Salt & Steak

When Salt & Steak opened a year ago, I was a bit sad that Fresh Cravings had closed.  Hey, it wasn't the best place to get brunch, but it was affordable and completely serviceable.  Well, when one door closes, another opens right?  With The Keg a bit up the road, there is competition nearby.  That also includes Cactus Club across the street from the Keg on Scott Road.  One thing that Salt & Steak has over everyone else in the neighbourhood is that their steaks are Halal.  I dropped by one night for dinner to see if their 4.6 on Google was reflective of their food.

We started with the Warm Three Cheese Spinach Dip.  This was definitely cheesy as advertised and the spinach portion of the dip was creamy and well-seasoned.   They didn't skimp on the portion size and was more than enough for us as an appie.  However, we felt that garlic toast was not the best accompaniment though.  Even though it was good, there was too much bread.  Something like tortilla chips or fried pita chips would've been more appropriate.  

We had their monthly special in the Beef Lasagna and despite it being serviceable, I thought it was not very refined.  I appreciated the plethora of melted mozzarella, but that was far too much it and I would've liked to see a bit of a cheese crust going on.  Inside, it was okay with tender ground beef, bechamel and even more cheese.  I wanted to like this, but it wasn't my preference.

Before I get to the steak, I'll discuss the Salt & Steak Signature Beef Burger.  Despite not looking like it, the burger was actually decent.  The house-made patty was almost a bit airy and extremely tender.  For some people, it might be a bit too soft of a patty, but I didn't mind it.  The brioche bun was light and barely held together.  The side of fresh-cut fries were somewhat crispy.

Okay, for our steak, we had the T-Bone that was around 18 to 20oz.  We asked for it to be prepared medium-rare and it was as such (on both the striploin and the tenderloin).  Nice char on both sides and the seasoning was sufficient.  Since this should be their bread and butter, I'm glad to say this was done right.  Meat was tender and definitely smoky from the grilling.  The side of veggies were also grilled and not overdone.  In the end, we liked the burger and the spinach dip, but the lasagne, not so much.  However, the steak was our favourite dish of the meal.  Good thing too as the place is a steakhouse.  

The Good:
- Steak was cooked perfectly
- Friendly service
- Certified Halal

The Bad:
- I may need to try more dishes, but other than the steak and burger, some refinement maybe needed

Bahubali Biryani House

For the longest time, there was this Fijian restaurant sitting in this strip mall on the Southwest corner of Scott Road and Nordel.  I always wanted to try it, but it never seemed to be open and neither was there much information about it.  Well, no matter now as it has been replaced by a brand-new spanking Indian restaurant called Bahubali Biryani House.  Loved they have a green theme to the exterior, as it blends it completely with Dollarama next door!

Getting right to the food, we started off with something so addictive and delicious, I wanted to have the dish to myself.  Alas, I had to share the Crispy Corn with the rest of the crew.  These little plump and sweet niblets were lightly coated so that they were crispy without being heavy nor greasy.  They were nicely spiced with a bit of earthiness that paired well with the sweetness of the corn.  The acidity from the wedge of lime made this a bit tropical in flavour.

It always seems like we ordered Fish Pakora whenever we get the chance.  I guess it the contrast between the crispy spiced batter with the flaky and moist fish.  Well, the version here definitely fulfilled that criteria even though the fish came is thin strips.  Due to this, we felt it ate crispier but at the same time, the fish wasn't dry.  To bring down the spice of the dish (even though it wasn't spicy), the mint chutney on the side did just that.

Arriving on a sizzling hot cast iron plate, the Tandoori Prawns were definitely the beneficiary of some charring and caramelization.  Hence, there was some appealing smokiness and intense flavours.  To go with the nuttiness from the char, we also found that the spices were quite apparent with some earthy fall-flavours.  Furthermore, the prawns themselves were cooked just right with a buttery meatiness that was not overdone. 

