El Comal Downtown

The El Comal that I'm familiar with is the lunch spot tucked way in an industrial park along Winston Street in Burnaby.  I've been there before quite a long time ago.  Now we find their brand-spanking new location in Downtown on Hornby Street.  It has taken over the space Toloache used to occupy.  Fortunately, they are continuing the Sunday Mexican brunch with some of the same dishes we've seen before plus a few new ones.

Their brunch buffet starts around 10:30am on Sundays, but the restaurant opens at 10:00am.  The setup includes many different items including a drink station that features Hibiscus, Lemonade and Horchata.   My favourite of the bunch was the Hibiscus as it was not too sweet and had a mild tanginess.  It was went well with the food as it acted like a palate cleanser.  Same could be said about the Lemonade as it was light on the sugar and was refreshing.  I found the Horchata to be on the sweeter side with the usual aromatics.

Onto the food, there was the usual Rice and Refried Beans.  Nothing unusual here but the rice had a pleasing texture where it was fluffy but still had a bite.  It was nicely seasoned too.  As for the beans, they were pretty smooth and almost creamy.  The viscosity was perfect, where it spread on the plate, but was not watery.   Next chaffing tray over, we found the Rajas and Mexican-style Wild Mushrooms.  The Rajas consisted of poblano peppers and corn in a creamy sauce.  I actually enjoyed this with the rice.  The mushrooms were also good with its usual woodsiness. 

Right next to it, we found the Chilaquiles in both Rojo and Verdes.  Personally, I'm a bit indifferent with Chilaquiles as I prefer my tortilla chips super crispy and dipped into queso with chorizo.  But even with that bias, these were decent with some crunch left with the chips on top and at the sides.  I thought both sauces were good with the red having more depth and a touch of spice.  The green was much brighter and milder tasting.   We found some Mexican Eggs and Tamales next to this and both were good.  The eggs were cooked with some tomatoes and onions while remaining fairly fluffy.  This was actually the last dish to be placed in the chaffing tray (which helped it from being totally overdone).  As for the tamale, it was decently moist while filled with chicken.

One of the better chaffing trays was the one that held the Chicken Enmolades and Ribs.   These enchiladas were filled with tender chicken and topped with a sweet mole that had elements of bitterness, fall spices and nuttiness.  As for the ribs, they were tender but still retained a meaty firmness.  Hence the meat didn't fall-off-the-bone, yet was not stuck to the bone either.  There was a savouriness to them while the seasoning was sufficient with earthy notes.

The last set of chaffing trays contained all the meats including Pork Chicharron in Red Sauce, Beef Birria, Cochinita and Chorizo.  I've complained in the past about dry meats when it comes to Mexican food, but these were moist and well-seasoned.  Perfect for complimenting all the previous items or using them with the supplied tostadas and/or warm tortillas.  I thought the Beef Birria was super tender while mildly spiced.  Wished there was some birria broth for us to dip the tacos into though.  The chorizo was the moist flavourful with spice and meatiness.  Went well on the tostada with some queso.

Right next to the meats, we found all of the Condiments including salsa, limes, sliced radish, greens, queso fresco, sour cream, queso, tomatillo, macha, cream, onions and cilantro.  We also had some fresh tortilla chips and tostadas.  Right in the middle, there was a delicious Shrimp Ceviche as well.  Soft tortillas could be found on the opposite side in a warming cabinet.  There was a Chicken Sopa right next to it as well.

Onto desserts, there was a selection of fresh fruit, Dulce de Leche Cake, Flan, Concha, Rice Pudding, Granola and Yogurt.  This was a modest, yet varied amount of items that ranged from fruit, to mildly sweet to quite sweet.  So therefore, it suited all tastes and besides, a coffee went well with the sweets.  Overall, the Sunday Brunch at El Comal in Downtown has a good variety of food that fits many different tastes and dietary preferences.  For $34.99 per person, it isn't expensive yet neither it is cheap either.  I would say it is exactly the right price considering its Downtown location and selection of dishes.

