Elem

Remember the last time I was at Elem?  If you guessed May, you are correct!  Now if you can also recall, I was dining at Elem almost monthly after they opened in late 2024.  So why the huge gap in between visits?  Well, if you haven't already heard, Viv broke her leg in July and that put everything on hold.  Also, I had gone to Montreal in October and had to do a detox after ripping through the best that they had.  So here we are back at Elem, now a Michelin-recommended restaurant and also appearing on Canada's 100 Best Restaurant list.

Like all of our meals at Elem, we got the Rye Bread.  This time around, they were accompanied by an apple butter topped with grated Szechuan pepper.  This resulted in a creamy and naturally sweet butter that had a slight bite.  It was ever-so-subtle though, so it wasn't numbing or spicy.  As for the rye, it was at its soft fluffy best with a slightly crispy exterior that was sweet.  Inside, there was still a slight chew. 

Of course we'd get some cocktails right?  These were quite interesting with the Hot Pot Whiskey Sour.  This really did taste like Chinese hot pot with the earthiness and spice.  We also got some extra tanginess from the kalamansi.  Their version of a Mai Tai featured 3 types of rum, which made it boozy but it was slightly tempered by the passionfruit granita and pistachio orgeat.

Our appetizers began with the Chicory Salad that was quite bountiful in size.  It was truly an appetizer as the coronation grape vinaigrette was super bright and tangy.  It helped balance out the bitterness from the crisp radicchio.  Nice crunch and aromatics from the walnuts and creaminess from the ricotta salata.  Although it might've seemed like a small detail, the plump blueberries added a fruity sweetness to the mix.

Onto a new item that is going to replace the Chicory Salad on the menu, we had the Futsu Squash with forno beets.  Chef Vish decided to employ little-used ingredients for this creation.  Not overly popular, the futsu squash was full of umami that resulted in an earthy sweetness.  It was tender, yet still had some firmness.  These were topped with tender slices of forno beets that were lightly sweet, but not overly earthy.  We found chunks of buffalo mozzarella and pickled walnuts as well.  The slices of fennel added extra crunch and aroma.  Finally, they used the whey from the mozzarella to create a vinaigrette.

We mourned the loss of the crab toast but were delighted to see the Prawn Toast as its replacement.  Light, almost fluffy and slightly rare, the diced prawn was super delicate and sweet.  It was topped with sesame and seared until crispy and aromatic.  Sitting on the same milk bread, it was lightly toasted.  Hence, it remained slightly crispy despite half-immersed in a tom yum sauce.  Combined with some Indian spices including cumin, the tom yum was earthy and tangy.  We got the lemongrass beyond the cumin.

Staying with the veggie theme of this meal (as we got a lot of that), we had the Delicata Squash that was halved and roasted.  Hence, the sweetness was coaxed out of the squash from the heat.  This was further enhanced by the quince glaze, which was balanced off by the ample pine nuts.  Underneath, we found a creamy mornay sauce.

Second round of cocktails consisted of the Tamarind & Mango Agua Fresca with a fruit popsicle.  Yes, this was a mocktail, but a tasty one at that.  Definitely refreshing but at the same time with body, the tamarind was prominent in taste and appearance.  The other cocktail was the Hinojo consisting of tequila, amartillado sherry and fennel.  Yep, another fairly strong concoction but balanced.  The tequila was at the forefront but the fennel added that licorice aroma.

We've had almost every version of the fried rice at Elem and although we have enjoyed them all, the current iteration was probably the best.  Interestingly, it happened to be the Mushroom Fried Rice and yes, there was no meat in it.  Despite that, it was very mushroom forward with impactful pieces of mushroom and a considerable amount of mushroom XO.  There was good wok hei where the rice was nutty and firm with caramelization.  Nice crunch from the veggies and fluffiness from the egg.

The feature of the night happened to be the Argentinian Chili Risotto and yes, we got that too.  Just like the other risottos we've had here, this was expertly prepared.  Spreading nicely on the plate, the aborio rice was firm, but cooked through.  There was enough moisture and cheesiness without being intrusive.  The natural sweetness and umaminess of the Argentinian prawn came though.  Nice addition of acidity from the lemon and yes, it had spice from the chili and sambal.

