Moltaqa Moroccan

Trying to hit up the last few restaurants on the Michelin guide for Vancouver, it has brought me to Moltaqa Moroccan.  This has actually been on my radar for quite some time even before it became Michelin-recommended.  However, it is the same thing over and over again - too many places to eat at and so little time.  We made it a point to go there since we actually do like Moroccan cuisine, in particular a lamb or chicken tagine.

So before those tagines, we had went for their Moroccan Hummus and bread.  This was an extremely smooth and creamy hummus with the strong nuttiness of sesame seeds that were on top.  I got a bit of the garlic, yet was wanting more lemon.  Even the squeeze of the lemon wedge wasn't enough.  Maybe I like things more acidic, so the hummus overall was very good.  The side of Moroccan bread was fantastic.  A bit crispy on the outside and plenty fluffy inside, it was perfect for mopping up the hummus.

Our next small plate was the Duck Pastilla.  Oh my, this was absolutely mind-blowingly delicious.  Beyond the flaky and crispy phyllo casing, the ample amount of duck inside was moist and well-spiced.  There was definitely the sweetness of the onions while the powdered sugar made this almost a quasi-dessert.  But it all worked well with the combination of savoury and sweet.  Loved the almonds too as it added texture and nuttiness.

Continuing with the same protein, we had the Flambe Duck with cherie sauce.  The flambe was served tableside and that was pretty cool.  However, this dish was not only for show, it was also super delicious.  The skin of the duck breast was blackened with Moroccan spices and hence had rich fall flavours cinammon and cloves.  The duck itself was moist and tender while complimented perfectly by the sweet and tart sauce.  The side of roasted root vegetables were prepared nicely.

Finally, here we are with the tagines!  The first was the Lemon & Olive Halal Chicken Tagine with saffron.  This was truly an aromatic dish with the saffron coming through.  The chicken itself was super tender and moist with the salty brininess of the olives and the tangy lemon being quite evident with each bite.  There was also the earthiness of the turmeric as well.  With olives and thinly sliced lemon at our disposal, we could make each bite even more flavourful.  We had rice as our side dish for this tagine.

For me it was all about the Tagine of Lamb with saffron prunes and almond.  This was delicious where the lamb fell off the bone and was at its fatty best.  The meat had the gelatinous fattiness that I was looking for.  Due to the lamb being more robust than the chicken, the saffron was much more muted, but still present.  There was a certain sweetness to go with the rich Moroccan spices.  I had the side of cous cous with chickpeas with this.

We had a few cocktails to go with our meal in the Moroccan Cherie Sour and La Bel Aicha (we were also served some olives at the outset of the meal).  I found the sour to be quite nice and appetizing with the classic fall flavours of Moroccan spice paired with bourbon and white cherries.  A bit of sweetness to go with that tang.  As for the other cocktail, it was floral and refreshing with some ginger notes.  Overall, we quite enjoyed our meal at Moltaqa.  The portions were generous and the flavours were exotic.  Considering its Yaletown location and the deliciousness of the food, the prices were fair too.  Will come back.

The Good:
- Impactful exotic spices
- Generous portions
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Maybe a few repetitive spices, but I didn't mind

Ju Contempory Cuisine (New Menu)

The original menu at Ju when it first opened was quite ambitious due to the many options of canapes, appetizers, entrees and desserts.  Although most of the dishes were delicious, there was a lack of focus.  Now hitting its stride, they have streamlined the menu so that it prominently features a tasting menu for $88.00 (which is a steal).  To compliment this, there are a select few a la carte dishes available.  This post will feature the other dishes we had in addition to the tasting menu (featured in the previous blog post).

One of the most interesting items was the Teriyaki Chicken.  Yes really.  It was an oven-roasted chicken leg that was super tender and juicy.  The teriyaki was quite balanced with sweet, savoury and tanginess.  To compliment this, there was a mildly spice serrano aioli.  To provide a bit more acidity and bite, we had some pickled ginger.  Lastly, some katsuobushi (or bonito flakes) provided the usual combination of salty umaminess.