 

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

 

The Good:

- Enough variety for most people

- Meats were tender, moist and flavourful

- Things were fresh

 

The Bad:

- A little cramped on the buffet line, but it moves

- Parking is very expensive in the neighbourhood (Pro Tip: Use the parkade in Cathedral Square)

The Aroma Bistro

For some reason or another, I love driving out to Abbotsford for food.  Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating because I do not enjoy the traffic on the Trans-Canada during rush hour.   Let's just say I don't mind the drive since there is good eats to be found out in the Fraser Valley.  I guess it was an easy drive this time around as we were heading to The Aroma Bistro for their Sunday brunch (as well as trying some other a la carte dishes).   If you can believe it, the brunch buffet costs only $19.99!

What you get for the price is a phenomenal value complete with an Omelet and Crepe station.  Although the crepes were already preprepared, they were still good.  A bit on the crispier side, the crepes were filled with choice of fruit, whipped cream and sauces.  There was also waffles and pancakes available at the adjacent station.  As for the omelets, choices of ingredients included tomatoes, cheese, onions, peppers and mushrooms.  With salt and pepper at the station, the omelets were properly seasoned.

Now The Aroma Bistro might be an Indian restaurant, but they also serve a variety of Western dishes.  Hence, their brunch buffet has all of the local favourites including Scrambled Eggs, Hashbrowns, Sausages, Bacon and Eggs Benedict.  Everything was typical but the Eggs Benny was the real star.  These were classically prepared with toasted English muffins, back bacon, free-hand poached eggs and a legit Hollandaise.  The free-range eggs featured fully-cooked egg whites with a runny yolk.

Now of course they would have one Indian dish in the Butter Chicken and some fried rice to go with it.  The butter chicken had a nice balance between tangy and creamy with some earthy notes.  The best dish of the bunch had to be the Marry Me Chicken.  It featured tender slices of chicken breast in a rich and creamy sauce with a bit of woodsiness.  Finally, we found Penne Pasta in a marinara sauce.  This was pretty standard and great for those who didn't want anything too creamy.

For the kiddies and for adults too, we had Chicken Strips & Fries.  Pretty standard stuff that did the job.  Near the desserts, we found grapefruit juice and orange mango as well as iced tea.  There was a variety of desserts that included some cakes, chocolate-covered strawberries and a version of cornettos.  Nothing outstanding, but they were fine.  I didn't mind the chocolate cake as it was moist and surprisingly not overly sweet.  Actually, the crepes were the best dessert offered at the brunch.

Other than the brunch, we got to try a selection of dishes from their regular menu.  It was a mix of Western and Indian cuisine where we started with the Beet & Burrata Salad.  Unlike some other Indian restaurants, this burrata salad was not fusion.  Rather, it was a competent and composed dish consisting of mixed greens, beets, orange segments, burrata, balsamic glaze and honey shallot vinaigrette.  Flavours were complimentary and the burrata was fresh.

Continuing on with the Western dishes, we had something that has been popularized by Bubba Gump in the Coconut Shrimp.  These were quite good where the shrimp itself was juicy with a sweet snap texture.  The coconut coating was just right, not being too thick.  It was crunchy and none too greasy.  As much as the sweet chili dip went well with the shrimp, something more creative would've been better.  Maybe a bit of fusion here would've work (like a spicy tamarind chutney).

Something that is a staple of many chain restaurants is deep fried chicken wings.  Mind you, it is a staple for many different cuisines, but this was Buffalo Wings, so once again, it was a purely Western dish.  These wings were enormous with juicy brined meat.  Due to it being brined, there was inherent flavour to the meat.  On the outside, the skin was mostly rendered.  Although it was covered with vinegary hot sauce, the light batter was crispy.

From the wings, we moved onto some Indian dishes in the Tandoori Chicken and Tandoori Prawns.   These came sizzling and full of aromatics.  The 6 pieces of chicken were nicely charred without being burnt.  Consisting of dark meat, the chicken was tender and juicy while well-marinated.  The prawns were a bit less charred, but that was okay as it maintained its moisture and were cooked perfectly.  Good snap to every bite and well-spiced too.

