Off The Grid Waffles

Awhile back, I had visited Off The Grid Cafe and had a selection of their chicken sandwiches (when I was still doing my fried chicken sandwich quest), drinks and dessert waffles.  I have to say that their sandwiches were huge and really good value.  In addition to that, things were pretty tasty with perfectly fried chicken.  Fast forward to the present and they have a new brunch menu that prominently features their waffles, as well as their fried chicken.  I was invited out to check this menu out that included a few interesting creations.

Of course we have to start out with the baseline in the Chicken N' Waffles.  This featured and entire waffle spit into quarters with a large fried chicken thigh on top.  I found the thin waffles to be crispy and aromatic with a light sweetness and nutty finish.  Inside, the waffle was fluffy.  As for the fried chicken, it had a medium-thick batter that was evenly crunchy.  The brined chicken was flavourful and juicy.  On the side, we found a thick gravy which was pretty mild but added some moisture and savouriness.   Slaw was crunchy and properly dressed having tanginess.

Next, we tried the Waffle Sliders which was essentially a fried chicken club on a waffle.  Now to make it an actual club, I would add bacon (which is an option on the menu).  Even without the bacon, this ate quite well.  Beyond the crispy waffle, the fried chicken provided crunch and enough protein for impact.  Fresh lettuce and tomato along with pickles and spicy mayo provided multiple textures.  Furthermore, it lightened the heaviness of the chicken.  I think maybe a slice of cheese would be another great add to this sammie.  Waffle fries were excellent being crispy and spiced.

One of the more interesting things we had was the Chicken N' Waffle Pizza.  This was a whole waffle topped with spicy mayo, melted cheese, waffle fries and cut-up fried chicken.  Sure, this was the same components presented a different way, but it did eat very differently.  With all of the crunchy things in this creation, the texture was not lacking.  However, for me, I wished there was a balancing component such as sauce of some sort.  Maybe more spicy mayo or possibly a drip on the side such as tomato sauce, gravy or the aforementioned mayo.  Other than that, it was pleasant enough.

Presented as a huge portion, the Mac N' Waffle Bowl was strangely appealing to me.  Sitting in a waffle cone-like bowl, the saucy mac & cheese gave me Velvetta vibes.  Now that is actually a good thing because I happen to like that version.  It was velvetty and had plenty of saltiness while the mac was al dente.  The crunch from the waffle bowl was a nice textural contrast to the mac & cheese.  This also came with the same delicious crispy chicken on top.  On the side, we found a spring mix salad with Italian dressing.  We ended up trying their Capuccino Milkshake and of course it was massive.  It wasn't as sweet as it appeared, but don't get me wrong, it was still sweet.  It also came with a quarter waffle, so it was really a meal in itself.  In general, the key to all their brunch items is the piece of fried chicken.  Just like in their sammies, it is juicy with a crunchy seasoned exterior.  Waffles are good too being crispy and aromatic.  Best thing of all, the prices are affordable.

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

The Good:
- Good fried chicken
- Generous portions
- Well-priced

The Bad:
- Limited seating 

 

Craffles (Yaletown)

So I'm sure you've noticed all the different waffle spots opening up in the past little while that include some rather interesting shapes.  Well, to be honest, I'm more into traditional-looking waffles personally.  However, at the same time, I am also on the look out for something different as well.  That brought me to Craffles with their newest location in Yaletown.  Their claim to fame is not only the variety of savoury and sweet waffles, but also the addition of crepes, acai bowls and monster milkshakes with a Brazilian twist.

Actually, the first thing we tried was straight-up authentic Brazilian in the Chicken Croquettes.  These were large and served up crunchy.  Beyond the thin outer layer, we found incredibly moist shredded chicken which was well-seasoned and aromatic.  It was also rather cheesy and that make the croquettes slightly creamy and rich.  With a bite of the outside, chicken and cheese, this was rather delicious and addictive. 

Before we got to the waffles, we tried their Brazilian Shrimp Stew Crepe.  Oh I really enjoyed this one as the stew was so flavourful and rich.  There was a certain sweetness complimented by the noticeable flavour of peppers as well as the briny shrimp.  Since they were stewed, the texture of the shrimp was soft (so don't be alarmed because it is supposed to be this way).  As for the crepe, it was medium-thick being tender with a chew. 

For our Belgium Waffle, we chose the Sweet Italian consisting of apricot compote, brie, prosciutto, walnuts and arugula.  This was indeed sweet due to the apricot jam, but the saltiness of the prosciutto provided the necessary balance.  There was a bevy of melty and creamy brie on top of the soft fluffy waffle (that still had a slight crispiness).  Walnuts and arugula added nuttiness and some peppery brightness.

Onto the most outrageous thing we had - the Celebration Strawberry Cheesecake Monster Milkshake.  So is it necessary to have such a large milkshake with graham crackers on the outside of the cup?  How about the large slice of cheesecake on top with strawberry sauce and whipped cream???  Yes, this was over-the-top, but I liked it.  The milkshake was creamy and easy to suck through the straw while the cheesecake was rich and just sweet enough.  You will need to share this.

