Italian Kitchen (Happy Hour)

Here we go with another fabulous deal that allows you to go out to eat while on a budget.  We all know things are crazy expensive right now.  Eating out is such a luxury whether it be fine-dining (especially so) or even casual spots.  However, at Italian Kitchen, you can visit them during Happy Hour from 3:00pm - 6:00pm everyday and have a delicious meal for a reasonable price.  Considering they are located in Downtown and their Happy Hour menu features 11 food items and 19 drink specials, it makes the deal even better.  Jackie and I were invited to try it out on a lovely May evening.

To start things off, we had the Mushroom Arancini as a amuse bouche of sorts.  It is listed on the Happy Hour menu at $3.00 per piece or $12.00 for 3 of them.  I've had these before and they are pretty solid.  Inside, we found aborio rice that was still a bit chewy while bathed in an earthy mushroom cream.  There was also the usual cheesiness while the outside was light and crispy.  A little dollop of truffle aioli added a bit more woodiness to the bite.

Next, we moved onto the Olive Ascolane which consisted of beef-stuffed olives coated with the same crispy breading as the arancini.  For me, I love olives, so anything olive-related would be tasty in my books.  However, even Jackie found these delightful since the strong olive brine was nicely balanced by the generous amount of tender beef.  Hence, the flavour of the olive was present, but just enough to make the little bite impactful without being salty.

One of the more surprising items was the Zeppole Prosciutto Cotto & Formaggio.  At first, we were a bit skeptical at fried dough balls sitting in a tomato fondue.  However, these were really good being fluffy with a good mouth feel.  They were filled with fontina and prosciutto, which provided saltiness and cheesiness.  Combined with the silky tomato fondue we had some light tang and sweetness.

Probably the best deal in the happy hour menu (in my mind), was the Wagyu Beef Carpaccio.  It was well-executed and was ultimately tasty.  Presented on a large platter, there was a good amount of tender slices of buttery beef.  We could taste the natural beef flavour as well as the drops of mustard aioli.  Nice creaminess with a slight tangy bite from the mustard where the crunch from the crispy shallots and fried capers provided aromatics and some more saltiness.  Plenty of arugula to brighten things up while the parm was nutty.  To compliment, the garlic toast was like a crouton being super crunchy, buttery and airy,

Another showstoper was the Bruschetta Trio with Macerated Heirloom Tomatoes and Pesto, Mortadella, Burrata and Pistachios & Roasted Mushrooms, Ricotta and Pine Nuts.  This was $15.00 for 3 and $6.00 for 1.  Really loved the toasted crostinis as they were appealingly crunchy while being light at the same time.  It stood up to the wet ingredients, and stayed as such even after our picture-taking.  My favourite was the tomatoes and pesto where the combination of brightness, tart and sweetness really came through.  I loved how the pesto was not completely blended as it had real texture and impactful herbaceousness.  The mortadella was meaty as expected but the creaminess of the burrata added a cold creaminess.  The mushrooms were earthy and not squishy (on the drier side, but good for this application) while the ricotta added all the creamy moisture that was needed.

With a combination of calamari, prawns, salmon, cod and shishito peppers, the Fritto Misto came in a pretty large portion.  I found that the salmon and cod to be perfectly fried where they were delicate and super moist.  The batter was thin and crispy while not being greasy.  I found the prawns to have the desirable snap texture with a completely edible shell at the tip of the tail. The calamari was slightly on the chewier side, but when dipped into the calabrian chili aioli, it was still quite good.

Of course we had to get their ever popular Baked Meatballs and we had 3 pieces for $11.00 (it is $4.00 for 1).  Initial impressions, you wouldn't think these would be anything special, but upon digging in, they were tender, light and moist.  Due to their size, the meatballs were able to retain quite a bit of juiciness where the texture was also rather light while still meaty.  There was enough seasoning for the meatballs to stand on their own, but the combination of cheeses on top allowed for extra salty nuttiness.  The tomato sauce helped provided some tangy brightness.

