The Screen Door

It has been a long time since I've been back to The Screen Door.  In fact, count it 10 years ago that I dine on their Southern cuisine at their Burnside location.  It isn't as if I didn't want to go back, but since I'm only in Portland infrequently, there are just too many great places to dine at while I'm there.  Well, here I am back at the Burnside location to sample their wares once again.  Unlike last time, I wasn't sitting outside (which was nice btw) since it was rather cold (in Winter).

We started with a classic in the Crispy Fried Oysters dredged in cornmeal and served with housemade tartar sauce.  These were excellent with a uniformly crunchy exterior that was not heavy nor greasy.  It was properly seasoned as is, but the light tartar helped add creaminess, tanginess and brightness from the dill.  As for the oysters themselves, they were buttery and briny while just barely cooked through.  The juiciness was a nice contrast from the little nuggets of crunch from the cornmeal.

Of course we couldn't forget about their Chicken & Waffles right?  We opted for the 2 piece (breasts) that sat atop a sweet potato waffle.  Sporting little crunchy bits strewn throughout the exterior of the tender and juicy chicken breasts, the fried chicken was delicious.  It was texturally on point inside and out while properly seasoned as well.  As for the waffle, it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  It was naturally sweet and also aromatic.

Another Screen Door classic is their Lowcountry Shrimp & Grits.  This featured plump and buttery shrimp that were completely seasoned by the rich meaty garlicky tomato sauce. The smokiness and richness oft he bacon really came through. This sat atop creamy cheddar grits that were smooth and the proper consistency (not too runny or thick).  To make it extra silky, we had 2 over-medium eggs as well.  On the side, we found a large buttermilk biscuit served with some jam.  This was buttery and crispy on the outside with a fluffy and slightly salty inside.

One of the more surprising items we had was the Fried Catfish Sandwich.  Thinking that we would be treated to some muddy flavors, we were delighted with the flaky sweetness of the moist catfish.  It was coated in cornmeal, which was crispy and not heavy.  It was served on a griddled bun that was crispy and held up to the wet ingredients well.  The sandwich was finished with a crunchy and bright lemon slaw, dill pickles and house hot sauce mayo.  Good combination of spice, tang, sweetness and saltiness.  Fries on the side were solid too being crispy with soft potato goodness inside.

One of the more basic (if you can actually call this basic) compared to the rest of the dishes was the Cajun Scramble.  This was a combination of andouille sausage, Cajun spices, onion & bell peppers and pepper jack cheese.  Yep, there was some heat from the spices and the sausage while the sweetness from the veggies provided some balance.  I would've liked the eggs to be a bit more fluffy though.  This also came with cheddar grits and a buttermilk biscuit.

The last dish I dug into was our de facto dessert in the Bananas Foster French Toast.  The griddled brioche was soaked in vanilla custard and hence, it was soft like bread pudding.  Nice caramelization on the outside, but further enhanced by the rum-flamed caramelized bananas as it added another layer of sweetness and aromatics.  The dish was finished off with cinnamon & whipped cream.

We also had a couple of cocktails in the Kentucky Bird and the Morning Mule.  Both were refreshing and a good relief from the heaviness of the food.  I thought the Kentucky bird had some great tang and sweetness.  We were also provided with a selection of sauces including the Tartar, Creole Honey Mustard, Parmesan Aioli and Buttermilk Herb Dressing.  I thought the aioli went well with the fries while I strangely liked dipping the fried chicken into the herb dressing.  Honey mustard was also great with the chicken.  Overall, the food at the Screen Door was great as usual.  If you are looking for some Southern eats served in big portions, this is the place to find it.  Maybe next time it won't take me that long to do a repeat visit!

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

The Good:
- Well-prepared Southern eats
- Large portions
- Lively atmosphere

The Bad:
- Well, of course this type of food is heavy, order a cocktail or beverage to wash it down

Win Win Chick-N

Boy, I haven't been back to Win Win Chick-N in quite some time.  In fact, I don't even recall the last time I visited the Steveston location.  When I was doing my fried chicken quest (I stopped because my bloodwork came back horrible), I had went to the Main Street store (which is not there anymore).  This time around, we were here to sample some classics as well as their Summer Sliders.  Yes, it isn't Summer anymore, but they are still available until October 21st!

