Milestones Coquitlam Test Kitchen

There was a time that Milestone's was the place to be.  For those who remember (or are that old), we couldn't get enough of those Thai Drumettes, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Portobello Mushroom Chicken, Burger with curly fries and of course their Prime Rib.  Yes, they were the sh*t and were already onto the "elevated chain restaurant" path, even before Cactus Club and Joey Tomato's (now known as Joey) pivoted from casual eats to a bit higher-end.  However, somewhere down the road, they were passed by the aforementioned chains as well as Earl's.  Now they have totally remodelled their Coquitlam location and added "Test Kitchen" to their name.  As with most test kitchens, the menu consists of items that are not available at any other location.   They are "test" dishes to see if they work with the customers.  We decided to try the place out to see if good things were cooking at Milestone's these days.

We arrived in time for Happy Hour and got their 3 for $39.00 deal, where we could pick any 3 appetizers from the ones listed.  Our favourite was easily the Calamari.  It featured large strips of squid that were quite tender with just the slightest of chew.  On the outside, there was a crispy and well-seasoned batter.  We found 2 different sauces on the side.  I thought the preserved lemon aioli was the one that complimented the calamari the best.  It was tangy and creamy while allowing the squid to stand out.  The other sauce consisted of spiced andouille sausage & tomato ragu.  Nice tang and spice, but better on a meatball.

On the topic of meatballs, we also had the Moroccan Meatballs.  These were fairly large in size and slightly dense.  However, the meatball itself was moist and naturally meaty.  There was enough filler in there to keep things tender without compromising the natural beef texture.  Since these were advertised at Moroccan, the spices offered up earthiness with the cumin and classic fall flavours with cloves.  The accompanying spiced tomato and pepper sauce was tasty being tangy and sweet with a bit of heat.  However, we really could've done with much more of it.  There was also crispy focaccia on the side.

Our last appie was the Sweet Chili Chicken Bites with crispy wonton strips, cucumber, green onion and sesame seeds.  As expected, the flavour profile of this dish was rather defaultish due to the use of sweet chili sauce.  Nothing particularly wrong with the dish as the chunks of breast meat were not dry and the batter was still crispy despite the dousing of sauce.  The sauce was typical being thick like a glaze and having mostly sweetness with just a touch of heat.  I think the addition of wonton strips and fresh cucumber helped with the texture and also provide some freshness.

For good measure, we got the OMG Pepperoni Pizza and it was loaded with toppings.  There was so much cheese and pepperoni on it that the crust couldn't stand up to it.  So beyond the crispy edges, the middle of the pizza was really soft.  Definitely a fork and knifer or if you so please, folded over.  This really tasted good though as the sauce was sufficient with an appealing sweet tanginess.  The amount of provolone and mozzarella made things stringy and cheesy.  Yes, the amount of pepperoni was generous which added salt and of course pepperiness.

Onto the mains, my daughter had the classic Portobello Mushroom Chicken.  It has changed a bit in terms of overall presentation and execution, but it remains as one of their best dishes.  Instead of capellini, they use fettuccine now which is a better choice.  I found that the thin strands of the original pasta got soft quickly while the fettuccine here was al dente.  Employing a basil pesto cream sauce rather than the mushroom cream sauce is a solid evolution.  Still plenty creamy, but now with some brightness, it is plenty tasty.  Of course, we can't forget about the chicken, still tender and juicy.

My son went for the other original item in the 1989 Burger.  It was a substantial burger back then and it isn't any different now.  Thick, juicy and nicely charred, the burger patty was as good as I had remembered.  It was one of my go-to items at Milestone's and I'm glad they kept it around.  It had smoked bacon and cheddar on a soft sesame egg bun.  However, the one thing that did change was the omission of the curly fries.  I loved those and miss them!  My son opted for the sweet potato fries, and they were fairly crispy.

Viv had one of the test kitchen items in the Seafood Risotto.  Generally, I've had very few good risottos in my lifetime, so I wasn't expecting much from this one.  Alas, the rice was overdone, but as a dish, it was not bad. The risotto didn't spread on the plate well, but it was still creamy and flavourful.  It might have bordered on being salty, but no one could complain it was bland.  There was a wealth of seafood present including bay scallops and shrimp with a half lobster on top.  We also found caramelized onions and leeks which provided sweetness and some brightness.  But the most defining ingredient was the lobster tomato broth which made things taste like a lobster bisque.  Quite tasty.

