Pokerrito (Morgan Crossing)

Back in 2012, when the Poké craze initially began to take shape in North America, I was trying to keep up with all the new spots opening all over the place.  Seeing how it was growing exponentially, I decided to give up as I couldn't maintain the pace.  Predictably, many have come and many have gone as the market did get saturated.  However, quite a few have survived and are still doing well.  One particular chain is Pokerrito, which surprisingly I've never had a chance to do a visit.  With a menu tasting in hand, I finally got my chance at the Morgan Crossing location.

For those who aren't familiar, Pokerrito offers up classic poké bowls as well as some fusion bowls.  But as the name implies, they are known for their Poké + Burritos = Pokerrito.  Think of it as a really large sushi roll with all the goodness of poké inside.  In the picture above, you will find the Diamond Head   It was particularly impactful with the combination of spicy tuna, spicy seaweed salad, crab meat, ginger, masago, jalapeno, furikake, crispy onion and sweet chili.  Lots of spice with sweetness and tang.  This was the most flavourful of the ones we tried.

As for the Hawaiian Classic, it was much more subtle with marinated tuna, seaweed salad, sesame, radish, pineapple, sweet corn, pea shoots, tempura bits and shoyu.  As you can imagine, this was mostly sweet with some saltiness from the shoyu.and Hawaiian Classic Pokerritos.  In this picture, you will notice the nori casing and a thin layer of sushi rice. That meant we could totally taste the ingredients even more so than the bowl version.  Also, the textures were more apparent.

Now we had two different Pokerritos that resided at each end of the spectrum.  With the the Hanauma, we found something that fell somewhere in the middle.  We had it in both pokerrito and bowl form and they ate very differently.  The bowl version had much more rice, which in turn made each individual ingredient less apparent than the pokerrito.  Now it wasn't as if there was no impact.  In fact, it still tasted great with the buttery salmon, sweet imitation crab salad, ginger and wakame salad. I personally ate less of the ginger as it was sharp with a spicy and tangy bite.  In the pokerrito form, it was harder to pick out and that overshadowed the fish somewhat.  But then again, it was further enhanced by the lack of rice.

The North Shore Bowl had some elements from the Hanauma Bowl as well as the Hawaiian Classic.  Instead of salmon, we found fresh tuna with wakame salad, radish, edamame, pineapple and masago.  This was fresh-tasting with subtle flavours.  The addition of pineapple added sweet brightness and the imitation crab salad provided creaminess.  I think this would be good in pokerrito form since there would be less rice.  The tuna and pineapple would stand out even more.  Also no ginger would allow the other components to shine more so.

Onto something that was a bit different than the previous bowls, we had the Torched Ahi Tuna Bowl with soba.  Naturally, this added smokiness and varied texture within the tuna itself.  We had some slightly cooked bits while most of it was still raw and buttery.  By virtue of employing soba and seared tuna, this ate much more like a composed restaurant dish rather than quick service.  Really enjoyed the chewiness of the noodles combined with the crispy tempura bits.

If raw fish isn't your game, they also have some cooked bowls too including the Torched Miso Glazed Salmon Bowl.  If you are wondering, yes, this piece of salmon was fully cooked.  Despite that, it wasn't dry though, so it was flaky and moist with a sweet and salty sauce on top.  Nice smokiness due to the torching and lots of bite from the ginger on the side.  That was the only competing flavour in the bowl since everything else was mild.  Personally, I would've liked a more rare piece of seared salmon for this bowl, but not sure if that could be done?

Here is where we start to see some Korean fusion with the bowls.  First, we had the Torched Bulgogi Bowl.  This was aggressively sauced and then torched, which further intensified the sweetness.  We really had to mix this into the rice as it packed quite the flavour punch.  The ample beef was sliced thin and tender.  Some kimchi on the side provided some tang and mild spice.  Another variation was the Beef Bul-Dog.  So essentially bulgogi in a hot dog bun with some greens and crispy tempura bits on top.

Our last bowl was the Torched Spicy Pork Bowl.  This was just as saucy as the bulgogi bowl while adding the element of spiciness.  Once again, we had to mix this quite well to distribute the sweet and spicy sauce.  There was ample amount of pork that was tender and moist.  To compliment, we found some edamame, cubed tamago and kimchi as well as spring mix.  Great alternative for people who don't eat raw fish.

