Upstairs Hot Pot

I'm sure most people have noticed the "pick your own ingredients" and get it weighed hot pot craze.  That started with Big Way Hot Pot locally and places like Malatown in California.  But before that, it was just traditional hot pot where we would order things to cook in a communal pot.  Then, in more recent times, we found the AYCE concept where we could order as much as we could eat at one inclusive price.  In between all this, we also had pre-constructed personal hot pots at various price points at places like Boiling Point.  That type of hot pot restaurant has gotten lost in the shuffle and it was quite the surprise when I found out about Upstairs Hot Pot in Richmond.

To stand out in the crowded hot pot landscape, Upstairs hot pot focuses on healthier broths that are naturally flavoured and not reliant on artificial seasoning or excess salt or MSG.  Furthermore, they specialize in Chongqing noodles and also bring some of those influences their hot pots.  However, the best thing about Upstairs Hot Pot is their pricing.  Their Green Sichaun Pepper Pot is on special for only $9.99.  Yes, places like Big Way are sexier but you might find it hard to get a meal for that price, unless you are get the lightest ingredients.  Really enjoyed this slow-cooked broth made from chicken, beef and pork bones.  The green chili offered up some brightness and mild spice.  Good amount of varied components that were not overcooked, especially the veggies.

Now you cannot do anything Chongqing without some Mala right?  Their Signature Spicy Pot is exactly that and can be had in a variety of spice levels.  They gave us a mediumish version since Mijune was with me and they didn't want to give a pregnant lady the max spice level.  LOL.  This was still flavourful though.  It was earthy with a low-rumbling heat and rich fragrance.  We could choose the main protein and selected marbled beef slices.  It also came with a variety of veggies and other meat products.  Definitely hearty and reasonably-priced for $14.99.

With any hot pot place, there will be the standard Rich Pork Bone Broth.  Perfect for those who do not like spice and just want something soothing and clean.  This one was definitely clean with a milky white appearance.  There was definitely a silkiness to it due to the collagen.  Seasoning was mild and it wasn't too salty nor sweet. It was just right.  We had the tender pork slices for this one and added (for an extra $4.50) some fatty beef slices too.  There was some clams by default in this and it provided a subtle sweet brininess.

Excuse this picture of the Tomato Beef Hot Pot as it seemed to focus on Mijune's tummy rather than the beef.  Anyways, this was our favourite being naturally flavourful without the saltiness sometimes associated with tomato broth.  It was tangy and richly flavoured due to the use of fermented tomatoes.  The beef was the best part as they used collagen-rich pieces that were cooked slowly, rendering the fat and ensuring the meat and tendon were melt-in-our-mouths tender.  

Now that was our favourite hot pot, but the best thing we ate was the Chongqing Noodles.  These handmade noodles had such a nice texture to them.  They weren't firm, yet they weren't too soft either.  Rather, they were silky with a gentle chew to them.  On top we found some braised pork as well as some mashed peas.  Once again, the spice level was fairly mild-to-medium with a certain smokiness and savouriness.  Really delicious and I urge you to go try this!  Overall, the food at Upstairs Hot Pot is prepared carefully and the ingredients are good quality.  Pricing is super reasonable and the portion sizes are enough for most appetites.

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

The Good:

- Clean broths that are not overseasoned

- Quality ingredients

- Those Chongqing noodles!

The Bad:

- The parking lot is usually packed and the time limit is too short for most of the spaces

- Dumplings are average

Rendezvous Pub

Here we are back at Rendezvous Pub out in Langley, to sample some of their brunch items in addition to their classics.  For those who don't know, Rendezvous Pub has been around since 1983 and it was pretty much a traditional pub until it changed ownership last year.  The menu has gone through some changes and they are modernizing the place a little bit at a time.  We showed up on a Sunday morning and the place was pretty busy.

The reason for this is their brunch menu and the incredibly affordable RP House Special for only $8.00!  This came with 2 eggs, choice of meat, hashbrowns and choice of toast.  As you can see, the eggs were perfectly sunny side up while the toast was lightly brown but still crispy.  The ample side of hashbrowns were fried beautifully where the outside was crispy and seasoned whereas the inside was still fluffy.  The two sausage links had a crispy exterior with a meaty interior.