Another delicious small plate was the Ravioli Fritti.  These large fried raviolis were crunchy on the outside without being too firm.  There was a certain lightness to it, yet it still had a robust texture.  Inside, there was a good amount of braised beef and mozzarella that helped vary both the flavours and texture of each bite.  The beef was tender with natural meat flavour while the cheese provided the some stretchiness.  On the side, we found a parmesan fondue which was creamy, rich and nutty.

One dish we were a bit indifferent about was the Mozzarella Fritta.  These were essentially mozzarella bites that were fried in a herb breading.  Nothing wrong with the breading as it was crunchy and flavourful.  The issue was the size of each bite as they were far too small for the mozzarella to have any impact.  All I got was crunchy breading.  If these were just a bit bigger, I would've had more cheese in each bite.  The rest of the dish with the fior di latte, basil aioli and tomato fondue were good providing creamy tanginess.

Lastly, we had the Garlic Prawns that were quite large.  The picture doesn't do it justice, but believe me, they were super plump.  It really helped that they were sauteed properly as the texture was meaty, but had a buttery sweet snap.  The meat was light and not dense.  In terms of the garlic butter, it was nutty with lots of garlickiness that was aromatic and not too sharp.  There was also spot-on seasoning where it complimented the natural flavour of the prawns.

Of course we didn't have all this food without some beverages right?  We ended up trying the Alba di Amalfi,  Sogno Ross, Fizzy Amore and Negroni all Fragola.  I know it is easy to say I loved them all, but I really did.  Good portion size on the cocktails too!  Overall, the happy hour at Italian Kitchen is happy hour done right.  The menu is big enough that one can have an entire meal just on these dishes alone.  They didn't skimp on the portion size nor the quality.  It is a really affordable way to dine out right before a movie at Scotiabank Theatres or a show at the Orpheum.  Hey, it is great just to go for no reason at all and enjoy the patio on a sunny day!

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

The Good:
- Well-priced
- The dishes are appealing and well-portioned
- Love the patio

The Bad:
- The Mozzarella Fritta was my least favourite dish

Telefèric Barcelona Palo Alto

It isn't often that I do a repeat visit when we are travelling to a place we've been before.  However, I've done that in Fullerton with Mr. BBQ and also Bai Tong Thai in Seattle.  This time around, we hit up the very same location of Telefèric Barcelona in Palo Alto.  Okay, I'm going to make sure everyone understands that I do not believe this place is the best tapas I've ever had, but it is a place we enjoyed the last time we were in the Bay Area.  So that is good enough for us to come back.  Ironically, we sat at almost the same table outside as last time!

To start things off, we had something seemingly simple in the Jamón Ibérico de Bellota or 38 months cured Iberian acorn fed ham.  This was melt-in-my-mouth and silky in texture.  There was so much going on in terms of flavor with a bit of saltiness, nuttiness and almost even fruitiness.  So complex and utterly delicious.  The side of buttery grilled sourdough was a great match for the ham, but we wished there was more of it!  We did ask for more though and they brought it over.

Now for the one item we had to get, the Tuna Tacos!  The kids love this so much, we actually got 2 orders since there were only 3 to a serving.  These featured a crispy and light crispy wonton shell filled with marinated ahi tuna and mashed avocado.  As you can see, they were shy with loading up each taco with the buttery tuna.  Avocado was fresh and creamy while the drops of aioli added creaminess.  Some chives on top provided some brightness.

With a slice of Iberico Ham on top, the Ham Croquetas were a nice little bite.  These one or two-biters were crispy and light on the outside with very little greasiness.  Inside, they were creamy and none too dense.  Seasoning was on point where the croqueta itself was rather mild with some nuttiness and aromatics but the slice of ham on top provided the necessary saltiness.   A dollop of aioli added more creaminess and of course some chives too.

We didn't stop with just he ham croquetas as we also added the Crab Croquetas after the fact.  Although these were similar, they ate remarkably different.  Naturally, with crab nestled in these fried little bites, there was a bit of fluffiness as well as some subtle brininess.  They were crispy on the outside while topped with tuna sashimi and spicy aioli.  Since the tuna was more of a textural thing rather than the saltiness of the ham, the flavours were more mild.  However, the spicy aioli did add a slight creamy kick.