We had one more thing at the end and it was their Matcha Tiramisu.  Sure, it was a prepackaged item, but it turned out to be quite good.  The masacarpone was creamy and light while purposefully sweet.  With just a slight amount of bitterness, the matcha flavour was present but not overpowering.  Overall, the stuff at Pokerrito is solid and there was so many options available.  I love how you can have your poké as a large roll too since it not only allows for a different flavour and texture experience, you can actually have your poké and eat it too while on the go.

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

The Good:
- You can have your poké as a handheld
- You can also have it classic style too
- Cooked items available

The Bad:
- The sauces for the bulgogi and spicy pork were rather aggressive, best to ask for it on the side 

Meltwich Food Co.

So it goes without saying that the veritable sandwich doesn't get the accolades it truly deserves.  Often dismissed as a quick lunch option generally in kid's lunchboxes, it is associated with fast food spots such as Subway.  However, if you go gourmet, you will likely find really great Italian sandwiches at some delis and even full-service restaurants.  Okay, how about something in the middle?  A bit more exciting and refined than a basic sandwich, but not something that is as expensive as a proper sit-down meal.  Well, we have Meltwich, where it is counter-service restaurant that is a step above your typical fast food joint.  As the name suggests, they specialize in grilled sandwiches with plenty of cheese.  We made our way out to the South Surrey location to sample some this 100% Canadian-Owned chain (this matters right now!).

We wanted to go basic first and went for their Classic Melt, which for all intents and purposes, is a grilled cheese sandwich.  Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the sandwich because it was prepared expertly.   I thought the bread choice was excellent as it grilled up beautifully to be crunchy with a buttery nuttiness.  However, it was not heavy as it ate with a robust texture but was not dense.  Best of all, it was packed with cheddar cheese that was completely melted and stringy.

Of course we had to get some fancier sammies and that we did with the Southern Fried Chicken Melt.  At first, we were concerned at how flat this looked as compared to the picture on the menu board.  However, it wasn't important how it appeared to us rather, the eating experience was king.  Beyond the crunchy buttery grilled slices of bread, there was a wealth of crispy fried chicken.  Although it wasn't juicy, the chicken remained moist and was well-seasoned.  Meshed with the American and cheddar cheeses, we had plenty of ooey gooey goodness and saltiness.  Add on the chipotle, buttermilk dill sauce, tomato corn salsa, pickles and shredded lettuce, there was no shortage of creaminess, added moisture, spice and tanginess.  Getting something that was from their value menu for under $10.00, we tried the Pesto Chicken Melt.  This really did have a great pesto hit and the chicken was moist.  Again, it was encased with the same excellent grilled buttery bread.

One of the most surprising items we had was the Philly Cheesesteak.  By looks alone, this didn't appear to be anything special.  However, beyond the soft brioche bun, we found beautifully seared thin slices of beef that were tender and well-seasoned.  I loved the texture as well since the meat had some crispy bits and some drier portions.  This created a textural contrast as well as offering up nuttiness.  The bun itself brought everything together with a soft hug.

 

In addition to their sandwiches, the menu features a variety of poutines.  We had 2 versions including the Classic (not pictured) and the Chicken Bacon Ranch.  These featured medium cut russet fries that were fairly crispy where there was no gravy.    There was a generous amount of legit cheese curds that had a nice squeak to them.  I found the gravy to have a good viscosity and not overly salty.  The buttermilk dill drizzle on top added plenty of creaminess and brightness.

 

They also have a variety of sides too and we ended up with 2 of them including the Mac & Cheese Wedges.  These were pretty typical with Kraft-esque mac & cheese coated with a crispy batter.  They were a bit dry on their own, but the side of dill dip, it was good.  We also had some Mac & Cheese and it was rather saucy.  The flavour was quite muted, but after adding a splash of their delicious gravy, it added the slight saltiness that this needed.

