June on Cambie

If you haven't already heard, we have a new "hot"
restaurant on Cambie Street, where Biercraft used to be located and just steps away from Elio Volpe.  June, named after Head Chef Connor Sperling's wife, is Brasserie-inspired with French-influenced West Coast cuisine.  If Chef Sperling sounds familiar, he had been honing his craft at Published the last 5+ years.  The restaurant itself boasts a prominent bar that helps compliment late night bites until midnight.  Moreover, you can keep the experience alive by heading downstairs to the cocktail bar.

On the topic of cocktails, we started with 2 light and fruity concoctions.  These included the Blue Fizz and the Chamberyzette.  Super light and with a noticeable banana finish, the Blue Fizz was also fruity and went down far too easy.  On that note, the Chamberyzette was even more dangerous with the sour strawberry cordial affording fruity and sweet vibes that blended well with the sweetness of the vermouth.

Onto the food, we began with the Scallops, which were beautifully seared with intense caramelization accentuating the sweet brininess of the plump mollusk.  Beyond being properly seasoned with salt, the natural taste of the scallop was complimented by the citrus butter sauce.  It had a balanced amount of acidity to brighten things up while having the luscious creamy nuttiness of the butter.

Although the Crab dip was listed in the small dish section of the main menu, it was not small at all.  Underneath the chives and aioli, there was a wealth of lump crab meat that was beautifully-prepared.  Each piece of crab was fluffy and had a strong briny essence and flavour.  Those spiced madeleines were fluffy and sweet.  Personally, I would've liked something crunchier, but then again, there was nothing wrong with the madeleines.  I could've just eaten them by themselves!

Loved the plating of the Pepper Bluefin as it was super colourful with no negative space.  The tuna itself was just lightly kissed on one side with crusted black pepper while being rare throughout.  It was buttery as expected with an unmistakable sweetness.  At first, I thought the pepper would be overwhelming, but in reality, I barely knew it was there other than a bit of a bite at the end.  It sat in a piquillo escabèche which was sweet and tangy with only the slightest hint of heat.  Really nice compliment to the bluefin without being too powerful.

One of the more surprising dishes was the Frog Legs.  Now, I've had my share of frog legs before, so it wasn't surprising because of the ingredient.  It was the level of execution that exceeded my expectations.  The legs were gigantic and plump where the texture was juicy and fork tender.  On the outside, it was perfectly-glazed with espellette and B.C. honey offering up both spice and sweetness.  On the side we found a lime mignonette that provided that acidic kick to bring the flavours alive.  Best frog legs I've ever had!

We did have one featured off-menu item in the Spot Prawns in Fresno sauce with Meyer lemon and butter.  These split head-on prawns were cooked just enough so that the meat was still tender and delicate.  The prawns were naturally sweet and despite the impactful sauce, it didn't overshadow the main ingredient.  With that being said, it was nice to have a more robust flavour with spice, sweetness and tang.  We really needed something to soak up all the goodness.

 

That we did with the June Brioche with Beurre d'Isigny from Normandy.  I really should have used the bread as a blank canvas for the various sauces from the dishes at the table.  However, it would also be a waste that we didn't use up all the creamy butter either.  So I just slathered all that I could onto each piece of the fluffy bread.  So aromatic and nutty with a strong butter essence.  I also loved the crispiness of the bread's exterior.

Normally, I'm not super excited about having a salad, but the Salade Maison featured beautiful butter lettuce specifically grown for June.  It was dressed in a tangy dijon vinaigrette that also had balancing sweetness.  For my second cocktail, I decided on something stronger in the Noisette Manhattan.  I'm not connoisseur with this drink, but I did have one a few weeks ago at another restaurant and this was better.  The whiskey went down real easy while still being impactful with some dark wood notes with a touch of sweetness. 

One of our favourite dishes (amongst many favourites), the Mussels were large, plump and perfectly-prepared.  These came with a fino sherry cream sauce.  It was not a heavy as it looked while still being full-bodied and flavourful.  Mildly-seasoned, the sauce was earthy while lightly sweet with a touch of spice from the chilis.  There was an extra serving of sauce on the side so we could fill each shell or dip our bread into.

