Holbox

On my previous visits to LA in 2019 and 2022, we ate at a lot of places but never got to hit up Holbox.  It came highly-recommended and in fact, has recently just been award a Michelin star.  High praise for a food stall located in Mercato La Paloma.  Chef Gilbert Cetina fuses Coastal Mexican cuisine with Southern Californian and Baja Califorinan influences.  They have an 8-course dinner on Thursdays and Fridays, but Viv and I were only able to make it out for lunch while we were in LA.

No matter, because there is still plenty to feast on including the Shrimp Aguachile.  This has to be one of the best, if not the best aguachiles I've had.  There was definite heat from the spicy green aguachile, but it was also refreshing and acidic.  It was also properly seasoned where the sweet shrimp took on all of the flavors.  The addition of crispy shrimp heads were great being a textural contrast to the soft shrimp.  Nice little tweak that elevated this dish.  Oh, and this came with saltines that you can enjoy with the aguachilie.

Next, we had the Blue Fin Tostada with avocado puree and arbol peanut sauce.  Featuring Baja California farmed blue fin tuna cerviche, the buttery soft texture really came through.  Also, the unmistakable sweetness and freshness of the sea was present as well.  Despite being a ceviche, the acidity was dialed down enough to let the blue fin shine.  The avocado puree only added some creaminess as it was mild while the peanut sauce was also creamy with smokiness.  Some pico de gallo provided some crunch and extra brightness.

Another killer dish was the Sopa de Mariscos (Seafood Stew).  This consisted of local rockfish, shrimp, kanpachi, mussels and house-made fish sausage.  This was outstanding where all of the seafood juices were completely incorporated into the broth. Therefore, the natural sweet and brininess of the seafood was at the forefront.  The whole thing was also properly seasoned.  Perfect for dipping that toasted airy bread.  The seafood itself was beautifully cooked where the fish was flaky and the mussels were plump.

From all the choices of tacos, we got a few including the Baja Shrimp and the Octopus.  Crispy on the outside while meaty and perfectly cooked on the inside, the shrimp were pretty sweet on their own.  However, the addition of some cabbage, crema, mayo, salsa roja and pico de gallo added crunch, brightness, acidity and background spice.  As for the octopus, it was tender with just a bit of crispiness on the outside.  It sat atop a calamari ink sofrito which provided some moisture as well as sweetness and earthiness.

Our last item was the Smoked Kanpachi Taco with local queso Oxaca, salsa cruda, avocado & peanut salsa macha. This was on par with the aguachile and seafood stew as our favorite item.  The flavors in this were impactful and memorable.  From the smokiness of the fish to the smoky and nutty salsa macha, this was addictive and we wanted another.  But alas, we were rather full and completely satisfied.  I gotta say that Holbox definitely deserves its Michelin-Star.  The food is fantastic in terms of freshness and execution.  It is interesting and does not hold back in announcing its flavors.  I would come back in a heartbeat and really, I need to get resos for that dinner tasting menu!

The Good:
- Fantastic flavors
- Food is exciting
- Relatively affordable

The Bad:
- Well, it is in a market and seating is a bit hard to find at peak times

Sen Pad Thai (Granville Island Public Market)

I've been a big supporter of Sen Pad Thai since they opened up on Granville Island in 2017.  Back then, they were not located in the Public Market, rather, they were in the Net Loft across the street.  From that very first visit, I was hooked on their wok-fry dishes as the caramelization and searing provided intense aroma.  I do believe they have one of the best versions of Pad Siew within the Lower Mainland.  So I didn't need much convincing to head over and do a sampling of their menu.

Part of Chef Angus An's restaurant group that includes Maenam, Longtail Kitchen, Fat Mao Noodles and partnership with Popina Canteen, Sen Pad Thai just continues the tradition of delicious and authentic food. We started with their Roti with curry dipping sauce.  This crispy flatbread was nicely browned while soft and chewy inside.  I would've like them to be a bit less dense, but they were still good.  That curry sauce was aromatic with some spice.  We also had the Crispy Thai Garlic Chicken Wings.  The rice flour batter was supremely crispy and held up even after dipping into the tamarind sauce.  Definite hits of garlic while the sweet & tangy tamarind helped brighten things up.  I would've liked to see the wings have a bit more salt to them though.