Our last dish was also Indian in the Prawn Korma with a side of Garlic Naan.  Unlike some versions of korma, this was had more colour and had more depth of flavour.  Beyond the usual nuttiness, we had earthiness and sweet savouriness.  This was pretty mild being aromatic rather than spicy.  Once again, the prawns had a moist snap texture.  Overall, the food at The Aroma Bistro is solid and that Sunday Brunch is a friggin' steal at $20.00pp.  Love the concept where they offer a legit Western menu to go along with their Indian menu.  Ultimately, it will appeal to a wider range of tastes, all in one well-appointed restaurant.

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

The Good:

- Solid eats for both menus

- That inexpensive Sunday Brunch

- Well-appointed decor

The Bad:

- Unless you are in the area, it is quite the drive

Ask For Luigi

There are just some restaurants I haven't revisited for quite some time and one of them is the popular Ask for Luigi.  Yes, it has been 10 years since I've dined on their Michelin-recommended food.  Not sure why it has taken me so long to return, but Jess made a reservation for us to grab some lunch.  I'm glad she did so because I probably would've been running off to try the latest and greatest, but forgetting places that have been around and continue to be awesome.

As if I needed anymore Burrata especially since I had it the night before at Bar Corso.  Hey Jess wanted it and honestly, I wasn't complaining.  Absolutely love burrata!  This one here came with tomatoes, strawberry vinaigrette & pistachio.  I thought the heirloom tomatoes were fresh and sweet.  Nice firmness on them while still being ripe.  This came with a whole burrata that we cut open to reveal the creamy insides.  I thought the vinaigrette was balanced and provided both sweetness and acidity.  The one thing I would've liked was a few flakes of fleur de sel to elevate the flavours.

We ended up with the Mussels with nduja sausage, fennel & pomodoro because they were out of the cauliflower.  No problem as these mussels were so on point.  They were plump and buttery with everyone of them opened.  It sat it a tangy pomodoro amped by the addition of nduja.  This added depth and a meatiness that wasn't overbearing.  There was some spice but generally it was mild with the aromatics of the fennel coming through.  That grilled bread on the side was both necessary and utterly awesome.

On another visit with Roanna, we went for the other appies I didn't have last time including the elusive Fried Cauliflower.  Last time, we didn't get to try it because they were sold out.  I remember from the first time I visited Ask for Luigi that they were very good.  Turns out my memory was right as the cauliflower was cooked-through but still firm.  It was drizzled with aioli and topped with a considerable amount of parm.  Sneakily, the star of the dish was the fried chickpeas as they provided complimentary texture.

We weren't really into ordering a salad this time around, so we went big with Luigi's Meatballs sitting in a fresh tomato sauce.  These benefited immensely from the sultanas and pine nuts as it broke up the meat texture with plump sweetness and a sweet nuttiness.  As for the meat, it was a bit firmer than I remembered, but I haven't had these in awhile so am not sure.  Now that didn't impact the eating enjoyment we had as the meat was moist and lacking in filler.  That tomato sauce was perfect being only lightly tangy with natural sweetness.  Very bright flavours.

We had the pasta of the day being the Duck Ragu in a light pomodoro.  This was absolute money with mildly tangy tomato sauce that was complimented by the richness of the duck ragu.  There was plenty of tender morsels of meat that had the gaminess of duck that was also well-seasoned by the stewing with the herbs and tomato paste.  Again, the tanginess of the pomodoro provided a certain brightness to break up the heaviness of the ragu.  The gamelli pasta was perfectly al dente and held onto the ragu beautifully.

The other pasta we had was the Bigoli Nero with frutti di mare and uni butter.  Oh this was so rich and buttery.  It exhibited further luxury with the creaminess of the sweet uni mixed into that butter.  There was definite brininess to the dish but also the seasoning was on point where everything was properly salted including the pasta.  Seafood was perfect too with delicate prawns that had a snap and buttery mussels.  The pasta itself was firmly al dente.

Much like the visit with Jess, Roanna and I went for the pasta of the day which was Vongole Tagliolini in a white wine butter sauce with chili flakes and anchovy breadcrumbs.  This featured all the best things about fresh pasta.  Texturally, it was al dente with a certain dry firmness, unlike dry pasta, which can be gummy or too wet.  As a result, the dish ate a bit dry and possibly could've used just a touch more butter.  The clams were plump and buttery while offering up their usual briny sweetness.  Loved the anchovy breadcrumbs on top as it provided both crunch and saltiness.