As much as the eggs in the Triple Meat Omelette were pretty much cooked through, the size of this thing combined with the generous amount of meat inside made this very hearty.  I would find it hard for anyone to actually finish this easily.  Just for good measure, there was a good amount of melted cheese on top too.  Add in the large amount of the same crispy and seasoned hashbrowns, this was a lot of food for $15.50.

The Blackstone Benedict looked great on the menu and at first looked even better when it arrived at our table.  From the properly toasted English muffins to the crispy bacon and fresh tomatoes, this had so much potential.  Yes, we found the same great hashbrowns too.  Creamy and rich, the Hollandaise was solid too.  So what was wrong?  The poached eggs were completely cooked through.  Their kitchen was pretty busy, so maybe just a one-off.

Onto the happy hour menu (it is all day Sunday), we had some of the Wings in both Salt & Pepper and Caribbean Jerk for $12.00 each.  Most places charge $20.00 for wings these days, so this was pretty inexpensive.  These were crispy with rendered skin.  The meat was a little on the dry side, but still ok.  I felt the salt and pepper could've used a bit more pepper.  The jerk was pretty tasty with very mild spice.

Originally, we ordered the Breakfast Poutine, but what came out was the RP's Poutine instead.  No matter, it was pretty good with crispy Cavendish-type fries (the starch-coated kind).  There was a considerable amount of gravy, which was fine by me.  It coated every fry with good viscosity and also a balanced saltiness.  There was also enough cheese curds where most of them were melted.  Yes, most people would prefer some non-melted pieces of cheese curds, but this was still fine.

Also on their happy hour menu, we found a selection of pizzas and of course we went for the Meat Lover's Pizza for $16.00.  This featured a thin crust that was decent, especially for a pub. It was crispy throughout and not cardboard-like.  On top, they didn't skimp with the tomato sauce, meat and cheese.  There was so much pepperoni, bacon and ham, there was not one bite without a mess of it in our mouths.  Tomato sauce was quite good being tangy and a bit sweet.

Going with another classic pub offering, we had the Fish & Chips.  This featured two beer battered pieces of cod and the same crispy starch-covered fries.  This was really good, not only for a pub, but good for even a fish & chips joint.  The fish was moist and flaky while coated with a thin and crispy batter.  It wasn't greasy at all and the batter was nicely salted.  The side of tartar was creamy and tangy while the coleslaw was refreshing being the vinegar version.

Being in a pub, one must also try the burger too, so we got the Southern Dynamic Duo featuring 2 beef patties with double cheddar, jalapenos, onion rings, bacon and BBQ sauce on brioche.  Yah, this was fully loaded and despite the patties being the generic frozen variety, it ate quite well.  The meat was juicy and still had a meaty texture.  This was so loaded with different textures and tastes, it was quite the flavour bomb.  We got some Garlic Parmesan Fries on the side, and they were pretty loaded with parm and came with garlic aioli on the side.

One of our favourite items of the meal was the Rueben.  Yes, this was not complex where it was about construction and the individual components more than anything else.  Well, they had all of the right things including corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut and Dijon on marbled rye.  Yes, they didn't put Thousand Island dressing in this, but I prefer the mustard anyways.  Bread was a soft rye and had some nuttiness.  So overall, the food at Rendezvous Pub is pretty good with all things considered.  Pricing is reasonable and portions are large.  Maybe a few items could've used a few tweaks, but the place was pretty packed and I'm sure the kitchen was slammed.

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

The Good:

- Generally solid food

- Well-priced

- Large portions

The Bad:

- A few things could've been less cooked through

Skye Avenue - Kitchen & Lounge

For awhile, I knew that Skye Avenue had replaced the long-standing Central City Brewing at Surrey Central.  However, I just never made it out there to see what it was all about.  It wasn't until Executive Chef Bal (of Desi Lounge in Downtown Vancouver) raved about the burger at Skye Avenue, that piqued my interest.  So when Nikita and Bluebeard wanted to meet up for some eats and they suggested that Skye Avenue be one of the options, I totally agreed to meet them there. 

We arrived in time for their Happy Hour and in addition to getting some drink specials, we also started with a few food specials as well.  Instead of the usual ball shape, the Mushroom Arancini arrived as a rectangle slab.  I thought it was nicely crispy, but the inside was rather mushy.  It did have good flavour in the earthiness of mushroom and smokiness of eggplant puree.  In actual balls, the Smoked Salmon Croquettes were also a bit mushy inside too.  Yet, most croquettes are made with potato, so that was to be expected.  There was a smoky saltines to them and there was a bit of tartar sauce in the middle.

