Chameleon

Dining with Nikita and Bluebeard always entails a fun time.  Yes, they are good company and that is pretty important, but the fact they pick lesser-known spots outside of the city of Vancouver makes for good social media content!  Anyways, the restaurant du jour happened to be Chameleon out in Maple Ridge.  Upon walking into the place, I was impressed with the modern "Downtown" decor as well as its elevated menu.

After looking over that menu, we decided to get a few appies including the BC Albacore Tuna Tataki atop a carrot and daikon slaw with honey citrus vinaigrette, Tokyo aioli, edamame, pickled serranos and radish.  Sure, tuna tataki isn't anything unusual, but the spicy rub on the outside did make the dish more impactful.  This was nicely balanced by the tanginess of the slaw and chilis.  Beyond the perfectly rare tuna which was buttery and soft, the slaw added the necessary crunch to the dish.

As much as an order of House Fries didn't seem like anything special, it turned out to be really good.  These were starch-covered and due to the perfect deep-frying, they turned out to be light and crispy.  They were tossed with salted rosemary, thyme and sage while topped with freshly grated parm.  That in itself meant the fries were flavourful and aromatic.  However, the side of truffle aioli provided creamy umaminess.

For my main, I decided to get the Fraser Valley Duck Breast.  I found the skin to be hard-seared until crispy while topped with maldon salt.  The fat was somewhat rendered.  Cooked to medium, the duck was still moist and tender.  It sat on a bed of braised lentils and ponderosa mushrooms.  This was all surrounded by parsnip chips, roasted parsnip and parsnip puree.  I thought these were all good providing different textures.  Completing the dish was some kale and demi glace.

Viv decided on the Kuttera Salmon and Gnocchi.  Beautifully seared and seasoned, the salmon was barely cooked through.  Hence, it was moist and flaky.  Also nicely pan-fried, the gnocchi were delicate and soft while having a bite.  The lemongrass cream sauce added an Asian herbaceousness to the dish.  As for the veg, we found confit tomatoes as well as crispy kale and brussels sprout leaves.  Finishing everything off was an aromatic tarragon herb oil.

For Nikita and Bluebeard, they *gasp* ordered the same 8oz Prime Rib with mash potatoes and Yorkshire Pudding.  This was actually a Sunday special for a reasonable $32.00.  Interestingly, they could add vegetables for $5.00 (that you see here on the plate).  In my opinion, that wasn't really worth it.  As for the prime rib, they asked for medium-rare and it came as such.  It was tender and was accompanied by a flavourful demi glace.

For dessert, Viv and I shared the Vanilla Sponge with mango gel and passionfruit sorbet.  Okay, there is no getting around this, but the sponge cake was terrible.  It was super dense and dry.  Nothing about it was good.  Fortunately, the mango gel was fruity and the sorbet was flavourful and tangy.  Overall, the food at Chameleon was quite good and well-prepared except for the dessert.  Considering it is located in Maple Ridge, I would say it is worth a try since there aren't many of these spots around the area.

The Good:
- Elevated experience that is not in Downtown Vancouver
- Decent eats
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Dessert could use some work

Jimmy's Lunch Box

This post is a long time coming.  No, it isn't because I was anxious to visit Jimmy's Lunch Box.  Rather, I went there awhile ago but never got around to posting it.  No matter, nothing has changed and that is pretty much the nature of the restaurant.  It is a consistent place with good portions and very reasonable prices.  There is a particular Korean influence to the joint and it shows in the menu.  We ended up in Maple Ridge because we were at Wild Play and needed some eats nearby.  Turns out that we weren't the only ones because there was a lineup out the door.

So about that Korean-influence...  We had the Bulgogi Skillet with 2 poached eggs, beef bulgogi, onion, mushroom and cheese on hashbrowns and sourdough toast.  So this was rather hearty with lots of tender thinly sliced beef.  It was mildly seasoned where it was sweet and savoury.  Hashbrowns were shredded and still crispy while the poached eggs were runny as evidenced in the picture.  Overall this was more than enough food and quite good.

Something a bit more usual was the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with avocado, tomato and feta cheese.  Not sure if my son omitted some of these items since he isn't one for veggies...  But it was overall a solid benny with runny poached eggs and nicely toasted English Muffin.  Hollandaise was a bit mild in flavour, but it did the job.  The side of hashbrowns were golden brown and crispy.

Now something that was not usual was the Open-Faced Smoked Salmon Sandwich.  Yah, it sure didn't look like a sandwich, rather it was more like a salad.  This featured a poached egg, balsamic drizzle and feta atop smoked salmon and spring mix.  Then underneath this, we had tomato, avocado and basil pesto on sourdough.  It was definitely a fork & knifer and ate like a salad.  Nothing usual where it was pleasant enough with complimentary ingredients.