Beyond the stir fries, one of their most prominent dishes is their Crispy Pork Belly.  They prepare it fresh on-site and is best first thing in the morning as the place opens.  It is served atop rice with a soft boiled egg, pickled mustard greens, anise sauce, and soy.  I dug into this first as I didn't want to let the pork belly sit.  Oh it was really good where the pork was fatty but with enough meat while the crackling was firmly crunchy.  I could just eat the pork belly by itself and call it a day!

My go to dish here when it comes to rice is the Khao Pad featuring fried rice with thai nam sausage, gai lan, onion and cherry tomato.  Immediately after opening up the box, I was hit with the caramelized aroma of the rice.  The nuttiness combined with the pungency of the fish sauce made this textbook fried rice.  Add in the cubes of pork sausage and this robust and filling.  Little pops of acidity was provided by the cooked down tomatoes.  Texturally, the rice was perfect with discernible grains and an appealing chewiness.

Of course we had to have their namesake right?  We got the Pad Thai Goong and it also came with a fried egg. This has always been a solid version of the dish with great wok hei (from a very hot wok) that creates searing on the noodles.  Hence, the smokiness was evident and the tanginess of the tamarind really dominated.  Some might find it sour, but I much prefer this over being overly sweet.  The noodles were texturally on point with a chewiness while the prawns were perfectly prepared.

It would be a crime not to order the Pad Siew here since I consider it one of the best in town.  The menu states that they use fresh rice noodle sheets, but I swear they are more like mung bean noodles.  Anyways, the texture of the noodles here were chewy and the ribbons helped create adhesion for the tender beef and seasoning.  Once again, the wok hei ensured that the noodles and flavours were caramelized with smokiness and sweetness.  The gai lan was subjected to that too and it was vibrant and crunchy.

For their Daily Curry, they were featuring a Chicken Curry.  It was aromatic, creamy from the coconut milk and definitely had a kick.  There was a plethora of tender dark meat chicken as well as Thai basil, green beans and peppers.  This was served with a side of rice.  Overall, the food at Sen Pad Thai satisfied as per usual.  Considering this is a food stall, the food can rival those of a full-service restaurant.  Prices are not cheap, but what is these days?  I still think it has some of the best wok hei in town and it shows in the stir-fries.

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

The Good:
- Excellent wok hei (high wok heat)
- One of the best, if not the best Pad Siew in town
- That crispy pork belly!

The Bad:
- Roti could be a bit less dense
- Not unique to Sen Pad Thai, but the market food court is crazy busy at peak times, finding a table is almost impossible  

Matsunoki Ramen

While we were dining at Buranko Cafe the day before, I noticed that Pine Street Market was right across the street.  You see, we were scheduled to check out Matsunoki Ramen, which is located right in the market.  The place has only been in operation for less than a year, but the people behind it are no rookies.  They have countless years of experience in producing delicious and authentic ramen.  We were excited to try the place out and really loved the vibes of the market at this counter-service food stall.

Before we got to the ramen, we began with an array of appies including the Fried Shishito Peppers with chili mayo and the Popcorn Tofu with spicy soy-sesame sauce.  These were yummy little bites with the shishito being fairly mild except for a few outliers.  The chili mayo was a good compliment, but since the peppers were salted already, they ate well on their own.  The little fried cubes of tofu were pretty crispy and mildly-flavoured.  It definitely needed the soy sauce on the side.  Nice balance with the sauce.

As much as Matsunoki serves ramen, they also feature fried chicken on the menu.  We had their Jumbo Tenders marinated in soy, ginger and spices.  As such, the tenders had plenty of impact.  They were fried until crispy (as the menu suggested) and served with a side of curry dip.  Despite the appearance of an aggressive deep fry, the chicken tenders were actually quite moist and almost juicy.  The ginger really came through.

Onto the ramen, my son went for his usual in the Black Garlic Shoyu with fresh garlic, black garlic oil, garlic crunch, ramen egg and pork belly chashu.  This was legit with a rich broth that wasn't too heavy, but still had plenty of umaminess and aroma.  Lots of meatiness with the triple garlic making an impact where we had texture, fermented essence and the sharpness of the fresh garlic.  The thin noodles were al dente while the chashu was buttery soft and nicely torched.

