Ssal Korean Cuisine

For the longest time, West Van was pretty limited when it came to Asian cuisine.  There was a smattering of places (including ones that have since closed), but you'd have to head into Downtown Vancouver to get your fix.  Slowly but surely, we've seen things change but one would never confuse West Van with Richmond.  However, I was in the area and ended up checking out a highly-rated Korean spot called Ssal.

We got a Cucumber Salad to start but naturally, we had some Banchan as well.  This included bean sprouts, kimchi and fish cake.  Nothing out-of-the ordinary here but the kimchi was quite good with a noted spice and tang.  As for the cucumbers, they were fresh and crunchy with the nuttiness of sesame and the tanginess from the dressing.  There was also some spice too.

Not trying to be defaultish, but we did get the Japchae as well.  This was a manageable portion that was prepared properly.  The noodles were chewy and slippery (not clumpy) yet at the same time, not too greasy.  It was loaded with ingredients such as beef, spinach, carrots, peppers, mushrooms and onions.  Texturally, things were what they were supposed to be and the seasoning was balanced not being overly sweet.

Then we got into the really good stuff with a small order of the Soy Garlic Chicken.  For a small order, this was plenty generous.  It consisted of 5 big chunks of leg meat that was fried until crispy.  Inside, the meat was juicy and gelatinous.  The soy garlic was impactful with a sweet saltiness and the aromatics of garlic.  The glaze could've been a touch thicker as it didn't adhere to the chicken as much as I would've liked.

Bubbling hot on arrival, the Doenjang Jjigae with seafood was fully-loaded.  We found a mix of shellfish, veggies and mushroom in a mildly-spicy broth.  There was some depth and background sweetness.  The seafood was cooked well, not being chewy or dry.  I really enjoyed the buttery soft tofu but the broth could use a bit more spice.  But they could be appealing to the typical customer.

In addition to the great dishes we had so far, the Beef Short Ribs was on point.  If you refer to the picture above, you can see that each piece was mostly meat without too much fat nor gristle.  Marinated just enough, the short ribs were tender, but still maintained a natural meatiness.  Due to the marinade, there was a savoury sweetness with the aromatics of sesame oil.

We had one more item in the Spicy Pork Dol-Sot-Bab.  This was pretty good with quite a bit of meat dressed in a spicy gochujang sauce.  When mixed with the rest of the components and allowing the rice to crisp up on the sides of the dolset, this was full of different textures.  However, I do prefer the original bibimbap more due to its simplicity.  Also, it could be a bit spicier. Overall, the food at Ssal was pretty good and well-portioned.  People are friendly there too.

The Good:

- Above average eats

- Well-portioned

- Nice people

The Bad:

- People are nice, but service can be a bit slow

Jojo Hot Pot

I'm sure most of you have either visited or heard of Big Way Hot Pot where you grab your own ingredients and are charged by weight.  There are a variety of broths available including some spicy ones.  Well, that concept took off and now we are beginning to see the competitors roll into the party.  I've tried Datang out in Richmond and now it is time to check out Jojo Hot Pot, in particular, the West Van location.  This is actually a rebrand of Grandma Liu Hot Pot.  Jess and I made our way to Ambleside where we found Jojo Hot Pot right on Marine Drive with its upstairs dining room.

Similar to all of the other build-your-own hot pot places, there was a selection of veggies, meats, fish meatballs, seafood, bean curd products and noodles.  Things definitely looked fresh and clean.  However, their labelling could improve as some items were not where they should have been.  I know what everything is, but for those who don't, it can be confusing.  If you look at my pot of raw ingredients, I put all of the veggies underneath and loaded up with lean pork belly, snakehead fish slices, fried bean curd, quail eggs, bean curd ribbons, lobster ball, razor clams, half-lobster, abalone and dried noodles (non-fried).  If you can believe it, this was only $37.00 even though it was quite heavy. 

I went for the Jojo Broth which was pork bone-based.  This was pretty impactful with a meaty umaminess.  It was bordering on salty, but I thought that was necessary to keep the flavour while dealing with the excess moisture from the components (such as the veggies and meat).  As for the ingredients, they cooked it nicely as the spinach was not mushy while the seafood retained their optimal texture.  Of course the broth took on some of the natural sweetness and brininess.