So for myself, I had the Crispy Chicken Burger with lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayo and honey mustard. Essentially, this was constructed out of 2 big chicken strips.  Pretty standard stuff, but the chicken was tender and the batter really crunchy.  Produce was super fresh and appealing in texture while the bun was nicely toasted and soft.  Nothing particularly interesting about this burger, yet it was non-offensive either.

For the side, I chose their famed Wonton Soup.  Huh?  Wonton soup???  But this is a diner...  and a Korean-run diner.  Hey don't judge because this was one solid wonton soup, albeit the pork variety.  First of all, the wontons were delicate and full of tender well-seasoned pork.  Secondly, the broth was super flavourful with lots of sesame oil.  Lastly, this was a huge bowl for a side to the burger.

Just for kicks. I also tried their Cheeseburger with a side of fries.  Once again, it had all the produce and it was fresh.  The beef patty was moist while nicely seared.  Again, nothing Earth-shattering, but it was a solid burger.  Fries were starch-coated and crispy.  Good value for $11.95.  Now this pretty much encapsulates what JLB is all about.  Nothing that will blow you away, but it is solid diner food that is well-priced.  Wonderful people running the place to boot.

The Good:
- Well-priced
- Solid diner food
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Maybe could've done a house-made fried chicken patty instead 

 

Brownies Chicken & Seafood

Brownies Chicken - now there is a name that hasn't been talked about in some time.  There used to be several locations in the GVRD back in the day, but one-by-one they all closed down.  It kinda mirrored what happened to Lee's Chicken and to a much smaller degree Juicy Chicken.  Heck, we even lost our only Popeye's in Coquitlam too (new one in PoCo soon!).  So yes, we have been left with Church's and KFC as the dominant fried chicken spots in town.  Of course we have LA Chicken and the newish Hi-5, but there is actually a Brownies Chicken out in Maple Ridge!  Run by an original franchise owner, they have updated the recipe while incorporating Rossdown chicken, Cavendish fries and Oceanwise fish onto the menu.

Amy, Diana and I ventured out to the Ridge to see how Brownies stacks up to the rest of the fried chicken competition in the Lower Mainland.  It was a given we would get the 6 Pack consisting of mixed chicken, medium fries and choice of medium salad or gravy (we chose the gravy).  Although more pricey than the aforementioned places, there was more than enough food for the price.  Large in size, the pieces of chicken sported rendered skin and a crunchy well-seasoned exterior batter.  I found the breast meat dry, but the dark meat was tender and moist.  If I had to compare, the chicken was similar to Lee's which is a cross between KFC and Church's.  On the side, the medium Fries was massive being crispy and spiked with Cajun spice.  I found the gravy to be thick and mild in flavour.

Just for research purposes, we also got the 1-Piece Cod & Onion Rings (we subbed it because we already had fries with the chicken).  Compared to the chicken, this was rather pedestrian.  To be fair, the fish was actually quite good being firm and flaky, but it wasn't anything memorable.  That was definitely the case with the batter as it didn't differentiate itself from frozen fried fish.  As for the onion rings, they were pretty good with a crunchy batter and tender onion.  I personally enjoy the breaded type more, but this was still decent. Lastly, we got an order of the Cajun Popcorn Shrimp which was pretty typical featuring a seasoned crunchy batter.  The shrimp was buttery and had a cold-water snap.  Again, not bad, but not something I would order again.  If I had to sum up everything, I would use the White Spot analogy.  Their burgers aren't the best in town, but it is a childhood memory and is comforting.  Same could be said about Brownies. 

The Good:
- Large pieces of generally good fried chicken
- Crispy starch-coated Cavendish fries
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Rest of the menu is average

Ban Chok Dee (Maple Ridge)

Early on in this blog's existence, I had visited the Langley location of Ban Chok Dee way before all of the social media hype.  We came away satisfied and surprised that good Thai food could be found way out in the burbs.  In more recent times, Ban Chok Dee has increased its social media presence and participated in challenges.  I've been back quite a few times since then and in fact, have been a judge for a few of the challenges.  With yet another judging of the Wing Challenge presented by Vanfoodster, I decided to head out to their Maple Ridge location to see if: a) the food is still good and b) how does it compare to the original restaurant.

In terms of distance, it really didn't make a difference for me driving out from Burnaby, but the new location is pretty convenient right on Lougheed Hwy and just off the Golden Ears Bridge.  We didn't drive all the way out for wings, so we ended up having a full dinner.   Since they were expecting us for the Wing Challenge, they started us off with 2 amuse bouche.  Whimsically-plated, we had the Fried Prawns doubling as little birds in a nest.  These were meaty with a moist snap.  Underneath, one of them was sweet mayo while the other was a mix of galangal, ginger, lemongrass, lime, peanut, palm sugar, chilis and coconut.  This was spicy and sharp from the ginger.  Next, we had a Mango Salad with crisps, kaffir lime leaves, chilis, fish sauce, galangal, lemongrass and red onion.  It resulted in a sweet and aromatic combination that was also tangy.