My daughter had something from their Winter Special Menu in the Hokkaido Butter Ramen with a tonkotsu shoyu, black pepper, butter, diced chashu, ramen egg, corn, green onion, bean sprouts and sesame.  As expected, the broth was buttery with the nutty fattiness of the butter coming through.  It was not heavy, yet still full-of-depth with a certain silkiness.  Nice addition of some black pepper to offer a background bite.  This one had the thick noodles and there was a much more firm texture.

Viv had the Spicy Garlic Ramen with triple garlic, ma-po tofu, green onions, ramen egg and pork belly chashu.  Yah, they weren't kidding when they said "all the fire".  This had a real kick, but at the same time, wasn't painful to eat.  We could still discern the garlic from the spicy broth.  Loved the addition of the tofu as it added a silky texture while offering up another layer of spice.  This came with thin noodles and personally, I would've chosen thick instead to stand up to the intensity of the broth.

For myself, I went really off-the-board with the Vegan Tokyo Shoyu with corn, collard greens, green onion, sprouts and marinated tofu.  You know what?  This was good!  It is true that this was the lightest of the 4 bowls of ramen, but it had a clean broth that had umaminess, sweetness and surprising depth.  The thick noodles were chewy and appealing while the seared tofu did its best "meat" interpretation with a firm texture.  Overall, the food at Matsunoki Ramen was delicious and reasonably-priced.  Appies were good, but the real stars were the bowls of ramen.  Can't go wrong with any of the ones we had.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Discernible differences with each bowl of ramen
- Impactful flavors
- Things are prepared properly

The Bad:
- Being in a market, seating can be hard to find during busy times

F.N. Pasta Fresca

While we were munching on meats and cheeses at Enoteca Salumeria Lombardi, we were staring at the huge lineup at the F.N. Pasta Fresca kitty corner in the Mercato Centrale in Florence.  That really piqued my interest and I vowed to return to try it.  After touring the Uffizi Gallery in the morning, we made our way back to the market and lined up for fresh pasta at only 6 Euros each.  You pick your pasta and your sauce and it is made freshly in their small kitchen. Sure, there isn't really anywhere to eat this other than some counter seating or if you brought it upstairs to the food court.  Fortunately, we were staying nearby and merely brought it back to our apartment.

I decided to get the chef's recommendation in the Ravioli al Limone with olio e parmigiano.  This was really good featuring big raviolis stuffed with ricotta cheese and lemon.  I found that the lemon really came through in an aromatic sense rather than being tangy.  The pasta itself was firmly al dente and held up even with the short walk back to the apartment.  Dressed merely in olive oil and parmesan, the flavours were nutty and slightly salty.  But not strong enough to take away from the subtlties of the pasta.

While in line, I noticed someone scoffing down some Spaghetti alla Chitarra with ragu di cinghiale.  I found this to be appealingly firm which was partially due to the perfect preparation but also the squared cross section rather than being round.  This robust texture went well with the wild boar ragu.  The ragu itself was rich and thick with the deep flavours of the meat and fat coming through.  It was a bit salty, yet at the same time that helped flavour the firm pasta.

The biggest portion of pasta happened to be the Gnocchi with ragu bolognese.  Honestly, for 6 Euros, this would definitely fill someone up.  Beyond the value, this was also delicious with the gnocchi being tender with a bite.  This was even better than the one we had in Rome on our first night (at a restaurant).  As for the ragu, it was plenty meaty with lots of body and natural flavours from the meat and tomatoes.  This was a less creamy bolognese and was much tangier.  This was also a touch salty.

Our last pasta was the Fagottini di Carne with pomodoro.  This was a good pairing of pasta and sauce since the meat-filled pasta was already robust and meaty.  The light pomodoro with plenty of fresh tomatoes acted as a counter-balance provided a lighter and brighter finish.  The pasta itself was thin and al dente while being delicate.  We felt that the pasta at F.N. Pasta Fresca to be more than acceptable given the price point.  Compared to the pasta I had at the Mercato Centrale in Rome, this was light-years ahead in quality and execution (comparing apples to apples).  Would gladly eat again if I was back in Florence.