Whenever I go for Spanish tapas, there is no doubt I will order the Patatas Bravas.  Although I would've preferred a more spread out plating, this dish was still good.  Underneath the mess of aioli and brava sauce, we found little cubes of fried potatoes.  Inside, they were creamy while the outside was a bit soggy.  Since all of the sauces were on top, it was a bit awkward to eat.  A larger plate would've allowed for more customizable amounts of sauce for each bite.

Onto our next dish, we had the Pulpo Telefèric or Galician octopus with truffle oil & 'pimentón' potato purée.  This was a composed dish that was nicely plated.  The octopus tentacle itself was tender while still sporting an appealing chew.  It was a bit crispy on the outside with a nutty and light truffle earthiness.  As for the puree underneath, it was creamy, smoky and zesty.  Great for dipping the pieces of octopus!  

 

Attempting to get some veggies into this meal (yes, a pathetic attempt at that...), we had the Cali-Flower consisting of crispy fried cauliflower "pops" with tangy romesco glaze.  The cauliflower florets were still firm but cooked all the way through being tender.  On the outside, there was some crispiness as well as some caramelized nuttiness.  As for the sauce, it was indeed tangy with some sweetness.  Adding more aroma, we found fried garlic chips and some fresh chives.

Adding just a bit more vegetable, we had the Grilled Salmon topped with snow peas and crispy Ibérico ham.  The salmon itself was prepared properly being flaky and barely cooked-through.  It was nicely salted and stood quite well on its own.  However, the ham did add a richer saltiness to the dish.  Crunchy snow peas kept things bright while the cauliflower cream underneath provided a robust sweet creaminess that went well with the salmon.

Of course we were going to get a Paella right?  The one we chose this time was the Ibérico Pork Paella.  This featured an entire acorn-fed bone-in pork chop with pieces of pork belly strewn throughout as well as chicken and mushrooms.  The thin layer of rice was still chewy while a socarrat did form on the bottom.  I would've liked it to be every crispier though.  The rice was delicious, soaking up all the flavors from the pork and chicken.  Nice aroma and background saffron notes.  The pork itself was tender and appealingly fatty.

We not only added another order of croquetas to your meal, but also the Burrata Bowl.  So as you can see, it was actually a plate, not a bowl.  However, it was full of plump tomatoes and sweet strawberries.  The creamy burrata was topped with basil pesto and chopped pistachios.  Lots of things going on here despite the appearance of simplicity.  We had nuttiness with herbaceousness along with the sweetness of the strawberries.  Tang was provided by the juicy tomatoes.

Dessert was the usual in the Churros con Nutella.  As its description said, these were deep fried sticks of dough filled with Nutella and coated with cinnamon sugar on the outside.  Pretty standard stuff here with the crunch from the outside giving way to melty and sweet hazenut-chocolate spread.  This was quite sweet, but that is the point of it all!  Overall, Telefèric Barcelona delivered once again.  Tapas were appealing and presented in fairly good portions. 

The Good:

- Solid tapas

- Good service

- Lively atmosphere

The Bad:

- Once again, the potatoes could've been crispier

Goldie's Donuts & Bakery

It is surprising that for a food city like Vancouver, we do not have a wealth of donut shops.  Is it because we are super health conscious?  Or is it that we don't like donuts?  It surely cannot be the latter right?  I mean, we can name off the usual suspects such as Lee's, Mello and Lucky's.  Sure, there are more, but I won't list them all. Actually, we are going to lose Cartems...  Anyways, It just doesn't seem like there are enough in relation to other cities.  So it was with a lot of enthusiasm that we drove out to Horseshoe Bay to check out Goldie's Donuts & Bakery.

So for those who don't know, Goldie's is named after the owner's golden retriever.  There is even a large stuffed Goldie in the shop!  As for their wares, it is for all to see when you walk in.  They boast a variety of brioche donuts with many different fillings.  We started with a trio featuring Matcha Cream, Frosted Flakes Cereal Milk Cream and Strawberry Milkshake.  The donut itself was definitely fluffy and had a moist texture without being wet.  Pretty solid brioche if you ask me.  The fresh cream fillings were light and only semi-sweet.  I would've liked powdered sugar over granulated sugar personally but what do I know as other places have the same sugar on these donuts.