We got 2 more specials in the Wagyu Carpaccio and Prime Rib Slider.  We found the carpaccio to be a competent plate with thinly sliced and tender beef.  It was topped with flaked salt, aged pecorino, truffle aioli, arugula and some aged balsamic.  Again, it as pleasant enough but the focaccia that came with it was horrible.  It was hard and very dense.  As for the slider, it was excellent with a soft toasted bun, horseradish aioli, fontina cheese, crispy onions and au jus.  The beef itself was super tender and there was no absence of flavour and texture.  Should've gotten a few of these!

Onto the mains, Bluebeard and I shared the Lobster Cobb Salad as well as the burger.  As you can see with the salad, there was no absence of lobster meat.  It was at its bouncy and springy best with natural sweetness and brininess.  It featured tender butter lettuce, ripe avocado, cherry tomatoes, custardy soft-boiled egg and gorgonzola cheese.  I thought this was a very good salad with excellent components.

Now for the Chef's Burger, it was comprised of an 8oz organic grass fed house-ground patty.  That way, it could be prepared so it wasn't cooked to a crisp.  It was super juicy, meaty in flavour and of course tender.  It was topped with fontina, truffle aioli and crunchy onions all on a brioche bun.  Chef Bal was right, this burger had it all, a juicy patty, texture from the onions and a soft brioche bun.  Even the side of fries were really good being crispy with lots of creamy potatoness inside.

Viv wasn't very creative and also ordered a burger in the Fresh Sockeye Burger.  This featured a 5oz chermoula-marinated salmon patty with mango salsa, pickled coleslaw and tartare sauce on a charred leek bun.  So with all those tasty ingredients, the flavours were impactful.  We had sweetness, tanginess and brightness on the crispy and smoky bun.  However, the main ingredient, which was the salmon, was rather dry.  Being sockeye, I wasn't surprised as the meat is leaner and would dry out easier.  It did taste good though.

Lastly, Nikita had the Gluten-Free Margherita Flat Bread.  For a gluten-free crust, it was pretty good being crispy and not too dense.  The tomato sauce was bright and tangy while there was more than enough fior di latte on top for impact.  We also found some fresh basil, but would've preferred it added after the fact.  Overall, Skye Avenue is a competent restaurant with some real highlights.  The decor is quite nice and the service is top-notch.  I do believe a few refinements are here and there.

The Good:

- That burger!

- Nice decor

- Great service

The Bad:

- A few refinements needed

Jing Tan Grill House

I've had my eye on Jing Tan Grill House for quite some time.  Looking over their 3-tiered AYCE (All-You-Can-Eat) menu, it seemed like the Deluxe for $39.85 looked like the sweet spot.  You basically have everything you would want except for Wagyu Beef, Lobster, Lamb, Scallops and Oysters.  However, upon sitting down and eyeing the menu, I decided I needed to do the Supreme (with the aforementioned items) for $68.85.  They use charcoal grills here without the benefit of temperature control.  However, nothing cooks like charcoal as it really chars meats better than gas.  Ventilation is quite good, so it wasn't smoky at all in the restaurant.

In addition to the AYCE menu, there is a self-service bar that features Potato Salad, Wakame Salad, Tofu Skin Salad, Woodear Salad, Edamame, Fruit, Spring Rolls, Fried Dumplings, Shrimp Chips, Fries and Dungeness Crab.  I actually enjoyed all the salads.  Good flavour and texture.  I didn't try the potato salad though.  I was a little surprised to find crab there, but it was "okay".  Not live crab for sure, but it wasn't mushy though.  Was overcooked a touch.  Would've liked to see the fried food kept warm somehow.

So the Supreme menu has certain items that may make you rethink whether you want to spend more money (like me...).  The A5 Miyazaki Wagyu was absolutely buttery and delicious.  They did limit this to only 1 order per person.  We also found SRF Wagyu which was obviously less buttery, but still tender.  Yep, they also had whole Ribeye Steak that was limited to 1 per person.  This was only average as the meat was tender, but not marbled enough (despite having lots of fat around the edges.