For myself, I continued the seafood theme with the Lobster Frites.  Featuring 2 split whole lobster tails and a pile of fries, this was quite appealing at first glance.  The charred lobster tails were prepared perfectly with juicy and bouncy meat.  It was barely cooked through retaining much of the natural sweetness and aroma.  They were basted some roasted garlic & herb butter which was also well-salted.  I enjoyed the fries as well since they were uniformly crispy.  They came with the classic watercress dip.

My mom went for her standby being the Steak Frites.  We asked for medium-rare and it came out as such.  The steak was sufficiently tender with a decent char and proper seasoning.  We found the demi-glace rather salty as well and being maybe a bit too thick.  It did have plenty of flavour as a result which meant the steak was not lacking flavour.  As for the fries, they were exactly like the ones on my plate and hence, they were pretty good.  

For dessert, we shared 2 of them including the Colossal Chocolate Cake.  Bringing back quasi-memories of the one I had at Claim Jumper, this was 6 layers tall and plenty chocolatey. I found the cake itself to be moist and not particularly sweet.  In between, the chocolate ganache was flavourful and purposefully sweet.  I found it plenty rich, but not heavy.  This cake was good and although we were full, we dusted it off.  I think the restrained sweetness and rich dark chocolate flavour made this cake.  Would definitely eat this again.

The other dessert was the Pistachio & White Chocolate Crème Brûlée.  Although it looked big, the plate was pretty shallow.  That was actually a good thing as a crème brûlée shouldn't be deep.  Hence, there was just enough creamy and lightly sweet custard underneath.  It was a bit nutty, but not too strong with pistachio.  The sugar topping shattered beautifully and provided the sweetness for the dessert.  Overall, Milestones Test Kitchen is not bad.  Sure, there could be some improvements made with most of the dishes, but compared to say...  the defunct White Spot R&D, it is miles ahead.  Now hopefully they bring back the Thai Drumettes!

The Good:

- Ample portions

- Not bad

- Excellent service

The Bad:

- Salt levels are a bit high

- Not bad, but could use further refinement

Paramount Chinese Seafood Restaurant

Formerly Lucky Plus, the chinese restaurant on the corner of Rupert and 22nd is now known as Paramount Chinese Seafood Restaurant.  Not to be confused with Golden Paramount in Richmond, this is a totally new crew.  We had stopped by for Dim Sum earlier this year but I just never got around to posting about it.  Now on my second visit, I was able to order more dishes and yes, now I'm going to put my 2 cents in about the place.  Just like before, they have free underground parking available, but it fills up fast and for some reason, the elevator needs a key card to operate.  Seating is a bit tight, unless you score one of the booths by the window.  They are pretty busy, so best to grab a reso.

For our food, we got a bunch of the usual items including the Ha Gau (Steamed Shrimp Dumpling).  Rather than the standard 4 dumplings, they give you 5 here.  They were pretty good with a medium-thick dumpling skin.  It was translucent with a nice chewy bounciness that was soft. Inside, the shrimp filling was juicy and plump with the desired rebound texture.  Seasoning was good too where I could still taste the natural sweetness and aroma of the shrimp.  I did eat it with hot sauce though.  

Of course now I need to talk about the Siu Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumpling) too.  These were rather large with a good mix of bouncy pork, fat and shrimp that had the buttery snap texture.  However, I feel that they didn't mix the filling properly as one of the dumplings was inundated with fatty gristle.  I had to spit half of the filling out because I couldn't chew it.  Other than that, the dumplings were good having enough seasoning to calm the pork flavour down.

Both times I've ordered the Beef Meatballs and I would say they beat the heck out of the meat to the point there is no meat texture.  These were so fluffy that it seemed like there was more air than meat.  However, I can see how this could be appealing to some people who want something easy to chew and not being too heavy.  For me personally, I would prefer the meatball to have more density and some natural meat texture left.  Flavourwise, they did taste good and of course with some Worcestershire on the side too.

Employing the same airy and buttery beef, the Beef Ribbon Rice Noodle Rolls were pretty much a uniform texture.  Almost fluffy and soft with only the slightest chew, the rice noodle was really good.  However, there was a lack of beef weaved into the mix, hence, it was mostly noodle.  For the beef that was in there, it was the same as the beef meatballs as mentioned.  It definitely needed some soy since there was a lack of meat.  For the more typical version, we also had the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll (on a separate visit) and it was good.  Although the rice noodle wasn't the thinnest, it was still buttery soft with some elasticity.  There was a good amount of bouncy and seasoned shrimp inside.