Finally, we had the Volcano Explosion featuring 2 liege waffles with chocolate, ice cream and enough whipped cream for 10 waffles.  This was all topped off by chocolate and caramel sauce and a sparkler.  Visually striking and attention-grabbing?  Yes.  I could've done with less whipped cream, but the waffles were good being chewy with pops of sweetness.  Again, you should share this.  Overall, the creations at Craffles were good and with some Brazilian influences, it was unique.  Portions are pretty large, so it is best to share things rather than trying to eat them all by yourself.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Brazilian items were tasty
- Large portions
- Instagrammable (if that matters to you)

The Bad:
- Hard to finish some things as they are too big, you would need to come with more people to share  

 

Waffleland

32 Water Street in Gastown has not been the kindest location for restaurants.  The first that I visited was Mosquito and while it was good, the pricing was too high.  This gave way to Ampersand Bistro & Bar that dished up designer Dim Sum at a premium price.  I personally didn't believe this would work and ultimately, this closed as well.  Now we see the newly-opened Waffleland trying to see if 3rd times the charm.  Well, not to give away too much of what is to come in this post, I would think that unless some major changes are made, we will be seeing 4th restaurant in the near future.

We kicked things off with a couple of bevvies from the menu including the Magic Butterfly Pea Lemonade and the Pineapple Dole Whip.  Presented in an attractive shade of purple, the lemonade was rather mild and had a strange aftertaste.  We couldn't put our finger as to what it was.  As for the Dole whip, it was nothing like the real thing (probably cannot due to copyright either?).  It tasted more like Orange Julius pineapple orange.  I did witness No Name orange juice being made and no offense to the product, but it is more sour than something like Tropicana, so it was a little disappointing as an ingredient for a drink that cost $7.95.

Moving onto our first dish, we had the Waffle'd Up Chicken featuring a Liège waffle with breaded chicken fingers, with sriracha lime seasoning, green apple slices, fries and maple syrup.  This was disappointing where you can clearly tell that the chicken strips are from Costco and the fries are frozen Cavendish brand.  Nothing wrong if you were making this say, at home, but not acceptable for a restaurant charging $17.00.  Furthermore, the waffle itself was not a Liège.  It was far too fluffy without any chewiness and lacking in the pearl sugar crystals.  To be blunt, this is an insult to the customers.

Next was the Gastown Brunch (typo of "Branch" on the menu) that sported a Norwegian waffle topped with cheddar and mozza, bacon, seasoned chicken breast, arugula, tomatoes and ranch.  Okay, the good news is the waffle was pretty good being crispy and light.  The bad news was that the chicken was the precooked strips also found at Costco.  Hence, they were rubbery and lacked real chicken breast texture.  Above that, the bacon was good, yet I suspect it is the precooked Tyson strips also found at Costco.  Sigh...  Honestly, it is okay to actually attempt to cook something from scratch, especially at a restaurant...

Lastly, we had the St. Fruity Road with a Norwegian waffle topped by strawberries, bananas, chocolate sauce, roasted almonds and whipped cream.  This was the best of the bunch with the same crispy waffle and fresh fruit.  There was too much chocolate sauce on top though.  Okay, I'm sure there are those who think I'm being too harsh or mean, especially given the challenging times for restaurants.  I agree we should be more patient and more forgiving.  However, customers who spend their hard-earned money could also be struggling or had a tough time during Covid.  So they should not be subjected to subpar food as well.  If they wanted to eat Costco pre-cooked products, they could just buy it themselves and reheat.  At least Laowai (and I gave them a hard time too) makes most of their food from scratch (even if I didn't like it).  Hence, I think that Waffleland has to try a whole lot better, their existence depends on it.

The Good:
- Nice people
- Quaint spot
- Norwegian waffle was good

The Bad:
- They have to stop using pre-cooked Costco products

Off The Grid Cafe

Over 3 years ago, I had visited Off The Grid Waffles out on Kingsway near the old Wally's Burgers location.  I tried a few things and it was really good!  But keeping with my "cannot do a blog post with less than 3 items off the menu" rule, I didn't end up posting about it.  Therefore, it sat there in my queue waiting for my revisit to try more things.  Well, I never ended up going, so I didn't do a post at all!  Fast forward to the present and they have moved to Fraser Street on the same block as Angel Cafe.  No longer are they just a waffle shop, they are now Off the Grid Cafe dishing up brunch and fried chicken.

Since I've been on a fried chicken sandwich quest, it was only reasonable to try all 3 of their available sammies including the Off The Grid Original (cheese, cabbage and BBQ mayo), The Ring (onion ring, bacon, cabbage, cheese and BBQ mayo) and The Fiery Bird (spicy fried chicken thigh, cheese, cabbage and BBQ mayo).  The fried chicken thighs were as crunchy as they appeared in the picture.  Nicely spiced and brined, the chicken was juicy too.  I would've preferred cheddar over the processed cheese, but it didn't make or break the sammies.  The fiery bird was mildly spicy with plenty of tanginess.  Loved the brioche buns, soft and warm, it held everything together.