Now a dish we usually do not order is the Murgh Malai Tikka.  I guess that is my own personal bias as I find it rather heavy.  Well, this version was a bit different than the ones I've had before.  Normally, the chicken is tenderized by the yogurt lemon juice marinade, but I think in this instance, it was marinaded quite aggressively.  Hence, the chicken became super tender and almost became pulled chicken in the end.  Maybe a bit to soft, but still okay.  Flavours were quite nice with a spiced creaminess.

We continued on with another chicken appetizer in the Chicken Majestic.  This is a Southern Indian dish that is marinated until tender and deep fried.  It is coated in a spiced yogurt mixed with curry leaves.   Well, they nailed it with their version with big pieces of tender chicken that had a slightly crispy exterior.  The creaminess of the sauce was appealing with a bit of heat and spice as well as some earthiness.

Onto the mains, we got a few including the Butter Chicken, Guthi Vankay Curry, Goat Curry and Mutton Maratha.  The fan favourite of the bunch had to be the eggplant curry with tender and delicate baby eggplant.  The curry was nutty and tangy.  The butter chicken was more on the creamier side with only a slight tanginess with tender nuggets of chicken.  The other 2 curries featured goat and both were tender with the unmistakable gelatinous quality to the meat.  I preferred the goat curry more due to its robust flavour and fall-like depth.  On the side, we had Garlic Naan, Spinach Paratha and Rumali Roti.  Naan was blistered and crispy in parts on the outside while chewy and soft on the inside.  Paratha was soft and warm with a slight chew while also blistered.  As for the roti, if you ever have seen it made, it is cooked on a half-dome element and comes out as a huge round piece.  This was soft and a bit chewy with lots of elasticity.

Of course we couldn't finish the meal with a biryani right?  So we got the Hyderabad Mutton Biryani.  Bearing the city's namesake, Hyderabad, the biryani is cooked slowly while being spiced with saffron.  This particular version was really good with chewy and fragrant rice.  Didn't get a whole lot of saffron but definitely lots of meat flavour and depth.  There was a good spice to it too.  In general, the food at Buhubali Biryani was pretty solid and well-portioned.  Love the renovated dining space and also the ample parking available.  A great addition to Scott Road.

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

The Good:
- Developed flavours
- Nice dining space
- Ample parking

The Bad:
- Was the Murgh Malai Tikka overmarinated?

 

House of Chicken

*Restaurant is closed*

So here we go back-to-back-to-back with fried chicken blog posts.  This is, in fact, the chronological order of when these visits happened.  Therefore, this wasn't the best week for my health, but it was quite the joy to devour though!  The trifecta of fried chicken ended up at House of Chicken along Scott Road in North Delta.  I've been here before and not only is the food delicious, it is affordable.   This would not be a small detail these days with severely high food prices.  We came back to try some more new items as well as getting a sneak peak of their $13.99 AYCE brunch (yes, really!).

One of the new items is their Fish & Chips that featured an enormous piece of fish that was literally the entire filet.  Essentially, it was half of a medium-sized fish!  This was coated in their crunchy, yet not heavy batter.  Inside of that, the fish was juicy and super flaky.  Would've enjoyed some basic tartar with it though, instead we got some type of tangy mayo.  The side of fries were the starch-covered variety and fried until super crispy, but not overly greasy.

Of course we couldn't ignore their awesome chicken sammies including the Nashville Hot Chicken and the Mega Crunch.  Served on a brioche bun, the Nashville featured a good-sized chicken breast that was moist while sporting their crunchy batter.  There was some mild spiciness from the mayo while tangy crunch from the pickles and coleslaw.  Featuring 2 large fried chicken thighs, the Mega Crunch could feed 2 people with smaller appetites.  Also juicy with more chicken flavour (due to the dark meat), the sandwich ate with plenty of texture.  We also tried the Karachi Bun Kebab with a ground beef mashed lentil patty, egg, onion and mint sauce.  To me, this ate like a breakfast sammie.  The patty had the unmistakable soft texture of cooked lentils.  The egg was fluffy and light. 