On the same visit, we went for the Steamed Pork Spareribs.  Yes, these ate just as good at the picture would imply.  The dish consisted of meaty rib pieces that were tender with the classic bouncy chewiness.  These were the beneficiary of the ample minced garlic, which added aroma and impact.  It was also well-seasoned which was salty enough without being salty.  Also liked that there wasn't too much moisture on the bottom of the plate.  Some tapioca starch helped create a glaze of sorts that added silkiness to each bite.

Both visits yielded my favourite dish, Steamed Beef Tripe and Tendon.  As you can see in the picture, the portion size was generous.  Cut into large pieces, the tripe was tender with an appealing chewiness.   The tendon was soft with its classic gelatinous texture.  Every piece of tendon was the same texture, unlike some versions where we have some melted and others tough and chewy.  In terms of seasoning, the dish was plenty savoury, sweet and garlicky with a small dose of pepperiness.

One of my favourite Dim Sum dishes is the Bean Curd Skin Roll.  I try to order it whenever I can, but often it isn't everyone's cup of tea.  This one was good with a chewy, yet delicately fried (and then subsequently steamed) bean curd skin.  Inside, the pork filling was meaty with whole chunks and some fat as a binder.   There was some carrot and celery mixed into it and were soft, but still vibrant.  I thought the rolls were sufficiently seasoned enough so it wasn't just pork flavour.  For myself, I always dip it into Worcestershire sauce.

Presented in a large portion of large and plump segments, the Steamed Chicken Feet was really good.  Sometimes, we find chicken feet that are pretty shrivelled up from the deep fry.  These were super plump with soft cartilage and fat underneath.  Tender and soft, the skin and cartilage was easy to separate from the bone.  Much like the tripe and tendon, the flavours were savoury, sweet and garlicky.

As always, we got an order of the Shrimp Spring Rolls, even though the kids were not around.  Good decision though as these were also well-executed.  They were fried until golden and super crunchy with minimal greasiness.  Inside, the shrimp filling was not overly dense, but still packed in there.  Hence, we got plenty of the sweet shrimp crunch along with the garlic and seasoning.  They were also served piping hot, which made a big difference.

One dish we always get is the XO Daikon Radish Cake.  I'm not a huge fan of the pan fried version as it can often be pale-looking, in need of an actual hard sear.  For this version, it is cubed and deep-fried, then wok-tossed with XO sauce, sprouts and peppers.  This was solid with the daikon cake being crispy on the outside while soft and fluffy on the inside.  Good natural daikon flavour accented by the cured sausage.  I wished there was more spice from the XO sauce, but it was still tasty.

Occasionally, we order the Stuffed Eggplant with shrimp paste.  Not sure why we don't do it every time as it is Viv's favourite dish.  Well, this was a good version of it as the pieces were quite large.  Furthermore, there was more bouncy and sweet shrimp paste than eggplant.  As for the eggplant, it was fully cooked while not being totally mushy.  There was even a bit of crispiness on the outside.  However, the starch-thickened black bean sauce was rather weak and diluted.

On the other hand, we rarely order the Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) at Cantonese Dim Sum since it is a Shanghainese specialty.  We have rarely stumbled upon a good one and this was no exception.  It featured medium-thick dumpling skin that needed more elasticity.  Inside, there was some soup, but it wasn't the right flavour missing the shaoxing wine and ginger hits.  Meat was tender though and not gritty.

The one bigger dish we tried was the Chicken Clay Pot Rice.  They really overloaded this thing with well-marinated chicken.  Bone-in, the pieces of chicken were tender and buttery.  Once again, they were spot on with the tapioca starch, as it held onto the marinade with each piece of chicken.  As for the rice, it was dry (in a good way) and nutty.  Sure, there wasn't any socarrat, but I appreciated that the rice wasn't soggy.

Both times, we had the Baked Egg Tarts to end the meal.  I found the edges to be sufficiently golden brown where they were nutty and crispy.  The layers were discernible and shattered nicely when bitten into.  The egg custard was silky and only sweet enough.  Overall, both times we had Dim Sum at Paramount, it was pleasant and well-portioned.  Service was great, but a bit hard to flag down at times though.  Would return.