They also have a selection of baked good including the Infamous Korean Salt Bread, Strawberries & Cream Cronut, Blueberry Scone and Ham & Cheese Croissant.  The salt bread was like a soft dinner roll but with a noticeable saltiness.  We found the croissant pretty decent where it shattered and was buttery.  As for the scone, it was quite good with plenty of blueberries and blueberry jam on top.  Texturally, it was firm on the outside and fairly fluffy on the inside.  Cronut was crispy with fresh cream in the middle.  It was light and airy.

We got a few more filled donuts in the form of Mocha Tiramisu and Chocolate Cream.  These were the same cream-filled brioche donuts which were excellent.  I liked these even more so because they were coated with powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Texturally, that appealed to me more than granulated sugar.  Both were good being just sweet enough.  There was also some special donuts in the form of Dubai Chocolate Donuts in Peanut Butter, Pistachio and Triple Chocolate.  I tried all of them and my favourite was the pistachio due to the nuttiness (also it is the original).  Loved the crunch within all of them from the knafeh and of course the rich layer of chocolate on the outside of the brioche donut.

Goldie's also has an array of specialty coffees that are just as appealing as the donuts.  We had a selection including Oreo Cream Mocha, Matcha Cream, Cream Latte, Almond Cream Mocha and Nutty Cloud.  All of them were purposefully sweet, aromatic and creamy.  However, my favourite was the Almond Cream as it was nutty, chocolatey and went down easy.  Oreo Cream Mocha was solid too since it wasn't as sweet as it sounded.  Definite Oreo vibes with the dark chocolate cookie taste without the sickingly sweet creme.  Overall, the things we tried at Goldie's was top-notch and made with care.  Baked goods and donuts are high-quality and so are the drinks.  Best of all, the location is prime with a beautiful view and quaint vibes.  If you are ever in Horseshoe Bay, give them a try!

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

The Good:

- Quality products that are carefully made

- Things are sweet, but not crazy sweet

- What nice location

The Bad:

- Parking might be a challenge on busy days

Drip Drip Coffeehouse

If you haven't noticed by now, I do not usually blog about coffee shops.  I'm not much of a coffee drinker and hence, I have never really focused on the never-ending coffee craze.  However, there are more and more places now that serve specialty coffees which are totally up my alley.  I tend to like fruitier cocktails and spirits, so it only makes sense that I'm more drawn to coffees that have unique flavors.  That brings me to Drip Drip Coffeehouse in Seattle.  They are a Vietnamese coffee spot that not only offers unique specialty coffees (and also the regular stuff too), but also Vietnamese treats to go with it.

Let's get right to the most visually stunning thing they have at Drip Drip - the Coffee Flight!  On the bottom, this was the Holiday Flight (which isn't available anymore) that consisted of Toffee, Cozy S'mores, Peppermint and Salted Caramel.  I hope they put some of these on the permanent menu as I enjoyed all of them!  The toffee was purposefully sweet with some smoky notes.  The s'mores had some nuttiness from the graham crackers and of course the sweetness of chocolate and marshmallow.  Peppermint was bright with the burst of cool mintiness.  Rich and salty sweet, the salted caramel went down smooth.  As for the regular Coffee Flight, it consisted of Coconut Ube, Matcha Pandan, Salted Egg Yolk and Roasted Sesame.  Loved the sweet aroma of the coconut and ube while the Matcha Pandan was aromatic and sweet with an appealing bitterness at the end.  Predictably, the Salted Egg Yolk was nutty and sweet.  Unmistakable essence there.  Lastly, the Roasted Sesame was nutty and classic sesame aroma.