Our meat dish of the night was the Wagyu Bavette in a crying tiger sauce.  Prepared mostly rare, the meat was juicy and possibly a touch chewy.  We would've preferred medium-rare or even medium in this application.  No matter, as it was still plenty chewable and best of all, it sat in a delicious sauce.  The combination of briny fish sauce, tangy lime juice and sweet tamarind really helped bring this dish alive.  Of course the plethora of herbs just put the flavours over-the-top.

To go with this, we had the Cabbage, that was roasted and topped with sesame pangrattato.  Nice aromatic and nutty crunch from that to go with the charred eggplant puree.  With some anchovies, we got some light salty brininess to provide some punch to an otherwise mild dish.  The cabbage itself was tender but not mushy.  We detected some cumin that gave the dish plenty of earthiness.

As for the sweet stuff, we were presented with a bonus bite in the Beet Ice Cream.  This was super smooth with a balanced sweetness.  We got the natural flavours of the beets including a hint of earthiness.  Really delicious.  We also had the Chocolate Tart with pumpkin gelato.  The tart itself was creamy and rich, while not being heavy.  It was semi-sweet with a balancing bitterness.  Underneath, the coffee foam added some extra flavour. 

When I asked for the bill, we were presented with some sweet bites (as they always do) in Passionfruit & Apple Jellies.  They were not too sweet and had a nice light gelatin texture to it.   Once again, it was a fine meal at Elem.  We still mourn the loss of the iconic Crab Toast and possibly the Bavette Steak could've been a bit more tender, but overall, the dishes we had were well-executed with thoughtful flavours.  Can't wait for my next visit!

The Good:

- Beautiful dining space

- Excellent service

- Worthy eats

The Bad:

- Wish the Crab Toast was still around...

- Steak could've been more tender

Aloette

Having not secured a reservation for Alo in Toronto, we decided to visit their more relaxed and approachable baby sister restaurant below.  This Michelin-recommended spot is unpretentious but still offers up an elevated experience with its food and service.  Sure, it looks like a jazzed up diner inside (which it is), but it is all business when it comes to the execution and plating.  This was a taste of what the Alo Group is about and a precursor to my visit to Alo several months later (spoiler alert!).

We kicked off our meal with the Torched Hamachi Crudo.  This was such a delicate and impactful dish at the same time.  Bright, buttery and sweet, the hamachi could stand on its own, but was highly influenced by the aromatic smoked coconut.  That tropical feel was interrupted by the tangy spice of the jalapeno and then further more by the tanginess and slight bite of the finger lime.  As if this wasn't enough, we found some shiso that added the complex final herbaceous notes.

Possibly our favourite dish of the meal, the East Coast Mussels were served on the half shell.  If you look at the picture, you'll notice that they were supremely plump.  Moreover, the cook on them was perfect allowing the buttery soft texture to shine and the sweet brininess to be the star of the show.  But c'mon, there needed to be a sauce right?  Oh yes, that koji butter was on point with a mild tang, plenty of umami and of course butteriness.  The side of charred sourdough was the perfect vessel to soak it all up.

In addition to the charred sourdough that came with the mussels, we were also served the complimentary Cheddar Brioche with spiced whipped butter.  Really airy and light with the nuttiness of cheddar.  I truly loved their interpretation of a Wedge Salad as it took half a head of lettuce and put all of the components on top.  Oh the textures were on display here with the crunch from the lettuce, the nuttiness and light crispiness of the puffed rice and the tangy bite from the pickled onions.  There was a wealth of chive cream on top which helped dress the lettuce.  It was bright and not overly heavy.  Extra creaminess was provided by the avocado.

With our larger plates, we went for the Grilled Sea Bream.  We found the cook on it to be on point where the properly salted skin was crispy while the meat was flaky and buttery.  It sat atop a beurre blanc with snap peas and chanterelles.  On the side, we got the Crispy Butternut Squash.  These fried nuggets were indeed lightly crispy on the outside while intensely sweet and delicate inside.  It was topped with a brown butter hollandaise which was rich and full of depth.  It was aromatic too, but the candied pepita on top provided some more sweet aromatic nuttiness.

