Bar Corso

A year ago, I had a fantastic meal at Bar Corso that featured small share plates that were well-prepared and relatively reasonably-priced.  We had sat outside on the streetside patio enjoying the nice weather, while people-watching and having good conversations.  I had planned to come back but things were rather busy in the past year for me, so it got lost in the shuffle.  Ironically, Jackie and I were invited to try their Tasting Menu where I was able to return and do something different.  

For $65.00, we were served 5 courses starting with some antipasti in form of Sottacetti featuring various pickles.  These were crunchy and tangy with the celery being our favourite.  The beets were good too.  The side of Focaccia Bread was a bit too dense for our liking though.  In the past, I've only had Bagna Cauda as a dip with crudités, but this version, the radishes were already tossed in the anchovy, garlic and olive oil dip.  It was tasty with a briny creaminess that complimented the fresh and crunchy radishes.  Crunchy garlic chips on top added extra aroma.

The anitpasti didn't stop there as we had 2 more items including the Albacore Tuna Crudo and the Marinated Zucchini.  We found the crudo to be fresh and bright.  I personally would've loved more acidity, but it was sufficient in this case.  The spiced tomato gel added a muted kick that was needed.  Crunch from the puffed risotto was the textural contrast that was the cherry on top.  As for the zucchini, the tender ribbons were fresh. The aromatics of the saffron dressing was in the background while the stringiness of the stracciatella added creaminess.  Some light crunch was provided by the fried zucchini blossoms on top.

Onto the Primo course, we were served the Escarole.  This consisted of sautéed Bitter Farm greens that was nicely tempered by a roasted peach and burrata sauce.  The sweetness of the peach (elevated by being roasted) and the creaminess of the cheese was the prominent flavour profile of the dish.  There was some crunch from the escarole while the pine nuts provided a different crunch to the dish.  Lastly, some black olive added some briny saltiness.

 

Our favourite course happened to be the Agnolotti filled with taleggio.  I found the pasta to be just the right thickness where it held everything together but was still delicate with an al dente chew.  What really made this dish was the toasted kelp and marsala buerre blanc.  With just a hint of sweetness to go with the nutty and umaminess of the kelp, the sauce was rather addictive.  It wasn't too heavy despite the butter, so we could eat lots of this.  Too bad it wasn't a big portion.

 

After a considerable wait (but was forgivable since it was a Friday night), we were served the Galantina.  This consisted of a roasted guinea fowl ballotine topped with turnip greens, shaved black truffle.  It sat atop caramelized turnip puree with preserved lemon and pistachio.  The ballotine itself was a touch dense, but the meat was still juicy.  Loved the combination of flavours as we had earthy, salty, nutty and bitterness.  This helped add some literal meat to a mostly vegetable-forward menu.

 

At the end, we were served the Semifreddo asll'Olio d'Oliva.  Really enjoyed this as the semifreddo was exactly that, semi-frozen.  Hence it had a soft texture, but not melted.  A bit creamy and just sweet enough.  The sea buckthorne glaze was tangy and provided a contrast to the sweetness.  Overall, we thought the food at Bar Corso was thoughtful and carefully-prepared.  It was as good as I had remembered and the pricing for the tasting menu is reasonable.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Classy food

- Well-prepared

- Tasting menu is well-priced

The Bad:

- Being a veggie-forward menu, it may not be that filling for bigger appetites

Bar Corso

While I was in Montreal last year, I sadly didn't get a chance to meet up with Sexy Mexi.  But she was in town in August and had some time to meet up!  We decided to check out Bar Corso on Commercial Drive where they offer up beverages with small plates to share.  They describe themselves as a place where you might forget that you are in Vancouver and be transported to the streets of Rome.  Well, I must attest to that as I was just in Rome last year.  It really felt like a slice of the old world with drinks and delicious Italian plates.

Since we were in time for Happy Hour, we decided to get 2 each of the Tonno and Wagyu Crostino.  If this was what we were going to get for our entire meal just based on these little bites, we were in for a treat!  Nicely charred, the crostinis were aggressively oiled and maintained their crunchy texture despite being topped with wet components.  I found the tuna to be buttery soft and sweet while the tonnato underneath added even more appealing fishiness and creaminess.  The fried capers provided the necessary salt.  As for the Wagyu, it was buttery soft while the addition of smoked bone marrow emulsion added a smoky silkiness that was full of depth.  Those pickles broke up the heaviness and the onion ash gave a background smokiness.