 

Lastly, we had some of their milkshakes to go with our meal.  We had both the Oreo and Mango Milkshakes.  Surprisingly, the mango was much sweeter than the Oreo.  I was expecting the opposite.  They were fairly smooth while not being particularly heavy.  There was some iciness with the Oreo.  I did like the flavour of the Oreo as it captured the essence of the cookie without being crazy sweet.  Overall, the sandwiches at Meltwich were really good!  Bread was grilled up beautifully with a nutty butteriness.  They were generous with the cheese, which made things ooey gooey.  Poutines were on point too with delicious gravy and legit cheese curds.  For those who want to support Canadian, Meltwich is totally a Canadian-based chain.  Check out their daily specials, the Philly Cheesesteak can be had with fries and drink for only $13.00.  

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

The Good:

- Delicious well-prepared melts

- Legit Poutine

- Specials make things affordable and also their under $10.00 menu

The Bad:

- I thought the mango shake was a bit too sweet

Nha Toi Boutique Café & Truedan Bubble Tea Surrey

As much as South Surrey and White Rock sound far for most people, it really isn't as far as it seems.  First of all, if we were living in Los Angeles or the Bay Area, the commute to White Rock would be typical.  We are really spoiled here when things are so close in proximity.  So that is what we had in mind when we made our way out to Nha Toi Boutique Café & Truedan Bubble Tea.  Okay, if that sounded weird to you, it is because Truedan Bubble Tea is located inside Nha Toi Vietnamese.  So you can have the best of both worlds!

So what is different about Nha Toi?  In a sea of Vietnamese restaurants, Nha Toi seeks to bring the very best as some of their ingredients are brought in specifically from Vietnam.  This was true for the Fresh Papaya Salad featuring a large prawn cracker made specifically for Nha Toi and imported from Vietnam.   This cracker was so flavourful with natural prawn that I've never had before.  Really good.  As for the salad, it was definitely fresh and crunchy while the dressing was bright and full of umaminess from the fish sauce.  This was further amplified by the roasted shallots, Thai basil, chili and peanuts.

With a bit of everything, the Street Food Platter included crispy spring rolls, fresh salad rolls, taro chips, fried fish cakes, grilled lemongrass prawn mousse skewers and chicken nuggets.  Things were pretty much what was expected with spring rolls that were crispy.  Filling was moist and flavourful.  Salad rolls were fresh with crunchy lettuce and well-prepared shrimp.  The best part was the dip on the side as it had a notable spice at the tail end.  Not your typical hoisin peanut sauce mix.  This had way more depth-of-flavour and wasn't overly sweet.  Chicken nuggets were a touch dry, but the batter was crispy and light.

The most impactful dish was the Red Rice Noodle Bowl featuring an addictive crab sauce that was both sweet and briny.  However, it was the big piece of house-made crab cake that put this dish over-the-top.  It was fluffy, briny and naturally sweet.  That needed to be eaten with the noodles for full effect.  As much as I enjoyed the wide rice noodles, I would've liked thinner noodles (even though it wasn't supposed to be).

Just for default reasons, we had to get a bowl of Pho.  That we did with the Beef Noodle Soup featuring sliced brisket, beef meatballs and thinly-sliced AAA striploin.  With lots of beef, this bowl of Pho ate robust but was not heavy due to the clean broth.  It was meaty with some sweetness and the classic star anise hit.  Noodles were plentiful and al dente.  Sure, this was on the higher-end of the Pho pricing spectrum, but it was also filling with plenty of meat.

Okay, you might be looking at this Lemongrass Chicken on Rice and wondering why the meat was not charred.  Well, I was thinking the same thing and asked.  Turns out the local clientele prefer it less charred.  Well, as I've always said, you must cater to your customers.  If you want it charred, just ask.  Despite it being white meat, it was not dry and in fact, was juicy and well-brined.  Ate much better than it appeared.

Trying to hit all the favourites, we also had the Pork Patty Banh Mi.  This was a fully-loaded sub where eat bite guaranteed a mouthful of sweet and juicy pork patty.  To compliment, there was also pickled daikon & carrots, cilantro, cucumber, green peppers and signature house-made sauce.  This was not lacking flavour nor texture.  Even the baguette was crusty on the outside and airy on the inside.

We also wanted to try the Fish Sauce-Glazed Wings and of course we got those too.  This featured fairly large mid-wings that were deep-fried just right.  The skin was crispy and well-rendered.  Inside, the meat was juicy and tender.  Naturally, the best thing about these was the glaze as it was sweet and caramelized with a salty brininess.  I would've loved even more of it on the side to dip the meat into.