Let's get right to the Chicken Sliders!  There are 5 choices including BBQ, Szechuan, Mango Tajin, Honey Dijon and Original.  Beyond these flavours, if you just look at the sliders, you'll notice that they are pretty large with 2 whole chicken strips.  These were crispy with moist breast meat.  I liked the batter as it was well-spiced and seasoned.  My favourite flavour of the bunch was the Szechuan with its salty spiciness.

If these sliders aren't big enough for you (it would be hard to finish even 2 of them by yourself!), then you can go outright to the Fried Chicken Sandwich.  As you can see, it was pretty large too with enough moist chicken to occupy every bite.  I've actually had this a few times before and it is a solid sandwich.  The toasted brioche paired well with the crispy spiced batter, mayo and lettuce.  You won't go hungry with this one.

Of course we couldn't visit Win Win without ordering some Fried Chicken right???  We ended up with original dark meat pieces with drums and a thigh.  Unlike some of my previous visits, the chicken was pretty juicy.  I like how the batter (much like their other items) was flavourful with some spice.  But I still dunked it into their peppery gravy because it just made the chicken even better.  Good for the fries as well.

They also have some pretty good sides too including the Filipino Mac.  Consider this a version of Filipino spaghetti (but with macaroni).  It was sweet as expected and yes, the sliced hot dog wieners were there.  Surprisingly, their Poutine was super legit with crispy house-cut fries (and they were still crispy even with all the gravy), real cheese curds and of course, the gravy.  I would recommend this as a must order.

We ended off with an Mini Ube Flan Cake.  As you can see, there was an actual flan right on top.  This was quite good with the unmistakable flavour of ube and a purposeful sweetness.  The flan really did it for me with its silkiness and caramel flavour.  Overall, this was a delicious visit to Win Win Chick-N.  Chicken and sides were solid while their featured sliders could be considered full-blown chicken sammies.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Solid fried chicken with a flavourful coating

- Those sliders are huge

- Good sides

The Bad:

- Um, it is far for most?

Fighter Chicken (Granville)

In 2021, I had ordered takeout from the original Fighter Chicken on East Broadway at Renfrew.  It was actually a deal from a food delivery service and I scored the whole meal for cheap.  Mind you, Fighter Chicken's regular prices are not very expensive to begin with.  In September, as a back-to-school promo, they are offering some killer deals that rival my original visit.  On September 4th, receive 4 free pieces of Crispy Fish if you purchase 4 pieces.  On September 5th, get 3 free pieces of fried chicken when you purchase 6 pieces.  For September 6th & 7th, receive a free Crispy Chicken Burger when you purchase a Double Crispy Chicken Burger Combo.  Lastly, on September 8th, receive 2 Crispy Chicken Burgers for free when you get a Bucket of Chicken.

Now the rest of this blog post will focus on my visit to their Granville Street location in Marpole.  Naturally, we must talk about their Crispy Fried Chicken.  Costing slightly less than Church's, you can get an 8-piece for $28.99.  In terms of comparison, Fighter Chicken features some pretty large pieces that are brined.  Therefore, the chicken has an inherent seasoned flavour that doesn't really need any enhancement.  The meat is juicy and tender while the medium-thick batter is crunchy.  It is available in spicy as well.

So they also have Chicken Strips and Popcorn Chicken.  Main difference between the 2 are the size.  Both of them feature white meat where the chicken strips are large (almost whole breasts) while the popcorn chicken has Chick-Fil-A vibes.  Much like the fried chicken, the batter is medium thick and plenty crunchy.  Being thicker and bigger, the strips are juicier and more moist.  There are a variety of sauces to choose from including tartar, honey mustard, spicy BBQ, sweet BBQ and sweet dip.