If the sammies were a big part of the menu, the Crispy Fried Chicken was mandatory.  We also had the Tandoori Chicken to compare.  We got both in regular and spicy (pictures here are of the spicy fried chicken and regular tandoori chicken).  As expected, the dark meat fried chicken was juicy while the batter was crunchy with rendered skin.  I found the spicy to be only mildly so in both the fried and tandoori chicken.  As for the tandoori, it was not as juicy as the fried chicken, but it did have fully rendered skin.

Being Indian-run, the restaurant also features a selection of Indian eats.  We ended up ordering the Fish Pakora featuring large nuggets of fish that were only lightly coated with batter.  Hence the texture of the flaky fish was more prominent.  With intermittent batter on the outside, there was a nice contrast of crispiness and soft fish.  It was nicely spice where we got the usual pakora flavours without it being too overwhelming.

Possibly our favourite dish of the meal had nothing to do with fried chicken.  It was actually the Goat Karahi.  This was a fairly large portion that was served with a side of Naan.  The pieces of goat were soft and tender with its unmistakable gelatinous quality.  The flavours were rich and full-of-depth from the garam masala that gave this comforting Fall-flavours.  The ginger also was quite apparent in this dish.

Our last Indian dish was the massive portion of Chicken Biryani.  This was also good with large chunks of chicken hidden within.  They were tender with a noted level of spice.  The basmati rice was nutty and chewy while still cooked through.  For $16.99, this was a considerable portion and combined with some curry and fried chicken, this could easily feed a family of 4 for under $50.00.

They also brought out selection of items for us to sample that are part of the Buffet Brunch for $13.99.  No that is not a typo...  All the Fried Chicken, Fries, Naan, Basmati Rice, Murgh Chanay, Beef Nihari, Chai and Gajar Halwa that you can eat for $13.99 on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00am to 3:00pm.  You already know that the chicken is good, but the curries are on point too.  I'm not surprised they are offering such an inexpensive brunch because their whole menu is a good value.  There is actually somewhere you can go dine-out and not break the bank.  Oh, and it helps the food is delicious and well-portioned too.

*This meal was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Inexpensive

- Large portions

- Delicious

The Bad:

- Tandoori chicken could be juicier

House of Chicken

*Restaurant is closed*

If I seem to be going on and on about food prices these days, it is with good reason.  You see, I'm very fortunate that I can afford to buy groceries and eat out.  So I'm acutely aware that the bottom line is very important to many people.  This brings me to the newly-opened House of Chicken on Scott Road.  It is directly related to Chicken World, so if the menu items look familiar, you aren't hallucinating.  In fact, this concept is a sit-down full-service restaurant with a "blues"-type atmosphere and vibe to go with shockingly low-prices for their food.  A family of 4 can come eat here and have leftovers for less than $50.00!

With a name like House of Chicken, it isn't a surprise they have Fried Chicken as well as Grilled Chicken.  Yes, these are exactly like you would find at Chicken World (which is a good thing).  Sporting a crunchy coating, the fried chicken is juicy and moist while nicely seasoned.  As for the grilled, it can also be original or spicy. For this one, it has a definite kick.  Skin is well-rendered and the meat is juicy and tender.

Featured prominently on the menu are their burgers including the Nashville Hot (there are 2 of them in this picture), Classic and Mega Crunch.  If you've been to Chicken World, then you have had these before.  Served on a soft but sturdy bun, the fried chicken thighs are juicy with a uniformly crunchy exterior.  These can be had in either original or spicy.  My pick is the Mega Crunch featuring 2 large fried chicken thighs.

