Maple Leaf Lounge International Departures YVR

The last time I posted on a lounge at YVR, it was the Plaza Premium for US Departures.  Not mincing words, I would say it was sub-par.  But that was expected as the domestic and US-departure lounges are generally average at best.  This time around, I was heading to the Maple Leaf Lounge in the International Departures terminal at YVR.  Being in ANA business class, we were able to access the Maple Leaf Lounge since they are in the same Star Alliance as Air Canada.  It was conveniently located just past security and the entrance was inviting and open.

There was no wait and we were able to enter right away.  The space was fairly large with lots of views of the tarmac from the floor-to-ceiling windows.  There were a decent number of lounge seating near the windows as well as bar seating.  We ended up sitting away from the window as all of those spots were already occupied.  I must say there was a lack of space between the bar seats (at the right and left sides of the bar) and the divider.  Tight squeeze especially if someone has their luggage beside them.

The food selection was acceptable with some Spring Rolls, Onion Rings and Sauteed Veggies.  Right beside it, we found a small salad bar.  I though the spring rolls were fine being crispy with a good amount of veggies inside.  Onion rings were the typical frozen battered variety.  The sauteed veggies were actually quite good being firm and not overcooked.  Salad options were pretty typical, but everything looked fresh and replenished frequently.

The other section of the food selections featured a "made-to-order" BBQ Pork Bao and Roasted Cauliflower.  Naturally, this was a far cry from the actual made-to-order dishes at lounges in Asia, but hey, they do have that in the new Plaza Premium First Lounge (which I have yet to try).  I thought the bao was decent where the pork was tender and nicely marbled.  Didn't try the cauliflower though.  Adjacent to that, we found 3 chaffing trays with Korean Potatoes, Lemon Butter Sole and Rice.  The sole was not bad being soft and mildly seasoned.  Potatoes were crispy and sweet while the rice was fairly fluffy.

In addition to the actual bar, there was a selection of beers-on-tap that one could just pour for themselves.  Next to it was a soda pop machine with Coca-Cola products.  Adjacent to that was a Lavazza coffee machine.  Naturally, we found a selection of teas as well next to it.  Attached to the first buffet island, there was also congee and a Wild Mushroom Bisque.  I went for the bisque and although it was a bit salty, the mushroom flavour was there.

Inevitably, I must talk about the washrooms...  They were spotless and seemed to be attended to on a regular basis.  The lounge was about 75% full and the washrooms still looked like the pictures above.  No trash and pools of water anywhere.  As for the toilets, they were also clean and a great place to do your business before the flight.  Showers were available too and like most lounges, you need to check with the front desk for a waitlist.

To end this blog post and also ending our visit to the Maple Leaf Lounge, we had some dessert in the form of a variety of cookies.  These were pretty good with a crunchy exterior and a somewhat soft chewy interior.  They were rather sweet though.  On the topic of sweet, they had some classic Nanaimo Bars on the bottom tray too.  Representing something local!  Overall, the Maple Leaf Lounge was decent, but not particularly memorable.  It did the job and wasn't chaotic.  

The Good:
- Food area replenished quickly
- All the spaces I observed were clean and kept clean
- Generally enough seating

The Bad:
- Just a typical lounge

Hủ Tiếu Mom Vietnamese

Here were are with another new Vietnamese restaurant taking over a former one.  Pho Extreme Xe Lua on Broadway is no more and now we have Hủ Tiếu Mom Vietnamese.  If you know, the name refers to the dry noodle dish that you might know from Phnom Penh.  I should've guessed there was an incoming restaurant at this location because when I dined at Pho Extreme in the Summer, it looked like a bare-bones operation with half of the dining room open and the food was meh.  Well, we got to try this new place and yes, the dish of its namesake too.

Going for some basics, we had some appies in the form of the Chicken Salad Roll and Spring Roll.  These were pretty typical except the chicken salad roll had cilantro in it, which made it more flavourful.  I'm personally not a fan of cilantro, but I can see how this would really provide more herbaceousness.  Nice crunch with the veggies too.  As for the spring rolls, they were crispy and the filing was not mushy.  Pretty solid.