Something a bit more conventional but with a twist, we had the Gochujang Yook Hwei.  This was essentially a beef tartare but with the quintessential Korean condiment in the sweet & spicy gochujang.  The CAB was soft and tender while the use of gochujang showed restraint.  That ensured that the meat flavours were still present and the subtle sweetness of the Asian pear was noticeable.  The seaweed on the side served as a vessel for the beef.  However, I would've personally liked some tapioca chips for more crunch.

Looking like merely a slaw of some sort, the Creamy Green was actually quite good.  Sure, it wasn't anything complex or super amazing, but at the same time, very welcomed.  Something so fresh, crunchy and light acted like a palate cleanser and also made us feel just a bit healthier.  It was comprised of shredded cabbage and field greens dressed in a creamy coconut dressing.  Naturally, it was aromatic and sweet, but there was a balancing tanginess as well. 

Trying to stay with the Korean influence on the menu, the Miso Jjajang-Myun was their take on the classic dish.  Rather than a black bean sauce, we found a fermented soybean, which gave similar salty richness, but in a more subtle manner.  Naturally, this dish would be incomplete without the onion and they were sweet and well, oniony.  There was also tender zucchini, cabbage and mushrooms which added both texture and a bit of extra earthy sweetness.  Noodles were perfectly al dente.

Off to another noodle, the Vongole Kal-Guksu was another interpretation of the Korean dish.  I very much enjoyed this as the knife cut noodles had so much bite and rebound.  Very nice mouth feel and chew.  The ample clams afforded sweetness and a bit of brininess.  The addition of garlic and shallots upped the aromatics and overall flavour profile.  Some zucchini provided soft textures and just a tiniest bit of bitterness.  So unassuming, but delicious.

For reference only, I will refer to a previous time I visited Ju and talk about another item that is still currently on the menu.  It is the Poached Oyster with roasted garlic mushroom espuma, rosemary oil and togarashi crunch.  This is particularly great for people who don't eat raw oysters.  However, it was poached just enough, so that all of the butteriness and brininess was still present.  It was not obscured since the espuma was subtle.  Loved the crunch on top.

They also have an array of unique cocktails including the Rose-Merry, Maple Cinnamon, Snowy Battle Field and Rice Punch.  Despite my love for fruity drinks, my favourite of the bunch was the Maple Cinnamon with its milky "eggnog" like vibes.  Just sweet enough and Fall-tasting.  With the rosemary being torched, there was some definite woodsy aroma going around.  But then, the actual cocktail was fruity with pomegranate and vodka.  The Rice Punch had some vodka and sik-hye (which is a sweet rice drink), hence this was lightly sweet and plenty nutty from the rice.  Lastly, the Snowy Battle Field consisted of Calpico, gin, vodka and red wine.  This looked quite Halloween-like, but was went down easy due to the addition of sweet and tangy Calpico.  There is one more item on the menu that I didn't feature, which is the Galbi.  However, it is in the tasting menu, so you can refer to it in the previous post.  I would say that these items were good, but the tasting menu is still the best bet.  You get all of the highlights and it is only $88.00.

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

The Good:

- Overall tasty

- Reasonably-priced

- Unique cocktails

The Bad:

- Theses dishes can supplement your meal, but the highlight is the tasting menu

- Noodles may need more colour

Ju Contemporary Cuisine (Tasting Menu)

I've already done a post about Ju when they first opened up shop.  They featured an ambitious menu that focused mainly on elevated Korean Westcoast fusion.  I really enjoyed the dishes, especially some of the outside-the-box offerings such as the Vegan Bibimbap.  Well, they have streamlined the menu and are now offering a Chef's Tasting Menu for only $88.00!  Considering its downtown location, quality of food and nice dining room, that is a steal.  We dropped by to try that tasting menu as well as some of their new dishes.

Let's get right to the tasting menu first starting with the Jook.  Yes, as the name implies, this was a rice porridge with earthy espuma and mushroom.  If you can imagine, this wasn't exactly the rice porridge we would find at home (otherwise, why would you be eating here?).  It was much thicker and creamier with the nutty essence of the rice as well as the umaminess of the espuma.  The slices of mushroom on top gave off a natural woodsiness due to the rawness of the preparation.