The real showstopper dish was Pasta for Rachel featuring a whole sheet of ravoili.  Rachel is Chef Sperling's wife (her English name) and yes, he made this pasta for her.  These were filled with potato and comté cheese where it was bordering on salty but just riding that fine line.  That meant these raviolis were flavourful on its own while the firmly al dente pasta was also properly seasoned.  In addition to the black pepper on top, the dish was finished off by a generous dollop of Beurre d'Isigny.

After the pasta, we didn't think there would be anything to equal its deliciousness.  However, the June Burger did just that.  First, we had a beautifully buttered brioche bun.  It softly hugged all of the components and provided the perfect encapsulation of the juicy meaty patty.  It was topped off by rich and nutty gruyère, sweet caramelized onions and what I think was braised beef.  The added jus made this even more meaty-tasting and super moist.  Oh, and the mustard provided just enough tang to break up the heaviness a touch.  One of the best burgers I've had period.

Of course we had to get the Fries to go with the burger right?  This large portion consisted of long strands of perfectly crispy potatoes.  They were pretty crunchy overall and well-salted, so there wasn't much creamy potato texture inside.  I didn't mind that as I dunked them into the dips (mustard extraordinaire, and house mayo).  We had one more drink to go with our desserts in the Coffee Cocktail with orange liqueur.   Not sure what the actual name of this drink was because we couldn't find it on the menu.  But it was rich with plenty of coffee bitterness to go with the aromatic sweetness of the liqueur.  This went well with the next item...

Yes, the coffee cocktail paired beautifully with the Chocolate mousse cake with crème Anglais. This was balanced in terms of sweetness while having plenty of chocolate impact.  The mousse was light and creamy while wrapped in hazelnut ganache and benefitted from the nuttiness of Frangelico.  The extra layer of crunch provided textural contrast.  Lastly, we sampled their Soft Serve du Jour which was rhubarb and creamsicle.  Nicely light and refreshing, the flavours were apparent with a balance between sweetness and tanginess.  The addition of fermented orange afforded some salty citrusy notes.  Complimentary texture came in the form of crispy spruce tip meringues.  All I have to say is "Wow".  This meal was so delicious where I was wanting to do it all again the next day.  Another great addition to the Vancouver restaurant scene and I'm thinking this will have the potential of a Michelin-Star and being on Canada's Top 100 Restaurants real soon.

 

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

 

The Good:

- Perfect execution with the proteins

- Not lacking flavour

- Great vibe

 

The Bad:

- Some items were bordering on salty.  I personally didn't mind it, but others might. 

 

Stock & Supply

One of the most hidden restaurants in Downtown is Stock & Supply within the Delta Hotel Vancouver.  It doesn't get much fanfare despite being open since 2020.  Maybe opening just before the pandemic wasn't the best timing, but I've always heard good things about the place.  They are known for their Stock Boards where one can choose 3 items from a selection of 12 for $40.00.  All boards include sourdough, soft truffle butter (which was awesome with the bread!), house pickles and peppers.  Jackie and I were invited to try those stock boards as well as a few other menu items.

Located right in the lobby of hotel, Stock & Supply features a fully-stocked bar that is a great place to hang out and meet some new friends.  We ordered a few drinks that included the Basil Zen, She's a Feisty Mango and Classic Summer Spritz.  The showstopper was the basil zen since the bubble contained a good amount of smoke.  It helped create an aroma around the drink while complimenting brightness of the fresh cucumber and gin.  Naturally, the mango cocktail was fruity with some spice, tang and plenty of tequila vibes.  The spritz was refreshing and a great drink for the summer, as expected.

Onto the Stock Boards, we ended up with 2 of them with 5 items each (so we could try nearly all of the options).  The first board consisted of  Whipped Jalapeno & Feta Tirokafteri, Beet Hummus, Crusted Halloumi Cheese and Sticky Bourbon BBQ Pork Belly.  On the side (since it didn't fit onto the board, we had the Poutine Croquettes.  Beyond the appealing creaminess of the whipped feta and hummus, the grilled pita was excellent.  Nice grilled smokiness and the texture was a bit crispy and plenty soft in the middle.  Loved the spice with the feta.  The crusted halloumi was super crunchy with melty cheese in the middle.  Presented in large slabs, the pork belly was tender and meaty with a sweet glaze.  I found the croquettes to be also quite crunchy and the potato, gravy and cheese in the middle was very poutine-like.