 

Continuing with another appie, we had the Fried Chicken Wings.  These were all flats (or "mid-wings").  As you can see, they were fried golden brown with a thin coating of starch/flour.  They were rather mild-tasting and could've used just a touch more marinade, but it didn't make or break the dish.  Inside, the meat was juicy and had a silky texture.  There was a bit of lettuce and pickled veggies on the plate as well.

 

Okay, we couldn't make a visit here without trying its namesake right?  Yes, we had the Hủ Tiếu in its dry noodle form (it can be had with soup too).  If you've ever been to Phnom Penh (the restaurant) before, you will recognize this.  Atop rice noodles (can be egg noodles too), we found liver, squid, shrimp and pork slices.  The whole thing was dressed in a sweet soy sauce.  Mixed together, this thing sang with sweet salty brininess, aromatic fried shallots and the meatiness of the liver.

 

Of course we had to get their soup version of Hủ Tiếu which was also called House Special Noodle Soup on the menu.  So we essentially got the same ingredients as the dry version except with the addition of quail's eggs in a hot broth.  About that broth, it was clear and clean with a background meatiness and a touch of brininess.  Nice balance of sweet and savoury.  Beyond the tender slices of lean pork, the liver was not overdone and hence, it was still springy.  Good texture on the prawns too.

 

We also got the Bún Bò Huế and it was more or less decent.  The broth had hits of lemongrass, but could've been somewhat stronger.  But the brininess was definitely there and it helped make the broth bolder.  There was some spice, but it was generally mild.  There was no absence of meat as you can see in the picture, however, there was no pork blood nor pork knuckle.  Not a necessity, since many restaurants do not have it either.

 

Moving onto some rice dishes, we had the Beef Rib with Rice as well as the Lemongrass Pork and Meatloaf with Rice.  Served atop broken rice (which was nicely texture being chewy and somewhat dry), there was ample meat on top.  However, the short ribs were sliced rather thin and hence it was more crispy than meaty.  The pork was really good being tender and well-marinated.  There was sufficient char on them too.  The pork meatloaf was a bit stiff, yet was meaty and full of umami.  Overall, the food at Hủ Tiếu Mom Vietnamese is competent presented in good portions at reasonable prices.  I like how they focus on Hủ Tiếu, which is not usually featured at most Vietnamese restaurants.

 

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

 

The Good:

- Large portions

- Reasonable prices

- A bit unique with its focus on Hủ Tiếu

 

The Bad:

- I thought the shortrib was sliced too thin

 

Paramount Chinese Seafood Restaurant

Formerly Lucky Plus, the chinese restaurant on the corner of Rupert and 22nd is now known as Paramount Chinese Seafood Restaurant.  Not to be confused with Golden Paramount in Richmond, this is a totally new crew.  We had stopped by for Dim Sum earlier this year but I just never got around to posting about it.  Now on my second visit, I was able to order more dishes and yes, now I'm going to put my 2 cents in about the place.  Just like before, they have free underground parking available, but it fills up fast and for some reason, the elevator needs a key card to operate.  Seating is a bit tight, unless you score one of the booths by the window.  They are pretty busy, so best to grab a reso.

For our food, we got a bunch of the usual items including the Ha Gau (Steamed Shrimp Dumpling).  Rather than the standard 4 dumplings, they give you 5 here.  They were pretty good with a medium-thick dumpling skin.  It was translucent with a nice chewy bounciness that was soft. Inside, the shrimp filling was juicy and plump with the desired rebound texture.  Seasoning was good too where I could still taste the natural sweetness and aroma of the shrimp.  I did eat it with hot sauce though.  

Of course now I need to talk about the Siu Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumpling) too.  These were rather large with a good mix of bouncy pork, fat and shrimp that had the buttery snap texture.  However, I feel that they didn't mix the filling properly as one of the dumplings was inundated with fatty gristle.  I had to spit half of the filling out because I couldn't chew it.  Other than that, the dumplings were good having enough seasoning to calm the pork flavour down.

Both times I've ordered the Beef Meatballs and I would say they beat the heck out of the meat to the point there is no meat texture.  These were so fluffy that it seemed like there was more air than meat.  However, I can see how this could be appealing to some people who want something easy to chew and not being too heavy.  For me personally, I would prefer the meatball to have more density and some natural meat texture left.  Flavourwise, they did taste good and of course with some Worcestershire on the side too.

