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My second stop on the Burger Challenge took me to Hopcott Premium Meats. It was a bit further out than the rest of the competition in Pitt Meadows. If you know me, going out to Pitt Meadows is not considered "far". In fact, it is a personal goal of mine to find tasty eats in the burbs and beyond. Now the Bistro at Hopcott Premium Meats isn't your typical restaurant since it is an extension of the market where it really is farm to table cooking. I brought the family out to try the burger as well as some of their other offerings.
Getting right to it, we had Farmer Bob's Burger made with a Hopcott prime rib patty, panko crusted jalapeno peppers, lettuce, tomato, cheddar & Monterey Jack cheeses, honey chipotle sauce and pickle on a pretzel bun. From the first bite, the tang and spice from the crispy jalapenos announced themselves as well as the impactful cheeses. The bun was firm enough to hold everything in without being dense. I thought the well-charred patty was meaty, flavourful and lean. Hence, it wasn't juicy per se, but hardly dry either. Featuring the same pretzel bun, the Pulled Beef Sandwich was pretty solid as well. The beef itself was more like in chunks rather than being pulled, which was actually a good thing. The meaty pieces were tender and well-seasoned while not over-sauced. Combined with the crunchy coleslaw, this was a hearty sandwich. On the side, the Poutine featured double-cooked fresh cut fries that were bathed in a silky gravy accompanied by legit cheese curds.
I'm pretty sure the au jus for the Beef Dip was either a variation of that gravy or the same as it tasted pretty similar (again, it was a good thing that it was). It was silky, meaty and not overly salty. Loved how it clung onto the toasted and crispy ciabatta bread rather than merely soaking in. Inside, the rotisserie beef (that was cooking right in front of our eyes) was tender, meaty and well-seasoned. On the side, I upgraded to Chili Fries topped with cheddar, green onion and sour cream (served on the side). Again, the fries were fresh cut and fairly crispy. I found the chili to be meaty and mild. With another great transition, my daughter had the soup and sammie combo with a bowl of the same Chili. It was chock full of tender ground beef with only a smattering of beans and veggies. It was nicely mild which suited her fine. On the side, she had a half Turkey Cranberry Panini. She enjoyed the bread as well as the tender turkey, but there could've more more turkey. But really, that is nitpicking because the rest of the eats were quite good and of course, freshly made. Can't get any better than that.
*All food was complimentary*
The Good:
- Farm-to-table fresh
- Solid eats
- Love the setting
The Bad:
- Not really a bad, but is far for people who are not in the Tri-Cities area. I decided to shop there, so I guess that could be a good reason to go.
It is by no coincidence that I have only one post for the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows area. I'm just not around there very much other than going to the Laity Pumpkin Patch or playing golf at Golden Ears. Hence, my eating adventures stop right before the Pitt River Bridge. However, I recently received an invite to try Kisoji Japanese Kitchen near Lougheed at Harris Road. Really, it wasn't for the complimentary food anyways because the gas kinda negated it. Rather, I was really curious to see how they fared all-the-way-out-there.
To help Viv and I put a dent into the menu, we included the ever-so-present Whipping Girl. We started with the Maguro Tataki Salad featuring seared tuna, wild greens, taro chips and house vinaigrette. We found the tuna to be prepared just right with a thin sear on the outside. The fish itself was firm while soft to chew. Tangy and purposefully acidic, the vinaigrette complimented but did not overwhelm. Despite being thin and crispy, the taro chips could've been smaller as they were clunky to eat with the rest of the ingredients. Next up was the Ebi Mayo served in a cup. The batter was a bit thick, yet at the same time, it wasn't heavy. It reminded us of Chinese fried shrimp (which wasn't a bad thing, just an observation). The shrimp itself was meaty with a slight snap while offering up a natural sweetness. On top, there was a slightly spicy, tangy and sweet mayo.
Onto something familiar but presented in their own way was the Salmon Oshi. Featuring pressed sushi with seared salmon and wasabi mayo on top, this was somewhat similar to the one found at Miku but not. I found the pressed sushi rice to be a touch too firm while mildly seasoned. The salmon on top was buttery and sweet while nicely accented by the wasabi mayo and lime. There was a creaminess to the mayo where the wasabi was ever-so-slight while the lime added a nice acidity. Next up was the Stuffed Mushrooms featuring shiitake and diced prawns fried in tempura batter served with ginger tempura sauce. This featured plenty of shiitake flavour and sweetness from the prawns. We found the filling to be a bit stiff though. The exterior was lightly crunchy and not greasy. The dip was essential as the stuffed mushrooms didn't inherently have a whole lot of seasoning.
