John 3:16 Malaysian Delights (Burnaby)

Way back in 2014, John 3:16 opened up shop in Richmond.  That was followed up by their short-lived North Vancouver location.  My first visit was to the one on Lonsdale and it was pretty good in my opinion.  Other locations followed including their newest in Burnaby.  Located underneath Oyama Sushi on Kingsway, the once quiet shaved ice spot is now busy with people enjoying the Malaysians eats.  We met up with Aussie as he was in town.

Whenever I'm grabbing Malaysian food, it is by default I order the Roti Canai.  For me, I'm looking for something flaky with discernible layers.  This one here was on point.  Beyond the crispy exterior, the inside of the roti was almost fluffy and plenty buttery.  The airiness of the roti allowed for it to be ripped apart easily by hand.  That texture had great mouth feel and by dipping it in the slightly spicy coconut curry, it was a delicious.  Oh, the side of sugar was great too as it provided a different experience than the curry alone.

The roti got us to an excellent start and the Chicken Satay didn't disappoint either.  Beautifully-charred, the exterior was also completely caramelized.  With the plenty of sugar in the marinade, it was activated from the grilling becoming super sweet and smoky.  There was the brightness of lemongrass coming through as well.  By using thigh meat, the chicken was super juicy.  The side of satay sauce was sweet and nutty.

Moving on from the appies, we went for a classic dish in the Beef Rendang.  By looking at the dish, you can see this was a saucier version (generally, there is no "sauce" in this dish), but we really didn't mind that.  The coconut milk was at the forefront offering up rich creaminess and aromatics.  Although the caramelization wasn't present in this dish, the sweetness of the palm sugar and coconut milk helped make this impactful.  The beef itself was super tender and not dry.

Another intensely aromatic and flavourful dish was the Assam Fish Curry.  This had all of the usual hits of spice, tang, sweet and umami with tender deep-fried filets of fish.  Of those flavours, the tanginess was the most apparent and it made things rather appetizing.  Since the fish had been fried first, it was cooked evenly where the skin soaked up a lot of the sauce.  The fish itself was buttery and soft while not falling apart.

Aussie's wife really loves prawns, so it was without hesitation we ordered the Nyonya Assam Prawns.  Having been fried, the prawns were completely edible including the shell.  As such, the natural prawn essence was present in smell and taste.  Tangy and sweet, the tamarind sauce clung onto each prawn providing a complimentary flavour to the meaty and briny meat.  Some crunchy veggies completed the stir fry.

As you might already know, there are many variations of Hainanese Chicken in SE Asia and the Malaysian one is a bit similar to the Thai version.  For this one, they employed the addictive ginger garlic sauce that really amped the impact.  The chicken itself was juicy and cooked perfectly.  On the side, the chicken oil rice was nutty, well-seasoned and appealingly chewy.  There was also the classic condiments of ginger scallion and sweet chili sauce on the side.

Going for a meat-centered dish, we had the Special BBQ Pork Ribs.  These were large and super meaty.  Prior to being BBQ'd, these were cooked to the point they were fall-off-the-bone tender.  Smoky and well-charred, the ribs had a bit of a crispy exterior and the sweet glaze was caramelized.  Intense flavours that made every bite a memorable one.  Really enjoyed these.

Of course we got veggies too in the form of Nyonya Eggplant and Stir-Fried Green Beans with Garlic Sauce.  Gotta say that the eggplant was excellent.  Each piece was tender and soft without being mushy.  There was definitely caramelization happening with a sweet smokiness.    As for the beans, they were flash fried first before the wok-toss.  Despite also exhibiting caramelization and sufficient seasoning, the beans themselves were a little soft.

In addition to all this food, we just had to get a fried noodle in the form of the Chow Kway Teow.  Super classic dish that was properly wok fried.  It was smoky and seared, creating umaminess and caramelization.  Add in the charred slices of lap cheong (cured pork sausage), the chewy rice noodles benefitted from the saltiness and rendered fat.  I would've liked more brininess to the dish though.  This was a solid version of the popular Malaysian dish.

