Between 2 Buns

Here I am again at Between 2 Buns.  I think this is like my 6th time here.  Sure, I haven't blogged about every visit and really, it would be boring.  However, I haven't been back for 2 years, so it was about time I provided an update.  Besides, it was so sad that Sirius Smash Burgers at Coho Eatery has shut down.  It only leaves a few other places for these types of burgers.  Not to spoil the entire blog post, but B2B makes the best smash burgers in town in my opinion.

Unlike the last time, we didn't bother with a Single Cheeser because there is just not enough meat to satisfy.  Yes, I know that many people don't have the appetite to finish anything more than this, but believe me, it isn't the best the version.  That is why you must order the Double Cheeser with 2 crispy smashed patties, cheese, pickles, shedduce and B2B sauce.  I find elements of In-N-Out with this burger but the patties are far more seared and crisped up.  The sauce and cheese does give it those In-N-Out vibes.

We also got the Jalapeno Bacon Cheeser with only one patty.  Wait, didn't you say one isn't enough?  Well, when you pile on bacon, cheese, shredduce, pickled jalapenos, fried jalapenos and sauce, it becomes much more of a meal.  Sure, I would still add another patty to this because go big or go home,  However, it is still plenty hearty.  Lots of tangy spice from the jalapenos.  The soft toasted bun holds everything together.

For those who don't like beef or can't eat beef, they were offering an Ebi Burger with shredduce and spicy mayo.  This thing was super filling due to the huge shrimp mousse patty (which was coated with panko and fried).  I found it to be a bit too dense, but ultimately, it was still pretty good with a firm bounce texture and natural shrimp flavour.  Good spice from the mayo as it was also a bit tangy.  It helped provide some moisture to an otherwise dense patty.

Of course we got some Fries to share as well.  I consider these similar to Costco fries and it isn't an insult.  These are starch coated and fried until crispy.  The inside remains tender and soft while the outside is uniformly crispy.  As you can see, the menu at B2B isn't extensive as they want to do one thing and do it right.  That they do and you can't go wrong with their burgers.  I also like that they are licensed with a few beers on tap.  That went real well with the food.

The Good:

- Best smash burgers in town IMO

- Do one thing and do it well

- They are licensed!

The Bad:

- Ventilation isn't the best, you will smell like a smash burger when you leave (may be good too?)

- Limited seats

Chickadee Room

Since 2016, Juke has been frying up delicious fried chicken encased in its signature rice flour batter.  I've been here on several occasions, whether it be dine-in or take out.  I've always like their chicken and in fact, their chicken sandwich is pretty darn solid too.  Things have changed from the beginning though as the main dining room now houses The Chickadee Room.  It is open late and serves a wide variety of beverages and cocktails.  Yes, it also serves the menu from Juke Chicken!

Naturally, I have to talk about some of the drinks first because, well, it is a late night bar!  We tried both the Silly Goose and Masatakas Garden.  Consisting of Nikka Coffey Gin, Snap Pea Noilly Dry, Handa Go Junmai Sake, apple and shiso, the Masatakas Garden was a pretty strong cocktail.  I found the gin and sake coming on strong at first, but then we got some subtle floral notes at the end.  As for the Silly Goose, it was a bit fruitier due to the combination of grapefruit and lemon going with the El Jimador Reposado Tequila and Vida Mezcal.  With that being said, the alcohol did come through, but not in-your-face as much as the Masatakas Garden.

To go with our drinks we had a selection of bites including the Chicken & Waffles.  Those cheddar and jalapeno waffles were on point.  Fluffy while crispy on the outside, these were drizzled with smaltz and chipotle maple.  Yep, that was plenty silky and aromatic with a touch of spice and sweetness.  It came with 2 pieces of dark meat chicken and it was fantastic.  Batter was crispy with rendered skin and the meat was juicy.  This is exactly how I like my fried chicken!