Trying to hit the rest of the pastas, we had the Rigatoni alla Bolognese.  This was very good with firm noodles bathed in a creamy bolognese that was not short on tender nuggets of meat.  The rigatoni was the perfect vessel here since it held onto the sauce and kept things moist and flavourful.  It was ever-so-mild with a rich meatiness.  About that meat, it was slow-cooked to the point it was buttery and airy.

Our last pasta was the most surprising as it did not contain any meat.  The Radiatore Verde & Mushroom Trifolati was my favourite on this second visit with Roanna.  Even more effective than the rigatoni, the radiatore held onto the olive oil and garlic beautifully where there was bursts of aromatics.  The plethora of mushrooms added woodsiness as well as moisture and the usual squishiness.

For dessert, I went for my favourite in the Olive Oil Cake with candied orange and whipped ricotta.  This cake is the must order here.  It was soaked in syrup being moist and aromatic.  The whipped ricotta was super light and creamy.  The citrus really came through in a subtle floral manner.  As you can see, the food at Ask for Luigi is as solid as it has ever been.  It certainly continues to be a destination for great pasta.  I will not take another 10 years to be back!

The Good:
- On point pastas
- Prominent flavours
- That banana bread (only available during brunch)

The Bad:
- Super tight in there with limited table space
- Not the best area at night

 

Vivace on the Drive

When Eileen asked if I was available for a meal at Vivace on the Drive, I wasn't too familiar with the place.  The only thing I knew was that it took over the spot where Federico's Supper Club used to be located.  Upon arriving at the place, I quickly knew we weren't in Kansas anymore...  Sporting a beautiful bar that occupies most of the restaurant, the place is now much more modern and completely inviting.  With a stage at the back of the restaurant, there continues to be live music as well as a big screen for all those soccer and rugby matches.

We arrived for a late lunch and as a rugby match was just coming to an end.  Loved the atmosphere of the place where it was packed and fans that were into the game as well as enjoying some eats and drinks.  So we decided to get in on the action with our own bevies including Blueberry Mojito, Mezcal Sour, La Vie Lavende and Peachy Paradise Orange Sour.  These were all very good and balanced.  My mojito had some fruitiness and of course herbeceousness.  The mezcal sour was tangy and lightly sweet.  Naturally, the lavender came through on the la vie lavende with some sweetness and gin finish.  For the peachy paradise, it was a virgin drink that was sweet and tangy.

Onto the food, we started with the Terrine made with ham hock, piccalilli and toasted brioche on the side.  This was a nice appie where the pork was tender and nicely brined.  It paired well with the lightly toasted brioche.  The bread stood up well to the hearty terrine, but was not dense nor hard to eat.  The piccalilli condiment added a mustardy tanginess to the mix that helped cut through the heaviness of the ham.

Next, we were presented with the Mushrooms on Toast topped by a soft-poached egg and whole seed mushroom dressing.  Although there was no meat to this dish, it ate very well with plenty of body.  Those sautéed mushrooms were earthy and buttery.  Soft-poached egg was perfectly delicate with a runny yolk while the mustard dressing was sweet and slightly tangy.  The bread held up to the wet ingredients without being too hard.

Although seemingly simple, the Full English Breakfast was satisfying and well-prepared.  It featured a plethora of back bacon, sausage, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, grilled toast and sunny-side eggs.  As you can clearly see, the eggs were perfect with runny yolks and tender whites.  The bread was nutty and nicely charred.  Mushrooms were like the previous dish while the sausage was meaty with little fat.

The following dish did not belong to their regular menu.  Rather, it is part of the Pasta Challenge until October 29th.  The L'Oceano Vivace featured squid ink tagliolini, lemon butter foam, chorizo, pan-seared scallops and trout roe.  Some EVOO on top for good measure.  This was fantastic with al dente pasta and when mixed with the foam, there was significant lemon tanginess.  Scallops were buttery and tender.

