The Farmhouse

Tucked away behind Kingsgate Mall on E. 10th, there is a rustic spot dishing up Italian fare with the influence of West Coast ingredients.  The Farmhouse is headed by Top Chef alum Curtis Luk, who is the Executive Chef and General Manager as well as Head Chef, Laura Messinger.  We dropped by to experience their brunch service in their secret little garden patio at the back.  Such a gorgeous space to enjoy a meal with friends, family or a date.

Now a gorgeous space is not the most important thing here.  We need to talk about the food right?  Well, we got the whole menu and I immediately went for their newest item first - Peaches & Cream Waffle.  Beyond it's enticing appearance and plating, this was actually my favourite dish.  The large waffle featured crispy and aromatic edges while being complete doused in peach compote, fresh berries and whipped cream.  The fruitiness and freshness really came through and this was especially great since it was just sweet enough.

My next favourite item was the Spaghetti alla Carbonara topped with a perfectly poached egg.  Once mixed with the firmly al dente pasta, the richness of the egg yolk, parmesan and bacon fat provided a sinfully silky saltiness that helped flavour the dish.  I liked how there was enough moisture to coat each strand of pasta without having too much of it.  This kept things from being dry.

The other pasta offering on the brunch menu was the Calamarata al Pesto di Pistacchi.  Featuring large tubes of pasta, this was also quite delicious.  The pesto had a bright herbaceousness with the unmistakable nuttiness and aromatics of pistachio.  There was the silkiness of EVOO and saltiness from the cheese which was appealing.  The only thing that would made it even better would be a bit more pesto.

Interestingly, one of the simplest dishes was also quite good.  The Burrata on toasted house sourdough was more like an appetizer for me (but I'm sure would be more than enough for someone else), yet it was truly appetizing.  It had something to do with the confit tomato as it added a fresh and bright tangy sweetness.  Naturally, this complimented the creamy burrata perfectly.  The sourdough had nice chew beyond the crispy exterior.

Onto their Benedicts, we had three of them including the Shrimp Scampi Benedict.  Not sure what kind of shrimp they were using, but look at them, they were more the size of prawns!  Garlicky and buttery, the prawns also had the desired sweet snap texture.  On top, we found perfectly runny poached eggs with fully cooked egg whites.  The silky and rich Hollandaise was buttery with spot on seasoning.  All of this was served on soft house focaccia.

We tried the other 2 bennies that featured Marsala Mushroom and Roast Porchetta.  I liked how there was a wealth of mushrooms that were beautifully sauteed and not dripping with residual moisture.  They were well-seasoned and took on the aromatic sweetness of the marsala.  As for the porchetta, it was a seared slice of fatty pork that was succulent and nicely caramelized.  Definitely a sinful piece of meat!  The side of spiced fingerling potatoes were crispy with a creamy centre.

Although it didn't look like much food, especially with it all crammed into a rectangular loaf pan, the N'duja & Fennel Sausage Hash was definitely fulfilling.  With the same hearty spiced potatoes mixed with meaty and spicy crumbled sausage, this was zesty and full of body.  There was some mild tanginess provided by the tomato base.  Of course, with the addition of runny poached eggs and silky Hollandaise, this hash was probably the most heavy item we had.

Our last dish was the Baked Polenta with glazed pork belly and poached eggs.  Again, this didn't look like a lot of food, but with the slabs of tender polenta underneath, this was filling.  Really enjoyed the buttery pork belly and of course the runny yolks for the eggs.  Interestingly, this one didn't have any Hollandaise, but really, it could've of used it.  Overall, the brunch service at The Farmhouse is really good and it is a special experience, especially when seated at the back patio.  Great vibes and good food!

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

The Good:

- Well-prepared dishes that are delicious

- Love that patio

- Low key vibes

The Bad:

- A little hidden with limited parking

Coastal Cravings

Piggybacking off my last post on Yummy BBQ, we have another cheap eats to blog about...  Coastal Cravings, located near the boundary of upper and lower Lonsdale offers up delicious brunch for well under $20.00 per dish.  In fact, most are around $15.00!  Not only are the prices attractive, the portion size is also generous and as mentioned, the food is actually good.  I don't know much about Coastal Cravings, but they did replace the Garage Grill.  Not sure if they have any affiliation with the former Fresh Cravings that was in North Delta.  Whatever the case, Jackie and I sampled their wares on snowy February day.