Of course we can't forget about the bevvies from Truedan.  The main draw for these drinks is their freshness featuring real ingredients.  Loved the refreshing sweetness of the Mango & Strawberry Yogurt Slush, but the best one was the Brown Sugar Milk with Fresh Taro.  The smooth texture of the aromatic taro was so freakin' awesome.  Do get this if you are there!  Overall, I was impressed with the food here.  They put in the effort to make it right and put in some unique touches.  Having excellent Truedan drinks on site doesn't hurt things either.

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

The Good:

- They put in the effort, even with the smaller details (like sauces and the prawn cracker)

- Things don't seem commercialized, a bit like home-cooking

- Excellent Truedan drinks

The Bad:

- Street food platter had some times that were a bit dry

Showshaa - The Modern Taproom

Wow, the third South Surrey post in a row!  This must be some sort of record...  Well, it wasn't smooth sailing this time around as not only we hit rush hour traffic, there was an overturned car on Hwy 99.  Yah, that took us a long time to get there.  Also, I accidentally deleted the picture of the restaurant, so the one here is from Foodology (who is nice enough to let me use it!).  As you can see, the restaurant is Showshaa and they are yet another bougie Indian restaurant that offers up modern dishes within a classy dining space.

Since we were here during Happy Hour, we sampled a few items from that menu including the Sesame Paneer Fingers with a sweet and spicy chili sauce.  Nice presentation being served in its own shot glasses and dip.  It was practical too since we could double-dip to our hearts content.  I found the dip necessary too as the sticks themselves were all about texture and needed something something.  About that texture, the outside was crunchy while the inside was the usual soft squishiness of paneer.

Next up, we had the Mumbai Spiced Prawns served with a creamy dip.  Honestly, I didn't even use the dip as the prawns themselves were a flavour bomb.  The red chili powder not only gave the prawns an appealing colour, there was some earthy spice to them.  I did use the lemon wedge to bring some brightness to the dish though.  Prawn texture was on point too with a meaty snap and a slight exterior crunch.

Staying with small fried bites, we got the Fish Pakora served with tartar sauce and creamy mint chutney.  The large chunks of Pacific cod were moist and flaky while the batter was crispy and light.  Nice earthiness from the marinade and the spices in the batter.  I did dip these in the chutney and it was creamy with definite herb notes while being bright as well.

Yes, here is another fried item in the Chicken Lollipops but believe me, they fry things beautifully at Showshaa!  These "Frenched" chicken drumettes had all of the meat bunched up at the end and that created a pocket of juiciness while the outside was supremely crunchy.  These were good on their own, but dunking them into the hot garlic sauce on the side meant there was some real flavour going on.

One of the more interesting dishes was the Showshaa Signature Sizzler with chicken tikka, cheesy Szechuan sauce, rice, fries and vegetables.  This was a mess of food figuratively and literally.  Such zestiness with sweet, tang and spice combined with tender pieces of chicken.  Not only was the rice a nice way to enjoy the sauce, the fries were equally enjoyable in a poutine-like manner.

One of their best Happy Hour deals is the Butter Chicken Combo complete with naan and rice for only $16.99!  How many places can you get a complete meal for that price these days?  Well, price is one thing, but how about execution?  As you can see, the naan was nicely blistered with a crispy bottom while the rest of it was soft with an appealing chew.  The butter chicken featured tender chunks of thigh meat while the sauce was creamy and rich.  It had mild tomato notes, smokiness and a medium spice level.

Attractively-plated, the Mixed Grill Board featured Soya Chaap, Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Fish, and Malai Chicken Tikka.  We found naan sticks in the middle as well as a host of sauces.  I found most of the meats to be nicely charred and marinated while tender.  However, the fish was a bit over done.  Loved the naan sticks as they were crispy with some pleasant elasticity.  This was a very good sharing platter that had curb appeal.