Also on the menu is a few options for those who do not want chicken in the form of their Veggie Burger and Philly Cheesesteak.  Unlike other versions, their veggie patty is made with paneer and then fried.  Hence, the texture is much softer and moist.  The crunch of the exterior gives it a great contrast.  As for their cheesesteak, it features thin slices of beef that are lean, yet not chewy.  It features peppers, onions and cheese in a soft roll.

For their version of Popcorn Chicken, they use large pieces of dark meat that could easily pass for nuggets.  This is a version of popcorn chicken that needs to be shared or if it is all you are eating , you will be full!.  Naturally, these feature the same crunchy seasoned batter as the fried chicken.  Also similar is the juicy and well-seasoned chicken.  On the side, there is a spicy and sweet chili dip.

Beyond their fried chicken and burger options, they also have a few daily Indian specials.  On Wednesdays, they have the Grilled Chicken Skewer atop spiced chicken rice for $7.99.  This is more than enough for one person where the chicken is flavourful with spiciness.  Despite not looking as such, the chicken is tender and juicy.  Underneath, the ample amount of chicken rice is fluffy while chewy with spices.

Also available as a daily special on Mondays, the Chicken Biryani features large pieces of chicken thigh nestled within the spiced rice for $9.99.  I found the chicken to be succulent and spicy while the chewy (in a good way) rice was equally hot.  Full of flavour and a steal for the price.  Due to popular demand for this item, it is available every day of the week for the non-special price.  On weekends, they offer Hungry Habibi Hours that includes chicken biryani, butter naan bread, pink tea and dessert. It is available from Friday to Sunday from 5:00 - 10:00pm.

In terms of sweets, they have milkshakes such as the Mango Milkshake (there is Oreo too!) as well as Cheesecake.  The shake is creamy and purposefully sweet while the cheesecake was quite light and airy with plenty of cheesiness.  It is on the sweeter side due to the caramel drizzle.  As you can see from this post, the food at House of Chicken is very affordable and well-portioned.  Add in the fact that the food is delicious as well, then you have a real winner.  I actually work nearby so, I am going to be quite the regular now and grab some takeout for lunch!

 *All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Inexpensive (almost unbelievable)
- Generous portions

The Bad:
- Could add a few more options for sides

 

La Meza Grill

It has been awhile since I've been back to La Meza Grill.  I personally think it is one of the best, if not the best Filipino restaurant in the Lower Mainland.  The place isn't fancy, but it is modern and comfortable, complete with a Filipino grocery store attached to it.  I've said it before and have said it again, I'm still waiting for Filipino food to be the "it" cuisine.  They've been saying for years that it will happen and well, it hasn't.  Whatever the case, I brought my resident Filipino food expert in Steph to ensure that I'm not liking something that I shouldn't.

Trying to hit some of their greatest hits, we started with the Lumpiang Shanghai.  These Filipino spring rolls were on point featuring the classic thin wrapper.  It was wound up tightly enough so that the layers were crunchy.  I enjoyed how they were not overly greasy.  Inside, the pork filling was excellent.  It was juicy and delicate with a good rebound texture.  There was also no absence of flavour where the sweetness from the onions and veggies came through.  This was served with a side of sweet & sour sauce.

Moving on, we also had the Pork BBQ skewer.  As you can see in the picture, this was beautifully charred and sporting a sweet banana ketchup-based glaze.  They used pork belly and that resulted in very tender and fatty pieces of meat.  With the fat activated, there was plenty of natural pork flavour that was caramelized by the grilling.  With the charring of the sweet glaze, there was both smokiness and intense caramel notes.

We really couldn't be dining on Filipino food without including the Crispy Pata right?  So of course we ordered it!  This was excellent where it was pretty large and also fried up beautifully.  The pork hock meat was gelatinous and super tender.  Now the best part is the crackling and it was crunchy while not being hard.  It was almost airy with some sinful fat and gelatin underneath.  As usual, it was served with a soy vinegar dip on the side.

