Entrecôte Restaurant

A few years ago, while in Paris, we visited Le Relais de l'Entrecôte and its one dish menu - Steak Frites.  If you are still peqish after your initial portion, they come around and offer you more of both steak and frites.  There is also this green sauce that has a bit of everything in it - herbs, creaminess, bitterness, acidity and in this case, some chicken livers.  There are no reservations, so people line up and trust me, it fills up fast, even though there are 3 locations in Paris.  In fact, they have spots in other parts of the world as well.  But not in Vancouver.  That is where Entrecôte Restaurant comes into the picture.  Independently-owned, this spot in Gastown gives the same vibes and one menu item as the original.  Jackie and I stopped by to see what they were all about.

After we got our drink order in, we were presented with some sliced Baguette served with mustard.  We were informed that this is how they eat it in France.  Honestly, I did not see that was the case while I was in France, so this was new to me.  We asked for butter and they got us some.  Just like the original, our meal started with a Fresh Green Walnut Salad with house vinaigrette.  This was great as things were fresh while the walnuts were great.

Since half of the restaurant has a good deal of natural light, it can deceive your eyes as to the doneness of the steak.  We asked for medium-rare and yes, it was done correctly.  However, without my camera (which took the actual colour of the steak), to the naked eye, it looked well-done.  That is why steakhouses are dark, so you can see the actual cook on the steak.  I found the Steak to be quite tender and paired well with the green sauce.  It was creamy, herbeceous, a little bitter and having backround acidity.  Fries were pretty good but could've been crispier.  Overall, a decent plate of food.  You are welcome to ask for more fries and sauce, but unlike Paris, you can't ask for more steak.

Naturally, dessert is a la carte and we went for 2 of them including the majestically-plated Le Vacherin Framboise.  This featured meringue base topped by vanilla ice cream and then another meringue, then raspberry sorbet, another meringue with raspberry coulis poured on top.  We enjoyed the refreshing fruitiness of the dessert with the coulis adding tartness.  Nice compliment to a steak dinner.

We also tried the Profiteroles sporting choux pastry encasing vanilla ice cream.  This was drizzled with chocolate sauce and some sliced almonds.  Not a complex dessert, but a solid one nonetheless.  Choux pastry was crispy while not being overly dry.  Chocolate was sweet, but not crazy sweet.  Overall, the experience as a whole at Entrecôte was decent.  The steak frites weren't life-changing, but they did capture the Parisienne vibe.   Service was excellent and highly attentive.

The Good:

- Decent Steak Frites

- Excellent service

- Nice ambiance

The Bad:

- Steak Frites could be refined even further

- Maybe some butter should be offered with the baguette

Stackhouse Steak Sandwich (Gastown)

As you know from my previous post about Stackhouse Steak Sandwich, I really enjoyed them and appreciate how reasonably-priced they are.  I'm not the only one having that sentiment because now they have opened a second location in Gastown.  Setting up shop in the former Brathaus, the space offers a few counter seats and one table.  Their menu is pretty much the same as the original location but with the addition of breakfast sandwiches.  We came to try those as well as some classics.

So let's get right to those aforementioned breaky sammies right?  They have 4 to choose from including the ones pictured above - Steak & Egg and Steak, Bacon & Egg.  Okay, I first have to say that they made a good choice in bun.  They are using the Gold Bun by Dempsters.  Featuring soft brioche that won't disintegrate either, I found it the perfect vessel for the fillings.  With fluffy egg, tender steak, processed cheese and mayo, the sandwich wasn't complicated, but ate well.  The addition of bacon with steak made it a pretty filling sammie.

The other 2 available options for breakfast sandwiches include the Pulled Pork & Egg and the Bacon & Egg.  I found the pulled pork to be the most flavourful due to the sweet and slightly tangy BBQ sauce.  The pork itself was tender and moist without being overly saucy.  As for the bacon & egg, I actually preferred it over the one with steak.  Without the steak, it allowed the bacon to be the star and it was so meaty and lean already.  The sandwich didn't need more meat.