They have Chicken Burgers as well including a Spicy Chicken Burger.  Both are very similar with large chicken strips sandwiched in a brioche bun with lettuce tomato and cheese.  Both of these are absolutely huge and require you to open wide!  As such, they are filling and satisfying.  I personally like the spicy sandwich more as it has more impact and of course spice.  The brioche is toasted enough to stand up to the ingredients.

Their most underrated item on the menu is their Fish Burger.  Featuring 2 large fish fillets, this is just as filling as the chicken sandwiches.  However, due to the use of fish, it is more easily eaten.  The batter is crispy while the fish in the middle is flaky and moist.  There is some tartar sauce and mayo to compliment as well as lettuce and tomato.  I could do without the raw onions, it is a bit too sharp.  They also have Poutine and this reminds me somewhat of the Costco version.  This is not an insult.  This features legit cheese curds and a rich silky gravy.

As for those Fries, they are the starch-covered variety that ensures the exterior will be crispy.  Due to the starch, the fries eat a bit greasier than regular fries.  Inside, the centre is tender and potatoey.  Love that their Onion Rings are breaded rather than tempura-battered.  As such, they are trending towards the ones you find at A&W.  The outside is crunchy while the onion on the inside is tender, yet not overdone.  Really great with one of the dips!  So I think that there have been minor improvements with the food since I first visited their original location.  I find that their batter is slightly less dense albeit, still not thin.  Proteins are cooked correctly and I really appreciate that their popcorn chicken and chicken strips are whole breast meat.  Fighter Chicken is a good alternative to the usual fried chicken spots and with their upcoming promos, an even better deal!

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

The Good:
- Tender and properly cooked proteins
- Huge sandwiches
- Decent sides

The Bad:
- I would still like a lighter batter, but it has improved since the beginning though

 

Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen

We do far too much Asian food while travelling and at home.  I guess there is something comforting about it.  Well, there is a different type of comfort food that we don't normally have the opportunity to access when we are at home in Vancouver.  Despite the diversity, there is very little-to-no soul food around.  But while in LA, we decided to hit up Dulan's out in Inglewood.  They are well-known for their large portions with all the classics as well as all the sides too!

There was no doubt we would be ordering the Fried Chicken.  This recipe has been passed down generations and it was definitely solid in my books.  The chicken was fairly tender and had a crunchy exterior with rendered skin.  I wouldn't say it was super-flavorful, but it wasn't bland either.  For the sides, we had the Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens.  Soft & cheesy with a seared crust, the mac & cheese was pretty heavy.  This was certainly a comfort version of the dish.  I really liked the collard greens as it did have a beautiful smoked turkey essence.  It was mildly-seasoned and was great with the fried chicken.

Weighing a tonne, the Short Ribs were definitely fork-tender as advertised.  However, due to being rather lean, the meat was on the drier side.  It did have a natural meatiness to them and the stewing juices were sweet from the onions and full-of-depth from the meat.  For the sides, we had the Candied Yams and the String Beans with Carrots.  Soft and incredibly sweet, the yams were texturally-appealing and buttery.  A bit too sweet for me, but I'm sure others enjoy them immensely.  The beans and carrots were pretty typical being soft and naturally-flavoured.

Really enjoyed the Oxtail as they were tender and fell-off-the-bone.  Lots of gelatinous parts and there was plenty of umami meatiness.  Some fall flavors with the seasoning gave it lots of body.  We got the Mashed Potatoes and Corn Bread Dressing as the sides.  Loved the mash as it still had plenty of potato texture left.  The gravy was smooth and not too salty.  As for the bread dressing, it was soft and fluffy while being sweet and aromatic.

So our meals also included Corn Bread.  Really liked eating these as they were moist and fluffy while still having the typical cornbread robust texture.  It had a balanced corn sweetness.  Overall, the food at Dulan's was definitely comforting and you certainly won't go hungry.  Each meal could easily feed 2 less hungry people.  I particularly enjoyed the oxtail and fried chicken.  Most of the sides were good and the corn bread was solid.  So if you are hungry for comfort eats, Dulan's got you covered.