The Good:

- Above average Dim Sum

- Large portions

- Free parking

The Bad:

- Service is good, but hard to flag down when busy

- Seating in the middle is very tight

Phở Anh Vu

It seems like there are more and more Northern-style Vietnamese restaurants opening up in the GVRD recently.  It all started with Mr. Red, which has sadly closed its doors.  However, they could be reopening at another location.  Crab Hot Lau, Hanoi Old Quarter and Chen Vietnamese are some examples of more well-known Northern Vietnamese restaurants.  Now we have a massive chain from back East setting up shop in Richmond.  Phở Anh Vu occupies the former location of Dragon Group and is now one of the largest Vietnamese restaurants in town.  We made 2 separate visits to try a variety of dishes.

We began with their Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm Với Xôi or Fish Sauce Fried Chicken Wings with sticky rice.  Really good wings with rendered skin and a firmly crispy exterior.  This was still the case even though it was coated with a considerable amount of caramelized fish sauce.  About that sauce, it was richly sweet with the unmistakable funky brininess of fish sauce.  There was also the aromatics of garlic as well.  Within the wing, the meat was juicy and flavourful.  Really enjoyed the sticky rice on the side as it was moist and not dry while not being wet.

For those who don't already know, Northern-style Phở Dặc Biệt is lighter tasting and less rich than its Sourthern counterpart.  Also, it generally isn't served with sprouts and the sort (although since we are used to it here, they offer it).  Rather, there is the traditional pickled garlic condiment you would normally find at your table.  As expected, the Pho was definitely cleaner and less flavourful than the others found in town.  I did find it a bit too fatty for my liking, but it did add plenty of natural beef essence.  Although a bit more pricey than usual, the large portion size was considerable with lots of al dente noodles and tender meats.  Was nice to see they offered saw leaf herb on the side.

There was one dish on the menu that caught our attention, which was the Bún Chả Hà Nội Chả Giò or Ha Noi Style Vermicelli Noodles w/ Grilled Pork & Spring Rolls.  The only other place we have found this dish locally was at Cô Châu in New West.  That is sadly now closed and we were delighted that Phở Anh Vu has it on their menu.  We thought this version was very close to the Cô Châu dish.  The pork was beautifully grilled exhibiting caramelized flavours as well as smokiness.  It was tender and juicy while the fish sauce was mildly sweet with the usual brininess.  It went really well with the vermicelli noodles on the side as well as the variety of herbs.  The spring rolls were made with rice paper, hence, the outside was crispy and shattered upon every bite.  I found the filling to be a bit dense, but tender with some sweetness and slight pepperiness.

On other visit, we had the grilled pork again, since it was so good.  However, we added the Nem Cua Bể Hải Phòng or Square Crab Spring Roll (only available on weekends).  Of course we were going to compare this with the gold standard in the GVRD, Crab Hot Lau!  I thought it was pretty close with a shattering crispy outer shell while the pork filling was looser than the regular spring roll.  It was just as tender and moist.  There was a decent amount of fluffy and briny crab, but they supplemented it with prawns.  The dish came with lettuce (to wrap the spring roll), herbs and a big bowl of Nước Chấm.

We also had the Bún Bò Huế and opted not to have the Dặc Biệt version.  That one would have more of everything including the pork knuckle.  Instead, this one only had beef, sausage and pork blood.  I really enjoyed the broth as it was flavourful with hits of lemongrass, brininess and measured spice.  One of the better ones I've had lately.  Noodles were plentiful and at their chewy slippery best.  The ample amount of thinly sliced beef was super tender.  Overall, we quite enjoyed our 2 visits to Phở Anh Vu.  The food was well-prepared and presented in large portions.  Prices are indeed on the higher side, but the portion sizes made up for it.  Would come back.

The Good:

- Large portions

- Unique dishes (Northern)

- Good flavours (remember the Phở is lighter in the North)

The Bad:

- Prices are on the higher side

Little Karp Seafood & Bar

Trying to find a restaurant that is not Chinese or Asian is sometimes a challenge in Richmond.  Sure, there are the usual chain restaurants and fast-food outlets, but really, it is quite limited.  Nestled amongst all of the great Asian restaurants along Alexandra Road (aka Food Street) is Little Karp Seafood & Bar.  Yes, there are Asian influences, but their menu is definitely not like the rest of the spots on the same street.  They offer brunch as well as a regular menu that has a wide range of dishes.