Jess had the Lobster Broth and yes, it tasted exactly how I would've imagined it to be.  Fragrant, briny, sweet and lobstery, this had depth and helped flavour all of the other components.  Oddly enough, she didn't pile on as many things as I did, but still ended up to be roughly the same amount as me.  I think it was the fact she had corn and a bunch of fish ball products, which are some of the heaviest things available.  Whatever the case, she still enjoyed it and the broth was excellent.

We had one more option at the table and it was the Miso Broth.  I thought this was quite impactful with the rich saltiness of the miso being front and centre.  Now it wasn't salty though.  The fermented flavour was dominant and it helped season all of the components.  That was especially true with the wide noodles.  Sure, you could dunk everything into the custom dip you make at the sauce bar, but things would be flavourful on its own.

On the topic of the Sauce Bar, it was simple but had all of the necessary items to create your custom dip.  We also had some of their drinks including the Passion Fruit Tea and Cloud Milk Tea.  I really liked the passion fruit tea because it was light and refreshing.  Perfect compliment to the hot pot.  The cloud milk tea was good too being just sweet enough while being creamy with nice tea flavour.  I liked it by itself, but probably not with my hot pot.  In the end, Jojo hot pot was solid with flavourful broths including lobster.  This is a great alternative to Big Way.

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

The Good:

- Flavourful broths

- They have lobster broth!

- Fresh ingredients

The Bad:

- This particular location has limited space, especially in the ingredients line

Goldie's Donuts & Bakery

It is surprising that for a food city like Vancouver, we do not have a wealth of donut shops.  Is it because we are super health conscious?  Or is it that we don't like donuts?  It surely cannot be the latter right?  I mean, we can name off the usual suspects such as Lee's, Mello and Lucky's.  Sure, there are more, but I won't list them all. Actually, we are going to lose Cartems...  Anyways, It just doesn't seem like there are enough in relation to other cities.  So it was with a lot of enthusiasm that we drove out to Horseshoe Bay to check out Goldie's Donuts & Bakery.

So for those who don't know, Goldie's is named after the owner's golden retriever.  There is even a large stuffed Goldie in the shop!  As for their wares, it is for all to see when you walk in.  They boast a variety of brioche donuts with many different fillings.  We started with a trio featuring Matcha Cream, Frosted Flakes Cereal Milk Cream and Strawberry Milkshake.  The donut itself was definitely fluffy and had a moist texture without being wet.  Pretty solid brioche if you ask me.  The fresh cream fillings were light and only semi-sweet.  I would've liked powdered sugar over granulated sugar personally but what do I know as other places have the same sugar on these donuts.

They also have a selection of baked good including the Infamous Korean Salt Bread, Strawberries & Cream Cronut, Blueberry Scone and Ham & Cheese Croissant.  The salt bread was like a soft dinner roll but with a noticeable saltiness.  We found the croissant pretty decent where it shattered and was buttery.  As for the scone, it was quite good with plenty of blueberries and blueberry jam on top.  Texturally, it was firm on the outside and fairly fluffy on the inside.  Cronut was crispy with fresh cream in the middle.  It was light and airy.

We got a few more filled donuts in the form of Mocha Tiramisu and Chocolate Cream.  These were the same cream-filled brioche donuts which were excellent.  I liked these even more so because they were coated with powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Texturally, that appealed to me more than granulated sugar.  Both were good being just sweet enough.  There was also some special donuts in the form of Dubai Chocolate Donuts in Peanut Butter, Pistachio and Triple Chocolate.  I tried all of them and my favourite was the pistachio due to the nuttiness (also it is the original).  Loved the crunch within all of them from the knafeh and of course the rich layer of chocolate on the outside of the brioche donut.