We also had the combination of things that were all tasty.  This included the Corn on the Cob.  These were cooked just enough where each niblet still had some bite and burst out with juicy sweetness.  They were coated in schmaltz, lime, chili flakes and cilantro.  Due to this, there was so real creaminess that was a bit spicy and plenty tangy.  Those Nuoc Cham Ribs were money with fall-off-the-bone meat that had been crisped up on the outside.  It was glazed with a fish sauce that was briny, spicy and sweet.  The addition of peanuts, bird's eye chili, sesame seeds, green onion and cilantro really made this pop with layers of spicy, nuttiness and brightness.  We also had Mr. Clay's All Dressed Fries with spicy garlic mayo, house pickles, parm, and crunchy fried onions.  Unlike so other dirty fries out there, this was not completely doused with moisture.  Hence, the fries underneath were still crispy and not soggy.  I liked the crunch of the fried onions combined with the spice from the mayo.  Last item on the platter was their Chili Fried Chicken.  These were juicy like the regular chicken but with a medium spice on the outside.  It was flavourful and smoky but not tongue-burning.  The batter remained fairly crispy despite the saucing.

When we dug into the all white meat Chicken Nuggets, it reminded us of something.  Yes!  These were larger versions of the ones you'd find at Chick Fil-A!  The hand-cut breast meat was moist and tender while the batter was fairly thin and crunchy.  We sampled 3 different sauces including honey mustard, sriracha honey and chipotle maple.  My favourite was the honey mustard with real mustard seed.  It was tangy with a slight bite.  We got Juke's Famous Mac & Cheese and it was loaded with plenty of melted cheddar.  The top was a bit hard due to the baking but underneath, the tender, but firm noodles were coated with plenty of cheesiness.

Making sure we covered all of our bases, we tried their Sweet & Spicy Wings topped with sesame seeds, cilantro, green onion and Thai basil.  Loved these wings as the meat was moist and tender while the outside still had some crispiness.  The best part was the sauce as it was impactful with medium spice and a balancing amount of sweetness.  With the other elements, the wings definitely had a Southeast Asian flair.

Last but not least, we had to get some veggies right?  We had the Juke Salad with iceberg lettuce, onion, radish, tomato, cheddar & sunflower seeds in a Asian sesame dressing.  This was pretty much a green salad with the classic aromatic sweet & tangy sesame dressing.  However, with popcorn chicken added to it, this was more of a meal and the chicken itself was crunchy.  This would've been even better if we had more dressing to douse on the chicken.  Overall, we enjoyed our visit to The Chickadee Room.  Love the concept of a late-night bar with the Juke Chicken menu to compliment.  To us, it even appeared that the food has improved since our last visit.  Not that it wasn't already good before...

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

The Good:
- Tasty cocktails
- Juicy fried chicken with a crunchy rice flour batter
- Nice vibe

The Bad:
- Place is tight except for 2 bigger tables, you might want to make a rez

Kosoo Pocha at Sai Woo

*Restaurant is closed*

What's with the name you may ask?  Yah nothing strange about Kosoo Pocha.  Kosoo is a chain of Korean restaurants in the Lower Mainland and Pocha refers to the type of food they serve (typically street food).  But what about the "Sai Woo"?  Yah, that name has been around for a long time (since 1925).  It was reincarnated in 2015 complete with a new replica neon sign.  Kosoo decided to keep it in the name of the restaurant even though there is nothing in common other than location and history.

Well, Jackie and I were here for late night Korean as well as so soju.  Starting with the Clam Bibimbap, this was the perfect compliment with our bevvies.   On the plate, we were spoiled by the considerable amount of plump clams that were tossed in a sweet and spicy marinade.  Combined with some seasoned rice and wrapped in crispy nori, these little bites were fun to make and a delight to eat.

We also had the Seafood Pancake with veggies, prawns, imitation crab, squid and clams.  I liked the fact that this pancake had very little green onion.  Sometimes, they put so much of it, it should just be called a green onion pancake. The outside was nicely seared and crispy.  Inside, some parts were a bit doughy, but mostly tender.  Lots of seafood to be found and the textures added some robustness.