So the next course was something called Tofu Mochi.  However, it really wasn't mochi due to the absence of glutinous rice.  Rather, this was made with arrowroot and hence, the texture was a bit gummy and sticky.  Personally, I loved it as the mouth feel was something I am familiar with.  However, for some, it might seem too viscous.  In terms of flavour, it was sitting in a dashi broth that was clean, a bit briny and sweet.  Very subtle, but again, I enjoyed it.

Somewhat on the same textural path, we had the Botan Ebi Chawanmushi.  This was super silky and had the subtle sweetness of the dashi broth.  No excess moisture was to be found which meant it was just pure soft custardy egg.  A little herb oil added some brightness as well as a beautiful colour contrast.  On top, we found the buttery sweet ebi that had an ever-so-light crunch.  It was a naturally sweet compliment to the egg.  Also, some togarashi crunch provided the needed texture to the dish.

Moving along, we had the Cured Salmon with a green mandarin sauce served table side.  This was a fairly straightforward dish with the salmon being buttery soft with just a touch of chew.  It was lightly cured, so the sweetness of the salmon still stood out.  The green mandarin sauce had a good viscosity and was a bit sweet and tangy with some background herbal notes.  It was a nice compliment to the salmon.  There was some pickled veggies and soy gel on the side to add even more acidity, some crunch and some saltiness.

If the next dish looks eerily similar to Cantonese shrimp toast, you are not far off.  The one you see here is the Bulgogi Menbow-Yuk which is the Korean version, but with CAB beef instead.  This was quite good with a crunchy seedy bread that had lots of body and nuttiness.  Inside, the bits of Wagyu were buttery and fatty.  Like most versions of this dish, the bread soaked up some oil.  In this case, it wasn't super soaked though.  Some mustard oroshi helped cut some of that greasiness though.

Sure, the next dish looked rather pale, but ultimately, it was super delicious.  The delicately steamed Black Cod was draped with a miso cream and topped with Northern Divine sturgeon caviar.  Now, you might think steamed fish wouldn't be that interesting right?  Well you would be wrong as this was one of my favourite courses.  The fish was buttery and flaky while seasoned enough that the natural sweetness of the fish still stood out.  That miso cream had all of the good fermented things about miso and provided a rich, yet subtle umaminess.  Of course the caviar didn't hurt with briny pops of saltiness.

Our last savoury course was something that I absolutely loved.  It was their signature Galbi with perilla chimichurri, braised daikon and Ju jus.  The slice of Certified Angus Beef short rib melted in my mouth with the fatty richness that was also gelatinous.  It had such rich beefiness that nothing else was really needed.  Well, it didn't hurt that we found some jus and a bright chimichurri to compliment.  On the side, the daikon was tender and was penetrated by the braising juices.

The dessert that we were served was the Chocolate that featured a Belgian milk chocolate half-sphere with black sesame cake, vanilla coffee espuma and dalgona crumb.  I've had this before and it was just as good as I had remembered.  This ate very light where the chocolate mousse was creamy and just sweet enough.  The cake was nutty and aromatic while the crumb was crunchy and sweet.  Getting everything into one bite was the key to eating this.  We also had some other of their a la carte dishes and I will feature them in another post (along with the cocktails).  For now, I will say that this tasting menu is an absolute steal for $88.00.  Food is great and there are enough courses.  I recommend that you go give it a try!

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

The Good:
- Reasonable pricing
- Well-prepared eats
- Enough courses

The Bad:
- The tofu mochi may not be everyone's cup of tea

 

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

Coast (Lobster Nights)

Now we all know that Coast is Glowbal Group's seafood-focused spot on Alberni Street in Downtown Vancouver.  It is steps away from their sister restaurant Black + Blue and other high end shops.  Personally, I've had many great meals at Coast and it is nice to see that they are offering up a special lobster-themed menu on Sundays and Mondays.  Their Lobster Nights feature a choice of appetizer and entree while including a dessert.  All this for a reasonable price of $65.00 per person.  Jackie and I were invited to try out this menu and of course, we sampled every available option.

