The Lodge Steakhouse

"Did you want to try The Lodge Steakhouse in Langley?" asked Nikita one day.  I was totally game as I love venturing into the burbs for food.  I wondered where it was located and she replied, "It is above an ice rink and curling facility".  That totally confused me because I equate restaurants above or attached to an ice rink as mostly a pub or a bar.  However, when we arrived, the steakhouse was nicely appointed and had class.  Super interesting location where they share the washrooms with the actual bar on the other side of the building.  A bit too bright for a steakhouse (as it is hard to see the doneness of the steak), but a nice change from the usually dark dining rooms.

Service was great and we got things started with a few appies including the Beef Carpaccio and the Tuna Stack.  The plating with the carpaccio left a bit to be desired, but ultimately, they were both very good!  The beef carpaccio featured peppercorn and all spice-crusted tenderloin, arugula, grana padano, olive oil and spicy mayo.  Despite the massive amount of mayo, the beef carpaccio ate well with tender thin slices of beef that were a bit peppery.  The mayo added moisture and a bit of spice.  As for the tuna stack. the large chunks of ahi tuna were fresh and buttery.  The togarashi spiced wasabi aioli and yuzu vinaigrette completely flavoured this dish including the buttery and ripe avocado.  Loved the crispy tapioca crisps that went with this.

I actually returned with a friend sometime later and had the Salt Spring Island Mussels as well as the Strawberry Pecan Salad.  Plump and cooked perfectly, the mussels were bathed in a heavy cream broth with white wine, garlic and thyme.  Many places these days do not use cream and the broth ends up being quite thin.  This one adhered to each mussel which meant all of the great flavours were front and centre.  Loved the airy grilled bread on the side.  It was light and soaked up the broth beautifully.  As for the salad, the picture only represents a half-portion as we split it into 2 plates.  It was bright and fresh with ripe strawberries and tangy vinaigrette.

For both meals here, we had the 12oz Ribeye that included vegetables and a choice of side.  As stated on the menu, this steak would be charred and that is truly was.  Excellent grill marks and smokiness all around.  Inside, it was perfectly medium-rare and juicy exhibiting classic ribeye meatiness.  It was also well seasoned and topped with a compound butter.  We added peppercorn sauce on the side and it was creamy with of course, peppery notes.  We had the Truffle Mac n' Cheese as a side and although it was plenty cheesy with truffle, it ate quite dry and needed some form of bechamel to keep things creamy.

During the first visit, we tried both the 10oz New York Striploin and 8oz Tenderloin as well.  Despite both being tender in their own way (the striploin had more chew while the tenderloin was buttery soft), the flavours and overall textures were not as good as the ribeye.  The charring and seasoning were just as impactful though.  We had Mashed Potatoes for both and it was excellent.  It was potatoey while smooth and creamy with plenty of seasoning.  The veggies were still crunchy, yet cooked all the way through.

Even though the Lobster Spaghetti rings in at $55.00, I knew I just had to order it.  Good choice really because the lobster bisque-like sauce was aromatic, briny and sweet.  Hidden within, there was a wealth of moist bouncy pieces of lobster (and it wasn't just claw meat either).  The pasta itself could've been more al dente, but it was still delicate and buttery.  The same grilled bread was perfect for soaking up the residual sauce.

Despite looking like a well-composed fine-dining dish, the Sea Scallop Risotto was a complete miss.  First of all, the well-seared scallops were totally overdone.  Texturally, they were chewy and dense.  Probably some of the worst seared scallops I've had in quite some time.  As for the risotto, it didn't fare much better.  I found it overcooked and a bit too saucy.  It did taste good though with enough seasoning and cheesiness.

As much as we regretted ordering the scallops, the Brown Butter Sablefish totally flipped the narrative.  It was expertly-prepared being buttery and flaky while sporting somewhat crispy skin and enough salt.  However, the charred and sauteed asparagus, baby potatoes, grape tomatoes, edamame and mushrooms were no slouch either.  Exhibiting smokiness and being well-seasoned, the veggies were not overdone either.  That bourbon maple brown butter was super delicious and complimented the dish with a sweet nutty butteriness.  Of note, they actually delivered our dish to the wrong table, but instead of serving us that particular dish, they cooked up a new one (very professional).