Employing the same airy and buttery beef, the Beef Ribbon Rice Noodle Rolls were pretty much a uniform texture.  Almost fluffy and soft with only the slightest chew, the rice noodle was really good.  However, there was a lack of beef weaved into the mix, hence, it was mostly noodle.  For the beef that was in there, it was the same as the beef meatballs as mentioned.  It definitely needed some soy since there was a lack of meat.  For the more typical version, we also had the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll (on a separate visit) and it was good.  Although the rice noodle wasn't the thinnest, it was still buttery soft with some elasticity.  There was a good amount of bouncy and seasoned shrimp inside.

On the same visit, we went for the Steamed Pork Spareribs.  Yes, these ate just as good at the picture would imply.  The dish consisted of meaty rib pieces that were tender with the classic bouncy chewiness.  These were the beneficiary of the ample minced garlic, which added aroma and impact.  It was also well-seasoned which was salty enough without being salty.  Also liked that there wasn't too much moisture on the bottom of the plate.  Some tapioca starch helped create a glaze of sorts that added silkiness to each bite.

Both visits yielded my favourite dish, Steamed Beef Tripe and Tendon.  As you can see in the picture, the portion size was generous.  Cut into large pieces, the tripe was tender with an appealing chewiness.   The tendon was soft with its classic gelatinous texture.  Every piece of tendon was the same texture, unlike some versions where we have some melted and others tough and chewy.  In terms of seasoning, the dish was plenty savoury, sweet and garlicky with a small dose of pepperiness.

One of my favourite Dim Sum dishes is the Bean Curd Skin Roll.  I try to order it whenever I can, but often it isn't everyone's cup of tea.  This one was good with a chewy, yet delicately fried (and then subsequently steamed) bean curd skin.  Inside, the pork filling was meaty with whole chunks and some fat as a binder.   There was some carrot and celery mixed into it and were soft, but still vibrant.  I thought the rolls were sufficiently seasoned enough so it wasn't just pork flavour.  For myself, I always dip it into Worcestershire sauce.

Presented in a large portion of large and plump segments, the Steamed Chicken Feet was really good.  Sometimes, we find chicken feet that are pretty shrivelled up from the deep fry.  These were super plump with soft cartilage and fat underneath.  Tender and soft, the skin and cartilage was easy to separate from the bone.  Much like the tripe and tendon, the flavours were savoury, sweet and garlicky.

As always, we got an order of the Shrimp Spring Rolls, even though the kids were not around.  Good decision though as these were also well-executed.  They were fried until golden and super crunchy with minimal greasiness.  Inside, the shrimp filling was not overly dense, but still packed in there.  Hence, we got plenty of the sweet shrimp crunch along with the garlic and seasoning.  They were also served piping hot, which made a big difference.

One dish we always get is the XO Daikon Radish Cake.  I'm not a huge fan of the pan fried version as it can often be pale-looking, in need of an actual hard sear.  For this version, it is cubed and deep-fried, then wok-tossed with XO sauce, sprouts and peppers.  This was solid with the daikon cake being crispy on the outside while soft and fluffy on the inside.  Good natural daikon flavour accented by the cured sausage.  I wished there was more spice from the XO sauce, but it was still tasty.

Occasionally, we order the Stuffed Eggplant with shrimp paste.  Not sure why we don't do it every time as it is Viv's favourite dish.  Well, this was a good version of it as the pieces were quite large.  Furthermore, there was more bouncy and sweet shrimp paste than eggplant.  As for the eggplant, it was fully cooked while not being totally mushy.  There was even a bit of crispiness on the outside.  However, the starch-thickened black bean sauce was rather weak and diluted.

On the other hand, we rarely order the Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) at Cantonese Dim Sum since it is a Shanghainese specialty.  We have rarely stumbled upon a good one and this was no exception.  It featured medium-thick dumpling skin that needed more elasticity.  Inside, there was some soup, but it wasn't the right flavour missing the shaoxing wine and ginger hits.  Meat was tender though and not gritty.

The one bigger dish we tried was the Chicken Clay Pot Rice.  They really overloaded this thing with well-marinated chicken.  Bone-in, the pieces of chicken were tender and buttery.  Once again, they were spot on with the tapioca starch, as it held onto the marinade with each piece of chicken.  As for the rice, it was dry (in a good way) and nutty.  Sure, there wasn't any socarrat, but I appreciated that the rice wasn't soggy.

