Crab Hot Lau

I finally made it out to Crab Hot Lau.  Yes, it took me this long.  Like, it has been in operation since 2021, so that makes it 4 long years that I've seen their signature Crab Spring Rolls grace social media.  Originally, the owner was making these spring rolls and other Northern Vietnamese specialties during the pandemic in 2020 where people would be putting in orders for them.  It got so popular, she figured that running an actual B&M restaurant would be the best course of action.  Despite some reservations and warnings from the previous owner of where Crab Hot Lau sits now, she went full steam ahead.  Great move, because they have done quite well and are in the process of opening more locations!

Seeing how Mijune was about to pop, I met up with her for some lunch before she became a mom!  We started with the Pâté Mini-Breadsticks which were stuffed a with delicious meat spread which was smooth, sweet and savoury.  There was also some pork floss for extra texture and sweet meatiness.  The bread itself was firm, but not heavy.  We also had the Green Papaya Beef Jerky Salad.  In addition to the beef jerky on top, we found some slices of liver too.  Nice add as it provided body and texture.  As for the salad itself, things were fresh and crunchy.  Nice tang and sweetness with the usual brininess of fish sauce.

Here we are, the famed Crab Spring Roll from Crab Hot Lau!  This thing was gigantic, stuffed full of tender pork, wood ear and of course whole leg portions of crab.  Beyond the obvious briny sweetness of the crab and umami from the pork, this spring roll was all about textures.  We had the super shattering crunch of the rice paper wrapper with the fluffiness of crab and meatiness of the pork.  Combined with the herbs on the side and some spiced nuoc cham, I could've had a few of these myself!

 

Another delicious appie we had was the Ha Long Squid Cake.  This also came with a side of sticky rice and sweet & sour dip.  They don't mess around with this one as the squid is shipped by air from Ha Long Bay!  It is hand-pounded to create a springy and bouncy texture.  I loved the light and crispy fried exterior and the natural, but subtle squid flavour.  Definitely needed the sweet & sour for some added impact.  With a bit of sticky rice, it added a different texture and rice nuttiness.

 

By default, we had to also try the Northern Style Phở Dặc Biệt.  In terms of the basics, this was similar to Southern Style, except the brisket was sliced differently and the soup was more clean.  However, I still found it rather flavourful and meaty. Hence, it was did taste more like the Southern style to me.  As for the noodles, Northern employs the wider flat version.  Also, the typical condiment was at the table in the form of garlic vinegar.

 

Now the Phở was good, but we had to get their signature bowl in the Hai Phong Crab Noodle Soup.  This featured wide red rice noodles which were firm and nicely chewy.  The broth was full of umami with the sweet brininess of crab while being properly seasoned. It was balanced without being too much of one particular taste.  In addition to the fish cake and golden crab roe, we found pork wrapped in lolot.  I'm familiar with the beef version, but this was the first time trying pork.  It pretty much ate the same with the meat being a bit more bouncy and tender.  Really solid bowl of noodles.

We also had a beverage in the form of the Cà Phê Trứng or Egg Coffee and it was fantastic.  Beyond the richness of the coffee itself, the creamy egginess of the foam and sweetness from the condensed milk helped tempered the strong coffee. I really enjoyed drinking this.  For dessert, we had the Thai Sweet Soup with house-made jellies with a side of whipped durian.  Again, this was delicious with a balanced sweetness and lots of chew textures.  The coconut milk was fragrant and adding the durian really amped up the flavours with the unmistakable sweet funkiness.  Gotta say this was a delicious meal where the quality of the food was apparent.  Prices are definitely on the higher side though as a result.  Worth it for me at least and I will be coming back.

The Good:

- Those crab spring rolls!

- The Hai Phong Crab Noodle

- Quality stuff

The Bad:

- Prices are on the higher end

Dessert Artisanaux

Although there are a decent amount of Chinese dessert spots in town, I feel there aren't that many that truly stand out.  I guess Snackshot would be one that is fairly memorable partly due to their unique-looking desserts (such as the Mahjong one).  There is Blackball, which I've been to many times before.  It is fine and I have no problem going there too.  One of the busier spots is Tina Cakes on Kingsway, which I've been to twice without blogging about it (not sure why I haven't), but there is a newer spot nearby called Dessert Artisanaux.  They are constantly busy and their stuff ain't cheap.  Well, I drop by 2 times and yes, I'll blog about it!