Goldie's also has an array of specialty coffees that are just as appealing as the donuts.  We had a selection including Oreo Cream Mocha, Matcha Cream, Cream Latte, Almond Cream Mocha and Nutty Cloud.  All of them were purposefully sweet, aromatic and creamy.  However, my favourite was the Almond Cream as it was nutty, chocolatey and went down easy.  Oreo Cream Mocha was solid too since it wasn't as sweet as it sounded.  Definite Oreo vibes with the dark chocolate cookie taste without the sickingly sweet creme.  Overall, the things we tried at Goldie's was top-notch and made with care.  Baked goods and donuts are high-quality and so are the drinks.  Best of all, the location is prime with a beautiful view and quaint vibes.  If you are ever in Horseshoe Bay, give them a try!

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

The Good:

- Quality products that are carefully made

- Things are sweet, but not crazy sweet

- What nice location

The Bad:

- Parking might be a challenge on busy days

Modern Pantry (West Vancouver)

As much as I travel for food (as far as Chilliwack), it isn't often I venture into West Vancouver.  I think the last time I was here, it was at Terroir Kitchen with Mijune.  So it was a bit ironic that the first place I hit up in West Van since then was at the Modern Pantry.  Fate would have it, this was the former location of Terroir Kitchen (La Regalade before that) and guess who was with me?  This is actually the 2nd location of the Modern Pantry as their original location is in North Vancouver.

We started off with the Grain Bowl which was both vegan and gluten free.  it consisted of marinated chickpeas with turmeric and cumin, rosemary pickled onions, roasted yams, kale and maple tahini dressing.   That was good, but the Hearty Salad won me over, with feta marinated in honey, oregano, fennel and chili flakes, kale, roasted yams, pumpkin seeds, cabbage and mushrooms.  There was a bevy of textures and flavours (including tang, spice, salt and sweetness) that kept me wanting to eat more.

Grand in size, the Quiche featured sweet potato and feta on whole wheat laminated pastry.  This was very light, eggy and airy.  For some, I could see that it wouldn't be firm enough, but for me, it was good.  It was easy to eat and the texture was consistent throughout.  Naturally, it was sweet due to the ingredients with a touch of cheesiness.  Loved the pastry as it was flaky and crispy, even on the bottom.

Hands down, the best savoury item was the Grilled Cheese.  Now it wasn't prepared in the classic manner where the bread was slathered in butter and cooked in a pan or flattop.  Rather, it was toasted house made sourdough sandwiching  aged white cheddar and spicy tomato jam.  This meant the bread was soft, warm and slightly chewy.  Inside, the cheese was sharp and that tomato jam had a kick as well as sweet tang.  Delicious!

A surprising item was the Veggie Sandwich featuring sourdough focaccia, roasted sweet potatoes and red peppers, caramelized onion feta spread and fresh dill.  If you know me, I love my meat, but hey, this sammie was packed full of flavour and texture.  There was considerable sweetness to the sandwich accented by the cheese and dill.  Loved the focaccia as it was crispy in parts, soft and slightly chewy in others.

One of the most visually-appealing items in the display case was the Breakfast Sandwich consisting of bread made with brioche dough with spinach, cheddar and onion.  Inside, there was sambal mayo, soft-boiled egg and cheddar.  Loved the egg, it looked inviting and it ate with a custardy centre.  Bread was tasty with plenty of inherent flavour but was a bit firm.  Mayo and cheese complimented the egg well and it was a nice little bite.