To start, we had an Amuse Bouche that was was a Mushroom Arancini with truffle aioli.  A nice little bite with cheesy risotto inside and a crispy exterior.  Truffle aioli added just another earthy touch.  Also separate from the Lobster Nights menu, we had the Chef's Selection of Oysters consisting of Barstool and Raspberry Point.  These oysters were shucked properly and also very fresh.  These were both very similar in taste with a brininess giving way to sweetness.  The Raspberry Points were bigger than the Barstools.

So onto the actual Lobster Nights menu, we tried their appetizers first. You have one choice from 3 including the Crispy Lobster & Prawn Roll. This was solidly constructed with shiso leaf, cucumber and soy paper on the outside.  The whole thing was definitely crispy with chewy sushi rice and crunchy cucumber.  To combat the dryness of the roll, we found a side of yuzu kosho & plum vinegar sauce.

The next appie option was the Lobster Bisque with dill, brandy cream and sourdough croutons.  This was an impactful soup where the lobster aroma really came through.  It was also rich and creamy with the brandy announcing itself throughout.  Interestingly, there was corn in the soup and it did add texture and pops of sweetness, yet, I personally would've left the bisque alone as it was perfect without it.

Last appie option was the Lobster Louie consisting of poached lobster, romaine, soft egg, heirloom tomatoes, radish and avocado.  As you can see, all of the components were fresh and vibrant.  It really showed in the texture as well.  Nice crunch and brightness.  The pieces of lobster were perfectly cooked with a moist rebound and sweetness.  As for the Louie dressing, it was subtle and I only wished there was more tanginess.

Onto the mains, you can also choose one of the following including the Lobster all'Amatriciana.  This pasta was fantastic with a considerable amount of al dente bucatini.  I really enjoyed the pomodoro sauce as it was balanced with enough tanginess that was offset by the fat from the smoked guanciale and pecorino.  There was added sweetness from the onion confit as well.  On top, we found big pieces of lobster tail and claw meat.  This was actually my favourite entree.

Next, you could also choose the classic 1lb Lobster Thermidor.  I honestly haven't seen this dish very often these days and it is primed for a comeback!  It truly helps when the one we were served was properly prepared.  The tender lobster meat was cooked just right and topped with a creamy Hollandaise and then gruyère.  The butteriness and cheesiness made this dish every so sinful, but delicious.  Even the side of chive & buttermilk mashed potatoes were on point.  So silky and well-seasoned.

Last option was the 1lb Grilled Lobster Provençal with chimichurri, jalapeño cornbread, baby carrots and clarified butter.  I was a little confused at first because the chimichurri was not a Provençal sauce.  But in the end, it was a good compliment to the sweet lobster meat.  The brightness and garlickiness combined with the butter was delicious.  Also, the cornbread wasn't just a throw-in, it was sweet and a bit spicy while going really well with that generous pat of butter.

If you were super hungry, you could make any entree a surf & turf for and extra $45.00 with a 10oz Prime Beef Striploin.  We asked for it be prepared medium-rare and it was done so with an even sear on all sides.  The meat was super tender while the exterior benefitted from caramelization and also proper seasoning.  Some red wine jus helped provide some more depth-of-flavour to the perfectly cooked steak.

For dessert, we had the Warm Banana & Coconut Butter Cake with crème anglaise and berries.  Upon the first bite, it was clear they didn't skimp on the butter.  So nutty and aromatic!  The cake was super moist, yet dense enough that there was body and texture.  It was coconutty and only a minor hint of banana.  The crème anglaise was mildly sweet with a vanilla finish.  So the 3-course Lobster Nights dinner is a steal in my mind.  For $65.00 you get enough lobster and food so you will be satisfied.  To top it all, the dishes we had were appealing and prepared properly.

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

The Good:

- All of the dishes available on the Lobster Nights menu are appealing

- Properly-prepared food

- Enough food to be satisfied

The Bad:

- Due to the special menu, Sundays and Mondays are quite busy, you need to be patient

- Would've loved to see a more impactful Louie dressing

Kosoo Korean Restaurant Chicken & BBQ (Robson)

In 2018, I had visited Kosoo on Cardero for some Korean eats and it was pretty tasty!  Since then, they have expanded aggressively with different themed restaurants bearing the same Kosoo name.  They have a Korean BBQ in Coquitlam, a Pocha in Chinatown and now a location on Robson specializing in KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) and BBQ (but not at your table such as the one in Coquitlam).   Jackie and I checked out the newest Kosoo on 2 separate visits.