We actually got another order of the SRF Wagyu (max 3 per person) along with the Premium Boneless Shortribs (also max 3 orders per person).  I thought these short ribs were quite fatty and if you like the fat, this is for you.  I tried eating multiple pieces with all the fat, but it was just too heavy.  We actually preferred the regular short ribs in the Deluxe menu.  On the bottom, there was some Wagyu Beef Tongue.  The trick to these was to cook them for a long time to help activate the fats (as in rendering it), so the meat would be tender enough to eat, rather than being chewy.

We had some other meats from all parts of the menu including Marinated Pork Shoulder, Pork Neck, Lamb Rack and Beef Short Ribs.  Really enjoyed the tender and flavourful pork, especially the sweet pineapple.  The pork neck was at its bouncy best with great marbling.  The lamb rack chops were pretty good, as long as you don't overcooked it.  Now for the aforementioned short ribs.  They were tender with the classic short rib chew.  Nice sweet and savoury marinade on them.

Disregard the Wagyu beef tongue in this picture as it was a repeat, but below, we had some Chicken Knees and New Orleans Chicken Wings.  I thought the chicken knees could've benefited from some better trimming as there was more than cartilage in each bite.  We had unchewable pieces of bone.  The wings were split and cooked quickly as a result.  The meat was juicy and tender from the savoury marinade.  The Unagi was fantastic, but was hard to cook on the grill as it stuck to it.  It was buttery and well-sauced.  The Abalone was the typical small ones you'd find at the supermarket.  With that being said, they were nice texturally having that dense squishy chewiness.  Added some Shrimp for good measure.  They were your typical frozen white shrimp.

As part of the Supreme menu, we could order the Lobster Tails (limit one per person).  These were par-cooked and needed to be finished on the grill.  We found them already fully done from the kitchen, so warming them up on the grill overcooked them.  Still nice to have some lobster!  The Oysters were also par-cooked, so it didn't take too long to finish them off on the grill.  They were buttery and briny with some sweetness.  A bit of sweetened soy on top added some saltiness and the garlic did its aromatic thing.

We got some shellfish in the form of White Wine Mussels, Clam Vermicelli and Scallops with Garlic. All of them were par-cooked as well and needed to be finished on the grill.  The problem with these is that they take up a lot of real estate on the grill and take some time to warm up.  Since there is a 2-hour limit, you might want to order these only once.  They were good though with fresh shellfish that were all the right textures.  Good flavour for all of them as they were topped with garlic and sauce.

As you can see, the amount of space on the grill is typical, so you need to cooked strategically.  Also, since it is charcoal, there was some hotspots and some coldspots.  Needed to move things around to get some char or to prevent burning.  When done right, the stuff is delicious.  We ended off with some complimentary Ice Cream which was more icy than creamy.  But whatever, it was included and helped cool our mouths from the barrage of hot food off the grill.  Overall, we quite enjoyed the experience at Jing Tan as the charcoal grill produced some great searing.  Also, the food quality was above average while the service was fantastic.  Would come back.

The Good:
- Above-average food quality
- Surprisingly good service
- Real charcoal grill

The Bad:
- Grill size is average, but some of the items take up a lot of room and slows the cooking down
- Limited parking spots

Gordon Ramsey Steak (River Rock Casino)

I guess it was a matter of time that we got our very own Gordon Ramsey Steak in the GVRD.  Hey, he already has a location of Gordon Ramsey Burger in the Hard Rock Casino out in Coquitlam!  As much as there is plenty of hype with the name, I appreciate that he shows up for his restaurant openings.  It shows that he cares about his establishments and wants it to start off on the right foot.  Well, Eileen and I paid GRS a visit to see if it can live up to the hype.

Things go started off with an Amuse Bouche that was a Gougère filled with sharp cheese and top with blueberry and pickled onion.  A nice little bite with airy pastry and a good balance of flavours.  Our first ordered dish was the Dungeness Crab Cake.  This was pan-fried and not deep fried like other places.  It was practically all fluffy crab meat with very little filler other than some mayo to bind it.  It was definitely crab forward with sweet brininess that was complimented by some herbs and that was about it.  Nice crispy crust on the outside.  There was some herb aioli and a charred lemon as well.