Off to the Sweets portion of the tasting, we had a bevy of delicious items including the Northshore Cookie with coffee, pretzels, chocolate, coconut, granola and sea salt.  This was pretty crunch, especially the edges.  Lots of flavours and with the addition of salt, it further heightened everything else.  Apparently, the Brownie has been 10-years in the making since Kendall (the owner operator) has been perfecting it for that long.  Well, it was chocolatey, chewy and consistent in texture throughout.  Good brownie!  We were truly impressed with the Gluten-Free Burnt Lemon Cake as it was blessed with lemon and cardamom drizzled with white chocolate orange syrup.  This was essentially a financier with hits of tang and sweetness.  On the same plate, there was a Apple Oat Coffee Cake with fresh and dried apples within an almond streusel.  The cake itself was fluffy and just sweet enough.  On top, the crunch and sweetness from the almond streusel was a delicious textural contrast.  Also fluffy, the Vegan Coconut Loaf was not all dense (especially being vegan).  It was aromatic and again, purposefully sweet.  Although the Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie would be an appropriate name, they are actually nicknamed "Kendall Cookies" because the kids of returning customers would ask for them by that name.  I understand why because they were a bit crispy on the edges but soft and chewy in the middle.  There was a nuttiness from the butter and of course sweetness from the chocolate chunks.  Now the best of these was the Pear Danish with lemon cream cheese.  The laminated pastry couldn't have been any more on point.  So crispy and light with defined layers.  It was of course buttery and the lemon cream cheese was tang and smooth.  Tender pears on top were the proverbial icing on the cake.  I highly recommend this item.  Well, I would actually recommend almost everything because it is obvious that Kendall puts her heart into the food and overall feel of the place.  If you happen to be on the North Shore, I suggest you check it out.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Carefully crafted food
- Owner that is passionate and cares
- Welcoming space

The Bad:
- It is a small space though

Shameless Buns

For the time being, it appears that restaurants have it tough considering that they are paying for rent and are limited to the amount of people who can dine-in.  Furthermore, the fixed costs in running a restaurant aren't exactly something they can stop paying for.  Fortunately, some are able to pivot and do more takeout and offer other options.  One type of food purveyor that seems to be able to weather this storm are food trucks.  All of the costs involved with a food truck are not going to waste and they do not need to worry about offering a dine-in space.   With that in mind, Jacqueline and I made our way out to the Clayton Community Farmer's Market in the parking lot of Clayton Heights Secondary to make the long overdue visit to Shameless Buns.

Known for their sammies (hence, the name Shameless Buns), we tried the Tapa Dat Bun consisting of marinated beef, chipotle cheese sauce, sarsi caramelized onions, sriracha mayo, chicharron and green onions on toasted pandesal.  This was messy, yet ultimately delicious.  Tender and practically fall-apart tender, the beef by itself was on the saltier side, but combined with the soft sweet bun and the spice from the mayo, it was balanced and complete.

Since we are in October and we both love Spam, it was only fitting to try the Pumpkin Spice Sir Spam-A-Lot topped with a fried farm egg, onions, green onions, fried garlic and smoky maple mayo on toasted pandesal.  We really enjoyed this as the pumpkin spice was not overwhelming so that the Spam was able to do its salty and fatty thing.  Again, this meshed well with the sweet bun and the sharpness of the onions.

The most surprising item we tried was the Filipino Spaghetti Lumpia with chipotle cheese sauce.  Okay, I've had lumpia and Filipino spaghetti before, but not combined into one item!  I was skeptical because of the carb on carb premise, but holy moly this was outrageously good.  The outer wrapper was firmly crunchy and held the whole thing together successfully.  Inside, the al dente spaghetti was its usual sweet self with sausage.  Cheese sauce added the necessary moisture and spice.

Another majestic-looking offering was the Adobo Fries sporting crispy AF (yes they were!) sinigang fries, braised chicken adobo, garlic calamansi aioli, tomato, green onion and fried garlic.  Literally, this ate like a meal since there was so much tender chicken on top!  Loved the hints of acidity from the adobo and aioli where it helped brighten the dish.  The fries remained crispy despite the plethora of toppings and even after our incessant picture-taking!

Along the same lines, we also had the Sausage Party with the same crispy AF sinigang fries, longaniza, garlic calamansi aioli, sexy farm egg, sriracha mayo, green onion and fried garlic.  There was some similarities with the adobo fries except the sausage added sweetness while the egg yolk was at its silky best.  So if it wasn't obvious to you, the food at Shameless Buns isn't your typical Filipino fare.  There is plenty of creativity and risks being taken.  From what we tried, the result is Food Network worthy eats that tastes as outrageously good as they appear.  Definitely recommended.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Creative take on Filipino food (modernized)

- No shortage of flavour

- Truck moves to multiple locations

The Bad:

- Not diet food.  LOL...