In addition to the truffle mac n' cheese and the mash potatoes, we tried 2 more sides in the Broccolini and the Truffle Fries.  As you can see, the broccolini was still vibrant and had a nice crunch.  It was well-salted.  The fries were quite good (I've had them twice already) being crispy with lots of potato creaminess in the middle.  Just enough truffle oil added to the mix too.  This was also well-salted.  In both visits, we didn't opt for any dessert because the options were pretty standard.  Who knows, maybe we are missing out.  Overall, the food at The Lodge is above-average.  Sure, some things could be better, but there are more things good than bad.  Pricing is fair and things are well-portioned.  I would be open to coming back for a third visit.

The Good:
- Well-charred and cooked steaks
- Well-portioned
- Service is friendly

The Bad:
- That sea scallop risotto was not good
- Mac n' Cheese was too dry

Gotham

Although I've been to Gotham a few times since my last blog post, I haven't actually been enthusiastic enough to blog about it again.  It isn't as if the food hasn't been good.  Rather, it has been consistently great along with the service.  This time around, I thought that I needed to do an updated post about one of Vancouver's premier steakhouses.  I've actually merged 2 visits into this one post just to have a bit more content.

So a visit to Gotham is not complete without their Cheese Bread.  I know, I know, it should really be a steak, but beyond that, the bread is fantastic.  For both meals, it was served hot with a mess of ooey gooey cheese atop heavily buttered bread.  The bottom was lightly crispy while the cheese was aromatic and provided a delicious saltiness.  Yes, this was not diet food, but worth all the calories.  Just commit to it and worry about it later!

Although not the biggest Crab Cake we've ever seen, the one here at Gotham was fantastic.  It was completely filled with fluffy crab with very little filler.  There was enough mayo and moisture to keep things delicate and not dry.  It was lightly coated with breading that was browned up nicely on both sides.  Yes, this was prepared properly pan-fried, not deep-fried.  Underneath, the pickled cucumbers added some acidity while the jalapeno tartar sauce was creamy with a slight kick.

Not normally on the regular menu, the Lobster Bisque was a feature for one of our meals and duh, we had to get it!  This was everything a lobster bisque should be with a rich silky texture that was full of depth and intense lobster aroma.  In addition, we could also taste the remnants of brandy that had been cooked down properly.  There was equals parts sweetness and saltiness in addition to the umaminess.  Some crème fraîche added more creaminess to the bisque.

Onto the steaks, our first visit was all about the 32oz Bone-In Ribeye prepared medium-rare.  This was one large steak that was thick cut and prepared perfectly.  There was an appealing char on the outside that also has some smokiness.  The steak was well-salted, hence it ate well on its own.  The meat was super tender and juicy where the meat flavour was uniformly apparent with each bite.  The cook on the steak was the same throughout.

For the second meal, we ordered the 20oz Bone-In Ribeye also prepared medium-rare.  Since it was a smaller steak, it was less thick.  Yet, the steak was still uniformly medium-rare, well-rested and buttery tender.  That is pretty impressive for a ribeye.  Once again, it was well-seasoned and also properly charred on the outside.  If I had to compare, I preferred the thicker cut of the 32oz as it was meatier in texture and flavour.  I would recommend you go for that one.

To get some variety and for comparison's sake, we got the 16oz Striploin also prepared medium-rare.  This was a long piece of steak with a smaller end, so that part was more medium.  This steak was a little less tender than the ribeye and of course, due to having less fat, it was not as meaty tasting.  That didn't mean it didn't taste good though as it was salted well and the char was even on both sides.  Again, it was well-rested with not pools of juices on the plate.

For our sides, we got the French Fries both times and I have to admit that they are only serviceable.  Although fried to golden brown, the fries were not that crunchy for either meal.  Now that wasn't a problem for the Portobello Mushroom Fries though.  Coated with breading, these were crunchy in both meals and juicy on the inside.  A pretty impressive feat since mushrooms release a lot of moisture.  The side of creamy ranch dip went well with these fries.