The thing to get here is the Mochi Pistachio Paste.  I've had this twice and it is so texturally pleasing due to the soft spoonable mochi.  It is super delicate and has a great mouth-feel.  Beyond that, the bright green pistachio paste is nutty, sweet and aromatic.  It compliments the mochi well since it is not overpowering.  It allows the natural sweetness of the mochi to come through.  Some chopped pistachios add some crunch and extra nuttiness.

They have a pretty solid Pomelo Mango Sago here.  It is lightly creamy, purposefully sweet and refreshing.  Now that gets kicked up a few notches with the Coconut Jelly Noodles and Mini Glutinous Rice Balls with Mango Pomelo Sago.  Yes, that is a mouthful, but when eaten, it is truly a mouthful!  Beyond the good parts of the basic version, this one has the creamy coconut jelly noodles.  This adds aromatics and more sweetness.

If you think that is a mouthful, try the Taro ball, Taro, Coconut Jelly Noodles,Sago,Peach Gum,Mini Glutinous Rice Balls with Coconut Milk.  Yah, this has everything but the kitchen sink and well, it is quite good mainly due to the creamy and nutty taro paste.  Combining it with the aromatic coconut noodles, we have a lot of flavours going on.  The chewiness of the mochi balls and peach gum add more texture and believe it or not, this isn't all that sweet either.

The Taro with Coconut Milk Black Glutinous Rice is also aromatic with the same creamy taro paste and sweet coconut milk.  We have chewy black glutinous rice that offers up its own sweetness and texture.  You can order anything in a takeout container if you wish, so you can take anything you don't finish home.  We did that because we order lots!  Overall, the desserts here are good and there are many choices on the menu.  Prices are on the higher side though, but as you can see, I have been here more than once.  That means, I will be coming back for more...

The Good:
- Lots of choice
- Above average
- Not too sweet

The Bad:
- A bit expensive
- Needs more servers
- Parking is a bit difficult at times

Belgard Kitchen (Tasting Menu)

It's been awhile since I have been back to Belgard Kitchen.  Last time, we enjoyed a delicious brunch while admiring the high ceilings and rustic decor.  I always knew they had a solid dinner service where recently, they have begun offering a Tasting menu for only $65.00.  Now your YMMV (your mileage may vary) on how much you save dependent on which dishes are served.  Besides, their regular menu is quite reasonable to begin with.

So the meal started off with an Amuse Bouche with a Carrot Granita with a coconut citrus cream on top.  This frozen little bite(s) was truly refreshing with the sweetness of the carrots pairing well with the aromatics of the cream.  Being a wine bar, we decided to order from the Vancouver Urban Winery selection (as they are in the same space) with a White and a Rosé.  I couldn't wait to try the white, so that is why there is less than the other.  It was very light and fruity almost like a riesling, but not as sweet.  The rosé was also light with a few background fruit notes that were refreshing, great for a Summer's day.

The first dish to arrive was actually a board of Charcuterie.  This featured salami, coppa, manchego, aged cheddar, mushroom bacon paté, olives, pickles and grilled bread.  I thought it was the perfect amount for 2 people.  Of course, the board would be larger for more guests doing the tasting menu.  I found the grilled sourdough to be fantastic with a buttery crispiness yielding to a soft and chewy interior.  It paired well with the creamy paté and its salty smoky umaminess.

With so many beet salads roaming around on menus these days, how did Beets by Belgard stand out?  Well, I'm happy to report that this was one memorable version.  Sitting on a bed of house lemon ricotta, the sous vide earthy beets were balanced off by a creamy tanginess.  With some pickled beets, we got more acidity and sweetness (and some crunch).  But the best thing was the smoked beets, as they really added depth.  We got some more texture with the candied walnuts.

Another dish that is widely available but rarely executed properly is a risotto.  Once again, the kitchen here nailed it with the Hokkaido Scallop Risotto.  The arborio rice was cooked masterfully with a chewiness that was perfect.  It was creamy and the smoked scallop butter afforded briny and sweet aromatics.  Drops of black garlic pureé upped the umami of the dish as well as some tanginess.  Of course we can't forget about the plump scallops...  They were buttery, soft and nicely seared.  The inside was a little rare, just like it should be.

Onto the other large dish, we had the Arctic Char in beurre blanc with tarragon oil.  There was also a pea pureé and compressed cucumbers.  I found the fish itself to be cooked properly being moist and flaky with crispy well-seasoned skin.  The silky and nutty beurre blanc complimented the fish well by letting it be the star.  With sweetness and some liquorice background notes  by the tarragon oil.  It provided something extra to the sauce.