Onto the reason we were here, we were served 2 orders of the Boneless Wings Stuffed with Tom Yum.  On the side, it was served with tamarind strawberry sauce and taro chips.  This was certainly an interesting creation where the initially, the strawberry sauce concerned me.  However, it was completely balanced off by the tamarind being tangy, sweet and lightly spicy.  The wings themselves were succulent with a shrimp tom yum centre.  There was definite spice and the essence of kaffir lime leaves.  I also found the pickled cauliflower a nice touch as it added more acidity (which I personally love).

Onto the regular menu, I ordered a dish I've had before at the Langley location - Cured Dry Pork Ribs.  For $12.00, this was a healthy portion of appealingly chewy ribs that were meaty with little cartilage and fat.  Being salt-cured, there was plenty of flavour to go with the caramelized smokiness.  On the menu, it suggests you have a tall cool one to go with this and I completely agree, this would make a great bar snack.  For our curry, we went with something different in the BBQ Duck Lychee Curry.  Pictures doesn't really do this dish justice as it was rather large.  Contained within a deep bowl, there was a creamy coconut curry that was sweet with the essence of lychee and also lightly spicy.  With every ingredient in one bite (a bit hard to do, but necessary), there was the pop of lychees combined with the roasted duck and the crunch of the bamboo shoots.  We needed to get another bowl of rice to take advantage of all of the sauce.

The next 2 dishes could be considered standards on any Thai restaurant menu (in Vancouver) - Chicken Cashew Nut and Pad Thai Goong.  Generously portioned, the stir fry of chicken, cashews, pepper and onions was sweet, caramelized and mildly spicy.  As evidenced in the picture, the peppers were still vibrant and crisp.  If you thought this was a big plate of food, the Pad Thai was even bigger.  We would've preferred that the rice noodles were more chewy, but it didn't make or break the dish.  Although there was a pronounced sweetness, an equal amount of tamarind tang and spice balanced everything out.  All of the usual ingredients were there including meaty prawns in this case.  This last dish pretty much exemplifies what BDC is about - great-tasting and well-portioned Thai food at a reasonable price.  Considering its location, there aren't many other places that can make that claim.

*All food excluding gratuities was complimentary*

The Good:
- Huge portions, which means good value
- Tasty food
- Modern and spacious

The Bad:
- Flavours were on the sweeter side, but then again, you can ask for more spicy
- Pad Thai noodles could've been chewier

Golden Ears Cheesecrafters

When I was asked to help judge the Poutine Challenge, I quickly took a look at the participants.  Along with some surprising non-participating establishments (Spud Shack, La Belle Patate and Belgian Fries), I had to do a double-take when it came to Golden Ears Cheesecrafters.  Maple Ridge???  If I were to head out there, I would've guessed Big Reds... But they weren't participating either.  Well, whatever the case, I made the drive out with the family to check the place out.

At first glance, one wouldn't expect a bistro to be located within the farmesque building, but once inside the cozy confines, there lay a bustling kitchen serving up brunch.  As such Viv decided on trying the Farmhouse Hash with 2 easy-over eggs.  At first, we thought the chorizo was missing, yet in the end, there was just very little of it.  Hence, the hash felt like it was lacking in oomph despite the tender potatoes and nicely runny eggs.  However, the red onions and peppers did add some impact. More meat would've made this pretty good.  My son didn't venture too far off his favourites by selecting the Grilled Cheese.  Being a place that produces cheese, it wasn't surprising that the cheese was good.  However, the bread was a bit overwhelming for the amount of cheese.

As for the Farmer's Feast Poutine, it featured baked fries topped with chipotle curds, bacon, roasted corn, scallions and 48-hour wheat free gravy.  Considering that they were not fried, the fries were pretty crispy (albeit a bit dense).  I found the gravy to be fairly mild where the chipotle curds definitely dominated the flavour profile.  Since soup and garlic are 2 of my daughter's favourite things, we had to get the Roast Garlic Potato Soup.   This was thick, rich and sweet with a definite roast garlic flavour profile.  Hence, it tasted like its description, which cannot be said for many other things I've had recently.  Overall, the food here was well-prepared.  However, each dish (other than the soup) could've used a bit more meat and/or cheese to elevate the flavours.