Okay, let's get back to the regular programming and focus on what has made them successful - the Stackhouse Steak Sandwich.  With beef prices these days, it is amazing they can keep this sandwich at $15.00.  They didn't skimp with the flat-iron steak here it was also cooked to around medium-rare, keeping it juicy and tender.  With some fried onions for texture and aroma as well as a generous helping of chimichurri, we had some real brightness as well.  

For those who want a softer bread experience, they could opt for the Beef Dip Sandwich.  This particular sammie consisted of tender and juicy beef brisket with, melted cheese, horseradish and fried onions.  That in itself could be a tasty concoction already, but with a side of beef jus, it allowed for the bread to soften up and absorb more meatiness.  Loved the crispy onions and wished there were even more as it provided texture to the softness after the sandwich was dipped.

The most unique item on their menu has to be the Steak Tartare Open Sandwich. Yes, this would probably best eaten in-store or as quickly as possible since it is raw.  I gotta say this has to be better than some restaurants, let alone a sandwich shop.  Diced into manageable pieces, the beef was tender and buttery.  It was made with classic accompaniments such as dijon, crushed capers, red onion and parsley.  It also featured a jammy sous-vide egg yolk.  Delicious on the bread, but even better on the ripple chips.

Of course they also have options for non-beef eaters with the Chicken Dip Sandwich.  As you can clearly see, they didn't cheap out on the nicely seasoned and sliced chicken breast.  There was enough for every fulfilling bite.  It was tender and moist while topped with melted cheese, horseradish and chicken skin crackling (some parsley too).  Just like the beef dip, this made for a great sandwich without the chicken jus, but for those who wanted something softer and saucier, the mild jus did just that.

If one didn't want beef nor chicken, there is also a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich available.  Rest assured, behind all that fresh and crunchy cabbage, there was a good amount of tender and fully-sauced pulled pork.  Just like in the breaky sandwich, the BBQ sauce was sweet and slightly tangy.  The pulled pork and cabbage provided the necessary moisture to soften the bread.  Onion chips provided the crunch beyond the crust of the bread too.

We had a few of their sides as well just like the other location, they are full-service restaurant quality.  Check out the Caesar Salad and the 2 anchovies on top.  I can tell you that not many quick-service restaurants offer such a quality salad like this.  On the same theme, the French Onion Soup was also legit with charred melted cheese on top with a piece of baguette underneath and a rich onion broth.  Unlike many other versions, it was not salty, just natural sweetness of the onions.

One last item on the menu is the Chips & Dip.  We didn't order that since we had chips with all of our sammies already.  But we really wanted the Truffle Aioli, so we got that separately.  Make sure you get a side of that as it is so creamy with just enough truffle.  The chips are naked without it.  Overall, I enjoyed the food at Stackhouse as they put effort into the product and it shows.  Things taste good and the textures are on point.  Prices are reasonable too.  Now they have breakfast sandwiches too!

The Good:

- Inexpensive

- Beef is tender and cooked properly

- Legit sides

The Bad:

- It is probably a limitation of the kitchen, so the egg is microwaved.  It still eats well, but the shape is a bit odd.

Bombay Kitchen (Denman)

At one time, the only places to get good Indian food in the Lower Mainland would be Punjabi Market in Vancouver and obviously, in Surrey.  However, things began to change about 20 years ago where we found legit Indian (mostly Punjabi) restaurants showing up all over the GVRD.  Fast forward to the present, not only do we find great Indian restaurants randomly, they have upped their game in terms of decor, presentation and modernization.  One example is Bombay Kitchen on Commercial Drive, which I've been to on a few occasions.  This time around it is the Denman store.

Our main reason for the visit was to try their All-Day Combos, which all came with garlic naan (which was excellent being crispy, yet fluffy inside with an appealing chewiness), chana salad, basmati rice and a tandoori chicken drumstick (no drumstick for the vegetarian option).  From left to right, we had the Tandoori Platter ($20.95), Coconut Fish Curry ($18.95), Lamb Curry ($18.95), Shahi Paneer ($17.95) and Butter Chicken ($17.95).