On our first go-around, we focused on BBQ and chicken.  We were started off with some Banchan consisting of sprouts, potatoes, daikon and kimchi.  All were pretty good, especially the potatoes as they were tender and sweet but didn't fall apart.  All of our dishes arrived at once, yet I'll talk about the Yangnyeom Chibap first. This was massive amount of sweet & spicy KFC atop chewy rice.  I found the chicken to be juicy and tender (it helped that it was chicken thigh) while the sauce was more sweet than spicy.  There was some greens on top with corn and a mild mayo-based sauce.

Up next we had 2 BBQ items in the Pork Belly and the LA Galbi.  Now one look at the menu and you might be wondering why they are $45 and $52 respectively.  It was obvious to me why, as the amount of meat on the sizzling cast iron plate was enough for 2 people.  Another obvious clue was the 2 bowls of rice, lettuce, spicy salad and huge bowl of soup.  In that case, for 2 people, the prices are actually a steal.  But what about the food?  The meats were nicely grilled being charred and caramelized.  The meats were tender and the galbi was especially flavourful.

At the end, we got to the KFC with a mix of honey butter and mayack (cheese powder).  Since this consisted of bone-in chicken, it required a bit more effort.  There was a mix of white and dark meat where both were moist and tender.  I loved the crispiness of the batter and the cheese powder was impactful.  Lots of cheesy saltiness.  There was also a mix of fried rice cakes (additional cost) whereas the honey butter had corn, rice cakes and some chips.

On the side, we added the Dirty Fries and they were fantastic.  The fries were crispy despite the amount of components on top.  About those components, we had cheese, sauce, corn, olives, jalapenos and bacon.  Normally, I'm not a fan of fries that are loaded with so much stuff, but this was different.  The crispy fries took on the toppings very well and there was a little of everything including tanginess, spice, saltiness and even sweetness with the sauce.

On the next visit, we started off with the Chive Pancake with melted cheese on top.  Now this might look eerily similar to a pizza, but it sure didn't eat like one.  The actual pancake was relatively thin, but still moist inside.  The exterior was crunchy on the edges and plenty nutty tasting.  For the rest of it, it was crispy, even with all the cheese on top.  The grease level was low and the cheese really did add to the pancake texturally and mild notes of cheesiness.

We love spicy cold noodles, so the Makguksu was right up our alley.  It consisted of buckwheat noodles with spicy sauce, carrots, cabbage, onions, seaweed and sesame oil.  First of all, this was served in the right temperature being ice cold.  Secondly, the sauce was on point.  It definitely had a kick, but was also balanced off by some sweetness.  The rest of the ingredients ensured there was some brightness and crunch.  Enjoyed the aromatic nuttiness of the sesame oil too.

Getting a soup into the mix, we had the Selleong Tang with ox bone, beef brisket, mushroom and green onion.  This came with a bowl of rice.  Like many other versions of this soup, it was great for the cold weather and mild-tasting.  However, this had more meatiness and salt content and hence, was decently flavourful with natural sweetness.  The big pieces of brisket were tender and meaty.  Loved eating this with the rice as it was total comfort food.

We ended off big with the Gamjatang Geongol that arrived in a huge pot served on a butane burner.  This came with 2 bowls of rice.  Sure, this was $53.00 but this had 8 large pork backbones that were tender, but still meaty.  The flavours of the pork bone broth were rich, sweet and a bit spicy.  Could definitely taste the perilla seeds.  Overall, the food at Kosoo Robson is fantastic.  Portions are huge and preparation is on point.  Sure, the prices are on the higher end, but usually, the portion sizes are for 2 people or more.  So don't let the prices fool you, it is actually a really good value, especially for a location right on Robson.

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

The Good:
- Large portions
- On point food
- Good location for those in downtown

The Bad:
- The place could use some renovations