Both times, we had the Baked Egg Tarts to end the meal.  I found the edges to be sufficiently golden brown where they were nutty and crispy.  The layers were discernible and shattered nicely when bitten into.  The egg custard was silky and only sweet enough.  Overall, both times we had Dim Sum at Paramount, it was pleasant and well-portioned.  Service was great, but a bit hard to flag down at times though.  Would return.

The Good:

- Above average Dim Sum

- Large portions

- Free parking

The Bad:

- Service is good, but hard to flag down when busy

- Seating in the middle is very tight

June on Cambie

It was about time I made a return visit to June on Cambie.  After all, the first time was delicious and although not inexpensive, the prices seemed reasonable with all things considered.  The place certainly has style with a modern, yet elegant dining space complete with a prominent bar.  Let's not forget that Head Chef Connor Sperling, formerly Chef-de-Cuisine at Published, is at the helm in the kitchen.  Along with Elem, June has been nominated for Best New Restaurant by Air Canada.  They are 2 of the hottest restaurants in Vancouver right now and I can totally see major awards coming their way.

For this visit, I decided to order some favourites along with some new dishes I haven't tried.  Dining at June would not be complete without their signature Crab Dip served with spiced madeleines.  They truly pack this dip with fluffy Dungeness crab and really nothing else other than the house-made crème fraîche and chives on top.  This way, the crab really was the star of the show where it was sweet, a bit briny and of course creamy from the crème fraîche.  The spiced madeleines were a bit sweet (maybe too sweet?) and firm, which held onto the crab well.

Of course we couldn't ignore their cocktails, so we got the Guava Batida and Chamberyzette.  We wanted some light and fruity cocktails which we got with these two.  The guava batida was tropical-tasting, sweet, tangy and slightly milky (due to the yogurt).  The rum did come through, but in a mild manner.  As for the chamberyzette, the sour strawberry cordial was at the forefront, which made it sweet and fruity.  Some vermouth hints in the form of earthiness was in the background.

Another favourite of mine is the Seared Hokkaido Scallops.  Served on the half shell, these perfectly seared scallops exhibited an aggressive caramelization.  Hence, it only helped concentrate the briny sweetness of the scallops.  Showing the precision in its execution, the scallops were still buttery soft with a rare centre.  On top, we found some fennel marmalade and chives.  Just a extra bit of sweetness (could be a problem for some who don't like it too sweet) with a side of brightness.  These sat in a butter sauce with lemon and verjus which provided a nutty loving hug with acidity.  So utterly delicious!

Continuing on with the staples at June, we had the gigantic Frogs Legs.  These massive things were juicy and tender.  On the outside, they were glazed with espellette and B.C. honey which offered up both sweetness, smokiness and the faint hint of spice.  If you can imagine, this was quite the flavour bomb since all of the above qualities were rather loud.  To bring balance to the boldness, we found a lime mignonette on the side.  This afforded a bright acidity which kept things from being too heavy.

Yep, the next dish was also another one I've had before in the Bluefin Tuna.  Encrusted with a cracked peppercorn blend, the tuna was lightly roasted on charcoal.  So you would think that it would be overly smoky and pepper right?  Well actually no.  Rather, the bluefin was still able to shine and be its bright and clean buttery self.  Now if that wouldn't overwhelm the fish, you'd think that the red pepper escabeche would be the culprit...  Once again, nope.  We definitely got the sweet and sour notes, yet the bluefin could still stand on its own.

Now onto a dish I've yet to try - the Paris Tartare.  This consisted of Haida Gwaii albacore tuna with a lemon vinaigrette and basil mayo.  This was a colourful and visually-appealing dish that had some French, but also Westcoast influences.  Now it wasn't Asian influence such as employing soy, sesame oil and the sort.  Rather, it was quite classic with an acidic vinaigrette balanced off with some mayo.  Hence, this was not a flavour bomb.  It was much more subtle and it let the beautiful fish do the heavy-lifting.  The soft-poached quail's eggs added some custardy elements and the tomatoes and radicchio afforded some brightness, bitterness and tang.  We had some crispy brioche toasts on the side.