The second board included Summer Strawberry & Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Signature Chorizo Scotch Egg, Grilled Artisanal Truffle Sausage, Smoked Island Brie and Blistered Brussel Sprouts.  For me, this board was all about the scotch egg as it was perfect with a runny yolk and juicy spicy chorizo encasing it.  Nicely crispy on the outside too!  I found the strawberry & goat cheese bruschetta something completely different.  What brought this altogether was the balsamic as it tied the sweetness of the strawberries to the creamy and gamy cheese with tang and more sweetness.  Baked brie was smoky and of course was complimented well by the side of grilled sourdough.  Sausage was pretty good, but I found it a touch dry.  Had great earthy flavours though.  Brussels sprouts sported crispy leaves on the outside but was tender yet firm on the inside.

Onto some mains, we tried the garlic & ginger brined Fried Chicken with spicy glaze atop slaw with pickled fresno, scallion and crispy garlic.  The big pieces of chicken featured a crispy batter than was thin and not heavy.  I could really get the brine with plenty of gingeriness coming through.  The chicken itself was on the drier side though.  However, when combined with the creamy slaw, that wasn't an issue.

Next up was the Suite Burger with 7oz CAB chuck patty, sharp cheddar, butter lettuce, dill pickled, tomato, onion and S&S sauce on brioche.  Due to the large patty, the burger was rather robust and filling.  I found the patty to be tender but a little on the leaner side.  The ample amount of sauce and produce did make things more juicy though.  There was a nice sear on the patty which added nice aroma and caramelization.  

We also went for the Fennel Sausage Rigatoni with mascarpone cream, whipped harissa puree, spring peas and butter brioche crumble.  This was a large portion of pasta that would be fit for even the biggest of appetites.  There was an abundance of fennel sausage that was pretty tasty.  Those little nuggets were juicy and well-seared with hits of fennel.  The rigatoni was al dente and soaked up the cream well.  I think there could've been more cream as the pasta ate a bit dry.  Flavours were good though and the harissa came through.

Lastly, we had the 7oz AAA NY Steak & Egg atop a duck fat rosti with chili honey carrots and horseradish cream.  We asked for the steak to be prepared medium-rare and it was exactly that.  I found the steak to be meaty while being tender on the inside.  Loved the crispy sunny side free-range egg.  Lots of texture, but still runny yolk.

Onto dessert, we had the Yuzu Cheesecake and Triple Layer Key Lime Pie.  We enjoyed both desserts as they were not overly heavy despite appearing to be.  The cheesecake had the classic rich cheesiness, but also was not dense.  It was mildly sweet with the brightness of yuzu and the berry compote.  The key lime pie was also not heavy, but it was definitely creamy, sweet and tangy.  Really enjoyed the firm buttery crust.  Overall, the meal at Stock & Supply was fun, interactive and delicious.  Those stock boards are the real draw here and are perfect for a social gathering to share.  The mains were a bit hit and miss though.  Loved the space and the cocktails.  Great place to hang out.

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

The Good:

- Wonderful stock boards with many different and delicious bites to choose from

- Great space to hang out, especially at the bar.  Maybe meet new friends!

- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:

- Some of the mains need some work

The Hard Bean Brunch Co. (Port Moody)

Back in January of this year, I was at Earl of Sandwich in Willoughby and noticed a new brunch spot a few stores down.  The Hard Bean Brunch Co. looked like a place I would definitely want to try sometime.  I filed that away in my mind for the next time I would be out in Langley.  Coincidentally, Nikita message me shortly after suggesting we meet up at Hard Bean for brunch.  I guess she read my mind!  However, the place is so popular, I wasn't able to get a reservation.  Then I turned my attention to the Port Moody location and we ended up going there instead.

We ended up with a wide range of dishes including the Nacho Breakfast with black beans, pickled onions, corn salsa, scrambled eggs, cheddar, jack + feta cheese, pomegranate seed and guacamole.  Beef was added for another $6.00.  This was a pretty large portion of nachos for one person to eat.  Frankly, this would probably be better to share for the table.  This was quite good where the nachos were crunchy and well topped with tender spiced beef.  They remained crunchy despite the amount of wet toppings.  There was some spice to this, but not overwhelmingly so.