Next, the Beef Carpaccio was presented in a very unique manner.  They sliced the dry-aged Wagyu thin and wrapped it around watercress and then topped it off with capers, egg yolk jam and puffed quinoa.  I found this way easier to eat as we could just pick them up and pop them in our mouths.  The meat was buttery with a pleasant meatiness where the watercress brightened things up with a slight pepperiness.  Loved the egg yolk jam as it was custardy and aromatic.  Capers added crunch and saltiness while the crunch of quinoa was so appealing.

Absolutely loved the Italian Burrata with heirloom tomatoes, fermented honey, balsamic pearls and walnuts.   This was a substantial plate with a variety of plump tomatoes that were flavourful and sweet on their own.  However, the addition of fermented honey not only imparted some sweetness, it also had tanginess.  That was further enhanced by the balsamic pearls which provided more tang and sweetness.  As for the burrata, it was creamy and was a natural compliment to the tomatoes.  Loved the crunch of the walnuts as a textural contrast.

The Fior Di Zucca was a little bit different than other versions I've had.  Usually, the zucchini blossom is stuffed with some type of cheese, usually ricotta.  Hence, it is fairly light and matches the blossoms delicate texture despite the deep frying. In this case, it was stuffed with an A5 Wagyu meatball.  If you can imagine, this was much more robust and filling.  The meat was moist while till meaty in texture.  The white plum mostarda added sweetness and a slight kick to the plate while the spiced house ricotta provided creaminess.

Onto the bigger plates, we had the Aglio e Olio Di Mare.  This was friggin' fantastic featuring al dente angel hair pasta that was bathed in EVOO, calabrian chili, garlic and bisque.  In addition to this, this was a expert level use of salt.  Just bordering on salty without being so, the flavours were amped as I got brininess, creaminess, silkiness and a bit of spice.  There was sauteed prawns that went through some high heat as the flavours were caramelized but they were not overcooked.

Lastly, we had the 6 oz Bavette Steak with roasted romain and fermented garlic zabaione.  Prepared somewhere between medium-rare and medium, the steak was still moist and tender.  It was seasoned well on its own, but the pungent zabaione was creamy and aromatic.  Loved the grilled romaine as it was still slightly crunchy but nicely wilted.  It was also well-salted.  Overall, we quite enjoyed the food at Bar Corso.  Definitely reminded me of Rome, especially sitting outside.  I thought the pricing was reasonable and the portion sizes were fair.  I would definitely come back to chill outside again (when the weather is permitting) and share some food and drinks.

The Good:
- Tasty food
- Loved sitting outside
- Fair pricing given the quality and portion sizes

The Bad:
- Outside is fantastic, but inside is a bit dark

Hanai Vancouver

*Restaurant is permanently closed*

So one of the newer restaurants on Commercial Drive isn't really all that new.  Hanai, which takes over the spot Ugly Dumpling used to reside, started out as a food stand, then a takeout spot.  So moving into a brick & mortar location is a huge step forward for owners Tess Bevernage and Thomas Robillard.  Vancouver is blessed with a variety of cuisines, but Hawaiian isn't well-represented (unless you include the countless poke shops...).  For me, I love Hawaiian food and I finally made it out to Hanai for their well-priced Ohana Menu for $60.00 per person.

As mentioned in my previous posts, the cost of eating out is through the roof these days.  Hey, I don't blame the restaurants as they need to cover their expenses.  So this family-style menu is a great deal in my books.  We started things off with the some soft bread with a delicious Tall Shadows Ube Buns & Limu Butter.  The buns were only lightly kissed with ube and were super-soft.  However, the star of the show was the butter.  It was so filled with umami and the taste of the sea, we wished there was more!  We would've eaten with a spoon...