For our side, we had the Roasted Broccolini with gremolata and toasted sunflower seeds.  First off, the broccolini itself was fresh and appealing.  It had a nice crunch and natural sweetness.  It was roasted just enough without impacting its crunch.  However, it did intensify the vegetably sweetness.  The addition of a gremolata mean there was some bright garlickiness present.  Extra texture and nuttiness was thanks to the sunflower seeds.
 

For dessert, we were served the Black Forest S'mores with torched meringue, chocolate mousse, sour cherries and sour cherry sorbet.  Nicely deconstructed version of the classic and loved the use of pressed and crispy sourdough as the "cracker".  That sour cherry added so much flavour and brightness to the dish.  As a bonus, we got to try the Basque Cheesecake with guava wine sauce.  As you can see, this was a nice-looking Basque cheesecake.  Texturally, it was firm, but fluffy at the same time.  It was creamy and mildly sweet with the cheese coming through.  The wine sauce was fabulous having the wonderful flavour of guava with only a bit of wine essence.  As you can see, the food at Belgard is carefully prepared, thoughtful and plated nicely.  Furthermore, it tasted great.  For $65.00, the tasting menu is a good value.

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

The Good:
- Approachable prices
- Well-prepared eats
- There is a level of refinement here

The Bad:
- Tasting menu vs a la carte, prices are quite close except you get dessert included

The Farmhouse

Tucked away behind Kingsgate Mall on E. 10th, there is a rustic spot dishing up Italian fare with the influence of West Coast ingredients.  The Farmhouse is headed by Top Chef alum Curtis Luk, who is the Executive Chef and General Manager as well as Head Chef, Laura Messinger.  We dropped by to experience their brunch service in their secret little garden patio at the back.  Such a gorgeous space to enjoy a meal with friends, family or a date.

Now a gorgeous space is not the most important thing here.  We need to talk about the food right?  Well, we got the whole menu and I immediately went for their newest item first - Peaches & Cream Waffle.  Beyond it's enticing appearance and plating, this was actually my favourite dish.  The large waffle featured crispy and aromatic edges while being complete doused in peach compote, fresh berries and whipped cream.  The fruitiness and freshness really came through and this was especially great since it was just sweet enough.

My next favourite item was the Spaghetti alla Carbonara topped with a perfectly poached egg.  Once mixed with the firmly al dente pasta, the richness of the egg yolk, parmesan and bacon fat provided a sinfully silky saltiness that helped flavour the dish.  I liked how there was enough moisture to coat each strand of pasta without having too much of it.  This kept things from being dry.

The other pasta offering on the brunch menu was the Calamarata al Pesto di Pistacchi.  Featuring large tubes of pasta, this was also quite delicious.  The pesto had a bright herbaceousness with the unmistakable nuttiness and aromatics of pistachio.  There was the silkiness of EVOO and saltiness from the cheese which was appealing.  The only thing that would made it even better would be a bit more pesto.

Interestingly, one of the simplest dishes was also quite good.  The Burrata on toasted house sourdough was more like an appetizer for me (but I'm sure would be more than enough for someone else), yet it was truly appetizing.  It had something to do with the confit tomato as it added a fresh and bright tangy sweetness.  Naturally, this complimented the creamy burrata perfectly.  The sourdough had nice chew beyond the crispy exterior.

Onto their Benedicts, we had three of them including the Shrimp Scampi Benedict.  Not sure what kind of shrimp they were using, but look at them, they were more the size of prawns!  Garlicky and buttery, the prawns also had the desired sweet snap texture.  On top, we found perfectly runny poached eggs with fully cooked egg whites.  The silky and rich Hollandaise was buttery with spot on seasoning.  All of this was served on soft house focaccia.

We tried the other 2 bennies that featured Marsala Mushroom and Roast Porchetta.  I liked how there was a wealth of mushrooms that were beautifully sauteed and not dripping with residual moisture.  They were well-seasoned and took on the aromatic sweetness of the marsala.  As for the porchetta, it was a seared slice of fatty pork that was succulent and nicely caramelized.  Definitely a sinful piece of meat!  The side of spiced fingerling potatoes were crispy with a creamy centre.