Our final item was the Nasi Goreng with fried chicken.  Another winner as the wok hei (intense wok heat) was on point.  It created a smoky nuttiness where the chewy rice was well-seasoned.  The side of sambal ensured we could make this as spicy as wanted.  The piece of fried chicken thigh on top was super juicy, well-brined and sported a crunchy coating.  Overall, the food at John 3:16 is solid and tasty.  Sure, some dishes are prepared a bit differently than the traditional version, but that didn't lessen our enjoyment.

The Good:

- Flavourful

- Good wok hei

- Decent portion sizes

The Bad:

- Different interpretation of certain dishes (and could be considered not authentic), but still tasty if you don't care about that

Singapore Hawker (Sperling)

I personally believe that Singapore Hawker is one of the best values in town especially considering the rising prices of food these days.  Yes, there are cheaper spots in town, but you must factor in the food quality and general lack of Singaporean food.  We've been to the location in Coquitlam and were thoroughly impressed with the place including their on point efficiency.  However, it gets quite busy there and the seating is not that comfortable.  Now that they have a new spot in Burnaby, we had to see if things would be the same or better.

One look at the place and it is apparent that it does not resemble the previous tenant (Deer Garden).  The place has an open concept and is brightly lit.  They are counter service only and that helps lower the price.  To start, we had 3 pieces of the Chicken & Beef Satay Skewers each.  These were rather meaty where the chicken was moist while the beef was tender with some chew.  As you can see, there was a nice char from the grill and that came through with some smokiness.  The side of sweet peanut dip was tasty and complimented the skewers nicely.

We actually ordered 2 each of the Nyonya Sambal Egg and the Roti Canai, however I must've not paid attention to the cashier repeating my order because we only got one each (we ended up going up and getting 2 more).  No matter, the sambal egg was not overdone and the sweet, briny and spicy sambal was addictive.  As for the roti, it was featured some crispiness on the outside while soft and chewy on the inside.  Side of curry dip had some mild heat.

Again, I must've blanked out because I swore I ordered the Malaysian Laksa, but I ended up with the Singaporean Laksa instead.  No big deal as this was pretty good, if not too mild for me at least.  It was creamy with enough coconut while the brininess was definitely there as well.  All the usual ingredients were on top including tofu puffs, fish cake, shrimp, fish balls and egg.

For our one veggie dish, we opted for the classic Sambal Green Beans.  I would say this was pretty much the same as the other location.  Hence, the flavours didn't pop like I expected it to be, especially with their delicious sambal.  Although there was some spice and shrimpiness, the entire dish was a bit underwhelming.  Beans were good though with a nice vibrant crunch.

One of my favourite items from Singapore Hawker is their Hainanese Chicken on Rice.  The dark meat deboned (like it should be) chicken was tender and "wat" (which means buttery texture).  It was flavourful, but the side of ginger and chili condiment made it even better.  The side of chicken oil rice was nutty and chewy with a touch of sweet soy on the bottom.  Still a good deal at $14.95 (was $12.95 one year ago).

I guess we ended up ordering almost the same things as last time as we also got the Kari Lembu with Rice.  This was a good thing though as the beef brisket was fatty and tender.  The chunks of potato were fried up nicely where they softened, but did not melt into the curry.  About that curry, it was rich and flavourful while mildly spicy.  In addition to the rice, it was served with some veggies.

Not to be outdone, we also added the Nyonya Rendang Lembu with Ginger Rice too.  Unlike the previous dish, this sported lean brisket, where it was less tender and more meaty.  Also the use of coconut milk as well as shredded coconut, there was some definite aromatics happening here.  In addition the lemongrass came through too. There was some mild spiciness as well.

I wanted to add another curry to our order and I asked for their recommendation and it resulted in the Nyonya Yellow Curry Chicken with Ginger Rice.  Not sure if this would be my personal choice, but it turned out to be not bad.  Naturally, the use of chicken breast meant the meat wasn't super tender, but it wasn't dry either.  I found the curry to be aromatic yet quite mild.  The ginger rice had an appealing colour but wasn't that flavourful.