Although our first dish was nothing really sexy on paper, The Signature Smash Avocado Toast ended up to be more than just avocado and toast.  Sure, it did have those components with fresh creamy avocado and a nicely toasted Savour sourdough bread.  However, there was also 2 perfectly poached eggs on top with sauteed mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and blueberries.  With runny egg yolks, it made the toast much more fulfilling and more than just avocado toast.

Another seemingly simple item was the Sunrise Croissant Sandwich.  Being one of the least expensive items on the menu at $11.99, it was still pretty substantial.  As you can see, they overstuffed the croissant with fresh guacamole, lettuce and perfectly-prepared soft scrambled eggs.  I can tell you that this was really a study in texture with the fluffy eggs and creamy avocado having a great mouth-feel.  The toasted croissant was able to hold things together.

One of the more interesting dishes was the Waygu Omelette for $15.99.  Not sure if I prefer ground wagyu anything (including burgers), but for this omelette, it was okay.  The meat was pretty tender was moist.  However, I really couldn't tell you if it was Wagyu or not (that is why I don't like ground Wagyu).  I mean it did taste beefier, which would be an indication there was more fat.  I did like the addition of mushrooms as it provided some complimentary flavours.

My favourite dish was the Chicken & Waffle where they essentially made it into a quasi-Eggs Benny.   The mini-waffles were thick with a crunchy exterior and soft chewy interior.  On top, we found Thai Fried Chicken and I did notice some spice to it.  The chicken was juicy and the batter was crunchy while not being overly greasy.  On top, we found runny poached eggs with a dollop of Hollandaise on top.  I found the Hollandaise to be creamy with proper seasoning.

So we actually got a Benny for our last dish in the Bacon Eggs Benny served on a classic toasted English muffin.  There was a good amount of crispy and meaty bacon topped with the same runny poached egg.  I liked how the muffin was toasted enough that it wasn't doughy.  Egg yolk was perfectly runny while there was a sufficient amount of Hollandaise.  Hashbrowns were crispy, well-seasoned and fully.  Overall, the food at Coastal Cravings is quite good and well-priced.  A really good combination given the uncertain economic times we are experiencing.  

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

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Well-priced

- Good portion size

The Bad:

- Limited staffing, so service can be slow

TV Dinner Market & Cafe

Boy, haven't met up with Mijune in awhile, she is always travelling!  So before we headed to our dinner destination, we made a pit stop at TV Dinner Market & Cafe for a quick pre-dinner bite (and to catch up).  For those who aren't familiar, TV Dinner Market & Cafe is a quaint little spot on West 3rd at Burrard that offers a variety of ready-to-heat meals from some of the best vendors in the city.  In addition to that, they also have sandwiches (breakfast and lunch), cookies and coffee for those who want a quick meal to go or dine-in.  

Despite having dinner plans already, we couldn't resist ordering lots including a few breakfast sammies.  The Brisket Breakfast Sandwich featured a soft brioche bun with an over easy egg, beef brisket, pickled onion, garlic aioli and aged cheddar.  Sure, this was "only" a breakfast sandwich, but believe me, it was fantastic.  House-made and practically melted in my mouth, the brisket was meaty while not all that fatty.  Hence, it was even more impressive that it was so tender and soft.  The free-range egg was so perfect being custardy and runny.  Crunch and acidity were provided by the pickled onions.

As much as the brisket breakfast sammie was delicious and textually-pleasing, the Longanisa Breakfast Sandwich was even better.  The sweet and meaty patty was tender and nicely grilled.  I think the silky custardy texture of the egg yolk went even better with the Longanisa.  Some meats just go better with runny eggs right?  This had the same aged cheddar, soft brioche bun and garlic aioli, but instead of pickled onions, we found caramelized ones.  Although you might think that sweet on sweet may have not worked, I thought it did.  It was a different kind of sweetness from the onions, it had more richness and some smokiness.

For ours sandwiches, we had a couple where I tried the Rueben first.  This was a classic combination of house-made corned beef and sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and thousand islands dressing on Point Grey Bread.  Again not rocket science, but another well-constructed sandwich with quality ingredients.  The bread was beautifully toasted while the corned beef was buttery and meaty with restrained saltiness.  The sauerkraut added some crunch with a balancing tanginess.  Those house-made chips were super light and nutty.