Probably the most aesthetically-challenged dishes was the Chicken Pesto Quesadilla with pumpkin seed pesto, sundried tomato, marinated chicken, roasted red peppers, jack & feta cheese and hard ranch dip.  Not much you can do with a quesadilla as it is always flat with the ingredients hidden by the tortilla.  Despite its appearance, it was also quite good.  The pesto chicken was tender and had all of the bright flavours we expected.  Lots of melted cheese and the addition of sundried tomato and peppers provided some sweetness and tang.

For myself, I had the Hard Bean Burger with a house-made patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, bacon, cheddar, burger sauce and fries.  I really enjoyed this burger as it reminded me of some of the better smash-burgers I've had in town.  The patty had a crispy exterior while still moist inside.  Fresh produce and melted cheddar help add even more moisture while the brioche bun held things together.  Fries were good too being crispy.

My son went for the Yorkshire Benny with bacon and smashed hashbrowns.  Rather than having an English muffin, the Yorkshire pudding was so much softer and eggy which made things not as heavy.  The medium poached eggs featured fully cooked egg whites while the yolk was still runny.  The hollandaise sauce was creamy while properly seasoned with just a touch of acidity.

As usual, Nikita and Bluebeard ordered the same dish in the Hard Bean Co. Hash with smashed browns, ham, onion, bloody mary sauce, red pepper, eggs, garlic toast, Brussels sprouts, grana padano cheese and green onion.  As much as this was satisfying in terms of the amount of well-prepared components, the overwhelming sour tomato taste of the bloody mary sauce made this dish completely one-note.  Hence, both of them had a hard time finishing it.  

My daughter went big with the Brunch Charcuterie Board with sliced hardboiled eggs, maple drizzle French toast sticks, marmalade, bacon rolls, blueberry maple sausage and seasonal fruit.  This was a bit interesting in terms of presentation, but ultimately, it was just a collection of breakfast things.  She enjoyed it though as the French Toast sticks were crunchy while soft on the inside.  Sausage was moist and tender with the sweetness of the blueberries and maple syrup.

The last plate at the table was the Barnyard Omelette with hard ham, free run eggs, corn, peppers, jack cheese, red onions, spinach and smashed browns.  This was essentially a fold-over omelette that featured fairly cooked eggs, so it wasn't exactly fluffy.  It wasn't rubbery either, so that was good.  Inside, the amount of filling was substantial enough for impact.   In the end, the food at Hard Bean was not bad.  I wouldn't say it was outstanding, but there were some highlights. 

The Good:

- Some interesting items

- Cool space, cool vibes

- Most items are good

The Bad:

- The hash was too sour

The Wooden Spoon

Wow, we are on a roll with restaurants I have not revisited in a long time.  This is especially true with spots in South Surrey/White Rock (there will be some more upcoming ones from this area!).  I originally dined at the Wooden Spoon over 10 years ago and then a few more times since then.  I always thought their brunch was very good and could challenge for the best in the GVRD.  We were invited back to try some classics as well as many new favourites. No, they didn't have to ask twice!

Going in order from the menu, we went for a Benny in the Bay Benny with crispy Cajun prawns, tomato jam, guacamole and smoked paprika.  This was very delicious where 

the Champagne 

Hollandaise was velvety and surprisingly bright-tasting.  Mind you, with the spiced prawns, these were the main flavouring agent in this dish.  Loved the chive cheddar biscuit as the base since it was buttery and soft with a crispy shell.  Egg was soft-poached and added moisture to soften the crispy parts.  Side of herb & garlic baby potatoes were soft and creamy on the inside with an aromatic taste.

Next up was the Pulled Pork Hash with house-made BBQ sauce, roasted bell peppers & onion, pulled pork, crisp baby potatoes, crispy shallots, chive gremolata and sunny side eggs.  This was a fulfilling and almost zesty-tasting concoction.  I say almost because it really wasn't spicy per se, but it was flavourful in an intensely sweet and tangy way.  The perfectly sunny side eggs added the silkiness of the yolks while the gremolata provided an herbed brightness.

Possibly their most classic brunch offering is the Sweet & Salty featuring French loaf, aged cheddar, double-smoked bacon, poached

eggs, Champagne Hollandaise, Maple syrup and chive gremolata.  As its name suggests, the whole premise behind this dish is that it meshes savoury with sweet.  It was completely achieved with the syrup mixing with the smoky saltiness of the bacon.  Moreover, the Hollandaise made the entire dish creamy, yet not heavy.  Nice textures were at play too with the crispiness of the bacon, crunch from the crust and also the stringiness of the cheese.