Lastly, we had the Char Kuey Teow.  No, there was not cockles in this version and not expected (especially in Vancouver).  However, it was pretty good with lots of ingredients and decent wok hei that ensured caramelization.  Overall, the food at Singapore Hawker is good, especially for the price.  Are there better versions of some of the dishes in the GVRD?  Yes, of course, but for me at least, Singapore Hawker is a place that is good enough for me with all things considered.

The Good:
- Yes, the prices have gone up, but still good value
- Decent eats
- Efficient service

The Bad:
- Things are efficient and you will be finished eat quickly, so not a place to eat slow and enjoy your meal

Singapore Hawker

For all the different cuisines that I indulge in, there is one that I never get to enough (of course this is based on availability as well).  Singaporean cuisine should be represented much more than it is within the GVRD, but here we are with only a few here and there.  Now we all know that there are many Singaporean dishes available in Chinese restaurants, but that is not quite the same.  So to get my fix, I finally visited Singapore Hawker out in Coquitlam.  This counter-service spot is constantly bustling with dine-in guests as well as plenty of takeout.

I gathered up the fam including the grandparents to check the place out sans my son (as he is now too cool to eat with us...).   We started off with the classic Roti Canai accompanied by the usual curry dip.  This was a pretty solid version with flaky flatbread with discernible layers.  It was a bit crispy while chewy on the inside.  It fairly light, so it wasn't too heavy nor dense.  The dip on the side was flavourful and adequately spicy.

Since my daughter loves Satay, we got the mix of beef and chicken that totaled 6 pieces. As you can see, they were not scrawny with plenty of meat on each stick.  I thought they were charred enough for caramelization and some smokiness.  The chicken was a touch dry, but not overly so.  I actually preferred the beef as it was still juicy and plenty tender.  Loved that they didn't skimp on the peanut satay sauce.

A stealthily tasty item was the Nyonya Sambal Egg featuring a deep-fried hard-boiled egg topped with a generous amount of sambal.  As you can see, the egg was perfectly cooked where it was didn't sport a dark ring.  The outside of the egg was lightly chewy while giving way to tender egg white and crumbly yolk.  The best part was the sweet, salty, plenty briny and slightly spicy sambal.  We used the excess to eat with everything else.

One of our favourite dishes was the Hainanese Chicken with chicken oil rice.  Boneless and ample in portion size, the dark meat chicken was super succulent and tender.  The skin was not flabby while the meat was flavourful on its own.  Although the chicken rice was decently flavourful, it could've used a bit more oil.  Furthermore, the rice itself could've been chewier.  Beyond that, this was still delicious and reasonably priced at $12.95.

Another rice dish was the Kari Lembu (Malaysian Curry Brisket) served with steamed white rice. I make this at home quite often, but minus the considerable oil slick.  I realize that the flavour is all in the oil, but maybe a little less would've been nice.  Ate quite greasy.  Now the brisket itself was on the leaner side, yet most pieces were still tender.  The curry itself was mildly spicy with plenty of aromatics.

For our veggies, we decided on the Sambal Green Beans.  We chose mild because not everyone wanted spicy.  Even with that, there was a flavourful amount of spice.  Interestingly, even though we could see the sambal (as well as the dried shrimp within it), the dish was not as impactful as we would've hoped.  Despite that, the beans were perfectly crunchy while cooked all-the-way-through.  There was still good aromatics to the dish though.

For our noodle dishes, we had to get the Char Kuay Teow and it was a generally a good decision.  I would've liked to see more whole pieces of flat rice noodle (many were broken), but the dish was quite good.  As you can see, the caramelization from the wok fry was appealing.  Beyond the colour, the dish had a light smokiness balanced off by equal amounts of sweetness and savouriness.  Mixed into the noodles was shrimp, squid and fish cake.