Our next course consisted of 4 dishes including Whole Pig Pork Terrine with pickles, Crispy Smelt, Curry Dashi Squash and Purple Yams. Starting with the terrine, it was made with various parts of a whole pig, hence the different textures and flavours were pronounced.  Very meaty, a bit porky and definitely tender.  It was served with pickles and some gochujang.  Absolutely loved the crispy smelt as they were delicate and deliciously fishy.  Kewpie mayo was served with it.  The delicate sweetness of the squash was accented by a mild hint of curry while the naturally sweet purple yam benefited from the nuttiness of the sesame seeds.

In between the aforementioned course and the next, we were served the Cheesy Rice Cakes with gochujang and mozzarella.  Personally, I would've liked it with a some more kick, but this still had most of what makes this dish good.  Namely, the rice cakes were soft and tender while retaining a chew.  Also, the flavours of the dish included spice, sweetness and tanginess.  Lastly, can't hurt with all that ooey gooey cheese on top.

Onto yet another multi-dish course, we had the Potato Salad, Roasted Beet Salad and Manila Clams.  Featuring sieglinde potatoes, smoked bonito and kewpie mayo, the potato salad was chunky with some firmness.  It was creamy with a bit of smoky fishiness.  It was topped with a ramen egg.  I really enjoyed the beet salad where the beets were firm, yet tender.  Nice sweet earthiness complimented by the nutty and sweet sesame dressing.  The purple daikon and pickled wakame added even more texture to the salad as well as acidity from the wakame.  The best of the three was the Manila clams in a ginger & lemongrass broth complimented by cured Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) and chili.  These little clams were buttery soft and briny.  I thought the saltiness from the sausage and the chili added depth and impact to the otherwise mild fragrant broth.

Okay, onto the literally the meat of the meal, we had the Huli Huli Chicken, Cropthorne Farm Carrots, Furikake Rice, Perilla Leaves and Two Rivers Pork Chop.  Now if the chicken looks suspiciously like Chinese soy chicken, you aren't far off since this was indeed cooked with sweet shoyu.  It was perfectly prepared where the meat (including the beast) was super moist and juicy.  On the side, there was a finadene sauce which added tang, sharpness and spice.  Equally moist and juicy, the bone-in pork chop was topped with an umami-packed fermented black bean butter sauce.  It was balanced where the butter tempered the saltiness of the black beans.  Not to be outdone, the roasted carrots were cooked through, yet still had a firm crunch.  They were naturally sweet and a bit earthy.  On top, there was a extensively briny XO sauce.  To compliment all the meats and full-bodied flavours, we had some furikake rice with a side of braised perilla leaves.  The leaves were great to wrap things with and had a nice herbaceous hit.

Finally, we got to our last course which was dessert.  We were served both the Banana Melt (consisting of banana cake, brown sugar coconut, Filipino cheese and fior di latte gelato) and Rouie's Guinatan (mochi, banana, ube and coconut milk).  We found the banana cake a touch dry, but it was still aromatic and just semi-sweet.  The cheese on top added an "it" factor to the dessert in terms of texture and savouriness.  A scoop of gelato from next door (Dolce Amore) helped add moisture to the cake.  Of the two, I loved Rouie's Guinatan the most as it was so creamy and aromatic from the coconut milk.  Those hand-made mochi balls were so soft and appealing.  This was just sweet enough and I could've had a few of them for myself.  Overall, this was a really good meal at a reasonable price.  There was more than enough food for all of us and we even had leftovers.  Proteins were cooked perfectly and the sides were equally delicious.  We will be back.

The Good:
- Well-prepared proteins
- Reasonable-pricing and generous portions
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Seating is a bit tight due to the size of the restaurant 

 

Kin Kao (Commerical Drive)

Seeing how Kin Kao Song has been selected in the Bib Gourmand category for both good quality and value, we decided to check out the original Kin Kao as well.  We thoroughly enjoyed Kin Kao Song when it first opened and had high hopes for the original location on Commercial Drive.  The place isn't really all that big and they do not take reservations.  Best to arrive at opening or later in the evening.  That we did and luckily avoided the dinner rush on a Friday night.

We were able to secure a larger table by promising to order a lot of food and that we did starting with the large order of the Chicken Wings marinated in fish sauce and tossed in cilantro, garlic, vinegar, black pepper and lime juice.  As you can imagine, the combination of ingredients created impactful South Asian flavours.  There was sweet, briny, salty, tangy and aromatics.  The skin was properly rendered, but the wings themselves were a touch dry.  We much prefer the split wings at Kin Kao Song.