One item I've never had before was the Bulalo or beef bone marrow and mixed veggie soup.  This was a great suggestion by Steph as it was comforting, especially during these cold days.  This wasn't a complex soup, but it had a good meatiness complemented by the sweetness of corn, cabbage and bak choy.  Hidden underneath, there was quite a bit of tender beef shank.  This could be eaten as a meal by itself.

Continuing on the greatest hits of Filipino cuisine, we got the Filipino Spaghetti.  To be honest, I really like this dish, so it didn't matter if it was rather defaultish.  The pasta was prepared fairly al dente and it was sauced with the classic sweet tomato and banana ketchup mix (maybe a bit too sweet).  There was plenty of ground pork and beef with minor hints of onion. I would've liked to see a bit more hot dog wiener though.

Another favourite of mine is the Pork Sisig or aka sizzling pig face.  Yes, that doesn't sound super appetizing, but trust me, it is!  The fatty and gelatinous texture of the fatty meat crisps up with the hot cast iron plate.  Despite the heaviness of the main ingredient, things are balanced by the calamansi as well as the lemon wedge on the side.  This is best eaten with a side of garlic rice, which of course we also ordered. 

To complete all of our savoury dishes, we had another classic in the Mixed Pancit featuring stir-fried egg and rice noodles with chicken, pork, shrimp and vegetables.  At first, I thought this was a bit too mild-tasting, but as I dug into it more and mixed everything together, we found hits of garlic, sweetness and brininess.  Noodles were slippery and not clumpy while the veggies were cooked through without being soggy.

Hey, if we were doing the greatest hits, we just had to get the Halo Halo for dessert!   This had all of the elements including the base of shaved ice, gelatin, beans, flan, ube ice cream and evaporated milk.  However, the ice itself was not crushed properly where there was literally a big ice cube in the middle.  Oh well, just one minor detail in an otherwise delicious and affordable meal at La Meza.  If you haven't had Filipino food before, this is a great place to try it.  Portions are large and prices are small.  Did I mention it was yummy too?

The Good:
- On point food
- Inexpensive
- Large portions

The Bad:
- Not the biggest place, so not a lot of room for large groups
- Hopefully the next time I have the Halo Halo, there isn't a large ice cube in the middle  

Tandoori Flame

Prior to this post, I've already been to Tandoori Flame 5 times since it opened.  I did do a write up upon its grand opening and was thoroughly impressed with the variety and quality of the food.  Putting my money where my mouth (or keyboard) is, I've paid to eat there 4 times with family and friends.  For those who haven't tried the place, Tandoori Flame is indeed North America's largest Indian Buffet in terms of items available and also dining space.  Furthermore, the place is modern, complete with a full-service bar sporting cocktails and their spin on traditional Indian beverages.  This time around, we were invited back to not only enjoy the food, but to sample the aforementioned cocktails.

So I'll get the food shortly, but concentrating on the cocktails, we had the (left-to-right): Strawberry Gulkand Lassi, Pudina Pineapple Mojito, Mango Jalapeno Margarita, Spicy Watermelon Margarita, Cilantro Jalapeno Pineapple Margarita and Tamarind Peach Lassi.  Loved the pretty colours and tropical presentation.  I thought the fruit flavours were bang on and impactful.  Love the tanginess balanced by sweetness.  These drinks were dangerous, especially the ones with alcohol as they went down real easy.  I particularly enjoyed the strawberry lassi since it had a good balance of creaminess, sweetness and tartness.

Onto the food, my favourite section is the appetizers or snacks featuring Chatpate Aloo, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Pakora, Amritsari Fish Fry, Kasturi Murgh Tikka, Malai Murgh Tikka, Malai Soya Chaap and Bhatti Ka Murgh.  Believe it or not, my favourite item was the soya chaap.  Yes, it isn't meat, but it had an appealing chewy texture while being bathed in a creamy spiced gravy.  As usual, the fish fry was excellent with flaky moist fish coated by a light and crispy batter.  Despite its spicy red appearance, it was mild with some sweetness.