Impressive in size, we got the Colossal Pan Fried Egg Roll topped with ketchup.  Yah, when they say colossal, they weren't kidding as it appeared to be 2 feet of rolled egg omelette.  This was fluffy and light while completely seasoned.  I liked how they didn't overload it with carrots and green onion as it overwhelms the delicate egg.  This one had just enough to compliment while letting the egginess shine.

The most impressive item was the Chef's Choice, that consisted of the daily recommended dishes.  This one included Deep Fried Sea Eel, Spicy Whole Squid Mixed Seasoning, Korean Omelette, Spicy Fish Stew and Kimchi.  The best thing in this combo was the eel as it was massive and perfectly prepared.  Outside was super crispy and inside was moist and buttery.  Add some ginger and gochujang and we had a nice little bite.  When mixed together, the rice noodles and the squid had plenty of texture while having a sweet spiciness.  In the pot, we found various fishballs and fishcakes sitting in a spicy seafoody broth.  Reminded me of oden to a degree.  We had cups on the side to drink the broth when poured out of the pot.  With this selection of eats, it is clear that Kosoo Pocha is a bit different that the usual Korean restaurant.  Featuring street-type eats that goes into late-night, Kosoo Pocha is a lively place from open to close.

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

The Good:

- Interesting and delicious food

- Nice vibe

- Portion sizes are large

The Bad:

- The area is still in transition

Addah

Unexpected restaurants, you know, the ones that are located in the strangest of places and/or serve something we don't usually find in town.  Well, how about Addah located in Chinatown?  It fits the criteria for both where it is located upstairs where The Emerald use to reside and it serves authentic Himalayan cuisine.  Honestly, if Mijune and I weren't invited to try the place out, I wouldn't even know it existed.  Well, beyond the sketchy entrance, the upstairs is well-appointed and a nice place to be in general. Their menu features both Himalayan dishes as well as Westcoast plates.  You see, Chef/Owner Rakesh Tamang is French-trained but also grew up in a Northeast Indian village.

We began with Syelroti & Tingmo served with spiced baby potatoes.  As simple as they appeared, this was super delicious.   The syelroti or cardamom-infused rice donut was crispy and sweet.  Since the tender potatoes were spicy and tangy, this went well together.  I just loved snacking on them and taking sips of my cocktail. Soft and fluffy, the tingmo was the perfect thing to pick up those spicy potatoes.

Next, we had both the Wagyu Beef Momos and the Veggie Momos.  These were attractively pleated and constructed where the wrapper had an appealing elasticity.  There was a chewiness that had a good mouth-feel without being dense.  Inside, the beef was tender and juicy with some soup inside.  It was gingery and naturally meaty tasting.  As for the veggie momo, the ginger came through even more so and the veggies retained a nice crunch.

Off to one of our absolute favourite items of the  meal, the Shyafaley featured a juicy and fatty beef filling that was naturally meaty tasting with the benefit of sweet onions.  It was encased in a flaky fry-bread that was crispy, yet light.  I would've loved to walk around with this in my hand as a snack!  On the side, this was served with feta chili that had a both a spiciness and cooling effect all in one.

So remember when I mentioned that the menu also consisted of West Coast dishes?  Well the Short Rib and Lobster Flatbread was definitely not Himalayan.  This featured 24-hour braised short rib, Nova Scotia lobster, peppers and cheese.  The result was a hearty slice of crunchy flatbread with meatiness, bursts of moisture and lots of cheese.  Pretty tasty and was a bit unexpected.

With eye-popping colours and a bevy of fresh ingredients, the Kale & Pineapple Salad was a nice palate cleanser of sorts.  It featured a sweet and tangy pineapple with a smoky char that was complimented by fresh local kale with berry and lime juices.  Hence it was tangy and sweet, but then amped by the chunks of sharp creamy blue cheese.  It was finished with fresh berries and crunchy hazelnuts.  

The next dish exemplified the skill of the chef as the Scallops on Watermelon was a composed dish that had expert execution.  It featured 4 perfectly-seared scallops atop crispy rice chips and chunks of fresh grilled watermelon.  On the plate, we found a saffron sauce that was gentle enough to let the sweet buttery scallops stand on their own.  Same could be said about the watermelon as it was subtle and didn't interfere with the scallops either.