Although it didn't look like much food, especially with it all crammed into a rectangular loaf pan, the N'duja & Fennel Sausage Hash was definitely fulfilling.  With the same hearty spiced potatoes mixed with meaty and spicy crumbled sausage, this was zesty and full of body.  There was some mild tanginess provided by the tomato base.  Of course, with the addition of runny poached eggs and silky Hollandaise, this hash was probably the most heavy item we had.

Our last dish was the Baked Polenta with glazed pork belly and poached eggs.  Again, this didn't look like a lot of food, but with the slabs of tender polenta underneath, this was filling.  Really enjoyed the buttery pork belly and of course the runny yolks for the eggs.  Interestingly, this one didn't have any Hollandaise, but really, it could've of used it.  Overall, the brunch service at The Farmhouse is really good and it is a special experience, especially when seated at the back patio.  Great vibes and good food!

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

The Good:

- Well-prepared dishes that are delicious

- Love that patio

- Low key vibes

The Bad:

- A little hidden with limited parking

404 Coffee Lab

If you have been following any form of social media, you might remember the long lines at 404 Coffee when they initially opened.  Located in a small enclave within the recently shuttered Ramen One, 404 Coffee specializes in Asian-inspired coffee and desserts.  They have a walk-up take out window facing busy Broadway just across the street from the Canada Line station.  Now they are expanding into the space vacated by Ramen One and offering a small dine-in menu.  Jackie and I dropped by to check it out.

Of course the first order of business was to sample their Matcha Lovers Menu with the Dirty Matcha Cream Latte, Mango Matcha Latte, Strawberry Matcha Cream Latte and Yuzu Matcha Cream Latte.  I found all of them creamy and smooth with the slight bitterness of matcha.  With the addition of fruit, it lightened things up and added sweetness.  My favourite was the mango as it was tropical-tasting while balanced by the matcha.  However, the best of the bunch was the Dirty Matcha as it added rich coffee to the mix.  Hence it was full-bodied, aromatic, nutty and creamy.   On the end, this was the Einspanner Latte, which was also rich and creamy.  Lots of coffee impact, but not bitter.  Rather, it went down smooth with balancing sweetness.

On their food menu, they have a $6.00 Breakfast Special where you can choose from 6 different "snacks" and from 7 drinks.  For the one pictured, it was a Mentaiko Onigiri with an Iced Americano.   The onigiri had nicely textured rice and plenty of mentaiko mayo for flavour and moisture.  We also tried the Karaage Sando (for $2.00 more) and it was quite good.  There was more than enough juicy seasoned chicken within the soft hot dog bun while dressed with terimayo and nori.  For $1.00 more, you could have a latte or cappuccino rather than the basic coffee.

Sure, they have specialty coffees and some snacks, but interestingly, they also have bigger dishes as well.  These included Rustic Smoked Duck and Street-Style Takoyaki with tomato pasta.  These dishes were served in large portions and I especially enjoyed the duck.  There was an abundance of moist slices of smoked duck atop perfectly al dente pasta.  The tomato sauce was unique as it had some umaminess to go with the slight tang and sweetness.  However, there was something really savoury about it.  As for the Street-Style Takoyaki, it was the same pasta but with some fried squid dressed in unagi sauce and kewpie mayo.

Also available on the menu, we found a selection of Japanese curry.  We ended up choosing the Tempura Curry featuring 3 large ebi tempura.  All mains came with a side salad.  This was rather surprising as I wouldn't have expected such a solid curry at this spot.  It had a nice viscosity and was full of earthiness, sweetness and umaminess.  The rice was dry enough to accept the curry beautifully.  The 3 ebi tempura were crispy with a buttery piece of shrimp inside.

Of course we had some dessert too with Coffee Parfait, Once in a Blue Moon and Caramel Mocha Affogato.  At the core of each dessert was the creamy and rich soft-serve.  It was on the sweeter side, but the natural milk flavour did come through.  I particularly enjoyed the simplicity of the blueberry sundae where there was a ridiculous amount of soft-serve with crunchy blueberries and blueberry sauce.  The affogato was also awesome where their aromatic and strong coffee blended well with the milky soft-serve.  Loved that there was much more soft-serve than coffee, as it remained very much an ice cream with just coffee flavour, rather than turning into a melted mess.  The coffee parfait was on the sweeter side due to the layers of coffee jelly, espresso cake, chocolate sauce and cereal.  Definitely lots of rich coffee flavour while having the same creaminess of the soft-serve.  These desserts are something that I would definitely come back for, but the drinks are even better as they are rich and flavourful.  I wouldn't sleep on the food either as the plates were large and also appealing.  Nice use of the old Ramen One spot!