We had one more appie in the Tuna Tartare.  It was beautifully plated with cucumber "scales".  The tuna itself was buttery soft and well-seasoned.  Maybe it was a bit too seasoned as I found it on the saltier side.  The spicy ponzu was quite dominant and did obscure the natural sweetness and flavour of the fresh tuna and ripe avocado.  This came with some sesame crackers, which were nutty and crunchy.  This helped alleviate some of the saltiness.

Of course we had to get their signature dish in the Beef Wellington.  As you can see in the picture, it was beautifully prepared being somewhere in between rare and medium-rare.  Unfortunately, the tenderloin was a touch chewy and the pastry was a little doughy.  Not that this wasn't good though, it was, but the one I had at Hell's Kitchen in Vegas was superior.  This came with a red wine demi-glace which was velvety and flavourful without being salty. 

We added one more main dish for good measure in the Miso Glazed Sablefish.  This was well-prepared where the fish was nicely seared while still being flaky and moist.  It had intense smokiness and caramelization as well as a rich saltines that didn't overwhelm the fish.  This sat in a briny and sweet shrimp dashi with Napa cabbage, bok choy and shimeji mushroom.  Good crunch from the veggies and added earthiness from the mushrooms.

For our sides, we chose the Heirloom Carrots and the Potato Purée.  Roasted with caramelized honey, the carrots came out intensely sweet and smoky.  It further intensified the natural sugars in the carrots already.  As for the potato purée, it was noticeably buttery and silky smooth.  Even though it was aggressively seasoned, we could still taste the natural potato essence.  Some chives on the top not only added colour, it did provide some brightness.

Why have only one dessert when we could have 3?  I attacked the Vanilla Mascarpone Cheesecake first because, well I'm a sucker for it.  This was a good one where it was creamy and rich without being super dense.  It was certainly cheesy and aromatic with on point sweetness.  We had some fruitiness provided by the berry compote on the side while tanginess came in via the lemon curd.  To top it off, there was some airy meringue.

Now the cheesecake was pretty solid, but my favourite was the Chocolate Tart.  Beginning with the firm and crispy tart shell, it held a silky and rich chocolate ganache.  It was a bit bittersweet (in a good way) where the dark chocolate really came through without being too bitter nor too sweet. It was topped with some chantilly cream which helped keep things a bit light.  A brush streak of salted caramel added that something something to bring out the sweetness even more. 

Now does that mean I didn't enjoy the signature Sticky Toffee Pudding?  Well, I did like it, but once again, it wasn't as good as the one I had in Vegas.  The date cake was still super moist and fully caramelized in flavour.  Yes, the dessert was pretty sweet, but hey, it's sticky toffee pudding!  I think the toffee sauce was the point of no return for the sweetness in this dish.  It was a bit smoky and plenty sugary.  I did enjoy the toffee ice cream as it had that rich nutty caramel flavour.  Overall, this visit to Gordon Ramsey Steak in Richmond was okay.  Other than the crab cake, nothing really stood out.  Things were competent and service was excellent.  However, when you are paying those prices, you expect a bit more.

The Good:
- Excellent service
- That crab cake
- Solid desserts

The Bad:
- Beef Wellington was not as good as expected
- More refinement needed

Sunflower Lodge

Last summer, I met with some friends at the Blackberry Kitchen in Mission.  This beautiful wood lodge situated at a top of a hill (with a view) offered up homey vibes with lunch and dinner service.  Well, fast forward to the present and now it is The Sunflower Lodge, which is affiliated with the Sunflower Cafe in Maple Ridge.  Hence, it dishes up the same fresh produce from the farm and focuses on BC ingredients.  We decided to go for the a la carte menu, however, they do have a tasting menu available too.

We were started off with a Amuse Bouche of White and Red Gooseberries in a sorrel purée.  This certainly perked up our appetites with bursts of sour tanginess with just a touch of sweetness.   If the pops of flavour from the gooseberries wasn't enough, the tartness and "greenness" of the sorrel compounded the appetizing effect.  There was also some bread with the same delicious cultivated butter from the cafe.  It was so creamy with strong "butter" flavours.  The addition of flaked salt really elevated the impact.

Our first dish was the Charred Asparagus with smoked mushrooms and Hollandaise.  Each sprig was tender while completely smoky from the char.  It was well-salted where it amplified the sweet flavour of the asparagus.  We found the fried mushrooms to be extra crispy, offering up a textural contrast while also giving off an appealing smokiness.  Creamy and mildly seasoned, the Hollandaise nicely complimented the veggies.