If we thought the scallops were good, the next dish was even better.  Pheasant 2 Ways featured a thigh meat galantine of sorts packed in crispy skin and roasted breast with a kumquat sauce, grilled rum grapes and preserved morels.  This dish was outstanding and could be served in any fine-dining establishment in the city.  The galatine was juicy and flavourful while the skin was rendered and crispy.  I found the breast meat to be tender and moist with also crispy skin.  The tangy sweet kumquat was a nice compliment to the meat as well as the earthy morels.  Absolutely loved this dish!

Back to the Himalayan side of the menu with the Druk Entrée sporting dried pork belly, shamu datshi and faley.  Oh wow, this didn't look like much, but the whole thing was a flavour bomb, especially the pork belly.  It was so concentrated with sweet and savouriness as well with some numbing spice.  This was balanced out by the shamu datshi or mushrooms and cheese.  We took the faley (bread) and filled them with both and it was a beautiful little bite.

Sticking with Himalayan, we had a very simple dish that was actually very delicious.  It was the Aloo Chew-Ra with baby potato stew topped with crispy flattened rice and green salsa.  When mixed together, we heard the rice singing and crackling.  The result was a mix of ingredients that worked well with each other.  We had the savouriness of the tender potatoes, the crunch from the nutty rice and then the freshness and brightness of the salsa.

Moving back to the Western eats, we had the Pork Tomahawk served atop butter couscous.  Fatty and well-seared, the pork chop was tender and juicy.  It was properly-seasoned with caramel butter, but the citrus mango compote really brought the dish alive with tangy sweet brightness.  However, as mentioned, the flavours were already apparent with umaminess and also nuttiness from the liberal use of butter.

Moving back to the other side of the menu, we had the Aged Beef Stew with butter rice (topped with grilled garlic scapes) and spinach.  Although this looked rather unassuming compared to the previous dishes, this was also money.  That stew had such a wealth of flavours that ranged from the anise to the Szechuan peppercorns.  So we had savoury, sweet, spice and meatiness.  Definitely fall flavours and the meat was super tender and flavourful.

A dish that was stealthily one of the best was also one of the most unassuming.  With fresh turmeric-infused hand cut noodles, the Thenthuk was very home style and comforting.  It sat in a beef broth that was slightly thickened.  It was sweet and slightly spicy with plenty of natural meatiness.  The noodles were perfect being slippery and appealingly chewy.  There was a nice elasticity to them and great mouthfeel.

We also had the Mughlai Biryani which was their interpretation of the dish.  Yes, the traditional dish is layered and is cooked in a sealed clay pot (with pastry).  In this version, there was pieces of tender chicken breast underneath the biryani spices and ingredients.  Hence, we go the spice, slight heat and tang as well as the moist chicken.  It was served with basmati rice and we merely combined it for a robust dish.

Before we got to the dessert, we were served Fermented Black Tea with butter.  Normally, there would be yak butter (which is richer) in this tea, but it is not readily available.  This was smooth and nutty from the butter and went down easy.  So for dessert, we had the Tsampa consisting of Himalayan grains folded with burnt butter, coconut sugar and nuts.  The result was a nutty and crumbly concoction that was only mildly sweet.  That was amped up by the chef's interpretation with some fruit and cream.  Oh man.  What can I say about this meal?  It was really good!  This place should be getting much more business than it is currently.  The Himalayan food was tasty and prepared with passion.  Chef Tamang was also able to nail local cuisine with excellence as well.  Sure, the location is not the best and the entrance isn't inviting, but who says that about Kissa Tanto a block away?  This place should be on many more people's radar.  It is on mine now.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Authentic and delicious Himalayan cuisine
- Equally tasty Westcoast dishes
- Surprisingly nice dining space (you wouldn't know it from the outside)

The Bad:
- The outside is not super inviting
- Maybe they should focus on Himalayan cuisine only, it felt like 2 separate restaurants in one

Harvest Community Foods

Clearly, the Chinatown we used to know in Vancouver doesn't really exist anymore.  Sure, we still have a few stores where the usual yells of "hey leng lui or gai lan ho peng" from the staff still exist.  However, we have seen the proliferation of non-Asian restaurants (or at the very least, fusion) within the boundaries of Chinatown.  Some call it gentrification, but for me at least, it is the inevitable transition since the epicentre of Chinese goods and food has shifted to Richmond.  One of the somewhat new spots is Harvest Community Foods that sits on the edge of Chinatown where it offers Asian-inspired noodles by Andrea Carlson of Burdock & Co.