Onto the breakie sammie section of the menu, we decided to try the Sausage & Biscuit sporting pork sausage patty, scrambled egg, aged cheddar, garlic mayo and cheddar chive biscuit.  Looking at the picture, this had Pine State written all over it, except I liked the biscuit at Wooden Spoon more.  This was crispy on the outside, while full-flavoured and soft on the inside.  Add in the meaty home-style pork sausage with the melted cheese and creamy eggs, there was no shortage of classic breakfast flavours and textures.  You would be full on this sammie.

Looking quite inconspicuous, the Steak & Egg brioche bun hid shaved ribeye, house-made BBQ sauce, sunny egg, aged cheddar and horseradish mayo.  Unlike most breakfast sandwiches on brioche, this one had more richness due to the fatty ribeye.  The popped egg yolk provided the necessary moisture to soften the thinly sliced meat.  Horseradish mayo did its job providing a tangy creamy heat.  Side of fresh-cut fries were good too being crispy.

Off to something sweet, we tried Nana's House French Toast with banana mascarpone, caramel, whipped cream, chocolate chips and sliced banana.  We made it a Dad's Plate and added 2 slices of double-smoked bacon and a chicken apple sausage.  Yah, this was pretty awesome as the bread was properly soaked where it was custardy in the middle while the outside was aromatic and slightly crispy.  The banana aroma permeated through the entire dish while the sweetness was just right.

Going in a completely different direction in relation to the other dishes we had, the Smoothie Bowl brought back memories of Carioca Bowls in Portland.  It was a combination of fresh berries, coconut milk, almonds, pumpkin seeds and granola with a side of vegan banana bread.  It was almost like a palate cleanser with a cold and refreshing fruitiness.  Nice texture from the nuts, seeds and granola.  Oh and that banana bread... So freakin' awesome!  Super moist with a balance sweetness and a smoky caramelized bark.

From there, we ordered off the lunch menu with the BBQ Smoked Meat Poutine firmly in our sights.  This was made up of BBQ Montreal smoked meat ends, cheese curds, homestyle gravy, fries, crispy shallots and chive gremolata.  Oh yes, this was even better than it sounded!  With a base of the same crispy fries, it was a nice canvas for the rich (not salty) gravy and melted cheese curds.  Naturally, the tender smoked meat was the star.

Of course we were going to ordered the OG Spoon Burger as well!  This thing was pretty large with 2 smashed beef patties, aged cheddar, Co Sauce, double smoked bacon, crispy onion ring, pickle and arugula on brioche.  Yah, this was no sissy burger because they loaded up with the thick bacon and there was no shortage of moist beef.  The soft brioche formed to hug all the ingredients so we had a little of everything in each bite.

Completing our selections from the lunch section, we had the Mac & Cheese topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan.  We added bacon for good measure.  This featured al dente noodles that held onto the cheese sauce quite well.  There was enough of it to keep things saucy and cheesy.  I would've liked a bit more sharpness, but it was still well-seasoned and the bacon didn't hurt either.

So we ended things on a sweet note with the Cinnamon Bun and also the Sticky Toffee Pudding.  With a cream cheese frosting, the cinnamon bun was full of sweetness and of course, cinnamon.  It was soft and best shared (which we did) after such a filling brunch.  As for the sticky toffee pudding, it was moist and full of rich smoky sweetness.  It wasn't crazy sweet though compared to other versions I've had.

Our final item was something we were looking forward to since walking in the door.  They had 2 featured Malasadas that were as good as the ones I've had at Leonard's in Oahu.  They were light but still had an appealing chewiness.  They have rotating flavours, so be sure to call ahead to check.  Oh and don't go too late in the day as they sell out fast!  Gotta say this visit to the Wooden Spoon exceeded my expectations.  As mentioned, I've been here several times in the past and this time was even better.  Worth the drive out to White Rock!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this post*

The Good:

- Delicious food across the board

- Good portion sizes

- Those malasadas!

The Bad:

- Well, far for most people, but worth it!

- It gets rather busy, but yah, it is good duh...