The Good:

- Cheap

- Well-prepared

- More than acceptable given the price and venue

The Bad:

- A bit salty

- Long line (but moves)

Mercato Centrale Roma

I initially booked out hotel close to Roma Termini for a couple of reasons.  First, I would be arriving into the station from the airport by train, so a quick walk to our hotel with luggage would be preferable.  Secondly, we would be leaving by train at the same station en route to Florence.  So that part of the plan worked out flawlessly and our hotel turned out to be pretty good as well.  However, a byproduct of staying so close to the termini would be access to Mercato Centrale with all of its selection of quick eats.  We ended up grabbing lunch here twice during our stay in Rome.

Upon entering the market, we spotted some pretty stacked pizzas at Il Forno di Raffaele D'Errico.  Yes, the display probably persuaded us to try their pizzas by the weight but really we shouldn't have.  This is not to say that there weren't enough toppings and also the crust wasn't heavy.  After a quick reheat in the oven, the crust was actually crunchy.  However, the pricing was rather pricey (32 Euros for 3 large slices of pizza), even though there was quite a bit of food.  We also found each slice to be too oily.

On the other hand at II Trapizzino, their sandwiches with ingredients stuffed in a triangular pizza-like shell were money.  Only 5 Euros each, they were filling and delicious.   My favourite was the Stracciatella with Anchovies.  They were not shy about cramming as much as they could in and it was overflowing with cheese.  The anchovies were briny and salty, which went well with the mild fresh cheese.  We also had the Polpette and it was a giant meatball that was tender but without much filler.  The sauce was tangy with lots of tomato flavour.  Surprisingly, the Pollo was probably the best tasting with fresh herbs.  The chicken itself was both plentiful and tender.  The bread itself was light and almost fluffy with a crispy exterior.

On another visit, I had to get some pasta at Las Pasta Fresca in the Linguine with Meat Sauce.  This was not a very good rendition of pasta, especially in Rome.  I found the linguine to be too al dente and hard.  As for the sauce, it was rather one-note being salty and not very tomatoey.  In fact, I didn't even get a good tanginess out of it.  No other distinguishing herbs or seasoning.

Viv and my son were craving burgers and went to Lo Smashburger.  She had the Single Smash Cheeseburger and he had the Double Smashburger.  Those came with pickles, onion, Joe's secret sauce and cheddar.  Believe it or not, these were actually quite decent.  The patties could've been thinner, but there was a good char and slight crispiness on the edges.  Good flavour with the meat too with natural taste accented by enough salt.  The bun was soft and conformed to the rest of the ingredients.

My daughter didn't go very complex and had the Caprese Sandwich from La Mozzarella e i Formaggi.  Pretty basic and nothing amazing but did the job nonetheless.  She found the bread a bit chewy but okay otherwise.  The ingredients were fresh and there was enough cheese, tomatoes and basil to make things interesting and not all bread.  As you can see, the food at the Mercato was not gourmet by any stretch of the imagination.  However, it isn't meant to be.  It served its purpose where we got some quick eats with II Trapizzino being my favourite and a must visit in my opinion.

The Good:

- A variety of eats for reasonable prices

- II Trapizzino is the star of the show

- Won't take long to get your food

The Bad:

- Not everything is good there.  Do your research

Kaneko Hannosuke (The Amazing Brentwood)

Here I am again at The Amazing Brentwood.  This time around, I was invited with Roanna, Jess and Eileen to try out Kaneko Hannosuke.  Now I've been here before and in fact, is one of my son's favourite things to eat.  This happens to be the only location of Kaneko Hannosuke since the Robson store has quietly closed.  To be honest, I was initially skeptical of tempura on rice as it just didn't seem like something I'd enjoy.  But after several meals later, I have concluded that I indeed like it and have come back a few times.  Unlike those individual visits, we decided to try the whole menu out at this tasting.

So let's start with the most basic version first in the Regular Tempura Bowl sporting mushroom, shrimp, kakiage, soft boiled egg, seaweed and green bean.  Underneath the tempura was a layer of rice that was about 1/2 deep from the top (as the plastic bowl inside the paper bowl doesn't go all the way to the bottom).  On the side, we found miso soup, tendon sauce and pickled ginger.  I can confirm that this is a sufficient amount of food as it was enough for me.  The sauce on the side ensures that the tempura doesn't get soggy and also you can control the seasoning for the dish.

