sliced onion on top of squid ink tomato rice.  On the side, we found chopped shiso, yuzu peels and parmesan that was folded into the rice tableside.  The result was a multitude of flavours and textures.  I found the rice a bit on the softer side, but when combined with all of the ingredients, it wasn't lacking in texture.  The yuzu peels really had a starring role as it stood out with a bitter tang.  It helped cut through the heaviness of the rice.  Loved the ample amount of well-prepared seafood, but they got a bit lost within the rice.

On the menu, the udon section takes up an entire page.  Hence, we decided to order 3 dishes including the Spicy Wagyu Miso Egg Udon.  Arriving in a bowl that was probably 4 times the necessary size (it looked impressive though!), the slippery udon was al dente with a nice chew.  The dashi broth was mildly spicy and full of umami from the kara-miso.  Loved the silky egg added to the mix of minced wagyu beef and chives.

Extremely garlicky, the Snow Crab and Mentaiko Peperoncino Yakiudon was pretty rich and creamy.  It was also spicy with the addition of red chili pepper and some spicy cod roe on the top.  Also on top was some briny snow crab along with peppery arugula.  The arugula provided the necessary counterbalance to the rich sauce.  Really enjoyed the plethora of sliced garlic as it provided aroma and a bit of sharpness.  Somehow, I thought this would've went better with a pasta than udon, but of course that would've defeated the purpose of udon menu.

Probably my favourite udon of the bunch was the Chili Rose Carbonara Yakiudon.  This was also creamy and cheesy with plenty of parmesan, mozzarella and egg yolk, but the addition of red chili pepper, Korean chili pepper and spicy bean paste, there were layers of spice.  In that sense, it didn't eat as heavy as it appeared.  Arugula on top provided some freshness to the dish and the ample prawns provided some snap texture to go with the chewy udon noodles.

We ended up getting 2 mocktails in Peach Passion Mojito and  Watermelon Gin & Tonic (without the gin of course).  Both were refreshing a nice compliment to the heavy rice and udon dishes.  For dessert, we had a trio of them including the Ichigo Cake Daifuku, Tiramisu Parfait alle Fragole and the Strawberry Molten Chocolate Cake.  I've had 2 of these desserts before and if you have noticed, there is a strawberry theme to the menu.  I loved the delicate and appealing chewiness of the mochi blanket atop the light sponge cake with a strawberry and sweet red bean paste.    The tiramisu was so light and mildly sweet.  There was some crunch added to the mix with cocoa cookie crumbles to go with the smooth mascarpone.  The layer of tart strawberry sauce provided the tang to liven up the dessert.  Lastly, the chocolate cake was rich, yet moist with a molten centre.  The addition of freeze-dried strawberries provided a light crunch while the strawberry ice cream on top cooled things down with sweet creaminess.  Overall, this second visit to New Fuji confirmed that the food is both interesting and delicious.  Love the vibe and 80's music playing in the background!

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

The Good:
- Interesting food
- Some real winners on the menu such as the pressed sushi and udon
- Nice vibe incluidng 80's music

The Bad:
- Sure, I said it was pricey in the last post, but what isn't these days?
- The squid ink rice was good, but maybe the seafood gets lost?

 

Combine Cafe & Bar

For those who are not in the know, Surrey Central has become (or already is) a bustling and modern community that is on an upward trajectory.  Sure, there are still remnants of the old Whalley that has yet to be redeveloped, but the place is attracting people and businesses alike.  So it wasn't surprising to see a beautiful restaurant in Combine Cafe & Bar open up shop along King George Hwy near Fraser Hwy.  It is actually right across from the King George Skytrain station and dishes up food that is both sustainable and locally-sourced.

Jackie and I were invited to try the place out and we were impressed with what they have done with the space as it is inviting with lots of natural light.  We started with the some drinks including the Wine Flight and also a mocktail in the Cosmo.  The appetizer menu is fairly simple and at first, we were not interested in ordering the Baked Focaccia.  Well, thank goodness they recommended it because the bread was super fluffy and soft with a slightly crispy exterior.  The addition of tomatoes and peppers on the top afforded some moisture and pops of sweet tanginess.  They finished it off with some herbed butter and that just helped amp up the aromatics and butteriness.

Next, we had the Oysters Rockefeller that were a bit different than the traditional version.  It still had a creamy butter sauce, but had far more melted cheese on it.  In a sense, that helped lock in the moisture of the oyster and they turned out to be juicy and soft.  Lots of natural brininess from the fresh oysters.  There could've been a bit more sauce, but otherwise, this was a serviceable version.

We ended up building-our-own Charcuterie Board with cured salmon, smoked duck, gouda, chili jam, toasted almonds and pickled vegetables.  They did a fine job in arranging the items on the board where it looked appetizing.  I particularly enjoyed the cured salmon as they were in large slices and the texture was buttery.  Nice sweetness accented by just a bit of saltiness.  The smoked duck was good too being tender with a quick sear from the torch.  Not a fan of the pickled vegetables as I would've preferred distinguishable pieces rather than a blitz through the food processor.  Almonds were fantastic with a sweet crunch.

Onto the mains, we had the Chilean Chicken with chorizo, white wine cream sauce, mashed potatoes and roasted root vegetables.  I thought it was artfully plated with well-prepared components.  The root veggies were cooked through, yet still had a firmness to them.  They were intensely sweet from the caramelization.  The swaft of mashed potatoes was smooth and creamy.  Wished there was more of it though!  Chorizo was seared, hence it amplified the salty spice.  There was some smokiness too.  The chicken itself was a bit hit and miss.  The interior of the chicken leg was tender and moist, but the outer parts were a bit dry.

For the Oyster Cream Pasta, we added Teriyaki Salmon so that it would have some more protein.  We found the spaghetti to be perfectly al dente and bathed in a minimal amount of cream sauce.  I thought that was okay, but the promise of oyster sweet and brininess wasn't really there.  I mean, the pasta was solid and it did have enough seasoning, just needed more oysters or oyster liquour.   I would be fine paying more money for more oysters in the dish.  As for the salmon we added, it was not dry, but not moist either, somewhere in between.  The sauce was tasty though and the amount of it helped keep the salmon from being dry.

For dessert, we had the Ooops! Ice Cream which was more playful than anything else.  Consisting of vanilla bean ice cream with a waffle cone inverted on top, the dish also had berry compote, poached pear and cookie crumbs.  So was this something I would normally order?  Well no, but I enjoyed it all the same.  The ice cream was rich and creamy while the cone was crispy and aromatic.  The compote and pear added some bright fruitiness and the crumbs provided more texture.  In general, Combine Cafe & Bar is a stylish place where you can enjoy drinks with friends.  The food is quite serviceable but some further refinement is needed for them to be competitive with similar restaurants.

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

The Good:

- Wonderful space

- Serviceable eats

- On the right track

The Bad:

- Food needs further refinement