We also had the Bulgogi Cheesesteak which was packed with thick-sliced sirloin, gochujang mayo, provolone and sauteed kimchi/onions/peppers.  As you can imagine, this was one robust and zesty-tasting sandwich.  We had the meatiness of the bulgogi that had sweetness while complimented by the creamy spice and tang from the mayo.  Add in the extra tang, spice and aromatics from the veggies and kimchi, there was a lot going on.  This all sat on a grilled tellara bun that held up to all of the ingredients and provided a firm crunchiness.

Also prominently featured at the counter is Cookies by John.  Of course we had to get the Monster Cookie as well as the Chai-Spiced Zucchini Loaf.  That monster cookie was pretty good with a crispy exterior and a soft chewy interior.  It was sweet, but purposeful and that brownie on top was chewy and chocolatey.  However, the best thing was the zucchini bread.  It was touted as looking like a "6" but tasting like a "10".  I would agree with that as it was super moist and fluffy with measured sweetness and fall spices.  Would definitely have this again.  In fact, everything we had was pretty solid, so I would have everything again if I was nearby.

The Good:
- Many of the components are made in-house
- Simple done right
- Also many take-away meals available

The Bad:
- Parking is hard to find if you drove
- Fairly limited dine-in menu, but keep things simple right?

 

Pasta Timo

If you know me, I really love hidden gems.  You know, the restaurants that are tucked away somewhere, offering good food at reasonable prices.  Pasta Timo located in Fraser heights in a small strip mall would be considered such a place with affordable pasta dishes as well as a new brunch menu.  The place seemed really familiar even though I'd never even heard of it before.  Jackie and I were invited to stop by and try the place out, where it suddenly hit me...  The place was giving me Jimico vibes!  However, at the same time, it is very different as well when look at location, availability of parking and less of a focus on Korean fusion.

Before I talk about the pastas, I'll get to the brunch items first.  I wasn't expecting much from the brunch menu, but all things changed when the Dutch Baby arrived at our table.  This was quite good where the pancake was crispy and nutty with a fairly fluffy interior.  On top, we found sunny side eggs, fresh avocado and crispy lean bacon.  Naturally, the runny egg yolks were perfect for dipping the pieces of pancake we ripped off with our hands!

If their "Eggs in Purgatory" looks remarkably similar to a Shakshouka, you would be mostly right.  The spicy tomato sauce was missing a few components and spices to make it a true Shakshouka, but it ate much the same.  The poached eggs were perfectly runny, so it was great for dipping the buttery garlic bread.  The sauce was indeed spicy and plenty tangy.  It was appetizing and really gave the dish some brightness.

The one breakfast item that integrated pasta was the Spaghetti Omelette.  This was pretty straightforward with an aggressively seared omelette with al dente spaghetti inside.  We also found bacon, mushroom and garlic within the mix that added salty earthiness.  There was also a considerable amount of parmesan on top that added even more saltiness along with nuttiness.  This came with a pumpkin soup and it was fantastic.  It was velvety, sweet and a bit earthy.

The most interesting brunch item was the Italian Breakfast Bread Bowl.  Yep, this was a toasted bread bowl stuffed with Italian sausage, peppers, mushrooms, garlic and onions while topped with a thick layer of melted mozzarella.  This was one hearty dish where each quarter was pretty filling.  It had a bit of pizza vibes except with a much thicker crust.  I'm not sure if someone could finish this by themselves.

Moving onto the regular menu, we decided to go for some greens in the Cobb Salad.  Yah, this was more of a meal than an actual salad with loads of chicken, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, dried cherries and an egg in a creamy gorgonzola dressing.  Really enjoyed this as every bite had something interesting.  Although not typical, the dried cherries really made the salad.  Nice bursts of sweet tang to break up some of the heaviness.

We continued with some appies including the Meatballs consisting of both beef and pork.  I found these meatballs to be on the firmer and denser side.  However, they were not hard per se.  I sensed that there wasn't a whole lot of filler, which meant the texture was plenty meaty.  Flavours were nice and the tomato sauce was appealingly tangy.  The dusting of parm on top added some other complimentary flavours.

The Calamari Fritti was another appie we tried and I thought it was pretty textbook.  The squid was tender, but still had a pleasant chew.  The light dusting of flour was crispy and properly seasoned.  Dish was also none-too-greasy.  On the side, there was a small amount of salad, which made things healthier?  Anyways, the tzatziki was quite good being medium-thick while having some brightness from the lemon.

We started with their most popular pasta being the Linguine ai Frutti di Mare Piccante.  This was a generous portion of pasta with also plenty of seafood (clams, mussels, shrimp and bay scallops).  Yes, the sauce was indeed spicy with equal parts of tanginess and sweetness.  Really balanced and appetizing.  The seafood flavour was able to be in the background with some brininess.  Pasta was al dente where the sauce clung on beautifully.