The Good:
- Solid comfort food
- Large portions
- Lots of tasty sides

The Bad:
- Shortrib was a bit dry

Chickadee Room

Since 2016, Juke has been frying up delicious fried chicken encased in its signature rice flour batter.  I've been here on several occasions, whether it be dine-in or take out.  I've always like their chicken and in fact, their chicken sandwich is pretty darn solid too.  Things have changed from the beginning though as the main dining room now houses The Chickadee Room.  It is open late and serves a wide variety of beverages and cocktails.  Yes, it also serves the menu from Juke Chicken!

Naturally, I have to talk about some of the drinks first because, well, it is a late night bar!  We tried both the Silly Goose and Masatakas Garden.  Consisting of Nikka Coffey Gin, Snap Pea Noilly Dry, Handa Go Junmai Sake, apple and shiso, the Masatakas Garden was a pretty strong cocktail.  I found the gin and sake coming on strong at first, but then we got some subtle floral notes at the end.  As for the Silly Goose, it was a bit fruitier due to the combination of grapefruit and lemon going with the El Jimador Reposado Tequila and Vida Mezcal.  With that being said, the alcohol did come through, but not in-your-face as much as the Masatakas Garden.

To go with our drinks we had a selection of bites including the Chicken & Waffles.  Those cheddar and jalapeno waffles were on point.  Fluffy while crispy on the outside, these were drizzled with smaltz and chipotle maple.  Yep, that was plenty silky and aromatic with a touch of spice and sweetness.  It came with 2 pieces of dark meat chicken and it was fantastic.  Batter was crispy with rendered skin and the meat was juicy.  This is exactly how I like my fried chicken!

We also had the combination of things that were all tasty.  This included the Corn on the Cob.  These were cooked just enough where each niblet still had some bite and burst out with juicy sweetness.  They were coated in schmaltz, lime, chili flakes and cilantro.  Due to this, there was so real creaminess that was a bit spicy and plenty tangy.  Those Nuoc Cham Ribs were money with fall-off-the-bone meat that had been crisped up on the outside.  It was glazed with a fish sauce that was briny, spicy and sweet.  The addition of peanuts, bird's eye chili, sesame seeds, green onion and cilantro really made this pop with layers of spicy, nuttiness and brightness.  We also had Mr. Clay's All Dressed Fries with spicy garlic mayo, house pickles, parm, and crunchy fried onions.  Unlike so other dirty fries out there, this was not completely doused with moisture.  Hence, the fries underneath were still crispy and not soggy.  I liked the crunch of the fried onions combined with the spice from the mayo.  Last item on the platter was their Chili Fried Chicken.  These were juicy like the regular chicken but with a medium spice on the outside.  It was flavourful and smoky but not tongue-burning.  The batter remained fairly crispy despite the saucing.

When we dug into the all white meat Chicken Nuggets, it reminded us of something.  Yes!  These were larger versions of the ones you'd find at Chick Fil-A!  The hand-cut breast meat was moist and tender while the batter was fairly thin and crunchy.  We sampled 3 different sauces including honey mustard, sriracha honey and chipotle maple.  My favourite was the honey mustard with real mustard seed.  It was tangy with a slight bite.  We got Juke's Famous Mac & Cheese and it was loaded with plenty of melted cheddar.  The top was a bit hard due to the baking but underneath, the tender, but firm noodles were coated with plenty of cheesiness.

Making sure we covered all of our bases, we tried their Sweet & Spicy Wings topped with sesame seeds, cilantro, green onion and Thai basil.  Loved these wings as the meat was moist and tender while the outside still had some crispiness.  The best part was the sauce as it was impactful with medium spice and a balancing amount of sweetness.  With the other elements, the wings definitely had a Southeast Asian flair.