On the topic of Chicken Skin, we got an order of that as well.  Okay, to be completely honest, I am okay with fried chicken skin on wings and fried chicken, but it has never been that appealing to me by itself.  If not properly rendered, it can be flabby.  Moreover, without meat attached to it, each bite gets a bit monotonous.  So I had a love-hate relationship with this version as some were completely rendered and some were flabby.  Yet, the side of fish sauce dip really helped make this better.

So this bowl of Tom Yum Goong was $22.00.  Now you might be wondering why is this fairly small bowl of soup this pricey?  Well, I would say this was more ingredients than actual soup.  We could barely get 2 small share bowls of liquid.  This was due to the considerable amount of large plump prawns and oyster mushrooms.  Now as for the broth, it was tangy and spicy with the usual hits of galangal, lemongrass, birds-eye chili, fish sauce and lime juice.

For our mains, we got quite a few of them including the Northeastern Style Steak featuring thinly sliced skirt steak tossed with shallots, mint leaves, cilantro, green lettuce, toasted ground rice, soy sauce, dry chili, lime juice and fish sauce.  Now with all of those impactful ingredients, the steak was super flavourful with spice, acidity, rich saltiness and of course aromatics.  However, the steak itself was sinewy and chewy.  To be fair, the pieces that didn't have the sinew was actually good.

My favourite dish of the night was the Panaeng Chicken Curry.  I found the curry to be creamy with the aroma of coconut milk.  However, it was balanced with a combination of spice, sweetness and brininess from the fish sauce.  Unlike many other versions, this was only curry and chicken, no other fillers.  Although the thin slices of white meat weren't exactly juicy, they were not dry either.  I could drink this curry.

Of course we had to get the veritable Pad Thai in vegetarian form with fried tofu.  This was just as good as the one we've had at Kin Kao Song where the noodles were chewy with a great mouth feel.  There was just enough sauce to keep things from clumpling, yet also supplying a sweet tanginess.  This was balanced by an appealing amount of spice.  Loved the big chunks of fried tofu as they were airy and light with a crispy chew on the outside.

To get our full fill of noodles we added the Pad See Ew for good measure.  I found this to be a good version of the dish.  It featured mung bean noodle sheets, which I much prefer over the use of flat rice noodles.  This gave a better chew and the noodles stayed intact.  I enjoyed the long strips of gai lan as they had a nice crunch and since they were thin, it was not hard to eat.  In terms of seasoning, it could've been more aggressive, yet the caramelization was decent.

Our last item was the Vegetable Stir Fry and believe it or not, it was one of my favourites!  Excellent wok caramelization where not much moisture was on the plate.  The oyster sauce really added depth and muted saltiness.  Loved the texture of the veggies and also the fried tofu.  Overall, this was a pleasant meal at Kin Kao on Commericial Drive, but we much prefer the now Michelin Bib Gourmand Kin Kao Song on Broadway.  Still a good meal though and worth checking out.

The Good:

- Impactful flavours

- Proper wok hei (high wok heat)

- Attentive service

The Bad:

- Not a bad per se, but Kin Kao Song is better in my opinion

- Parking is a little tricky in the area

Social YVR

Finally made it out to Social on Commercial Drive even though it has been around for a bit.  Situated in the old location of Falconetti's, the place has been completely renovated with a varied menu exhibiting Asian influences.  I had an ulterior motive to visit the place as it sported a fried chicken sandwich that I wanted to try (for my IG account: @shermaneatschickensandwiches).  But don't worry, I ate many other items too...

To start, we had the Salt & Pepper Wings with a side of ranch dip.  I thought the wings were a bit small, but that can hardly be the restaurant's fault as it depends on the supplier.  The skin was well-rendered and completely crispy.  There could've been possibly more salt and pepper as the wings ate rather plain.  I thought the meat was on the drier side, but I guess this was a by-product of rendering most of the fat.