We finished strong with a host of curries including Lamb Rogen Josh, Chicken Korma, Coconut Fish Curry,  Mata Malai Methi and   Amritsari Cholay.  These were on point and delicious.  I particularly loved the fish curry as it was aromatic and sweet.  The lamb was tender with plenty of the usual fall-flavour spices.  Chicken korma was nutty and sweet while the chickpea curry was sweet with some spice.  Finally, the mata malai methi was full of sweet peas in a creamy mild curry.  Overall, the food at Showshaa is good and well-portioned.  Love the dining space and they really like to put on a show with their drinks and plating of the food.  Good option out in South Surrey for Northern Indian cuisine.

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

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Well-portioned

- A little bit of glitz

The Bad:

- Many dishes are not authentic and won't please the authenticity police, but I find the fusion to be quite good

Chakura Tea Cafe

Now after a filling and delicious brunch at The Wooden Spoon, Jackie and I made our way down the street to a cute lil' Japanese spot going by the name of Chakura Tea Cafe.  In addition to hot and cold beverages, they feature some cakes and treats as well as a selection of hot items.  For all of the Japanese restaurants we have in the GVRD, we don't have many that serve the things that Chakura offer, let alone one in South Surrey/White Rock.

Getting right to it, we were first served the Pork Katsu Bowl.  This was a healthy portion of perfectly cooked rice that was chewy but not dry topped with a salad and a thick pork cutlet.  It was coated with panko and fried just enough that it was crunchy on the outside while still moist and juicy on the inside.  Don't be alarmed with the modest drizzle of tonkatsu sauce on the top because there was a side of it to make it more saucy to your heart's content!

Next, we had the Spicy Chicken Karaage Bowl with the same chewy short grain rice.  Yep, we had the same fresh salad with greens, tomatoes and edamame.  The dressing was typical Japanese being sweet, tangy and slightly salty.  Onto the chicken, they were in large chunks of dark meat with a crispy coating.  Like the pork katsu, the chicken was juicy and dressed with a sweet and tangy sauce that did have a noticeable kick.

Staying with the same protein, we had the Curry Chicken Karaage.  Unlike the other 2 items, this was served on a plate (so that the curry didn't drench everything).  Of course the chicken karaage was the same as the previous dish, but with the curry, this ate very differently.  The curry softened up the outside of the chicken more so and provided an aromatic and subtle flavour.  In typical Japanese fashion, the curry was not spicy and trended towards the sweeter side.  However, I found this one to be not as sweet.  Nice viscosity where it sauced the rice without making it soggy.

For those who aren't into the fried meats, the next bowl might be your fancy.  We had the Shrimp & Avocado Poké Bowl that was significantly lighter than the previous dishes.  In addition to the same rice and salad, we found fresh avocado, wakame salad and of course sautéed shrimp.  They were cooked just right where they had a buttery snap.  The seasoning was sufficient to seasoned the shrimp but more sauce was need for the rice.

Another use of the pork katsu was for the Pork Katsu Sando that featured a substantial amount of cabbage.  I do believe that there was a bit too much of it and it obscured the pork.  I would've also liked the bread to be toasted a bit less as it become a bit hard.  However, the pork was just as good as the first bowl we had where it was juicy with a crunchy exterior.  I believe with a few tweaks, this sando would be really good.

Same could be said about the Egg Salad Croissant.  It was quite good and would've been perfect except for one detail.  They used processed cheese in it that made the entire thing salty.  However, I did mention that to them and I believe that will be changed.  As for the croissant, it was crispy and buttery.  The egg salad was creamy with enough seasoning.  Fresh greens completed this sandwich.

Of course we had to also try all of their Roll Cakes including the blueberry, chocolate, mango and strawberry.  These were super light and airy where eating one wouldn't be very hard to do.  However, I thought they were a little on the dry side, but the fresh cream did help alleviate that problem.  I found the sweetness to be on point where it was just right.

Lastly, we also tried some of their drinks including the Hojicha Pearl Milk Tea.  This was good with balanced sweetness while being a bit smoky and aromatic.  Nice creaminess too while the pearls were perfectly textured being chewy, yet soft.  Overall, the food at Chakura was pretty solid and in significant portions.  I think the roll cakes could use a bit of work, otherwise, definitely a great place to grab some lunch and a drink.

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

The Good:

- Unique for the area

- Good portions

- Well-prepared hot food

The Bad:

- Roll cakes could be more moist