For those who want some meat with their seafood, there is the Chicken Tempura Bowl with everything in the regular bowl except the mushrooms were subbed out in favour of chicken.  Hence, this was a bit more filling something was like chicken karaage but not (due to the batter).  Chicken was tender and juicy while the batter was crunchy, even with sauce poured over it.  The rice was nicely chewy where the fried soft-poached egg offered up some moisture. 

Continuing on filling, the Salmon Tempura Bowl had 2 pieces of fried salmon that were the same size as the chicken.  It wasn't as juicy per se, but it wasn't dry either.  Once again, the batter was aggressively crunchy on all of the ingredients (they actually stay crunchy even if you bring it home as takeout).  The sweet and salty sauce complimented the rice and tempura nicely.  I found it similar to tempura sauce, but with a bit more depth and flavour.

One of my favourites is the Sea Scallop Tempura Bowl where if you notice, the ingredients are the same except for one item.  These are the giant scallops in this case and they were cooked perfectly.  Being buttery with a rebound, these scallops were sweet and featured a taste of the sea.  Just like the other bowls, the tempura batter was not exactly thin, but it wasn't heavy either.

Another one of my preferred options, the Oyster Tempura Bowl that, you guessed it, replaces the scallops with 3 medium-sized oysters.  The oysters were fresh and fried up just right.  They were juicy and briny with a slight amount of chew from the mantle.  Due to the shape and indentations of the oyster, there was much more tempura batter on it and hence, it was even more crunchy.

For those who really love their shrimp, the Ebi Tempura Bowl is the one for them.  It not only includes the 2 shrimp tempura from the original ingredients, this bowl added 3 more to give it a total of 5 shrimp tempura.  This featured shrimp that had a meaty snap and plenty of sweet shrimpy aroma.  Batter was aggressive and hence the crunch was firm.  I put a bit more sauce on these to soften them up a touch.

Now onto the Special Tempura Bowl, this also included the same stuff but the main ingredient was subbed for white fish.  It was quite heavily battered, but once again, the crunch was not heavy.  I didn't have the appetite to try this one, but based on past visits, the fish does remain moist.  Also love the fried nori as it eats like a chip.  The mixed seafood tempura was mostly comprised of squid which was tender with a soft chew.

The granddaddy of them all is the Premium Tempura Bowl featuring a really large piece of conger eel.  As such, this was the most filling of all and worthy of the $19.95 price tag.  My teenage son gets full after eating this and in fact, I bought one of these (on my own coin) to take home because he wanted one.  Compared to the salmon and white fish, the eel was the most moist of them all.  So as you can see, the bowls are very similar except for one key ingredient.  Prices range from $16.95 to the aforementioned premium bowl at $19.95.  If you love tempura, this will suit your fancy.  I never thought I would like this, but after many visits, it has won me over.

*All bowls were complimentary except for the one I bought for my son... LOL*

The Good:
- Crunchy tempura that isn't greasy
- Is quite filling
- That sauce is nicely balanced and not salty

The Bad:
- Only location locally for now since the Robson one is gone (so only food court for now)
- May need more sauce than what is supplied

Anaheim Packing District

We weren't planning on visiting the Anaheim Packing District Food Hall while we were in town, not because we had better things to eat, but we didn't even know about it!  While we were dining with Jess at Playa Provisions, she suggested that we check it out.  That we did... twice!  There is a good selection of eats there and it offers a little of something for everyone.  Best thing of all, most of the food stalls are unique where you won't be finding any big chains setting up shop.

My son didn't need to see what was available because he essentially ordered the first thing he did see!  That would be Zabon Ramen and Rolls.  He got the aptly named Zabon Ramen featuring a chicken and pork broth with soy, chashu, cabbage and fried onion.  He added an egg as well.  The broth was definitely rich as advertised and even a bit greasy.  Not advisable to drink the whole thing.  It wasn't salty, but had good umaminess.  Noodles were al dente and the pork was generally tender with some chewier portions.  Egg was custardy in the middle and nicely seasoned.  He added a California Roll with Salmon for good measure and it was pretty standard.  Rice was chewy being a touch dry.  Good rice-to-ingredient ratio and the amount of salmon was enough.