We came during brunch hours but ended up ordering lunch instead.  We kicked things off with a pair of soups including the Clam Chowder.  This was lightly creamy with bits of onion, carrot, celery and plump little clams.  I didn't find the broth particularly briny, but it was sweet with some savoury notes.  There was a rice cracker on top and a side of garlic herb toast.  One thing that could've been better was the temperature.  It wasn't very hot.

Now on the other hand, the Lobster Bisque with homemade wonton was definitely hot.  It was full of lobster essence and flavour with a sweet brininess.  I felt this was not has heavy (less cream) as other bisques I've had, which I prefer.  I also found that there was very little brandy-flavour as well, which was also fine as the soup ate more pure with the lobster shells coming through strong.  The lingcod wonton was really good with a delicate wrapper and a moist filling.  Loved the addition of corn as the little pops of sweetness was something different.

We went for an appie next in the Plum Chicken Wings.  These featured whole wings (drumette, flat and tip) deep fried until crispy.  I thought the skin was well-rendered as well.  The chicken meat was tender and moist, but not juicy.  Some might consider that a negative, but I thought it was consistent with a "Western" restaurant preparation.  As for the plum, I thought the glaze was more syrupy than actually tasting like plum.  Maybe some extra plum powder on top would've done the trick. 

We went for the Clams & Frites next (can also be had as Mussels or a mix).  This featured large clams that were buttery and just barely cooked through.  They were sweet and briny while completely seasoned by the broth consisting of garlic, celery, fennel, leeks, shallots and white wine.  Lots of great aromatics going on with enough salt for effect.  The frites were the Cavendish starch-covered variety and were perfectly crispy.

We were recommended to try the Truffle Wild Mushroom Risotto and it was more or less decent.  I thought there was a good amount of mushrooms that created lots of texture and woodsiness.  Combined with the truffle, it had the classic earthiness that combined well with the cheesiness.  The rice itself was not overdone retaining a bite.  However, it was somewhat dry and could've used a bit more moisture and/or cheese.

Lastly, we tried the Spaghetti Fruitti di Mare with mussels, clams and shrimp.  Really enjoyed this dish as it could be in any fine-dining establishment and not look out of place.  Beyond the fresh and well-prepared seafood, the pasta was al dente and coated with enough moisture so it wasn't clumpy, yet at the same time, not soggy either.  Nice garlickiness along with EVOO and some seafoodiness which made each bite delicious.  Overall, the food at Little Karp seemed to be carefully prepared with plenty of thoughtfulness.  It was generally tasty with a few things that could've been better.  Definitely a solid and different option along Alexandra Road in Richmond.

The Good:

- Carefully prepared food

- Honest service

- Something different in the area

The Bad:

- Tweaks to some dishes would've made something good even better

café de A

Since I was picking up my car from DRX down on Hammersmith Way, I felt it was an opportunity to try out the new Hong Kong-style cafe that replaced Danny's Wonton in Ironwood Plaza.  I actually made 2 visits here since both times, there was only 2 of us.  Coincidentally, the second visit was when I dropped by DRX once again for their 10th anniversary car meet.  I guess this is where I'll eat from now on if I have to go to DRX!

The one thing I want to discuss right off the bat is the service.  When they aren't busy, it is proficient and decent.  Some servers are friendlier than others though.  But once it gets busy, then you will be lucky to flag anyone down.  That was the case for both visits.  Onto the food, we started with a choice of soup and for myself, I had the Cream of Ham & Corn with a side of garlic toast.  This was pretty typical, but good nonetheless.  It was semi-thick with the sweetness of milk and of course the corn.

For our first dish, we had the classic Baked Pork Chop Rice.  It was a decent portion where the fried rice base was dry (in a good way) and nutty.  It was the perfect recipient for the tomato sauce.  I found it to be rather mild-tasting in need of a bit more tanginess.  Possibly a bit more tomato paste in conjunction with ketchup would do the trick.  The viscosity was on point and the smattering of real shredded cheese was welcomed.  The pork chop itself was thick and tender while not being dry.

We also had another usual HK-style dish in the Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice.  This was quite good as the sauce also had the desired viscosity where it was just thick enough without being goopy.  It was creamy and aromatic from the coconut cream/milk and had that hint of curry.  Nice sweetness that was not over-the-top.  The pieces of chicken were tender while the potatoes were deep-fried first which prevented them from falling apart.