So you know we couldn't get out of there without trying their famed Aloette Burger.  Absolutely in love with the seared crispy and melted beaufort cheese.  Beyond being a contrast in textures, the cheese was nutty and sweet.  That complimented the juicy and meaty beef patty.  It was properly salted, yet at the same time, had a real beefiness.  There was plenty of shredded iceberg and onion for some freshness while all held together with a soft brioche bun.

We capped off this fabulous meal with the Lemon Meringue Pie.  This was tall with a buttery crust holding in all that tangy and sweet lemon curd.  It was topped off with torched meringue.  Gotta say that this meal was one of our favs during this trip to TO.  Although not inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination, the prices at Aloette are approachable.  Considering the level of execution and deliciousness of the food, it is very well worth it.

The Good:

- Approachable well-executed eats

- That burger

- Service that is not fussy

The Bad:

- Seating is not super spacious, but the place is still cool

New Mandarin

After so many visits to New Mandarin, it has seemed like an eternity since our last meal.  I believe the most recent one was with family right in front of their massive screen.  This time around, we were invited to enjoy a multi-course dinner that would feature a few new unique items.  For those who have yet to visit New Mandarin, it is located in the T&T complex on Kingsway near Nanaimo.  It has been around since 2019 and since then, has earned a Michelin-Recommended designation.

For this meal, we had some new dishes along with some classics.  Something I've had before and have always enjoyed is the Roasted Pork Belly & BBQ Pork.  The use of fatty pork really helped move things in the right direction even before they cooked the meat!  This was especially true with the BBQ pork as it was succulent, juicy and of course fatty.  Hence, it was tender and flavourful.  The outside bark was sweet and caramelized.  As for the roast pork, the crackling was crispy and not hard.  The meat and fat ratio was about 50-50, where it was juicy and buttery tender. 

We continued on with another classic item in the Peking Duck served in 3 courses.  As usual, the first course consisted of the Peking Duck with steamed crepes.  It was also accompanied by julienned scallions and hoisin.  Not sure if the shrimp chips were served with it or not, but I enjoyed eating them.  LOL.  Anyways, the duck skin was appealing in colour and also crispy.  The fat underneath the skin was fairly rendered (also using the right type of duck).  The meat was moist and the crepes were thin with an nice elasticity.

The second course from the Peking Duck was the Shredded Duck Soup.  The base consommé had depth and real flavour to it.  It was starch-thickened just enough so it was silky with the right viscosity.  There was plenty of duck along with dried fish maw, woodear, Jinhua ham, egg white and flowering chives.  Lots of textures and complimentary flavours from these ingredients including crunch, meatiness and silkiness.

The third course was another classic in the Duck Lettuce Wrap.  This came in a large portion packed with tender duck and crunchy veggies.  It sat atop fried vermicelli that added another level of crunchiness.  The dish was the beneficiary of a good wok toss with high heat.  The wok hei allowed for some smokiness and caramelization.  Nothing was overdone though, where the veggies were just cooked through.  Seasoning was on the milder side, but with hosin on the side, that wasn't a problem.  Loved the large pieces of iceberg lettuce, so we could successfully wrap everything.  Also enjoyed that the lettuce wasn't wet either.

Now for a brand new dish and what a dish that was!  We were served a couple servings of the Teriyaki Lobster.  Not sure why it went by that name because it was more like a Motoyaki Lobster or even a Chinese version of Lobster Thermidor.  These small lobsters were baked with a mayo cheese sauce on top that was like a motoyaki.  It as creamy and cheesy with a slight tanginess.  Lobster was cooked perfectly being moist and a bit bouncy.

Getting our veggies into the meal, we selected the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with garlic.  We were warned that the pea shoots might be a little old, but it still turned out to be quite good.  Sure, there was a little more chew to them, but they were still tender.  The cook on them was just right being cooked through but not enough to make them mushy.  Hence, there was still a crunch to each leaf.  There was enough garlic and seasoning for impact while the dish wasn't too greasy.

