Nadri Korean Cuisine & Fried Chicken

It is always a real delight to find hidden gems, especially when they truly hidden (like you cannot see it unless you knew where it was).  However, Nadri Korean Cuisine & Fried Chicken isn't really a hidden gem per se because it has been around for a year or so.  Therefore, I have totally missed the boat or have been living under a rock to not know about it.  Can I blame it on Covid?  Whatever the case, I finally made it out to try the place, which is located in a food court adjacent to the HanNam market on North Road on the Burnaby side.

One of my favourite Korean dishes is the Tangsuyook and of course I got to try it.  This was a huge portion of large chicken pieces that were fried perfectly.  I often find that the batter can be rather gummy, but this one was light and crispy.  Since they served the sauce on the side, the chicken remained crispy from start to finish.  About that sauce, it was lightly sweet and tangy with plenty of ingredients.

Staying with the deep-fryer, their KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) was fantastic as well.  We got the Honey Garlic and Sweet & Spicy in the bone-in version.  With large leg portions, the chicken was tender and juicy.  Skin was nicely rendered and crispy too.  I found the flavour to be good with the sweet & spicy being the most impactful.  The stickiness of the sauce only helped it stay adhered to each piece.  The honey garlic was more subtle but was still tasty.

Going with the usual classics, we had the Dolset Bibimbap.  As I've always said, this is not a complex dish.  Rather, it is all about the ingredients and the rice.  Well, the ingredients were good and plentiful.  The rice was chewy and not overly wet.  Good thing too because once we added the gochujang, it provided both spice and more moisture.

Next up, we were presented with a large plate of Japchae that was full of ingredients.  I liked how the noodles were not clumped together while not being greasy at the same time.  There was a balance of flavours with enough sweetness and saltiness.  Good essence from the onions and peppers.  There was enough sliced tender beef despite it not being evident in the picture.

They also make their own Dumplings, where we tried the kimchi and the regular pork.  The first thing that we noticed was the paper thin dumpling wrapper which was delicate, but still had an al dente chew.  Inside, the pork filling was soft and moist with a balanced amount of veg.  We preferred the kimchi dumplings as it had a nice kick and tang.

Lastly, we got the Chicken Bulgogi served with a side of rice.  This featured tender strips of chicken that had a nice sear.  It was also well-marinated so it had the classic salty sweet caramelized flavour.  Obviously, we didn't finish all this food and ended up taking the rest home.  This is actually an important point since Nadri is mainly a counter service restaurant, so it is perfectly suited for takeout.  Especially in these uncertain times, this is a great way to enjoy authentic Korean food in a safe environment or from your own home.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:
- Solid authentic Korean eats
- Good portions
- Great for takeout and delivery

The Bad:
- Limited dining space due to Covid, but it is safe

 

Chef 2 Home

I admit it.  Yes it is true, there are times I resort to the dreaded store-bought frozen dinner.  Okay I said it.  Judge me if you want.  But one can't deny it is convenient and generally well-priced.  On the flip side, if you've ever looked at the back of a Swanson's dinner, the nutritional (or lack of) facts are rather disturbing.  I guess it is a great way to get a day's worth of sodium and fat, if that was your goal.  There is an alternative though with Chef 2 Home. You can have meals delivered that are fresh (albeit you have to reheat) and generally better for you than a frozen dinner.

They deliver every Tuesday and Thursday with a 2-dish minimum order ($15.00 each) or $54.00 for a meal plan consisting of both days and 4 dishes in total.  Our first order consisted of Chicken Kiev and Cabbage Rolls.  The food came packaged in hard plastic take-out boxes, which could be used in the microwave.  I decided to transfer them onto a plate instead.  For the Chicken Kiev (I didn't heat it up for the picture), the chicken was moist despite being subjected to the microwave.  This was partially due to the garlic butter on top which melted to give both extra flavour, but also more moisture.  The large serving of cabbage rolls was on point with tender leaves that were not soggy.  Inside, the rice and tomato sauce mixture was well-seasoned having a nice balance between sweet and tangy.

Our next order included Mongolian Beef as well as Bacon Mac & Cheese. As much as the flavour of the Mongolian beef was rich and deeply sweet (it penetrated the meat), the beef itself was a bit on the drier side.  That was directly the result of it being a lean cut.  With that being said, it wasn't tough either.  As much as plain white rice isn't super exciting, they nailed it where it was fluffy while still chewy and not soggy.  Well, the mac & cheese was a hit with the kiddies as it was littered with meaty bacon.  Moreover, the pasta was still al dente despite being reheated.  The sauce was sinfully cheesy and full-flavoured.  It didn't hurt that there was a layer of shredded cheddar on top that melted nicely in the microwave.  

With each package, we got 2 homemade Cookies for dessert.  The first time, it was chocolate chip marshmallow and the second was rainbow chip.  These were pretty sweet due to the ingredients, yet not overwhelmingly so.  Texturally, they were crispy on the outside and appealingly chewy and soft on the inside - a nice way compliment to some pretty solid meals.  Sure, the stuff from Chef2Home isn't necessarily fancy, but they are done well and offer up an alternative to canned or frozen food.  This is especially useful for people who are either too busy or unable to go out, shop and then prepare a home-cooked meal.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Food holds up well when reheated in the microwave
- Cost is reasonable for a weekly meal plan that includes delivery

The Bad:
- Since it has to be reheated, one must time things right for it to come out like it should