Moving along, we had the Jack Cha Han served in hot stone bowl with salmon, shiitake mushroom, egg, pickled cucumber and fried rice. After I mixed all of the ingredients together, I pressed the rice to the sides so that it would form a crust. That it did where it was crunchy and nutty. The rice itself was chewy and flavourful in a savoury (while not salty) manner. Adding a lively crunch and tang, the pickles were the impactful ingredient. Surprisingly, the chunks of salmon retained some moisture and wasn't dry. Majestically plated in a box, the Assorted Chef's Selection Sashimi consisted of Atlantic Salmon, Albacore Tuna, Tako, Tai, Mackerel, Hamachi, Sockeye Salmon, Hokkigai and Ebi. This was an attractive selection that was as fresh as flash frozen can be. No issues here other than the overly chewy Tako.
Our last dish was the Momiji Maki consisting of chopped scallop, asparagus and fish roe with flame-seared assorted fish on top. Again, the sushi rice was on the firmer side and considerably chewy. We found the thick slices of fish on top to be buttery and smoky. The garlic mayo truly made an impact aromatically and taste-wise. At this point, we were pretty full and completely satisfied with our meal. It was a nice surprise to see this level of execution, especially out in Pitt Meadows. This restaurant could easily be in Vancouver and fit right in.
*All food was comped excluding gratuities*
The Good:
- Impressive eats, especially out in Pitt Meadows
- Clean, modern minimalistic decor
- Reasonably-priced
The Bad:
- Sushi rice was a tad firm
- Place is somewhat hidden from the street
Posts
My second stop on the Burger Challenge took me to Hopcott Premium Meats. It was a bit further out than the rest of the competition in Pitt Meadows. If you know me, going out to Pitt Meadows is not considered "far". In fact, it is a personal goal of mine to find tasty eats in the burbs and beyond. Now the Bistro at Hopcott Premium Meats isn't your typical restaurant since it is an extension of the market where it really is farm to table cooking. I brought the family out to try the burger as well as some of their other offerings.
Getting right to it, we had Farmer Bob's Burger made with a Hopcott prime rib patty, panko crusted jalapeno peppers, lettuce, tomato, cheddar & Monterey Jack cheeses, honey chipotle sauce and pickle on a pretzel bun. From the first bite, the tang and spice from the crispy jalapenos announced themselves as well as the impactful cheeses. The bun was firm enough to hold everything in without being dense. I thought the well-charred patty was meaty, flavourful and lean. Hence, it wasn't juicy per se, but hardly dry either. Featuring the same pretzel bun, the Pulled Beef Sandwich was pretty solid as well. The beef itself was more like in chunks rather than being pulled, which was actually a good thing. The meaty pieces were tender and well-seasoned while not over-sauced. Combined with the crunchy coleslaw, this was a hearty sandwich. On the side, the Poutine featured double-cooked fresh cut fries that were bathed in a silky gravy accompanied by legit cheese curds.
I'm pretty sure the au jus for the Beef Dip was either a variation of that gravy or the same as it tasted pretty similar (again, it was a good thing that it was). It was silky, meaty and not overly salty. Loved how it clung onto the toasted and crispy ciabatta bread rather than merely soaking in. Inside, the rotisserie beef (that was cooking right in front of our eyes) was tender, meaty and well-seasoned. On the side, I upgraded to Chili Fries topped with cheddar, green onion and sour cream (served on the side). Again, the fries were fresh cut and fairly crispy. I found the chili to be meaty and mild. With another great transition, my daughter had the soup and sammie combo with a bowl of the same Chili. It was chock full of tender ground beef with only a smattering of beans and veggies. It was nicely mild which suited her fine. On the side, she had a half Turkey Cranberry Panini. She enjoyed the bread as well as the tender turkey, but there could've more more turkey. But really, that is nitpicking because the rest of the eats were quite good and of course, freshly made. Can't get any better than that.