We did go for the full versions as well with the Egg Coffee, Roasted Sesame and Coconut Avocado.  With a larger version, you have multiple sips or gulps which, if you can imagine, is a totally different experience.  So we were able to compare that with the duplicate in the Roasted Sesame.  With a larger amount of both the coffee and foam, we had more aroma and more nuttiness.  This in turn was plenty more impactful.  Get the flight, but be sure to get a full version of your favorite!  As for the Egg Coffee, it was subtle and creamy.  I found it lightly sweet too.  As for the Coconut Avocado, it was extra creamy due to the addition of buttery avocado and definitely aromatic.  The coconut milk helped in that respect.  Therefore, the coffee was less prominent in this one.

In addition to their drinks, there are some bites as well.  They have some fresh Steamed Bao sitting in a warming box ready to go.  We tried all three of them including The Combo, Char Siu and Vegetarian.  For me, it was all about The Combo (or called "Dai Bao" in some places).  It consisted of pork, woodear, cabbage and salted egg yolk.  The meat was super juicy and moist while being sweet and savory.  Nice crunch from the woodear while the egg yolk provided umaminess.  As for the bao, it was slightly on the denser side, but still plenty fluffy.  I also enjoyed the mushroom vegetarian bao with its immense umami flavor and butteriness of the mushrooms.  The Char Siu was decent, albeit a bit sweet.  The meat was not too fatty.

Also sitting in the display case at the counter, they had a selection of Pâté Chaud.  These flaky puff pastries were so buttery and texturally on point.  Even though they aren't diet food, the lightness of the pastry made them airy.  Inside, they were filled with tender ground pork.  I thought the filling was seasoned enough without being salty, so I could taste the natural meat flavor.  Highly recommend this to go with your drink!

If you wanted something a bit more like a lunch item, they have Banh Mi as well.  The 2 choices are the Vietnamese Ham and the Grilled Chicken.  Featuring airy and crunchy bread, these sandwiches were good!  They combined the pâté and mayo together which was pretty tasty!  Lots of umaminess and creaminess that added flavor and texture. There was the usual pickled veggies, peppers, cucumber and cilantro.  Unlike other versions, they added fried shallots which added both crunch and aroma.  All-in-all, this visit to Drip Drip afforded us delicious drinks and tasty bites.  No wonder they are so busy!  Best to come earlier or after the peak hours as space is limited.

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

The Good:
- Lots of different flavors of coffee
- They have coffee flights!
- Food is on point too

The Bad:
- Gets crowded during peak times

Mexicuban

In the past, if we stumbled upon a restaurant that meshed 2 different cuisines, we would run far away.  Fast forward to the present and with the proliferation of successful fusion cuisine, it has become more commonplace.  Hey, some of the most viral and delicious dishes have been the result of chefs experimenting with different flavors, sauces and cooking techniques.  Hence, we visited Mexicuban out in Renton with a completely open mind.  Upon entering the place, we were greeted with a rustic, yet modern decor.  Loved the inviting bar and also the beautiful mural on a wall at the side of the restaurant.

To start things off, we had some drinks first (that really got us in a good mood!).  We had the Margarita Flight with Burnt Orange, Mango Habanero, Mexican Mule and Coconut.  This was super refreshing with the mango being my favourite.  The heat of the habanero was nicely tempered by the mango and sweet syrups.  Coconut was aromatic and a bit creamy.  Again nice use of syrups here.  Burnt orange was the most refreshing with balanced sweetness and of course the taste of tequila.  Mexican mule naturally had Moscow Mule vibes with ginger beer and mint.

So we also got the Mojito Flight consisting of 4 different concoctions.  The first was the Cubano with its classic fizzy lime and mint infused flavors.  Next one was the Mango with the same elements but adding in some fruitiness and tang.  Being a bit smoother and having aromatic vibes, the Coconut was very tropical.  Lastly, the Passionfruit was similar to the mango except with the unmistakable floral and tart notes.

Onto the food, we were served the Pineapple Shrimp Fluffy Tacos first.  These deep fried tortillas were indeed airy and light.  Nice crispy exterior giving way to a soft and warm interior.  This made it extremely easy to eat and had a good mouth feel.  I liked how they weren't greasy either.  As for the topping, the shrimp had a buttery snap with sweetness from the ripe pineapple.  The side of hot sauce was smoky, sweet and mildly spicy.  Really nice compliment to the mild shrimp and sweetness of the pineapple.