We also tried a few items from their dinner menu including the Pork Belly with pumpkin puree and cranberries.  This was fantastic where the large chunk of pork belly was tender with just enough fattiness.  It was nicely seared on all sides for caramelization and aesthetics.  Puree was creamy and sweet while the cranberries added another layer of sweetness combined with tartness.

Another seemingly simple, yet delicious dish was the Radicchio with grapefruit, pumpkin and fig.  The slice of radicchio was seared up nicely where it was smoky and tender.  However, it was still firm and wasn't overdone.  The sweetness of the pumpkin and fig helped temper the considerable amount of bitterness.  The grapefruit on top added both colour and some acidity to compliment the other flavours.

For dessert, we shared the Brioche & Butter Pudding with white chocolate and cardamom.  Oh wow, this was insanely delicious!  Beyond the appealingly charred exterior, the bread soaked up all of the white chocolate sauce.  Hence, it was well, pudding-like.  However, it contrasted beautifully with the crunchy and smoky exterior.  So we went into this meal not knowing what to expect.  But we came away impressed at the plating, overall execution and deliciousness of the meal.

*Partial comp on the meal as the drinks were extra

The Good:

- Appealing plating

- Well-executed

- Nice vibe and drinks

The Bad:

- Lunch menu is good but may need a few more items

Archer

Well, this is not really how I wanted to visit Archer for the first time.  No offense to brunch in general, but I originally wanted to come here for dinner.  However, due to a multitude of factors, I never made it out to do that and now we ended up here for brunch instead.  Situated in the former location of Pink Elephant Thai, Archer dishes up West Coast cuisine in a pretty nice dining space.  The brunch menu isn't very extensive, so we were able to get to most of their offerings.

For myself, I went for the Smoked Brisket Sandwich with potato hash, sauerkraut onion slaw, beer mustard and alfalfa on brioche.  I quite enjoyed this sandwich since the Montreal-style smoked brisket was tender with a rebound.  It was also flavourful and complimented nicely by the tangy sauerkraut as well as the mustard.  The aggressively fried hashbrown added some great crunch.  The toasted brioche was light enough to keep the sammie from being too heavy.  As for the house-cut fries, they were limp and soggy.  These needed to be oil-blanched and dried out quite a bit more in order to be crunchy.  I suspect these were not Kennebec potatoes.

Viv had the Croque Madame and it was excellent.  It was chock full of mortadella and gruyere cheese.  Hence, there was no absence of meatiness to the sandwich as well as the saltiness of the meat and nuttiness of the cheese.  The bread was soft and extremely easy to cut through and eat.  Hence, the sandwich was not as heavy as it appeared.  There as plenty of mornay sauce on top that helped moisten the bread as well as adding creamy cheesiness.  A perfectly fried egg finished off this concoction.

My son only had eyes for the Pork Belly Benny and it was an excellent choice.  Look at that thick slice of pork belly (which was melt-in-your-mouth tender) atop what looked to be a slice of baguette.  Due to the egg yolk (perfectly soft-poached) and Hollandaise, the bread was sufficiently soft with some crusty edges.  About that sauce, it was creamy with a good amount of acidity.  Unlike the limp fries, the hashbrowns were crispy.  They were properly salted too.

My dad went for the other non-vegetarian Benedict in the Fish Benny with cold smoked sablefish.  Unlike the pork belly, the sablefish made this dish predictably much lighter.  It had a balanced smokiness and was buttery soft with a light bite.  The medium-poached eggs were done correctly with a runny yolk and firmer whites.  We liked how they added a side salad to break up all the heaviness.

My mom went back to the well and had the Steak Frites with a 6oz Denver cut steak, chimichurri and house cut fries.  She asked for it to be prepared medium-rare but closer to rare and it was done so perfectly.  Nice char on the outside and the steak was sufficiently tender with good flavour.  The blended chimichurri was creamy with a cilantro-forward taste.  Once again, the fries were a letdown as they were limp and too wet.  They were nicely salted though.  So overall, we thought the brunch at Archer was pretty good..  Portions were fair for the price considering its prime Alberni location, welcoming dining space and attentive service.

The Good:

- Brunch in general was prepared well and tasted good

- Excellent service

- Nice dining space

The Bad:

- Those fries were not very good