The other noodle dish was the Singapore Laksa with tofu puffs, prawns, egg, fish cakes and fish balls.  I asked for this to be medium and it did have a flavourful kick.  I would've liked it to be even more briny, but it wasn't bland by any means where the coconut broth was rich and aromatic.  There was plenty of vermicelli noodles as well as sprouts and the other listed ingredients.  Good value at $12.95.  In fact, most items were $12.95 while be well-portioned.  Such a great value especially with increasing prices at most restaurants.  I'll definitely be back.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Inexpensive
- Efficient staff

The Bad:
- Tight seating
- Parking in the area can be hard to find  

Queens Cafe (Asian Cuisine by Eighteen Chefs)

The corner of Kingsway and Salisbury in Burnaby is a deathtrap for restaurants.  I can't even count the different establishments that has graced that corner, only to close down in favour of a new venture.  It's not like there isn't any foot traffic, as it is across the street from Highgate.  Furthermore, Nao Sushi and Anatoli's Gate are literally on the same block where they have survived for over a decade.  Now, we find the Vancouver outpost of the Singaporean chain Eighteen Chefs taking over the spot, yet with a curious name.  Due to bureaucratic red tape, they weren't able to secure the name Eighteen Chefs (as of yet) and decided to open under the old name of Queen's Cafe "Asian Cuisine by Eighteen Chefs" rather than not be in business while waiting for the approval.

We dropped by in the opening week to check it out along with Guy and Girl Smiley.  One of the first dishes that caught our attention was the Salted Egg Yolk Fries.  Sadly, it wasn't what we expected as they merely poured a very wet salted egg yolk sauce on top of generic soggy fries.  Don't get me wrong, the sauce tasted great with the unmistakable saltiness from the creamy and luxurious salted egg yolk, but the amount of moisture killed the texture.  This would've been much better if the fries were super crunchy and coated with dry salted egg yolk.  One of the more surprising dishes was the Chicken Skewer with Truffle Curly Noodles.  This was not an overly complex dish but the chicken was both plentiful and super juicy with a smoky char.  They used a lot of rosemary which added a layer of earthiness.  Although the noodles appeared to be of the instant variety, they were al dente and coated with enough black truffle paste that it was woodsy enough without being too much.

Onto 2 HK-style cafe type dishes, we had the Spaghetti Bolognese as well as the Baked Pork Chop Rice.  By virtue of not being baked, the spaghetti was lacking in  body and aroma.  Even with the generous amount of meat sauce, the noodles ate plain and probably needed to be salted more when it was being boiled.  I thought the sauce was decent with lots of tender nuggets of beef, but the flavour was somewhat one note and lacking in the usual combination of sweet, savoury, tangy and a hint of star anise like the usual Asian-version.  The addition of arugula was a bit strange too.  On the other hand, the pork chop rice was excellent.  Underneath, the fried rice base was nutty and dry, which was the perfect compliment to the balanced tomato sauce topped with plenty of ooey gooey cheese.  Best of all, the large panko-crusted pork chop was moist and tender with a crunchy coating.

Sporting the same pork cutlet, the Nasi Lemak consisting of the usual ingredients including rice, crispy anchovies, cucumber, peanuts, fried egg and sambal.  Nothing particularly amiss with this other than us choosing the pork cutlet over the chicken.  Oh and yes, there is a fried egg rather than a boiled egg.  For me, I'm not a stickler for complete authenticity and this was still fine when everything was mixed together.  Again, the pork cutlet was the star as it was large, crispy and completely tender.  Served with roti, the Curry Chicken was fairly large in portion size.  About that roti, it was more like baked puffed pastry rather than the usual doughier roti found in Malaysian cuisine.  With that being said, it was texturally a delight and really was delicious when dipped into the creamy coconutty curry.  It had a nice viscosity and had a touch of spice.  The large chunks of bone-in leg were tender and not overdone.

We also gave the Hainanese Chicken a go and it was acceptable.  However, there were a few glaring issues.  First of all, we got the wing and very little else, so there was barely any meat to go with the rice.  Second, it was if they used a butter knife to chopped the chicken as there were bone fragments everywhere.  Taste-wise, it was pretty good and the chicken oil rice was nutty and chewy.  Loved the chili sauce as it was legit spicy rather than just sweet.  We waited forever for our Spring Chicken & Striploin Steak Platter.  Turned out it was not worth it because the steak came out rare when we asked for medium-rare.  They even argued with us!  We know what medium-rare looks like!  As for the chicken, it was fairly moist with rendered fried skin.  Too bad it was completely bland.  The side of signature heart-attack rice was nutty and chewy, but not as flavourful as we expected (even though it is cooked with rendered fat drippings).  Overall, there were some highlights to go with some duds.  They just opened, so it is fair to give them some time to work out all the kinks.