Over to the left of this section, there is a selection of Chaat and other street snacks.  To go with the Papri Chaat, we found chickpeas being freshly made behind the counter.  Right next to it, there is Pani Puri which is a smaller crispier version.  In addition to these, many more ingredients including chutneys are available to create your own chaat masterpiece.  I love how they include Pav Bhaji where you can make your own little soft bread roll veggie sloppy joe's.  I love the meat version of this dish more, but this was still tasty.

One of the best things at the buffet is the freshly-made Naan right out of the tandoor.  You can watch the chef work the dough and then smack it against the walls of the tandoor.  It cooks up right before your eyes and the smell is intoxicating.  With a brush of ghee and then cut into smaller pieces, you literally get it into your mouth less than minute after it is made.   I love the naan here as it is pillowy soft with elasticity and chew.  On the outside, it is crispy and beautifully charred.  I know I should just eat bread at a buffet, but I can literally eat this and be satisfied.

Of course pairing naan with curries is the best combination, so let's get to the many varieties they serve.  There are 3 sections with my favourite being the meat curries including Malai Shrimp, Laal Maas, Chili Chicken, Methi Murgh, Black Pepper Fish, Goat Curry, Butter Chicken and also a Chicken Biryani.    Really enjoyed the lamb (Laal Maas) as each chunk was tender with the unmistakable gelatinous quality of lamb meat.  Curry had a good spice level and the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom really came through to give a fall spice flavor.  For a buffet, the butter chicken was solid.  It featured tender thigh meat and was balanced in terms of tang and creaminess.  Also enjoyed the goat curry with the tender bone-in pieces of goat.  It wasn't overly gamy and the curry also exhibited rich earthy notes.

For vegetarians, there is a section all for you that includes: Stir Fried French Beans, Veg Manchurian, Daal Makhani, Shahi Paneer, Aloo Gobi, Kadhi Pakora, Palak Paneer and Chana Masala.  Highlights include the aloo gobi with tender chunks of potato and cauliflower.  Not overdone but still cooked through.  Good gingery hit on those. I enjoyed the tangy gravy in the kadhi pakora as well as the softened fried vegetable pakoras within in.  I love palak paneer and this one was good with creamy spinach and tender chunks of squishy paneer.  Again, this was mild, but had some background earthiness.

One last section to the left included a mix of items including Halal versions of Bhatti Ka Murgh, Kasturi Murgh Tikka, Chicken Biryani, Goat Curry, Butter Chicken, Black Pepper Fish and Chili Chicken.  We also found Veg Fried Rice and Veg Fried Noodles.  It is nice to see that they have something for everyone (as in different dietary restrictions).  I will only comment on the rice and noodles as the others are essentially the same as the non-Halal versions.  The rice was chewy and firm due to the use of basmati rice while the noodles were quite good with al dente noodles and enough seasoning.

For dessert, they have a remarkable selection including Ice Cream (Hard and Soft-Serve), Rice Kheer, Badam Halwa, Gulab Jamon, Moong Dal Halwa, Seviyan, Thandi Kheer, Gulkand Phirni, Coconut Gulab Jamon, Kesar Rasgulla, Petha and Fruit Custard.  Not pictured is a station that does made-to-order Malpua and Jalebi with Rabri.  Yes, these are sweet, that is par for the course when it comes to Indian sweets.  Great selection.  I didn't even mention the salad bar, made-to-order Dosa (with Sambar) and freshly-baked pizza.  There is just so much food and something for everyone.  Add in a modern and trendy dining space complete with bar and great service, you can see why I've been back so many times.

*All beverages and buffet were complimentary*

The Good:
- Quite the variety of food
- Overall, very good, especially for a buffet
- Modern dining space

The Bad:
- Buffet area can get a bit crowded when busy