Sticking with pineapple, we had the Jalapeno Pork Belly Toasts.  These were delicious with a crunchy toast base topped by a slice of tender and buttery pork belly, roasted pineapple, grilled jalapeno, cilantro and chipotle BBQ sauce.  This had everything including contrasting textures in the toast and soft pork belly and then complimentary sweetness from the pineapple with the spice from the BBQ sauce.  Great little 2 or 3 biters to start the meal.

We didn't stop there with some small handhelds as we moved onto the smaller version of El Yucateco.  These little sliders consisted of soft rolls encasing slow cooked pork, chipotle aioli and peppers.  These were rather messy and dripping with braising liquid, just the way I like it!  That meat the meat was super moist and the bread was also soft.  Sure, that is not much in the way of textural contrast, but it had nice mouth feel and the natural meatiness of the pork came through.

Let's continue with things served on slate with the Street Corn.  This happens to be one of my most favourite things to eat in the whole wide world.  Yes, cobs of corn on a stick.  The version here was really good with charred corn that was smoky and caramelized.  It was sweet and had pops of extra sweetness from the niblets.  On the outside, they were generously coated with chipotle aioli, lime, tajin, cotija and cilantro.  Lots of creaminess to go with acidity and some spice.  Delicious.

Okay, moving off of slate tile plates, we went to an actual deep dish with the Croquetas con Mole.  These crunchy pinko-breaded balls were filled with deep fried plantain and mozzarella.  These were on the denser side due to the all the plantain crammed into them.  I felt these were a little like Mofongo where the fried plantains are mashed, except formed into balls and deep fried some more.  The star of the dish was the mole as it was rich and smoky.  It had earthy notes as well as sweetness, tanginess and slight bitterness.  It hit all the flavors and went great with the plantain.

We moved onto bigger dishes from here starting with Cuban favorite being the Ropa Vieja.  This featured tender shredded beef in a light tomato sauce with the sweetness of onions, tanginess of green olives and the spice of jalapenos.  It was served on fluffy yellow rice with a base of black bean puree.  This was a comforting and home-style dish that was hearty.  To make it even more robust, we found fried plantain and yuca al mojo on the side.

More often than not, when I have a salmon dish at a non-seafood restaurant, it will be overcooked.  However, this was not the case here with the Huatulco Salmon.  It was flaky and moist while topped with a mole.  This one was somewhat similar to the one in the Coqueta dish except a bit sweeter and less spice.  I felt that the salmon was able to stand up to the sauce and when combined with the poblano rice, it helped balance out the bold flavors.

The most out-of-left-field dish was the Lasagna Alteca.  This was comprised of corn tortillas layered with shredded chicken and mozzarella topped with Mexican crema, cilantro and red onions..  It sat in a poblano pepper sauce with charred corn.  So in spirit it was a lasagna, but it ate very differently.  I found it more similar to a taco bake, but more sophisticated and definitely not Tex-Mex.   The chicken was moist and the tortillas were tender.  The thing that made the dish was the charred corn and the poblano sauce.  It was sweet from the corn but had a tanginess to it.  Kept things bright and light despite the heaviness of the dish.

For our desserts, we were serve the Cajeta-Filled Churros with ice cream on the side.  These were crunchy with a soft interior and just sweet enough.  The other dish was the Gorditas Dulces, which is a traditional dessert from Veracruz.  They weren't very sweet and had a certain appealing chew.  On the outside, it was crispy and the slight drizzle of chocolate was all that it needed.  Overall, the food at Mexicuban was presented nicely and was equally tasty.  Loved that they had some fusion going on, but not so much it went too far.  Flavors were still familiar and so were the textures.  Nice spot to get some friends together since they have plenty of drinks and live music at certain times.

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

The Good:
- Nice spot that is great for both groups and families
- Lots of choice on the menu
- Generous portions

The Bad:
- I did enjoy the flavors, but some dishes could use just a touch more impact