The most filling of all the combos was of course the Tandoori Platter with Fish Tikka, Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Tikka.  They didn't skimp with the portion size where this was essentially all meat with just a bit of rice.  The fish was flaky and moist while flavourful from the marinade, which was earthy, slightly bright and a touch spicy.  Tandoori chicken was tender, juicy and full-flavoured with tangy and smoky.

My favourite of the bunch had to be the Coconut Fish Curry.  This was loaded with buttery soft pieces of fish that managed to stay intact.  However, the best part was the coconut curry as it was naturally sweet (and also with added sweetness) where the toasted caraway really came through.  It was nutty and had that unmistakable licorice finish.  Totally aromatic and ultimately delicious.

A close second went to the Lamb Curry because I have a certain bias towards lamb.  However, it was also prepared very well with the strong essence of the toasted spices coming through.  Lots of earthiness and fall flavours in every bite.  We found hits of sharpness and brightness from the slivered ginger on top.  The chunks of lamb were tender and gelatinous.

Boasting a bevy of squishy and delicate cubes of paneer, the Shahi Paneer was also tasty.  There was an apparent hit of fresh tomatoes that was not obscured by over-seasoning.  Hence, it felt bright, fresh and clean as we took each bite.  There was quite a bit of sweetness that seemed mostly natural mixed in with added sugar.  Once again, the toasted spices were evident.

Predictably, we found the Butter Chicken as an option for the combo menu.  This particular version was pretty tomato-forward with natural sweetness and a noticeable tanginess.  There was still the usual creaminess, but not as heavy.  Of course the earthiness of the spices came through while the spice level was just right.  The big chunks of white meat chicken were tender and moist.

In addition to the combos, we tried some other dishes including the Mixed Platter.  Aside from the Crispy Veg Pakora, we had some really good Paneer Pakora.  It featured the same squishy paneer with green chutney in the middle.  So much flavour and texture including the crunch on the outside.  Fish Pakora was also crispy while being flaky and moist in the middle.  Lastly, the Samosas were crunchy with a soft spiced potato filling.  Great with the tamarind chutney!

Even though we already had a good selection of tandoori meats, we tried the sizzling cast iron plate of the Mixed Grill Platter.  The smells and aroma just hits so differently than being served on a ceramic plate.  It included the same Tandoori Fish, Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Tikka adding Tandoori Prawns and Tandoori Lamb Chops.  Those prawns were smoky with spice while having a meaty snap texture.  The lamb chops were tender and cooked perfectly so that they were still moist.  Nice char on them and loved the earthiness.

With the same meaty prawns doing its cold-water snap texture thing, the Prawn Korma was also very tasty.  The fresh tomato taste was at the forefront (much like the Shahi Paneer) with brightness and natural sweetness.  There was just a touch of brininess from the prawns to go with the slight nuttiness of the korma.  Spices in this one was much more muted in this one.

The spiciest thing we had was the Eggplant Bartha as it left lingering heat on our tongues.  I loved it because it added depth of flavour to the dish.  It was already quite earthy with a bright tang and once again, toasted hits of the spices.  The eggplant itself was completed cooked down to form a tender and silky paste which benefited from the pops of sweetness of the peas.

We ended with the Chicken Biryani and it was a considerable portion of chewy flavoured basmati rice with tender nuggets of dark meat chicken.  The toasted spices gave off the usual earthy notes accented by bright tanginess and some heat.  Overall, we found the food at Bombay Kitchen on Denman to be flavourful with on point proteins.  Pricing is reasonable, especially with the combos.  I wouldn't hesitate to come back if I'm in the area.