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

The Good:

- Drinks are seriously good

- Soft-serve is creamy and milky

- Food is decent too

The Bad:

- Due to the setup of Ramen One, the seating is a bit awkward for more than 2 people

Mr. Bowl

We've all seen our share of hidden restaurants in the city including ones in alleys, interior walkways and even ones that don't have actual signage.  Now here is another that is found near UBC.  You would never know it was there unless you were actually in the know or were looking for it.  Once inside, the place is quite large and spacious, especially for a restaurant near a University.  Mr. Bowl, as the name implies serves up rice and noodle bowls with a variety of components. In addition, the menu is a collection of small snacks and larger Northern Chinese, Szechuan and Taiwanese dishes.

We began with the smaller items including the Fried Chicken Wings and the Fried Pork Cutlet.  Nice touch with them being served on a wire rack as it kept things crispy.  The wings were golden brown with crispy well-rendered skin.  The meat was nicely brined being juicy and well-seasoned.  As for the cutlet, it was crunchy despite sitting for a bit (while we took photos).  The pork was moist and tender.  It was served with a tangy sauce that was akin to BBQ sauce.

We had a few more small dishes in the Braised Wheat Gluten and Braised Pork Trotters.  The wheat gluten was more or less pretty standard where they were rehydrated and then braised in a sweet sauce.  Each piece was tender and fully soaked.  As for the pork trotters, they were also tender, but still had bite.  The skin beautifully gelatinized and flavourful from the braise.  The meat was also tender.

We also ordered a small bowl of Hot & Sour Soup.  Although served in the size of a rice bowl, the soup was packed with ingredients.  There was more of that than the actual soup!  The usual bamboo shoots, carrots, tofu, wood ear, pork and egg drop were all there providing texture.  The soup itself was balanced with a good spice level.  To go with our dishes, we had the Scallion Noodles and the Soup Noodles as well.  I would say that both of them weren't particularly flavourful, but again, we were pairing it with the dishes that did have plenty of flavour.  The noodles were al dente with a nice chewiness, especially the scallion noodles.

Onto the biggest item we had, the Pickled Fish Soup was massive where the slices of snakehead fish seemed endless.  They were cooked perfectly being buttery and soft with a slight bite.  The broth itself was pleasantly tangy with a touch of sweetness and spice.  In addition to the mustard greens, we also found some bean curd strips and luncheon meat (aka Spam).  Normally, I don't really drink the soup because it can be salty, but this was quite nice.

 

Another large dish was the Tomato Braised Beef Brisket with Chinese Fried Dough Stick.  We added another dough stick for good measure!  It was a good idea because the dough stick (Yau Tiao) was excellent.  Light and fluffy inside with just the right amount of chew while the outside was crispy and not overly greasy.  It was also perfectly salted.  As for the stew, it was tomatoey but in a sweet way where the sauce was relatively thick.  The beef was fatty and tender.

 

We ended up ordering the Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs and these were quite good except it was on the greasier side.  Despite that, the meaty rib pieces were tender with minimal fatty portions.  The ribs seemed to be stewed before they were deep fried and then wok-tossed in sauce.  Hence, it would explain the fall-apart texture.  On that note, the ribs had an inherent flavour already that was complimented by the sweet and sour sauce that had the unmistakable taste of black vinegar.

 

As much as it didn't look overly impressive at first glance, the 3-Cup Chicken was rather delicious.  It was aromatic, tangy and sweet.  The dark meat was moist and juicy.  There was enough wok hei for caramelization as well.  Deceptive in size, the Cumin Beef Fried Rice didn't look like a lot in its modest-sized bowl.  However, there was actually lots of perfectly wok fried rice.  Each chewy and nutty grain was discernible with aromatics from the caramelization and earthy cumin.  This was one of my favourite dishes!  In fact, the food here at Mr. Bowl was super surprising.  We thought they were merely a place for rice and noodle bowls (like Dragon Bowl), but they are much more than that.  It is a full-blown restaurant dishing up classic dishes that are both well-portioned and well-executed.

 

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

 

The Good:

- On point food

- Large portions

- Reasonably-priced

 

The Bad:

- Location is not obvious, hope the word spreads

- Drinks are so-so