Bringing it down a few notches, the Turnips & Snap Peas was a somewhat subtle dish which acted like a palate cleanser of sorts.  Featuring fresh cubes of bright and earthy turnip and sweet pops from the snap peas, this was simple, yet so delicious.  On top, we found a goat cheese mousse which was also rather understated.  Normally, anything goat cheese can be rather strong and gamy.  However, this wasn't the case, especially combined with the tartness of the flowering currant vinegar.

One of the most unassuming dishes was the Smoked Sablefish Salad.  It consisted of flakes of smoked sablefish with pickled seaweed, celery, fennel with a rice vinegar, apple & celery dressing.  With each bite, we got the butteriness of the flaky sablefish and a pretty strong smokiness.  However, this was balanced off by the tang and sweetness of the dressing.  Crunch from the supremely fresh celery and fennel added texture and the small drops of dill oil afforded herbaceousness.  There was some background spice to it too.

When the Roasted Carrot Salad arrived, we noticed the plating with plenty of negative space.  Yet, the plate in general was nothing but positive.  It featured little underdeveloped carrots that would normally be discarded.  These cute little things were sweet and quite earthy with a touch of spice.  To compliment there was some dukkah for added earthiness and nuttiness.  Going for no wastage, we found a carrot top pesto which was herbaceous and also earthy.  We got another hit of creamy nuttiness from the cashew cream.

Moving onto the larger plates, we thoroughly enjoyed the Housemade Pasta.  These large agnolottis were stuffed with creamy boursin cheese.  That in itself was pretty tasty while encapsulated in an al dente pasta.  However, these were sauced with a sweet onion soubise which was creamy, sweet and buttery.  With the addition of porcini mushrooms and heidi cheese, we got some big hits of earthy nuttiness.  Really good pasta dish.

Arriving as a pretty big portion, the Poached Halibut was perfectly cooked, not to mention, super fresh.  It was flaky, barely cooked through and moist.  This was also an indication that the fish was never frozen.  It was fairly mild in terms of seasoning, but no matter as the creamy sauce Veronique provided a floral and herbaceous flavour to the dish.  Underneath, there was a spring vegetable succotash that exhibited a precise brunoise.  It was cooked beautifully where the fresh texture remained.  Some acidity was provided by the gooseberries and to top it off, there was some sea asparagus. 

Just like at Sunflower Cafe, we also had the Fraser Valley Roasted Duck Breast.  If I had to compare, this was prepared even better than the Cafe, but both were good.  The duck was super tender and juicy while the fat was fairly rendered with a crisp skin.  That Haksap berry jus was balanced with equal parts sweet and tangy.  It was definitely there but allowed the duck flavour to come through.  On the side, there was a turnip salad that was, of course, super fresh, bright and turnipy.

Saving the heaviest dish for last, we had the 16oz Ribeye with gnocchi fries, braised leeks and allium salad.  As you can see, the steak was prepared medium-rare and well rested.  It was also evenly charred with a caramelized smokiness.  To further enhance the steak, there was also a demi-glace on top.  Super crunchy and a nice concept, the gnocchi fries were pretty tasty, if not on the saltier side.  But this was alleviated by the onion and chive salad as well as the seared leeks.

Before we got to dessert, we had a pre-dessert in the Strawberry with elderflower and magnolia topped with mint.  Suffice to say, this was pretty complex with floral, fall flavours and fruity notes.  Nice palate-cleanser before we got to the Ricotta Donuts with housemade lemon curd and blueberry jam.  These were so airy and fluffy, it didn't feel like we were consuming any calories.  Wishful thinking I know!  The combination of tangy lemon curd and sweet jam meant there was a good mix of flavours.

We had one more dessert in the Goat's Milk Tres Leche with fresh strawberries and chantilly.  Once again, the gaminess of goat's milk was very subtle.  The sweetness of the caramelized condensed milk was the most impactful component other than the sweet and tangy strawberries.  This was a well-composed and balanced creation.  Very delicious.  In fact, the food at Sunflower Lodge is excellent and an improvement over Blackberry Kitchen.  Dishes are more refined and elevated.  What a real find in Mission!

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

The Good:
- Surprisingly level of refinement out in Mission
- Beautiful location
- Reasonable pricing given the quality and quantity of food

The Bad:
- For those not close by, it is quite the trek