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

The Good:

- Impactful toasted spices

- Proteins are on point

- Pricing is reasonable

The Bad:
- Being near English Bay, parking is difficult (if you were driving)

Kingyo

Here is one of the classic spots in Downtown Vancouver - Kingyo Izakaya.  It all started here and it has spawned into a restaurant group that encompasses Raisu, Rajio, New Fuji, Toyokan Plaza, Toyokan Bowl and Takenaka.  They also have locations in Toronto, Seattle and Tokyo.  But here we were to grab some food at the original located on Denman. 

Before we even ordered anything, they started us off with a complimentary item in the Deep Fried Nori.  Yes, they coated the sheets of nori with tempura batter and dropped it into the deep fryer.  If you've ever had something similar in a snack bag, this was much better as it was fresh, crunchy and benefited from the umami from the seaweed.  Served on the side was a tomato dip with some fried garlic.

Our first actual dish was the Deep Fried Fresh Corn.  I was only mildly happy with these as the coating was a bit gummy and dense.  However, the corn itself was excellent being plump with pops of intense sweetness.  The addition of soy butter helped add saltiness as well as the nuttiness of butter that paired well with the corn.

On their featured menu, they had both Aburi Pressed Bluefin Sushi as well as the Wagyu Pressed Sushi.  These were quite solid with chewy sushi rice more than enough topping to balance things out.  I enjoyed the buttery bluefin more than the beef.  The beef was a bit chewy.  Loved the combination of yuzu kosho, teriyaki sauce, ikura and tobiko on the tuna as it offered sweetness, brightness and saltiness.  For the beef, there was some spicy mayo with a small piece of seared foie gras, sliced black truffle and ikura.

We ended up with a dish that would be found on almost every Japanese restaurant menu outside of Japan - Chicken Karaage.  Sure, it is merely fried chicken, but not all are made equal.  This one was definitely better than most.  It consisted of chicken leg meat that was nicely marinated with hits of saltiness and ginger.  The coating was thin and fried until crispy.  It was served with a lemon wedge, which we squeezed onto the chicken.

One of the other daily features was the Beef Croquettes.  These were doused with a homemade gravy that was thick and starchy.  It had sweetness and tang which helped lighten up the dish.  By no means was it heavy though as the creaminess of the potato was light and airy.  Mixed into it was of course the tender beef and also a good amount of melty mozzarella.

One of my favourite cuts of pork is the cheek (and also the jowl).  So I ended up ordering the Grilled Pork Cheek.  This was at its buttery and fatty best with a classic rebound texture.  Since this was marinated in miso, there was a rich umaminess to it with a background saltiness.  This was served with a 7-spice blend on the side for dipping.  However, I didn't even need that.

Back to the featured items, we tried the Grilled Duck Breast.  I was a bit so-so with this dish as the duck fat was pretty flabby.  It wasn't surprising though as most Izakayas I've been to do not render the fat much (and also the type of duck has a significant layer of fat).  The duck itself was juicy but a bit chewy.  It did have a measured saltiness to it.  On the bottom, there was some creamy foie gras potato and on top, some fried carrots, arugula and Japanese pickled plum.

The most stunning dish was the Deluxe Sashimi Bowl.  The small amount of sushi rice was topped with tuna tataki, bluefin chutoro, sockeye salmon, Atlantic salmon, akami, hamachi, hotate, uni, ikura and spot prawn.  Very nice selection of sashimi that had a nice sheen and was nicely textured.  There could've been much more rice to go with the bounty of fish though.

One of my all-time favourites when it comes to Izakaya dishes is Ebi Mayo.  This version here was solid with large tiger prawns that were meaty with a sweet snap texture.  They were lightly battered and fried until crispy.  Unlike some other places, the amount of chili mayo was balanced where each prawn was coated on the bottom, but not drenched.

We finished off our meal with the Uni Miso Udon topped with crab and ikura.  Coated in a silky and naturally sweet miso cream sauce, the slippery and chewy udon noodles were fully flavoured.  Nice taste of the sea from the uni, crab and ikura.  As you can see, the food is pretty appetizing at Kingyo and they continue to have high standards in terms of food quality and execution.  Sure, not everything was perfect, but overall, it was good.  One of my go-to Izakayas in town.