Staying with appies, we also had the Chicken Karaage Bao with fried chicken, pickled daikon & carrot, cilantro, hoisin and gochujang mayo. These were soft and fully stuffed with crunchy chicken that was still juicy. There was good spice, tang and sweetness. One thing that they should've done was to place parchment under the baos since they stuck to the bamboo steamer and fell apart when we tried to remove them.

Trying to get a bit out of every section, we decided on the Bacon Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, house sauce and side salad. This was really good with a moist and meaty patty.  It had a good amount of natural beef flavour due to the fat content.  Those large slices of pickle added both crunch and tang.  Also, the lean bacon and burger sauce made things messy and flavorful.  Lastly, the toasted brioche did the burger justice.

One of the under-the-radar dishes was the Rigatoni Mushroom Alfredo with garlic cream and pecorino. It sure looked appetizing with just enough sauce to coat the pasta while topped with breadcrumbs.  It ultimately deliviered with al dente pasta and an impactful creamy sauce. It was earthy and aromatic with enough seasoning.  Back to the breadcrumbs, it added the necessary crunch.

Since we didn't get fries with our burger, we decided to add the Truffle Fries for good measure.  These were quite crispy with a decent amount of potato texture left on the inside.   They well-seasoned without overdoing the truffle oil.  However, we could of done with a bit more parm.  Not sure if ketchup was the right condiment for this, maybe some truffle mayo or aioli instead?

Okay, for the best dish of the night - the Nashville Hot Chicken Sammie!  Okay, this is actually an off menu item since they only have this as sliders.  I found it to be one of the best I've had recently and should be permanently on the menu.  The chicken was moist while the batter was crunchy.  There was a balanced spice and heat while the condiments worked well.  Bun was toasted and soft too.  Excellent.  To get our complete fry fix, we got a side of fries too.  Overall, the food at Social was quite good.  I would certainly come back, especially for the chicken sammie.

The Good:
- That chicken sammie!
- Varied menu, could be scary, but it worked
- Service was on point

The Bad:
- Seating is great upstairs, but downstairs is a bit cramped
- Need to put parchment under those baos

Harbour Oyster Bar

By virtue of its location, Vancouver is not only known for being the hub of Asian Cuisine (specifically Chinese), but for a great place for seafood.  Fresh seafood can be found on most menus and there are restaurants featuring seafood (Blue Water, Coast, Joe Fortes).  However, most of them are rather expensive and high-end dining.  What if I told you there is a place on the Drive that features seafood but is much more casual and reasonably-priced?  Harbour Oyster Bar is exactly that and they offer happy hour oysters @ $1.50 each from 11:00am - 5:00pm everyday!  We checked them out a few times after Sunday morning hockey at Brit nearby.

So about those Oysters...  They have been featuring Chef's Creek the last while for $1.50/shuck during their happy hour (which is almost all the time except for dinner).  All the condiments are included such as horseradish, mignonette, cocktail sauce, lemon wedge and an array of Tabasco.  Don't let the price fool you because these oysters were creamy and slightly briny with a clean finish.  One of the better deals in town considering the extended HH.

Also on their HH menu is the Steamed Clams in butter, garlic and white wine served with garlic bread for $12.00.  These were prepared perfectly with every clam being open and buttery soft while retaining a bite.  They were briny and sweet while fully flavoured with the broth underneath.  The side of charred garlic bread was the perfect vessel to soak up all of the buttery clam juices. 

Another HH option is the Garlic Prawns in Cajun lemon butter sauce for $12.00.  These were also quite good with buttery prawns that had a sweet snap.  These were tasty on their own, but the ample and sinful butter sauce was flavourful with the acidity of the lemon and accompanying lemon wedge.  Our only suggestion would be a side of the same garlic bread as the clams to soak up the butter.

Out last HH item was the Lobster Poutine, also for $12.00, with jalapeño, corn, cheesy béchamel and cheese.  This was only average as there wasn't a whole lot of lobster to be found.  Fries were crispy and held up well to the sauce and the addition of corn provided pops of sweetness.  Didn't notice the jalapeño much.  I found the sauce to be creamy and mildly flavoured with sweetness.  Could've used more spice.