Last but not least, we had to get some veggies right?  We had the Juke Salad with iceberg lettuce, onion, radish, tomato, cheddar & sunflower seeds in a Asian sesame dressing.  This was pretty much a green salad with the classic aromatic sweet & tangy sesame dressing.  However, with popcorn chicken added to it, this was more of a meal and the chicken itself was crunchy.  This would've been even better if we had more dressing to douse on the chicken.  Overall, we enjoyed our visit to The Chickadee Room.  Love the concept of a late-night bar with the Juke Chicken menu to compliment.  To us, it even appeared that the food has improved since our last visit.  Not that it wasn't already good before...

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

The Good:
- Tasty cocktails
- Juicy fried chicken with a crunchy rice flour batter
- Nice vibe

The Bad:
- Place is tight except for 2 bigger tables, you might want to make a rez

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

Yardbird Table & Bar

Despite the departure of Roanna and Eileen the night before, Jackie and I still had one more food adventure left on the schedule before our flight.  It happened to be Yardbird Table & Bar located in the Venetian.  I've been to their original Miami spot before and it was fantastic!  Loved their take on Southern comfort food!  However, given the inside location of this Yardbird, it had a much more elevated vibe due to the darker dining room and less bright sunny farm-themed decor.

To start, we had the Devilled Eggs with dill, chives and smoked trout roe.  These featured half eggs filled high with creamy and rich egg yolks.  There was definitely enough seasoning with the hint of mustard.  Loved the little pops of smoky brininess from the roe.  I also liked how the egg whites were delicate and not rubbery.  However, the thing that put the whole thing over-the-top was the drizzle of honey hot sauce.  That brought out sweet and spicy notes to go with the already delicious egg.

Yah, we couldn't do some Southern eats without doing the Skillet Cornbread with sharp cheddar, bacon, jalapeño and honey butter.  So from the description alone, this was obviously not your typical cornbread.  Well, the cornbread itself was excellent being fluffy and buttery with a crisp top.  With the added ingredients, we found a real savoury element with a salty cheesiness as well as spicy tang from the peppers.  Add in the honey butter, we had a good mix of flavors.

Going for all the greatest hits, we also had the Fried Green Tomato BLT with  house-smoked pork belly, pimento cheese, frisée, smoky tomato jam and lemon vinaigrette.  Yah, these were addictively good with a firm green tomato slice coated in a crunchy breading.  It didn't eat heavy though.  On top, the dollop of cheese did its salty cheesy thing while the slice of pork belly was soft and smoky.  Add in the freshness of the frisée with the tangy vinaigrette and we had a balanced 2-biter.

Their signature dish, Chicken & Waffles, is a must order for anyone dining at Yardbird.  So yah, we got that too.  This featured chilled spiced watermelon, Vermont sharp cheddar waffle, 1/2 fried chicken, honey hot sauce and bourbon maple syrup.  This did not disappoint where the waffle was super savoury and crispy.  Oh man, the fried chicken was off-the-hook.  All the meat (including the breast) was juicy while nicely brined.  The outside was uniformly crunchy and well-seasoned.  It was even better with some honey hot sauce.  To bring it all back down, the refreshing watermelon did just that.

Staying with fried chicken to a degree, we had their Nashville Hot Yardbird Sandwich.  This featured a big Carolina reaper-rubbed chicken thigh that was fried up perfectly.  The crunch gave way to a juicy thigh that had some real spice to it.  Although the slaw was there to cool things down a touch, it was also spicy, so it just kept the theme going.  Nice crunch on it though.  Loved the toasted brioche bun as it was crispy on the inside and nicely charred.

Our last dish was also a classic in the Shrimp & Grits with seared shrimp, roasted tomato, Virginia ham,red onion, Nora Mill grits and PBR jus.  Another winner here with creamy, yet robust grits soaked in a rich sauce that had some remnants of the beer while sporting the unmistakable flavor of Virginia ham.  The shrimp were perfectly cooked with a caramelizing sear and having enough seasoning.  Well, if you have been paying attention, this meal was fantastic and brought back great memories of the first time I dined at their Miami location.  Food is prepared properly and the flavors are just dynamite.  You also won't leave hungry either.

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

The Good:

- On point eats

- That fried chicken!

- Large portions

The Bad:

- For this location at least, it is a bit dark