The Good:
- Portions sizes are generally large
- Proteins were cooked right except for the steak
- Reasonable pricing for what you get

The Bad:
- Service was non-existent, didn't even cutlery for the longest time.  Also, arguing with customers when something is clearly wrong is a huge no-no
- Some dishes need further refinement

Kaya Malay Bistro Presents "Welcome the Prosperous Pig” Dinner

Normally, when one thinks of Chinese New Year dinner, a 10-course spread including soup, lobster or crab, fish, chicken, pork and beef come to mind.  It represents many different things, in particular, prosperity and wealth.  If one was to eat out for CNY, many restaurants offer such dinners.  The usual suspects include Kirin, Red Star, Western Lake, Chef Tony and many more as the list is endless, especially in the GVRD.  However, did you know that Kaya Malay Bistro offers up their own CNY 8-course dinner?  Now you might think this sounds rather strange, but for the many ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, they celebrate CNY with similar dishes, but also ones that are unique.  This is where Kaya comes in, giving the opportunity for us to experience a Chinese Malaysian CNY meal.  I was invited recently, along with Jacqueline, to try it out.

We began with the Lotus Root Soup with chicken feet and peanuts.  For us, this was a classic Chinese homemade soup that wasn't complex on the surface, but definitely good for the soul.  It was lightly silky with the natural sweetness from the chicken feet coming through.  Subtle aromatics all around where the salt content was restrained.  Personally, I love lotus root and the ample slices were tender while retaining a sticky bite.  Next up, we were presented with the Smoked Salmon Yu Sheng Salad consisting of julienned carrots, cucumber, daikon, scallions, red pepper, cilantro, marinated jellyfish, pickled ginger, wonton crisps and smoked salmon.  The smoked salmon took the place of raw fish as Kaya isn't known for their sushi.  To properly eat the salad, one must "Lo Hay" or mix the ingredients.  That we did and yes, the textures were abundant as well as the combination of tangy, sweet, salty and the unmistakeable essence of cilantro.

My favourite dish was the Fish Head Hot Pot featuring local salmon.  Normally, one would find cod or basa in this, but the salmon gave the hot pot more body.  With that being said, the salmon was not heavy nor overcooked.  It was flaky and moist with almost a cod-like texture.  Loved the tang in the sauce really helped brighten up the flavours of the sauce.  Hidden within, we found the usual fried tofu, napa cabbage and roasted pork.  Presented as a smaller portion (since it was only Jacqueline and myself), the Kumquat Chicken was full-flavoured.  Yes, the sauce was essentially a sweet n' sour, but there was a unique sweetness from the kumquat.  I found the chicken to be tender with a uniformly cooked exterior batter.  The addition of Mandarin orange segments added pops of natural sweetness.

To get some veggies into the meal, we were served a Malaysian dish in the Wok-Fried Green Beans and Eggplant with tomatoes and shrimp.  I've had this dish several times before at Kaya and it was as solid as usual with crunchy, yet cooked-all-the-way-through, green beans and tender eggplant.  The version here, compared to other Malay restaurants in town, tends to be sweeter with less spice.  There was good wok hay which meant there was proper carmelization with no moisture leakage from the veggies.  Another favourite of mine was the Braised Lamb Shank.  No joke, this was one of the best executed lamb shanks I've had in a while (including fine dining restaurants).  This was perfectly and uniformly tender with the classic gelatinous texture from the lamb.  Flavours were impactful without being salty.

Of course the meal ended off the main dishes with a carb being the Seafood Golden Fried Rice.  This was chock full of tender baby scallops and large crunchy shrimp.  There was good wok heat where the rice was chewy and fragrant.  There was enough seasoning so that the rice could stand on its own without the need for any condiments.  To finish, we were served the Malaysian Nian Goa with sweet yam and taro.  These were deep fried with a thin crispy exterior giving way to a sticky and moderately sweet nian goa.  I found the yam and taro a bit firm, but the flavours really worked.  Moreover, there was quite the textural contrast.  So that's the Malaysian Chinese New Year dinner one can find at Kaya.  I would say this is pretty unique and ultimately tasty as well.  It costs $38.00 per person for a minimum table of 4 (dish sizes will be bigger than what we had).