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Good quality

- Good service

The Bad:

- Bill can add up if you are hungry, but things are expensive all across the board right now

The Library Square Pub

The Library Square Pub has been around since 1995 and at one point, was part of the Donnelly Group and subsequent Freehouse Collective.  They are now an independent outfit and still offer up a killer location for those wanting to grab a bite before or after events at the nearby stadiums and theatres.  We were there recently for the Superbowl party and watched the Seahawks capture their second Vince Lombardi trophy.  Atmosphere was electric and the food was reasonably-priced.  This time around, we were here for their Sunday specials, in particular, their Steak & Lobster for only $25.00.  Yes, you read that right.  Steak & Fries are only $13.00!

Let's get right to the point of this blog post - the Steak & Lobster!  So just because it costs only $25.00, we weren't getting something crappy.  Resting on a bed of crispy Cavendish fries, we found a 6oz NY steak prepared medium-rare.  It was actually quite tender despite the low price tag.  On top, there was a decent sized broiled lobster tail.  The meat was bouncy and sweet.  Pretty good with all things considered.

Now if you want to get a bit more spendy, for $30.00 you get a 6oz NY Steak with Lobster and Snow Crab Legs.  Things were the same with the steak but it was topped with some caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms.  That in itself added more umami to each bite of steak.  The snow crab was pretty typical where the meat was briny with sweetness.  

We tried other items from the Sunday Feature Menu including the Fresh Shucked Oysters.  These local Pa'aje oysters are famed by the Tla'amin Nation in the waters of Okeover Inlet.  Rather than being briny, these had a subtle melon finish.  There was still sweetness and they were fresh.  We didn't find any shell fragments and the oyster shells themselves were presented nicely.  This came with mignonette and creamy horseradish.

Served in a toasted bread bowl, the Seafood Chowder was thick and rich.  It started off a bit more brothy, but then settled into a denser viscosity since it started to soak into the bread.  Not a bad thing though as we tore off the bread and it was delicious.  The chowder itself had some brininess to got with appealing sweetness.  Lots of chunky ingredients and this was definitely filling.

Staying with the seafood theme of the menu, there was also the 1/2 lb of Mussels in a chorizo & white wine sauce.  Really enjoyed this as the mussels were plump and cooked just enough.  That broth was so packed with flavour that was part spicy, a little sweet and plenty garlicky.  Those grape tomatoes provided some brightness and tang.

We got 2 cheesy dishes in the Baked Smoked Oysters and the Escargots.  Both were served with crostinis and that was critical because we definitely needed something to balance out the richness.  For the smoked oysters, they were the typical ones you would find in a can (hence the serving vessel), but were topped with a inordinate amount of cheese.  As for the escargots, they were their usual bouncy-textured self while spiked with a lot of cheese and garlic.  Very aromatic and yah, needed that bread.

We couldn't come to a pub without having some drinks right?  From left-to-right, we had the Sangria, Cocktail Tower and a Caesar with prawns and a crab claw.  Naturally, the cocktail tower would be best shared and it consisted of fruity flavours mixed with tequila.  Loved the sangria as it was refreshing but still had enough wine in it.  Caesar was at its tomatoey and briny best with the bite from Vodka.

We ended things off with their rendition of PNE Mini-Donuts.  Hey, I've worked at the actual stand at the PNE and in comparison, these were pretty darn good.  With the sugar and cinnamon crusted onto each soft and fluffy donut, these were legit.  A side of dulce de leche dip added even more sweetness.  As you can see, the food here on the Sunday Feature Menu at The Library Square is both affordable with more-than-acceptable eats.  You really can't beat that.  I would recommend that you try it out for yourself.

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

The Good:

- Incredible pricing

- Good food quality for that price point

- Generous portion sizes

The Bad:

- It can get busy, due to the pricing, so you need to be patient