As for their Fried Chicken, we sampled their 2 PC Meal with a side of waffle fries (at a waffle place... nice!).  Mind you, other side options were plentiful including Cajun wedges, onion rings, yam fries and curly fries.  By employing the exact boneless thighs as the sammies, the fried chicken was crunchy and well-seasoned.  The dark meat was juicy and tender as well.  Waffle fries were prepared properly being crunchy, even when it sat for awhile before we ate it.

Off to the sweets, they served it to-go because there isn't any dine-in service at the moment.  We had the Ferrero Rocher Waffle Cup as well as a Mango Shake.  Just like before, the waffles were fantastic.  Crispy on the outside while soft and chewy on the inside, the texture was on point.  Nicely aromatic and lightly sweet too.  Ice cream was good quality being hard and creamy.  The shake was nicely blended and thick.  Just sweet enough and definite mango essence.  So as you can see, the menu has diversified to not only offer more selection, it is a great way to get through Covid until dine-in service can return.  There are also many brunch items on the menu as well.  Solid stuff and great for takeout, even the desserts!

 *All food and drink were complimentary*

The Good:

- You would think the waffles would be the star of the show, it is actually the fried chicken

- Waffles are still great!

- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:

- Cups for the waffle desserts could be bigger, a bit difficult to eat

Waffle Gone Wild

I haven't seen Dr. No-Share in quite some time, but in reality, I see him every half-year because he is my dentist.  Beyond that, we used to eat out often since he was on my softball team.  But it has been years since we sat down and had a meal.  Over a year ago, he wanted me to try a place in Kits called Waffle Gone Wild.  However, we never got around to it.  In fact, it has since closed that location and moved into their new digs on Canada Way near Boundary.  Finally, we made it out for some brunch a few weeks ago.

Our plan of attack was to order one waffle from each of their categories starting with the Maple Bacon with cheddar cheese, mixed greens and balsamic vinegar.   Although advertised as bacon bits on the menu, what we actually found was crispy strips of lean bacon sandwiched in between 2 slices of cheddar inside a waffle sandwich.  The waffles were a bit lighter and less sweet than other liege waffles I've had, but they were still soft and aromatic with a pleasant chewiness.  This "sandwich" was pretty tasty.  

From savoury we went with sweet in the Apple Blossom with freshly cut apple slices, cinnamon and caramel sauce.  Again the waffles were light and mildly sweet where the caramel sauce did the heavy lifting in terms of the sugar content.  It wasn't aggressively sauced, so the whole thing still had some tang from the apples and impact from the cinnamon.  Lastly, we had the Strawberry Heaven Deluxe with dark chocolate sauce, coconut waffle, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.  From the picture, I was expecting a large serving, but it was ultimately as small as the apple blossom.  Despite this, it was still quite good with a balanced amount of ingredients.  Overall, from the 3 items we tried, Waffle Gone Wild provided a pleasant experience in a location where waffles aren't normally found.

The Good:
- Light, soft and not-too-sweet waffles
- Balanced amount of ingredients
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- Portions are on the smaller side but sufficient

Miura Waffle Milk Bar

Looking for a light meal after watching Chef (great movie btw), Whipping Girl and I drove up and down Broadway to no avail.  C'mon, it couldn't be that hard to find food along one of the busiest restaurant streets in Vancouver right? Wrong.  There was indeed quantity, but the quality wasn't there as many were just not that interesting. Chalk that up to watching a movie about food...  Funny how we ended up at Miura Waffle Milk Bar, despite all the other options (including an offer from Daily Slif who was heading to Farmer's Apprentice). Oh well, waffles for dinner it was gonna be!

We shared the Kachan Karaage with  soy-ginger chicken, asian slaw & thousand island first.  I remembered this one from Tasting Plates and since this was a full-sized version, there was much more juicy chicken karaage.  It was pretty crunchy which was a nice contrast to the soft waffle.  Personally, I would've preferred it to be crispier.  The flavours were nice though with a sweet zip that lightened things up.  Next, we had the Bulgogi with beef, egg sauce, kimchi & bulgogi sauce.  This was even messier as the ingredients were more wet.  Hence, the waffle actually began to crumble as we ate it.  I did like the egg though as it added a soft fluffiness to the meat filling.  Flavours included the sweetness of the sauce and slight spice and acidity from the kimchi.

Lastly, we had the Strawberries and Cream with chocolate sauce.  This was actually not as sweet as it looked.  The custard was mild and creamy while the whipped cream was more of a filler.  There was a modest amount of chocolate to go with the ripe strawberries.  Nothing particularly amazing, but decent nonetheless.  Hence, if one goes in with reasonable expectations and ignoring the hype (it's been on Gotta Eat Here), the experience could be a decent one.  But just don't expect anything else.

The Good:
- Something interesting
- We got great service

The Bad:
- Waffles are a bit crumbly rather than fluffy
- Not particularly cheap