They also have Chinese BBQ available and we got the 3-Item Platter with BBQ Duck, BBQ Pork and Roast Pork.  Gotta say this was all legit.  By virtue of being the pork belly, the roast pork, was juicy, buttery and tender.  It was nicely dry brined where the salt penetrated the meat while the crackling was crispy and light.  The BBQ duck had a nice lacquer colour with crispy skin.  The meat was moist and tender where the star anise brine was present.  Lastly, the BBQ pork was also good being sweet and savoury with a moist texture.

On my next visit, I had to go for another typical HK-style cafe dish in the Spaghetti Bolognese.  This was decent with al dente pasta topped with enough meat sauce to coat.  It was thick and rich with a mild tang and meaty notes.  I could get the natural sweetness of the onions as well.  Once again, the melted real shredded cheese added nuttiness and of course, stringiness.  

Also tried their Clubhouse Sandwich and it as fully-loaded with bacon, fried egg, ham, chicken steak, cheese, lettuce and tomato.  Of course it was served on toasted crustless white bread.  Things were prepared properly with crispy bacon and juicy chicken.  The Cavendish fries in the middle were fried perfectly until crispy.  Overall, the food at café de A is competent with a few real stars (BBQ and the Clubhouse).  Would come back if I'm going to DRX.  However, the service does give me pause.  Not that they are rude or anything, but it just gets difficult to flag someone down when it gets busy.  That delays getting things packed and the bill.  I think for their benefit, they might want to get people out the door more quickly too as they do have lineups starting around 11:00am.

The Good:
- Competent food with some highlights
- Lots of parking (unlike many other Richmond restaurants)
- Fair portion sizes

The Bad:
- Service is fine when not busy, but when it is busy, it is hard to get any

i-Cafe Express (City Square)

For the longest time, i-Cafe resided upstairs on the Southwest corner of Broadway and Heather.  If you have been around for awhile, you will remember that location was Jukebox Johnny's in the 80's.  Now we find i-Cafe as a food court stall in City Square right beside Dumpling King.  They are now known as i-Cafe Express and I really do think this concept lowers the overhead with less staff and of course, less retail space.  They have most of their favourites on the menu while offering a slightly lower price point.  I was able to take out once and eat in another time for this blog post.  

On my first visit, I took home some of the Hong Kong-Style Cafe essentials including the veritable Baked Pork Chop Rice.  This was a decent portion consisting of the necessary fried rice base topped with a good amount of fried pork chop on top.  The pork was tender and meaty without too much fat.  The abundance of sauce was quite textbook being thick from the roux and exhibiting a balance of tanginess and sweetness.  This was a competent version of the dish.

Another classic dish that needs to be included is the Spaghetti Bolognese.  Depending on the version, it can get pretty close to the Italian dish.  This one here was certainly meaty and was the beneficiary of the sweetness from the onions.  Lots of depth and richness from the creaminess added to the sauce.  There was enough of it too that it coated all of the al dente spaghetti in the tin container.

So the Curry Beef Brisket may not be as vital as the previous 2 dishes when assessing a HK-Style Cafe, but it is a menu staple nonetheless.  This one was actually decently spicy with a good amount of earthy curry hit.  The coconut milk/cream provided plenty of creaminess and aromatics.  The beef itself was quite tender and so were the potatoes.  The side of rice was a generous portion.

On another visit, I actually sat down to eat and went with 2 dishes.  The first was the Laksa that was stuffed to the top of the plastic bowl with bouncy noodles and coconutty broth.  I wished it had more spice and brininess as it was aromatic but bland.  However, the plethora of components made up for it as I was eating for awhile to actually make a dent.  I liked the little details were there such as the soft-boiled egg (not cooked to oblivion).

I originally wasn't going to finish my second item in the Chow Kway Teow, but it was so good, i finished it too!  It was a good sized portion that was the beneficiary of solid wok hei.  Hence, there was smokiness and caramelization.  The noodles were nicely chewy while not clumping together.  Seasoning was adequate being a bit spicy, a bit earthy and plenty savoury.  They didn't skimp with the ingredients too.  Solid dish.  Overall, the food at i-Cafe was like it was before - solid and dependable.  I like the concept of them being in a food court as it lowers their operating costs and hence, the prices are reasonable.

The Good:

- Dependable decent HK-Style cuisine

- Reasonable pricing

- Decent portion size

The Bad:

- Well, being in a food court, you lose the restaurant experience, but you would find something like this at Aberdeen Centre as well

- The Laksa could be more flavourful