Another dish I've yet to try was the Truffle Eggs.  These were simply soft-poached free-range eggs with a generous helping of truffle mayo on top.  At first, I was a bit concerned it would be overpowering but alas, it was quite restrained.  It was creamy with only a purposeful amount of truffle.  Providing some texture, we found nutty brown butter crumb on top with a bit of chives.  Back to the usual, we had the June Brioche with cultured butter and sea salt.  With a slightly crispy exterior and a fluffy interior, the warm bread accepted the creamy butter meltingly.  Such buttery goodness...

Second round of cocktails included the Genmaicha Clover Club and Verdita Colada.  Both of these had a bit of spice, which was welcomed.  The clover club had fruitiness in the form of lemon and raspberry while sweetness from the honey.  Since the base was gin, it wasn't overly strong, so the horseradish did come in at the end.  For the verdita colada, it had a kick from the chili oil and beautiful smokiness from the mezcal.  This was balanced off by the sour pineapple and the herbaceousness of the chartreuse.  We loved this cocktail and it was our favourite.

Finally getting some veggies into the meal, we had the Beet & Endive.  This was pretty simple where it allowed the main ingredients to shine.  The golden and red beets were tender, sweet and earthy.  The fresh crunch of the endives with just a touch of bitterness was the perfect foil for the beets.  Things were dressed in a sherry and walnut vinaigrette.  Next, we had a daily feature in the Burrata with roasted squash and sunflower seeds atop a miso pumpkin seed puree.  First and foremost, the burrata was fresh as evidenced by the creamy centre and delicate casing.  Just some EVOO and sea salt was all it needed.  The squash was perfectly-textured being firm while soft in the middle.  It was intensely sweet.  That miso paste was full of umami and nuttiness.  Really enjoyed that with the squash.

Here is the first dish that was just "ok".  The Halibut Beurre Blanc was a pretty dish, but the fish itself was a bit stiff.  Nice sear on the outside which created a crust and it was also well-seasoned.  But the flakes of fish were lacking moisture.  Loved the beurre blanc as it was almost creamy with a nice amount of acidity.  With the addition of Sauternes, we had some sweetness too.  The greens and herbs surround the fish really helped brighten the dish.

Before we ordered all this food, we were deciding which steak we should get.  Originally, it was the Bavette since it would be smaller, but we did the YOLO thing and ordered the 12oz Aged Ribeye.  Turned out to be a great idea as the steak was beautifully prepared and super tender.  Being aged 40 days, it was in the sweet spot that it became softer and more nutty without tasting like blue cheese (beyond 45 days).  This sat in a rich brandy sauce.

On the side, it was served with beef fat Fries accompanied by moutarde extraordinaire and mayo maison (essentially fancy mustard and aioli).  These fries were fantastic being crunchy, hot and full of nutty beef fat goodness.  Tasted like it was basted with butter.  To balance this sinful treat, we had the Salade Maison featuring butter and romaine lettuce in a dijon vinaigrette.  Bright, fresh and crunchy while sauced in a tangy and sweet dressing, this was a good interlude between bites of steak.

Before we got to dessert, we were served some Nitro Espressos which were full of coffee flavour but it wasn't bitter nor too strong.  Furthermore, they were mildly strong and sweet, perfect to go with their signature dessert - Chocolate.  This featured a milk chocolate mouse atop a hazelnut praline base.  Good textural contrast and also delicious and creamy chocolate mousse.  A Frangelico crème anglaise was served tableside which amped the hazelnut flavour even more so.  As if we needed anymore creaminess, there was so chantilly on the side (I still ate it happily...).

We ended up trying both of their available Soft-Serve du Jour.  The first was a Cream Cheese Soft-Serve with plum & peach crumble.  Nice temperature contrast between the warm crumble and cold soft-serve.  It was definitely cheesy and creamy while the crumble had nice tartness and crunch.  The other one we had was the Strawberry Soft-Serve, which was more like a sherbert being creamy but having sorbet vibes.  It was tangy and mildly sweet.  Very refreshing.  In the end, this was another delicious visit to June on Cambie.  Considering the level of service and food quality, I find the prices to be reasonable.  Whether they win the Best New Restaurant by Air Canada or not, I feel great things are coming their way real soon!

The Good:

- Well-executed dishes

- Cool vibes

- Attentive service

The Bad:

- Smaller tables are tightly packed

- Possibly some items are a bit too sweet