We ended up with two fried rice dishes as we couldn't decide on one.  So we had both!  The first to arrive was the Fried Rice with Preserved Meat.  It was made with organic rice for an extra $10.00.  If you thought this rice was a gimmick, you would be mistakened.  The rice added a silky texture to the dish and was quite flavourful.  It also helped there was good wok hei and hence, a nuttier flavour and caramelization.  The cured meat added just enough saltiness as well as some chewy texture.

The next fried rice dish was the Fried Rice with Eel served in a casserole.  We also subbed organic rice into this dish.  This rice was a bit more moist with a tonne of eel in it.  This added not only a buttery texture, it provided a unique sweetness to the rice.  Once again, with the organic rice, there was a silkiness that seemed wet, but it really wasn't.  The rice was still chewy (in a good way).   I found this more like a hot pot rice than a fried rice (even though it wasn't cooked in the pot).

Onto dessert, we had some that are also featured on the Dim Sum menu.  These included the Osmanthus & Lychee Jelly and the Sweet Coconut Pudding Piggies.  I'm biased when it comes to these desserts and the Osmanthus jelly was right up my alley.  First of all, the jelly was not sweet at all.  Second, the texture was pretty firm, which worked for me as I could pick it up without it falling apart.  Nice sweetness from the lychee and wolfberries.  As for the piggies, they were firm versions of aromatic coconut pudding.  Not too sweet either.

One of the cutest desserts is their Chocolate Pudding Puppy Dog.  Personally, I think this was better to look at than to actually be eaten.  The pudding was a bit gummy.  It did taste okay though.  But everything was all good when the Baked Tapioca Pudding arrived.  Featuring a crunchy sugary crust (same found on a pineapple bun), the pudding itself was custardy and purposefully sweet.  There was also some lotus paste in the centre to add some more sweetness.  One of my favourite desserts from any type of cuisine!  This was a fine end to a solid meal at New Mandarin.  I find the food also well-portioned here and I can't help but notice the ever-improving service.  I based this off my previous 3 visits that were not comped.

 

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

 

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Well-portioned

- Improving service

 

The Bad:

- Dining room is still a bit cramped

 

Moltaqa Moroccan

Trying to hit up the last few restaurants on the Michelin guide for Vancouver, it has brought me to Moltaqa Moroccan.  This has actually been on my radar for quite some time even before it became Michelin-recommended.  However, it is the same thing over and over again - too many places to eat at and so little time.  We made it a point to go there since we actually do like Moroccan cuisine, in particular a lamb or chicken tagine.

So before those tagines, we had went for their Moroccan Hummus and bread.  This was an extremely smooth and creamy hummus with the strong nuttiness of sesame seeds that were on top.  I got a bit of the garlic, yet was wanting more lemon.  Even the squeeze of the lemon wedge wasn't enough.  Maybe I like things more acidic, so the hummus overall was very good.  The side of Moroccan bread was fantastic.  A bit crispy on the outside and plenty fluffy inside, it was perfect for mopping up the hummus.

Our next small plate was the Duck Pastilla.  Oh my, this was absolutely mind-blowingly delicious.  Beyond the flaky and crispy phyllo casing, the ample amount of duck inside was moist and well-spiced.  There was definitely the sweetness of the onions while the powdered sugar made this almost a quasi-dessert.  But it all worked well with the combination of savoury and sweet.  Loved the almonds too as it added texture and nuttiness.

Continuing with the same protein, we had the Flambe Duck with cherie sauce.  The flambe was served tableside and that was pretty cool.  However, this dish was not only for show, it was also super delicious.  The skin of the duck breast was blackened with Moroccan spices and hence had rich fall flavours cinammon and cloves.  The duck itself was moist and tender while complimented perfectly by the sweet and tart sauce.  The side of roasted root vegetables were prepared nicely.

Finally, here we are with the tagines!  The first was the Lemon & Olive Halal Chicken Tagine with saffron.  This was truly an aromatic dish with the saffron coming through.  The chicken itself was super tender and moist with the salty brininess of the olives and the tangy lemon being quite evident with each bite.  There was also the earthiness of the turmeric as well.  With olives and thinly sliced lemon at our disposal, we could make each bite even more flavourful.  We had rice as our side dish for this tagine.