As for some veggies, we had the Roasted Broccoli with cheese sauce and the Creamed Corn.  Loved the texture of the broccoli as the florets were firm but cooked through.  Nice charred portions that were smoky and flavourful.  Cheese sauce was mild-tasting.  The creamed corn was fantastic with intensely sweet niblets that were tender but not mushy.  The cream was not that thick, but that was a good thing as the dish was not heavy.

For dessert, had the Old Fashioned Chocolate Brownie with ice cream and the Key Lime Pie.  The brownie was rich and chocolatey with walnuts.  It was sweet, but not overly so.  The key lime pie was my favourite where it was super tangy with a balancing sweetness.  The condensed milk added a rich creaminess to the pie filling where it was thick, but not heavy.  The crust was buttery while firm in texture.  So another delicious meal at Gotham.  Sure, it ain't cheap to eat here, but I've never been disappointed by their food.  I personally like Elisa more, but you can't go wrong with Gotham either.

The Good:
- Beautifully cooked steaks
- Excellent service
- That cheese bread!

The Bad:
- Of course it is expensive
- The fries are a bit disappointing

Ristorante Romantico il Paiolo

Since we were trying to dine on something quintessential to Florence, we were on the hunt for Bistecca alla Florentine.  This famous item consists of an adult Tuscan ribeye that is aged and has to be minimum 1.2kg in size.  Furthermore, the thickness has to be 3-4 fingers high and can be only cooked to rare.  Well all of this sounded awesome to us as and we decided to give il Paiolo a try since it is highly-rated and wasn't far from our apartment.  Similar to many other restaurants serving bistecca, they have a display at the front with all of the whole prime ribs.

Of course we had to eat other dishes too, so we started with another Tuscan specialty in the Crostini Misti su Polenta Grigliata featuring toasted polenta topped with chicken liver, blue cheese, mushrooms and meat sauce.  Really enjoyed this as the polenta was firm, yet wasn't hard.  The chunky chicken liver Pâté is something I've had before from Fiorino in Vancouver and this was similar, if not better.  The bits of liver were tender while the rest was buttery and well-seasoned with the sweetness of masala.  Even though blue cheese can be pretty sharp, this one here was creamy and well-balanced.  I particularly loved the bolognese as it was meaty and rich, going well with the polenta.

Next, we had the Sformato di Carciofi con Fonduta di Burrata or Artichoke flan with burrata fondue.  This was certainly something different that we've never had before.  I didn't find the flan particularly fluffy due to the amount of artichokes compared to the amount of eggs.  However, I didn't mind that as it gave the flan more substance.  Even before we talk about the burrata fondue, the flan itself was plenty nutty and cheesy.  However, it got even more creamy and cheese with the fondue.

Trying to get all of the greatest hits, we had another Tuscan specialty in the La Nostra "Ribollita" Toscana or Traditional Tuscan Bread Soup with mixed vegetables.  This was certainly hearty due to the addition of bread but it was hardly dense and not heavy.  Rather, the bread had soaked up all of the sweetness of the vegetables.  We actually could eat this with a fork and it was so comforting with the mix of tender veggies and fluffy bread.

Before we got to the steak, we had a few pastas first in the Pappardelle al Ragù di Cinghiale.  This featured extremely al dente pappardelle which was fine by us.  It was simply tossed in stewed wild boar and the accompanying stewing liquid.  Hence, this was a rather meaty dish with chunks of lean wild boar and the sweetness of the sauce.  Although lean, the boar was still plenty tender and moist.

Just because the kids love it, we also got the Lasagna Tradizionali al Forno.  This was actually very good with a bevy of thin sheets of fresh pasta with a noticeably creamy bolognese.  We found the pasta to be firm despite being layered with meat, cheese and sauce.  About that sauce, it was plenty meaty with the aforementeioned creaminess.  Hence, any tomato flavour was completely tempered.

Now to the 1.2kg Florentine Steak cooked on the bone.  This was cooked to rare as evidenced in the picture.  We found the meat sufficiently tender, yet it had a bit of a chew.  Not surprising since it is a ribeye.  It had good natural meat flavour while mildly salted.  There was a good char on the outside.  In the end, we found the food pretty good, but was wanting a bit more.  Service was friendly, yet very slow.  It took us quite long to finish our meal and to get the bill.