Somewhat on the same track, we had the Risotto ai Frutti di Mare.  Sure, the combination of clams, mussels, shrimp and bay scallops was the same, but since this was a risotto, things did taste differently (also not spicy either).  The tanginess was much more mild and the brininess and sweetness of the seafood stood up more so.  I found the rice to be a bit past al dente though (I did take a scoop right after I took this picture).

We also had the Baked Penne al Forno with salsiccia, bacon, mushrooms and chili peppers in tomato sauce.  Like the breakfast bread bowl, this was also topped with a thick layer of melted mozzarella cheese.  Once again, this was super hearty and really good for what it was.  The penne was still al dente while the sauce was zesty and a touch spicy.  Lots of great flavours from the bacon and salsicciaa.

Lastly, we tried their Chicken Parmesan with a side of spaghetti.  This was a pretty straight-forward preparation of the dish.  The chicken was tender and moist while coated in a medium-thick breading while coated with tangy tomato sauce and lots of melted cheese.  It was accompanied by some spaghetti with the same tomato sauce as well as a small side salad of mesclun greens and peppers.  Overall, we found the food at Pasta Timo to be good with some Jimoco Pasta vibes.  That is a compliment though as the portions are good and the food is solid.  I actually thought the brunch was even better and definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

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

The Good:

- Good for what it is

- Large portions

- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:

- Not really a bad, but the food is more American Italian

The Gray Olive

If you don't already know, The Gray Olive out in North Burnaby has expanded.  They have taken over the insurance agency that was next door on the corner.  Hence, they have tripled their capacity and now are a full-service restaurant (rather than the counter service they had before).  I've actually been here somewhat recently and enjoyed the fact I didn't have to wait in line and also could have my order taken at my table.  The best thing of all is the food is still on point and there are even some new items on the menu.  I had a chance to try more dishes as we were invited to do so!

Things got off to a great start with the GO Breakfast Platter featuring 2 eggs, bacon, pork & leek sausage, chimichurri, tomatoes, toast and a side (cubed hashbrowns in this case).  So on the surface, preparing a plate of breakfast items doesn't seem overly complex.  However, to create an appealing plate is another matter.  They did that well here with thick cut and meaty bacon as well as a juicy and flavourful leek sausage.  The addition of bright chimichurri atop fresh grilled tomatoes made things a bit more brighter.

We can't forget about their Chicken & Waffle and as much as this version is pretty straightforward, it was executed properly.  The generous portion of fried chicken thighs were juicy and tender while having a uniformly crunchy batter.  The chicken itself and the batter were both properly seasoned.  As for the waffle, it was crispy on the outside while fairly airy on the inside.  On the side, we found creamy honey butter and maple syrup.

Staying with fried chicken, you know that the fried chicken thigh would be repurposed in some way.  Well, if your guess was a Fried Chicken Sandwich, then you would be right.  As you can see in the picture, there was more than enough chicken for every bite of the sandwich.  It sat in a soft, but toasted brioche bun with cabbage, pickles and dill aioli.  Side of fries were super crispy. Solid sammie, but I personally like the spicy version more for an extra $1.00.

 

One sandwich that I've never tried before was the Cheesesteak Dip.  All the usual ingredients were there including shaved beef, sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms and shredded cheese on a toasted baguette.  By itself, I thought it was already a substantial sandwich that had plenty of umami, sweetness and cheesiness.  However, when it was made into a beef dip, this added more saltiness and of course moisture to the crunchy baguette.  Personally I would've eaten it without the dip as the sandwich was great already with a nice crunch from the bread.

They also have a nice selection of Bennys and for myself, my favourite is the Crab Cake Benny.  Now if you have tried different versions of crab cakes, you will find this one a bit lacking in crab.  However, for me at least, it was still tasty since the texture was light and fluffy while being crispy on the outside.  Besides, this Benny costs as much as the other ones, so we wouldn't expect a jam-packed crab cake for that price.  These sat on top of a biscuit with red pepper relish and arugula.

Yes, that means the Pulled Pork Benny costs as much as the Crab Cake Benny.  But don't worry, they pile so much tender pulled pork on top, I believe you still get your money's worth.  For this version, everything sat on corn bread.  It was crispy with a fairly moist interior.  Good call on using that as the bread because it went really well with the pulled pork.  Eggs were soft-poached with a runny yolk while the Hollandaise was creamy, not overly heavy and well-seasoned.