We decided to check it out after Sunday hockey since we were playing at nearby Britannia.  For myself, I thought the Hazelnut Kale Gomae Salad sounded interesting and indeed it was.  The lightly blanched kale was tender yet still mildly crunchy.  On top the sesame dressing was not too sweet while aromatic at the same time.   The crunch from the hazelnuts provided a nice mouth feel.  I thought this was really good and I would order this again.  For my main, I had the Udon with sake kazu chicken, watercress and shiitake mushrooms.  Portion-size, this was on the smaller side, but the broth was pretty tasty in a clean and mild manner.  It was sweet with some miso-like saltiness.  However, I did have to add a copious amount of their house chili oil (which was not very spicy) to elevate the flavours.  I found the noodles to be appealingly textured being chewy and slippery.

Milhouse decided to try the Ramen with pork shoulder, candied bacon, egg and radish.  If one was expecting a thick pork broth, this is not what they serve here.  Rather, it is an assari broth that is clear and lightly seasoned with a touch of meatiness.  Milhouse found the noodles to be nicely al dente while the pork was tender.  The candied bacon was an odd addition, yet crispy and sweet (who doesn't like bacon?).  As much as the egg was not overdone, an actual ajitama egg would've been more appealing.  JuJu wasn't interested in the regular menu and went for their special being the Ramen Noodle with miso-pork gravy, ground pork, marinated egg, napa cabbage, nori and green onion.  It was like a watered down dan dan noodle, but not nutty.  It was lightly sweet with a light saltiness from the miso.  He had to dump copious amounts of chili oil to create a more impactful taste.

Shockingly, Kaiser Soze went vegetarian with the Ramen with Squash and Miso Broth, nori, scallion, radish and sesame.   This was the prettiest bowl with a bright yellow hue and it actually tasted quite rich for a non-meat broth.  It was sweet with the salty base of miso and it complimented the noodles with enough impact.  However, just like the rest of us, he had to dump all of the chili oil into the broth.  I guess that was intentional since they supplied each of us with their house-made chili oil so we could customize the spiciness.  However, the oil wasn't that impactful.  Whatever the case, the meal was pleasant, if not leaving us hungry for more food.

The Good:
- Light and healthy except for the bacon
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Small portions
- Flavours are too mild for us

The MacKenzie Room

Generally, restaurant location can be one of the determining factors for prospective customers.  For instance, if they wanted to impress a guest or guests for whatever reason, they could choose a place right on the waterfront.  Alternatively, if they wanted to see and be seen, something along the lines of a Glowbal Group restaurant might be in order.  However, sometimes the location is irrelevant because it is really all about the food.  That might just be the case with The MacKenzie Room situated right across the street from Oppenheimer Park.  Well, Viv, Costanza, Elaine and myself were going to put it to the test on this latest food adventure.

Looking over the menu (which changes daily in accordance to what is local and fresh), it was pretty obvious we "wanted it all!" which meant for $56pp, we would be served everything.  The first 2 plates consisted of the Rockfish Crudo and the Showstopper Salad.  Nicely plated, the rockfish crudo was fresh, bright and sweet (with no fishiness).  I found the meat to be buttery while still firm.  Things were elevated with the zing and sweetness from the pickled grapes.  Piled high, the showstopper salad was dressed in a pistachio vinaigrette.  There was a background acidity that was a nice compliment to the nutty (but not salty) pistachios and creamy ricotta. Offering up a touch of bitterness, the greens were vibrant and fresh.  Completing the dish were tender lentils.