*Poutine was complimentary*

The Good:
- Friendly staff
- Homey decor
- Well-prepared eats

The Bad:
- Lacking in meat and cheese that would make things better
- Limited menu  

Yumi's Frozen Yogurt

Our original plan after downing pizza, ribs and poutine at Big Daddy's was to go for a second course of poutine at Big Reds Poutine truck only a few blocks away.  Of course we experienced an epic fail because the truck wasn't there!  Ultimately, it was a blessing in disguise as we would've been overloaded with fries and gravy as a result (is that necessarily a bad thing?).  Our backup plan was to return to the Valley Fair Mall for some refreshing froyo at Yumi's, a couple of doors down from Big Daddy's.

Looking like a clone of Menchies, but on a smaller scale, we had no expectations for Yumi's. Even with the in mind, we were pleasantly surprised with the pricing as none of our creations cost over $5.00.  I decided to try the Berry Cheesecake with strawberries, raspberries and kiwi.  I found the froyo to be creamy and smooth with only a purposeful amount of sweetness.  Although masked partly by the natural tartness of the yogurt, I still got some background cream cheese flavour.  The fruit was pretty ripe and sweet, but the raspberries looked a little overripe. Bam Bam got inspired by the Peanut Butter Cup froyo and loaded it up with Reese Pieces, mini peanut butter cups and peanut butter cup chunks.  One taste and it was pretty clear why he chose that flavour.  It was creamy and powerfully peanut buttery while not being sickingly sweet.  Of course it worked really well with his chosen toppings.

Dark Helmet went for a trio of flavours including the aforementioned Peanut Butter, Cookie Monster and Fat-Free Chocolate.  He simply added shaved almonds to complete his treat.  As smooth as the rest, we were surprised with the fat-free chocolate.  Keeping with the theme as the other flavours, the sugar content was conservative. Well, I guess we were meant to miss Big Reds, because we would've have returned to try Yumi's otherwise.  What a surprise that the froyo was on point and the cost was reasonable.

The Good:
- Smooth, purposefully sweet froyo
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Limited fruit options

Big Daddy's Pizza, BBQ & Poutine

There once was a place on Dundas that served up pulled pork, wings and ribs to go with their fabulous pizza.  Located right next to the McD's, Big Daddy's was a hidden gem of sorts and definitely under-appreciated.  Then one day, it was gone, just like the Pepper Roast right beside it.  However, Big Daddy's didn't go way of the dodo, rather, it merely relocated to Maple Ridge in the Valley Fair Mall.  Now, would I make a special trip out to try it out?  Sorta, we were in the neighbourhood already at the Meadows batting cage.

Being mainly a pizza joint first and foremost, we tried the Caveman Buffet with BBQ sirloin steak, pepperoni, salami, smoked farmers sausage, smoked ham and smoked ground beef.  This monstrosity had toppings all the way to the edge of the crust (of which was crispy on the bottom and soft throughout).  Marginally greasy (from the cheese) and appealingly smoky throughout, the pizza screamed out flavour without relying on the salt content.  This was all thanks to the meats being smoked in-house (except for the pepperoni).  Next up, we had the Smoked Wings with Cajun Sunshine sauce.  These wings were pretty large while sporting a mild smoke.  Naturally, the meat was on the drier side, but the ample amount of tangy and spicy sauce kept things moist.  We found the side of baked beans to be texturally more akin to refried beans while being pretty sweet and loaded with bacon.

We then moved onto their poutines starting with the Chili Cheese Fries with smokehouse beef chili, cheese curds and fries.  We would've preferred fresh cut fries rather than the frozen variety, but these were still very crispy and did the trick.  There was a generous amount of meaty and spicy chili as well as ample kidney beans and plump corn niblets.  Underneath, all the cheese curds were completely melted.  We also tried their Pulled Pork Poutine with 18-hour smoked pork, gravy, cheese curds and fries.  We enjoyed the tender and smoky pulled pork, but we could've done with a bit less gravy as it took away from the wonderful meat.  For me at least, I would've been happy with just pulled pork, cheese curds and fries without any gravy.

To round out our selection of eats, we got a Full Rack of Hickory Smoked Ribs with Kansas City BBQ sauce.  For those unfamiliar real BBQ and smoked meat, there is no parboiling allowed.  Hence, the ribs here sported a deep smoke with tender, yet more drier meat.  Naturally, the meat was sauced after-the-fact.  I enjoyed the natural flavour of the meat in addition to the tangy and spicy BBQ sauce.  Being a pizza joint, this would be not possible, but these ribs would've been amped even further by a quick kiss on a BBQ.  Not surprisingly, the highlight was the pizza (because it is mainly a pizza joint first).  We had to fight for the last slice!  Interestingly, we were looking for something a bit different and original in Maple Ridge...  I guess we found it.

The Good:
- Large portions
- Meats smoked in-house
- Impactful sauces made in-house

The Bad:
- With inherent limitations, the preparation of the fries and ribs could've been better if this was a full service restaurant