Another favourite of mine is the French Toast made with slices of baguette.  These were soaked enough so that the texture became more like bread pudding.  Hence, there was this custardy, soft thing going on that was rather appealing.  Don't mistaken it for soggy though as it wasn't.  These were seared up nicely with a nutty flavour from the butter.  This was served with syrup and even more butter on the side.

Making sure we represent the whole menu, we got both of their daily soups including Mushroom and Tomato.  I thought the mushroom was tasty without being salty.  The earthiness did come through, not only from the mushrooms, but also from the thyme and rosemary.  Tomato soup was somewhat creamy and sweet, hence it took some of the harsh acidity out.  It was smooth and had great natural flavour.   The missing side to the GO platter was the cubed hashbrowns in this picture.  Last item was the Pancake and it was fairly fluffy and aromatic.  As for our beverages, I was the only one to select something hot in the Spanish Latte.   It was creamy and lightly sweet.  We also had the Thai Iced Tea, Cold Matcha Latte and the Thai Iced Ying Yang.  So, The Gray Olive has been around since 2017 and they have consistently put out quality and delicious food for breakfast & brunch (also some lunch items in the past).  It is nice to see things are still on the right path with more seats!  

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

The Good:

- Solid breakfast and brunch

- Well-portioned

- Now with more seats!

The Bad:

- Like with everything else and everywhere else, prices are creeping up there

 

Otreat Brunch + Bistro

Brunch is a thing in the GVRD.  I'm sure I haven't said anything new with that statement since you can find brunch literally everywhere.  From high-end hotel restaurants to the neighbourhood cafe, we can get some pretty good brunch at different price points.  Now, have you noticed that there has been growth in the Korean-inspired brunch spots?  Think of it, we have Jess, Toast to Coast, Off and On etc...  Trying to get to all of them, I finally made it out to OTreat Brunch & Bistro in Walnut Grove in Langley.  OTreat is actually the combination of "offer" and "treat".  I guess we were ready for a treat!

That we were when we decided to go with Bulgogi Eggs Benny served on thick-cut toast.  Yes, this was as big as it appeared with a plethora of tender beef bulgogi.  The meat was moist and full-flavoured with a balance between sweet and savoury.  This was also set atop a hash with smashed potatoes, tomato confit and carrot rappe.  Two perfectly poached eggs with runny yolks were covered with velvety Hollandaise.  I thought it was creamy and buttery with enough seasoning.

We were recommended the Egg in Hash with gravy and honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of it.  For me, the whole point of a hash is that it is caramelized with peppers and onions, possibly has crispy potatoes and also crisped up sausage.  This had all of that but then was doused in gravy.  Now the gravy was actually great clinging onto everything with a silky texture.  It was salty enough to provided the necessary seasoning as well.  I just didn't like that the hash was wet.

For our choice in the pasta section of the menu, we decided on the Pesto Prawn Pasta.  We thought this was a solid dish where the linguine was al dente and thoroughly coated in a cheesy, nutty and herbaceous pesto (without being drenched).  This didn't eat too greasy and the extra parm and fresh basil provided more pesto vibes.  The prawns were beautifully prepared having a meaty snap that was sweet with natural prawn essence.

My favourite item of the meal had to be the Pork Banh Mi served in a soft baguette.  Now soft meant the inside as the outside was still crispy.  Stuffed full of juicy pieces of grilled pork, this was very filling.  In addition to the caramelized and smoky flavours of the pork, we found cilantro, carrot rappe, pickled radish, cucumber, tomato and jalapeno.  I could've done without the tomato as it made things rather wet.  However, the red pepper dressing was money as it provided slight spice and sweetness.  The side of starch-coated fries were fried perfectly crispy. 

In addition to brunch items, there is a display of bakery items too at the front.  We ended up getting the Ragu Croissant as well as the Earl Grey Cream Croissant.   Really enjoyed the savoury meat ragu and melted cheese on the crispy and flaky croissant.  As for the dessert croissant, it was filled with earl grey cream that was light and only sweet enough.  The pastry itself was a bit stiff though.  Still enjoyed it.  Overall, the food at OTreat is pretty solid and well-portioned.  The space is cute and the service is attentive.  Good brunch option out in Langley.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Well-portioned
- Cute place

The Bad:
- Enjoyed the cream in the cream croissant but the pastry was a bit stiff