Onto some bigger items, I tried the Oyster Po'Boy on my initial visit.  This consisted of 3 mini-brioche buns with one fried oyster each dressed in remoulade, slaw, corn and tomatoes.  This was so delicious as the oysters were creamy and briny while sporting a crispy spiced batter.  Brioche was soft and toasted and each one just ate so well.  On the side, the made-to-order Boston Chowda had to be one of the best I've had in town.  Lightly creamy, well-spiced and full of fresh clams and mussels, this featured natural briny and sweet flavours.

Milhouse has been one of most trusted eating companions since the start of this blog and I thought I should actually mention him by name as he ordered the Blackened Cod Sandwich with asian slaw and sambal mayo.  Although the piece of fish was a bit small, it was moist and flaky with a noticeable spice crust on the outside.  The slaw was crunchy while the mayo was only mildly spicy.  Brioche was toasted and held everything together being airy and soft. 

On my other visit, I split my Lobster Prawn Rolls with Tonya (not her real name) so I could get half of her sandwich (more on that later).  These featured the same soft brioche buns as the po'boy.  Inside, there was a good amount of both lobster and prawn which were texturally on point and also dressed just enough.  The side of fries, much like in the other dishes, were crunchy and stayed as such until the end.

Okay, the item I shared with Tonya was the Lobster Grilled Cheese on grilled sourdough.  This was really good with plenty of melted cheese and an equal amount of tender and moist lobster.  The sourdough was buttery and evenly crunchy that offered up the right texture contrasting the cheese and lobster.   So this is pretty clear, but I'll reiterate - the food at Harbour is solid and reasonably priced.  A good place to get your seafood fix in a casual spot with great service to boot.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Reasonable pricing
- Good service

The Bad:
- Seating is somewhat tight

Vennie's Sub Shop

When one thinks of sub sandwiches, it inevitably turns to Subway or if we really reach down, Mr. Sub.  I personally have no problem grabbing the occasional sammie from those places as they are predictable, if not a bit pricey for fast food.  So if I'm going to spend $12.00+ on a footlong, why not go for something a bit different for just a bit more money?  Well that was the case when the temperatures reached 40 C plus earlier this week.  We were in no mood for cooking, even on the BBQ.  Therefore, I got Viv to pick up some subs from the newish Vennie's Sub Shop on her way home.  Also, the proximity to Down Low Chicken isn't a coincidence.  They are indeed part of the same group.

Unfortunately, they were sold out of the Pastrami Sandwich, so I had to go for something else and I decided on The American Deli sporting mortadella, Genoa salami, spicy calabrese, shredduce, slivered onion, spicy red pepper relish, herb seasoning, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  There are 2 sizes available and I chose the 225 gram version for $17.00.  As you can see, this was loaded with meat and no, I didn't go hungry after this.  There was plenty of spice from the calabrese. 

Similarly stacked with corned beef, mayo, beer mustard, Dubliner cheese, Black Vogue kraut and slivered onions, The Lucky ate just like I expected it to.  Lots of corned beef and tang from the kraut and pickles.  There was some sharpness from the onion and there was further zip from the mustard.  I thought the bread was okay, but a bit stiff and dry for my liking.  Maybe if I had nuked it, it would've been softer.

Now I can somewhat understand the choice of bread because it barely held up in The Smoked Chopped Cheese.  The combination of smoked Aftermath Beef, queso, pepper relish, caramelized onions, garlic butter and provolone started to really soak the bread.  Hence it was soft and some parts were mushy.  Granted, this traveled about 20 minutes before we ate it.  So I can see how they had to pick a heartier bread to stand up to wet ingredients.  This was good though with tender smoky beef with plenty of cheese.  The red pepper relish added some sweetness and background tang.

I don't think I would ever say such a thing, but I thought the amount of meat in The Deluxe Pizza was a bit much.  Due to the density of the pepperoni sheets combined with the double mozzarella, this was really heavy and of course pepperoni forward.  But then again, this is a pizza sub and they aren't going to add lettuce and tomatoes to it (I guess you could).  This sub pretty much said it all about Vennie's - plenty of meat and full-flavoured.  Worth a detour from the usual sandwich shops.

The Good:
- Lots of meat
- Full-flavoured
- Pricing just a bit more than the regular spots

The Bad:
- Wasn't a fan of the bread, but I get why they are using it
- Maybe too much meat? Get the smaller versions possibly