For me it was all about the Tagine of Lamb with saffron prunes and almond.  This was delicious where the lamb fell off the bone and was at its fatty best.  The meat had the gelatinous fattiness that I was looking for.  Due to the lamb being more robust than the chicken, the saffron was much more muted, but still present.  There was a certain sweetness to go with the rich Moroccan spices.  I had the side of cous cous with chickpeas with this.

We had a few cocktails to go with our meal in the Moroccan Cherie Sour and La Bel Aicha (we were also served some olives at the outset of the meal).  I found the sour to be quite nice and appetizing with the classic fall flavours of Moroccan spice paired with bourbon and white cherries.  A bit of sweetness to go with that tang.  As for the other cocktail, it was floral and refreshing with some ginger notes.  Overall, we quite enjoyed our meal at Moltaqa.  The portions were generous and the flavours were exotic.  Considering its Yaletown location and the deliciousness of the food, the prices were fair too.  Will come back.

The Good:
- Impactful exotic spices
- Generous portions
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Maybe a few repetitive spices, but I didn't mind

Gary's Restaurant

Gary's Restaurant has been on my radar for a little while and it was also on my "to dine at" list.  I did suggest to some friends that this was an option for our dinners, but there were no takers.  However, Jo messaged me out-of-the-blue to meet up for eats and suggested Gary's!  Well, what a nice coincidence!  I mean, it is also great to meet up with Jo as I haven't seen her in quite some time, but it was also even better that we got to hit up a place I wanted to go to!

This cozy little spot on 12th at Granville has great lighting due to the large windows in front.  We looked over the menu and decided to order a la carte rather than the tasting.  As much as the tasting seemed appealing, we wanted to choose our preferred dishes.  It all began with the Rye Rolls with an herb butter.  I found the rolls to be fairly fluffy with some chew to them.   The salt on top really added a flavourful crunch.  Loved the butter as it was whipped until airy.

Onto the actual plates, we had the Kanpachi Crudo with strawberries, sumac vinaigrette and shoyu.  As for the slices of kanpachi, they were fresh-tasting and looked the part too.  There was the usual natural sweetness and the essence of the sea.  I'm usually not keen on fruit and fish, but the strawberries were sweet and didn't clash.  I found the sumac vinaigrette a bit earthy and maybe lacking in enough acidity to really make an impact.  The restrained use of the soy ensured that the fish maintained its starring role.

Next, we had the Raw Beef with king james blue, chicory and house-made potato chips.  First and foremost, the diced beef was buttery and didn't require much chewing.  It was visually-appealing and tasted fresh.  With intermittent pops of nutty saltiness, the stilton also added body and creaminess to the tartare.  There was some crunch from the chicories but overall, the whole mixture was pretty soft.  Seasoning was mild with a good balance of salty, sweet and tang.  Loved the potato chips as they were thin and crispy.

For the larger plates, we had the Ling Cod with Argentinian prawns and cherry tomatoes in a Calabrian chili butter sauce.  As evidenced in the picture, the cod filet was beautifully seared with crispy portions.  Inside, the fish was moist and flaky with some butteriness.  It was also well-seasoned and tasted great on its own.  However, that silky sauce had a spicy nuttiness to it and was well-suited for the fish.  It was not too strong, but also had impact at the same time.  Those prawns were perfectly cooked with a delicate meatiness that was aromatic.

The most filling dish was the Pork Collar with parsley sauce, grilled onion and Swiss chard.  Fatty with its classic rebound meatiness, the pork collar was nicely brined.  It was had an inherently full-flavoured taste to it while not being salty.  The meat was tender, but maintained a bite.  I found the parsley sauce to be creamy and bright.  The veggies were cooked perfectly where they were wilted, but still had lots of texture left.

For dessert, we had the Paris-Brest with lemon verbena cream, strawberry and chantilly.  Texturally, the choux pastry was crispy on the outside and fairly light on the inside.  I found the chantilly to be a bit melty, but it was still light and creamy.  The lemon cream was mildly-flavoured while the strawberry was sweet.  Overall, it was a pleasant meal at Gary's with properly-prepared proteins and focused flavours.  I would be open to a return visit one day!

The Good:
- Properly-prepared proteins
- Nice flavours
- Great service

The Bad:
- Seating is a bit tight for tables of 2