Whimsically presented, Veggies from the Garden sported bagna cauda, topped with crisp root vegetables, toasted foccacia dirt and gremolata.  First and foremost, the bagna cauda was creamy, a bit on the thicker side and mildly flavourful with hits of garlic and a mild saltiness.  This was a great compliment to the vibrant and sweet veggies where the crunch from the toasted foccacia was welcomed.  We didn't get much of the gremolata though.  Next up was their take on Ants on a Log. It consisted of leeks, peanut butter and crab apples  This was not as dessert-like as it appeared where the leeks were tender and mild while the sweetness of the apple was subtle.  The peanut butter was definitely nutty, but wasn't sweet nor was it salty either.  I loved the buttery honey mushrooms as they were prepared on point (they can be slimy if not).

The best dish of the meal hands-down was the Chicken of the Sea which was sea urchin pate with toasted ink brioche, crushed hazelnuts and seafood spice compressed pear.  Somewhat akin to monk fish liver, the uni pate was sweet, creamy and full of umaminess.  It went well with the crispy brioche (that tasted like any other brioche despite the black colour).  The nutty crunch from the hazelnuts added more texture, but really wasn't needed while the pears were an interesting mix of salty and sweet.  Next up was the Beef Heart Tartare wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves.  The medium-diced heart was mixed with quail egg, blueberries and horseradish.  On the side, the puffed tendon was very much like chicharones.  We weren't really fond of this dish and it wasn't because it was raw beef heart either.  Texturally, the heart was tender and buttery, but the flavours were a bit weak where it allowed the gaminess come through too strongly.

Moving onto some larger items, we had the Humbodt Squid with mussels, dill, parsnip husk, smashed parsnip heart, pickles and meyer lemon beurre blanc.  We found the cold-smoked squid to be tender without any sponginess.  It was lightly smoky while being aggressively salted.  The beurre blanc was silky and creamy with just the right amount of acidity.  There was a definite hit of cilantro with the cucumbers underneath.  Adding some crunch to the dish was the parsnip husks.  In theory, the Pork Belly & Sweetbreads should've been one of the highlights of the meal, but due to the fattiness of the belly, the dish never realized its potential.  Yes, we realize it was pork belly, but when there was little to no meat and just pure fat, it's not that appealing.  Too bad really since the combination of cauliflower pesto, smoked celeriac puree, apple and sweet clementine glaze provided a wealth of balanced flavours.  Sweetbreads were on the chewier side, yet sported a nice crispy exterior.

Continuing with more meat, we had the Lamb & Grits featuring braised neck and tongue with heirloom grits, charred broccoli, hop oil and cherry vinaigrette.  Others at the table weren't that fond of this dish, but I enjoyed it nonetheless because I love anything with lamb.  The grits were chunky, yet creamy while being well-seasoned.  I thought the lamb was tender, meaty and slightly sweet.  Ramping up the flavours was the spicy chili in the mole.  Our least favourite dish was the Corned Beef Brisket with stout brine emulsion, tomatillo relish, yam fritters, wilted chard and radish.  The problem was with the beef itself as it was dry and bland.  We did enjoy the mildly salty emulsion, but the relish was raw-tasting and didn't seem to go.  The spicy yam fritters were good as well as the just wilted enough chard.

For dessert, we were served a Chocolate Buttermilk Cake and a Dill & Cheesecake "Sponge". Accompanied by chili icing, maldon salt, bourbon cream and foie gras ice cream, the cake itself was moist and lightly sweet.  The best part was the creamy and decadent foie gras ice cream - so good!  As for the cheesecake, it was lightly sweet, smooth and definitely cheesy (reminded me of Japanese cheesecake).  On the side was a tasty grape-mezcal ice cream which was creamy, also not very sweet and just a touch boozy.  I thought the dill was quite restrained which was a good thing.  Adding a crunch was an almond crumble.  As you can clearly see, there are some real creativity and risks taken at the MacKenzie Room.  We enjoyed the surprises and although there were some misses, the hits made up for them.

The Good:
- Interesting dishes with nice surprises
- Different and fresh ingredients
- Casual and homey

The Bad:
- Daring to be different also means some misses
- Food comes out quick, better keep up