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Something a bit different
- Well executed proteins
- No absence of flavour

The Bad:
- Well, you'll need at least 4 people (is that a negative?)
- Taro and yam could've been softer

Green & Oak

Goodbye Mr. Chili, you were decent for the area, but alas high-prices and inconsistent food didn't help your cause.  Kato Japanese used to occupy this space for what seemed like eternity.  The newest spot closed roughly a year into its operation.  Now we find yet another Asian cuisine in Green & Oak Malaysian.  There has been some minor buzz on IG about the place because there really isn't any Malaysian in the vicinity.  I ended up checking out the place with Diana, Emily, Karen, Jo, Irene and Steph on a Monday night.

We began the meal with a few standards being the Roti Canai and Satay (Chicken, Beef and Pork).  Looking rather flat and small in portion size, the roti ate better than expected.  It was lightly crispy on the outside while chewy on the inside.  Just like it appeared, the roti was a touch dense and needed more separation of layers (like fluff it up after being cooked).  The best part was the dip as it was creamy, spicy and coconutty.  I wasn't a huge fan of the satays especially the beef as it was not charred enough and the meat was chewy.  The pork was marginally better while the chicken was the best being moist.  I felt all 3 were lacking in flavour.  The accompanying peanut dip was too bland and creamy.  I much prefer the coarsely chopped peanut dip with palm sugar.

Also hitting the table shortly after was the Fried Chicken Wings which were crispy with well-rendered skin.  Normally, I don't prefer fried whole chicken wings, as they are bit awkward to eat, but these were juicy and natural-tasting.  Even the wing tips were appealingly crispy (which I normally do not eat). With that being said, I would've liked more seasoning in the form of salt or even MSG (a la Phnom Penh style).  The side of lemon pepper dip did help amp up the impact though.

Onto the mains, we ended up sharing the whole Hainanese Chicken with 4 bowls of chicken oil rice and soup.  I found the chicken to be large, meaty and as expected, de-boned.  The skin was nicely gelatinized while the meat was moist, including the breast.  However, it was pretty bland on its own, ice cold and resembled Chinese "bak cheet gai" rather than Hainanese chicken.  The side of grated ginger condiment was on point being completely made up of ginger and well-seasoned.  Although the rice was attractive in colour, nutty and chewy, there was just too much grease.  It ate heavy and was rather unappealing in that regard.  This was a good poached chicken that could be a great Hainanese chicken if prepared in a more authentic manner.

So far, the food was pretty average, but the stir-fried dishes really stood out, starting with the Belachan Fried Rice.  Although the picture doesn't show the actual portion size, it was enough.  The rice was nutty and chewy benefiting from the hot wok.  It was flavourful with caramelization and a touch of spice.  Thick, creamy and coconutty, the Beef Rendang was decent.  The sauce was impactful enough to flavour the accompanying white rice while not drowning it since it was the right viscosity.  The pieces of brisket were sufficiently tender, but not incredibly so.  This didn't really taste like an authentic rendang, as it was more like a coconut curry (lacking in aromatics).

Our last 2 dishes were also solid due to the fact they were stir-fried (seemed to be a trend).  The Mee Goreng featured caramelized and slightly smoky flavours.  The chewy noodles were on point while the grease level was low.   It had a nice balance between sweet and savoury (since some versions can be too sweet).  The same could be said about the Chow Kuay Teow as it was also slightly smoky and full-flavoured.  The noodles were not too clumpy nor oily.  Visually, much like the other stir-fried dishes, the caramelized colour was appealing.  If it wasn't apparent already, the stir-fried dishes at Green & Oak are pretty good.  However, the rest of the dishes are pretty mediocre or lacking in authenticity.  There is definitely promise here, if they can further refine their food.

The Good:
- Nicely executed stir-fried dishes
- Friendly people
- Cute spot

The Bad:
- Other than the stir-fries, the food is mediocre