The Good:

- Super friendly staff

- Decent eats

The Bad:

- Friendly, but super slow service

The Keg (Burnaby)

I'm sure some of you are wondering why I'm posting on The Keg of all places.  Well I've said it many times over - I don't mind dining at chain restaurants (and apparently the Edmonton Oilers management team too).  I'm certainly no food snob and really, not all of my meals are necessarily a hole-in-the-wall or fine dining.  Sometimes, we just have to hit up the ol' standbys and be content.  This was partly not my decision anyways as my son wanted steak and sorry, we aren't going to Elisa (although I love the place).  So we headed over to our local Keg instead.

Now everyone knows that their Sourdough Bread is pretty good and also the 3-cheese butter that goes with it.  Normally, that butter is a "secret", but apparently, they are serving that by default now (so you don't actually have to ask for it anymore).  Served warm, the bread was soft and lightly chewy inside with a slightly crunchy exterior.  With the melted butter and cheese, we had to be careful not to eat too much of it, so we had enough appetite for dinner.

We started with some appies first including the Spinach & Crab Dip served with tortilla chips.  Don't let the seemingly small amount of dip fool you.  It was actually more than enough for the chips on the plate.  It was cheesy and creamy with enough crab that we noticed it.  Chips were not overly thick and crunchy.  Not the best crab dip I've ever had (that would be the one at the shuttered Coquille), but it was still good.

Next, we went with the classic Tuna Tartare with seasoned ahi tuna and fresh avocado.  Strangely, I always order this but every time I find it underseasoned.  I mean it isn't necessarily a bad thing as I can taste the natural flavours of the fresh tuna, but just a bit more oomph would go a long way with this.  The light and airy crisps were the perfect vessel for the delicate tuna and avocado.

We also had the Scallops and Bacon because my son absolutely loves both scallops and bacon.  Perfect dish right?  Well, this was prepared quite well with slightly crisped up bacon (mostly the edges) and plump buttery scallops wrapped within.  This would've been flawless if the bacon was a bit less fatty, yet that is really hard to control and I'm not pinning it on the restaurant.  Served on the side was some cocktail sauce.

For myself, I had the Iceberg Wedge Salad with tomato, crispy smoked bacon and blue cheese dressing.  As you can clearly see, they didn't hold back with the blue cheese as there was a big chunk on top.  Hence, this made for a very sharp-tasting experience.  If you like blue cheese, this would be more than satisfying.  The iceberg was fresh and crisp while the bacon was crunchy and smoky.

Onto the mains, I went for one of my favs - the 12oz Baseball Top Sirloin prepared medium-rare.  Since the steak is so thick, it can only be ordered medium-rare or rarer.  I found this to be perfect because it was between rare and medium-rare, which is my preference.  Hence, it was juicy and mostly tender.  Being top sirloin, it had a bit more chew.  The nicely charred steak was seasoned properly as well.  I have never been a fan of Keg fries and this didn't change my mind.  I would prefer them to be thicker and much crunchier (these were soggy).

Both Viv & my mom ended up with the 10oz Prime Rib with baked potato, horseradish, au jus and fried onions.  Personally, I would've ordered the 18oz size because I like it thick cut, but they don't have the appetite that I have!  Even though it was fairly thin, the meat was still juicy (despite what the picture shows) and tender.  It was dry-brined enough that the flavours penetrated the meat.  Baked potato was soft and tender with all the fixins'.

My son had his favourite cut being the 12oz Peppercorn New York Striploin with twice-baked potato.  Usually, he just gets the regular striploin, but for some reason, he went peppercorn this time.  Good choice because this meant more flavour with a smoky pepperiness.  The steak itself was thick and prepared perfectly medium-rare.  On the side was the classic twice-baked potato which was crispy on the top and soft in the middle with plenty of bacon bits.

My dad didn't have any red meat and went for his usual fish dish being the Salmon Neptune.  This was actually quite good as the fish was flaky and moist.  We found cream cheese, crab and green onion topping rather rich, but it helped seal the moisture in the salmon as well as providing a firm "sauce" of sorts.  It was served with asparagus and extra veggies in lieu of mashed potatoes.  They were vibrant and barely cooked through.