For myself, I ordered 2 items from 206 BCE including the Sausage Anti-Gravity Noodles.  I know, I know, this looks like a complete gimmick that won't taste good.  Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news (or is it good news?) because this was tasty!  The ample egg noodles were bathed in a delicious garlicky soy butter that was impactful and aromatic.  I couldn't stop eating the al dente noodles! There was plenty of sliced sausage (of the seafood boil variety) hidden underneath.

The other item was the Specialty Pho featuring an entire beef rib, rare beef, meatballs and brisket.  As you can clearly see (sorry for the pun), the broth was clean and clear.  Hence, the flavor was mild and light with only the slightest meatiness and sweetness.  I could pick out some daikon and minor hits of anise.  The amount of meat in this was mind-boggling, especially for the price ($14.00).  I found the meats to be tender and the rib fell off the bone.  Worth the price in my opinion.

My daughter was extremely boring with her choice of the French BLT Sandwich from Le Parfait Paris.  This consisted of brie, lettuce, tomato, turkey, prosciutto, honey and garlic aioli.  Maybe I'm being a bit harsh saying this was boring because brie and prosciutto are higher end sandwich ingredients, but she normally chooses the most complex things!  All-in-all, this was a good sandwich with layers of flavor from salty to sweet.

Viv decided on the Shrimp Pad Thai from the White Elephant.  Although this may not look like a lot of food, it was actually more than enough.  Loved the high wok heat applied to the dish as there was caramelization of flavors as well as evaporating most of the moisture.  In turn, the dish didn't eat wet, but was not dry either.  Good tang from the tamarind balanced off by the palm sugar.  Decent spice too as this was well-balanced and tasty.

On our next visit, I decided to hit up Georgia's Kitchen for the Fried Catfish Po' Boy with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, tartar and garlic mayo on a French roll.  I thought the catfish was nicely prepared being soft and almost flaky.  The cornmeal batter was crunchy and well-spiced.  However, the French roll was a bit dense.  This was a bit much for the amount of catfish and therefore, the fish got lost.  Otherwise, this was generally good.  The side of fries were hot and crispy.

For some inexplicable reason, my daughter once again went for a sandwich. At least this was something I would've considered ordering.  This was the Classic from Black Sheep GCB.  Featuring sharp cheddar and Swiss, the sandwich was simple yet flavorful due to the sharpness.  Bread was evenly grilled with a crispy surface.  She got a side of Scratch-made Tomato Soup on the side for dipping.  It was tangy, yet balanced with nice depth and sweetness.  Perfect match for the grilled cheese she chose.

My son went for the Loco Moco Poutine from The Kroft.  Yes, this looked messy and ate equally messy.  Other than crispy fries, this boasted meatloaf, brown gravy, fried onions, cheese curds, fried egg and ketchup glaze (he omitted the green onions).  In one sense, he enjoyed this as it was super filling and each individual ingredient was prepared well.  However, it became a bit monotonous the more he ate it.  Maybe if there was a smaller portion, it would've been enough.

Viv had probably the most visually unappealing dish in the Chili Cheese Baked Potato also from the Kroft.  I guess it ate better than it looked, but there seemed to be lacking in toppings.  For the size of the potato, there should've been more chili.  About that chili, it was quite good though with spice and tang.  There was also bacon, sour cream, chopped onions and green onion, so the flavors were there, we just needed more of it.

We got something sweet to end things off with some Gelato Pops from the Popbar.  We've actually had these before and although they aren't the best gelato/sorbetto we've ever had, it is portable and serviceable.  We got them all coated in chocolate (with one in sprinkles).  From left to right is pineapple, berry and vanilla.  So these are the places we visited at the Anaheim Packing District.  There are a few more that we didn't get to but looked promising.  If you have wheels and are tired of all the stuff in and around Disneyland, just make the short drive here to get something different.

The Good:
- Nice variety of vendors
- Appealing dining space
- Not too far from the tourist attractions

The Bad:
- Parking is limited
- Place gets a bit warm