For dessert, there was no doubt as to what we were ordering for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, the Billy Miner Pie is "the" dessert to have at The Keg.  Secondly, it is complimentary to the birthday person (it was my son's bday).  So here it is, the full Keg experience.  No, it really isn't that fancy, but it is fancy enough that we were happy with the food, price point, ambiance and service.  Not bad for a chain restaurant and since it was packed, other people must have the same opinion too.

The Good:
- Well prepared steaks
- Okay pricing with all things considered
- That sourdough with 3-cheese butter

The Bad:
- Pricing is reasonable, but you will still spend some $$$ there

Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse (Bellevue)

Another chain restaurant?  Did I just forget to eat at more interesting places in the States while being away for over 2 years due to the border closures???  Well, no of course not.  However, by virtue of being a chain restaurant doesn't mean I will never dine there.  In fact, I've always wanted to try Fogo de Chão.  C'mon, it is AYCE meat!  I've had Brazilian Churrascaria before in the States and of course in Vancouver as well.  However, I wanted to see if Fogo is any better than our local offerings of Rio and the long-shuttered Samba.

Luckily I made a reservation because the place was packed.  We were quickly seated and hit the Market Table for some meats, cheeses, salads, fruit, veggies and Fogo feijoada.  Unfortunately, we couldn't enjoy the Iberico Ham as there was no knife available.  I asked an employee why there was no knife and she said we couldn't cut from the leg anymore.  There was still meat, but I guess it was too close to the bone?  I really didn't understand.

Now before we got to all the meats, we were served some sides including Mashed Potatoes, Cheese Bread, Caramelized Banana and Fried Polenta.  Of course these were essentially fillers, but it wasn't as if they weren't good either.  Their version of warm Pão de Queijo was soft and starchy inside (due to the tapioca flour).  The mash was actually quite tasty and smooth while the bananas were a bit bland.  Crispy polenta was somewhat hard, but also flavourful.

With all that out of the way, onto the meats!  So for those who have never done this type of dining before, there is a card on the table for each person.  Green means keep the meats coming and red means stop.  We were inundated with meats from the get go including Chicken, Spicy Pork Sausage, Pork Rib and Picanha.  We didn't really care for the chicken as it was really dry.  Sausage was meaty and tasty though.  Pork rib was also a touch dry, but still tender.  Loved the picanha (prime portion of top sirloin) as it was juicy and tender with a nice fat cap. 

So the next meats to come along included Top Sirloin, Bacon-wrapped Chicken and Steak, Parmesan Pork and Bottom Sirloin.  Both cuts of sirloin were juicy and super tender.  There was enough seasoning too.  The bacon-wrapped steak was flavourful and smoky while also tender.  Once again, I found the chicken to be dry, yet still tasty due to the bacon.  Also dry was the pork, but it was flavouful due to the parm.

The last round of meats consisted of Lamb Picanha, Lamb Chops, Striploin and Flank Steak.  I really love lamb and the picanha was super juicy with lots of gaminess.  The rack of lamb chop was medium-rare and super moist and and tender.  I hated the striploin as it was well-done.  That totally destroyed such a lovely cut of meat.  On the other hand, the flank steak was perfect being medium-rare, juicy and meaty.

So we never saw the following cuts of meat, even though we were there for an hour and half: Filet Mignon, Bone-in Rib-eye, Beef Ribs and Double Bone-in Pork Chops.  Not sure if they even had them?  We didn't see any and never got any either.  This was partially tempered by an amazing piece of Grilled Cheese featuring Coalho with honey.  These squeaky slices of cheese were delicious and texturally addictive.

I ended up with an extra slice of lamb because, well I love lamb (as I've mentioned many times) and the other cuts never arrived (or was available).  In the end, we enjoyed our meal despite not having some of the best cuts of meat available.  Also, a few were too dry for our liking.  However, I understand that they have to put the meats back on the BBQ when they have cut all the exterior "more-cooked" portions.  One thing is for sure - you come for the experience and you really take the good with the bad.

The Good:
- Plenty of meats coming around
- Good quality and generally well-prepared
- Good service

The Bad:
- Some meats were not available
- Some meats were very dry
- Not sure why we couldn't eat the Iberico ham