Terroir Kitchen

When it still existed, La Regalade could be classified as a hidden gem in West Van, albeit an expensive one.  However, it was worth it due to the large portions of rustic French cuisine.  Now in its place, there is something very much different in Terroir Kitchen. Gone is the cramped seating and boisterous room.  We now find a finer dining experience with well-spaced tables and a serene environment.  Furthermore, the cuisine reflects that with precision and refinement.  Mijune and I decided to check the tasting menu out right after our dinner at Water Street Cafe.  Yes, she is truly a bad influence.  Now back to the gym...

Our meal started with a Seared Scallop atop boudin noir, minted pea puree and flaked pastry.  If perfection is a real thing, than this first bite was it.  The scallop couldn't have been seared any more evenly as it was nutty and sweet while the centre was buttery soft.  Not to be outdone, the accompaniments were stellar including the earthy boudin and the sweet pea puree.  I could've eaten 10 more of these easily (Mijune could do 20 because she is Mijune).  The Charred Octopus was nearly as good.  It was smoky with a light crust giving way to tenderness with a light resistance.  I felt the octopus was a bit over-salted though.  Underneath, there was potato and orange salad, green olives and N'duja salami.  Seeing how the octopus was already salty, it didn't help that the olives and salami also added more punch.  Despite this, this was still very tasty.

Going in a different direction we had the Mushroom Risotto.  This was a bit perplexing to me as it resembled a cream of mushroom soup with rice more than a risotto.  I'm not sure if it was the chef's intention to have it that saucy, but in the end, the rice was still al dente.  Flavours were good too with plenty of woodsiness from the morels and a touch of tang to go with it as well as cheesiness (from the grana padano).  Even though I gushed about the scallop, the best dish hands down was the Branzino with dungeness crab, pea shoots, squash and broth.  First off, the fish was absolutely the star with crispy well-seasoned skin while being tender and flaky.  Second best thing on the plate was the impactful broth that was full of punch that was a balance of all flavours except for spice.  The dish looked light and indeed it was, yet at the same time, exuding very powerful flavours.

Moving away from seafood, we had the Grilled 45-day Aged Striploin with smashed fingerling potatoes and red wine jus.  Prepared medium-rare and properly rested, there was not much to complain about with the steak.  It was meaty, nutty, juicy and tender.  Surprisingly, I equally loved the meaty potatoes underneath.  For dessert, we were served a platter consisting of Chocolate Pavé, Pot de Crème, Chateau de Bourgogne Cheese with cassis poached pear and burnt almond biscotti.  Okay, the best thing on the board was the pot de crème as it was balanced and super silky.  Loved the cocoa nibs on top.  Normally, I'm not much a cheese person for dessert, but this was so creamy and satisfying, we actually got some grilled bread to eat it with!  Finally, the chocolate pavé was rich and not overly sweet while exhibiting an appealing bitter aftertaste.  As you can see, the meal was pretty delicious with some extraordinary highlights.  Sure, the risotto was a bit soupy, but everything else was impressive.  Nice little spot out in West Van.

The Good:
- Almost everything was prepared properly
- Impactful flavours
- Spacious seating

The Bad:
- Downtown pricing in West Van
- Risotto was too soupy

Mangia e Bevi

Let's face it, there is only enough time to visit that many restaurants within a year or even two.  Unless your name is Mijune Pak, it is unlikely one has the time nor the budget to hit all of the good spots in town so quickly and so often.  Therefore, for me, Mangia e Bevi fits into the category of "I've seen this many times and wanted to try but never have".  Every time I go into West Van, I seem to see the place, become curious and then forget about it.  In fact, I've been to many of the spots around it, but never have made the effort to dine there.  Finally, it was time to try the place out with a willing partner in Emily.

Seeing how there was only 2 of us, it didn't stop us from making a dent into the menu beginning with Ravioli Ai Merluzzo E Pesto Bianco or deconstructed beet-infused ravioli with butter-poached black cod, red prawn and white pesto.  The thin and slightly soft pasta sheets were tender, yet still had a mild chew.  The flaky black cod was buttery (cooked just right) and well-seasoned, in particular the garlic content.  With a sweet snap, the shrimp added another appealing factor into the dish.  Next was the Carpaccio Cremoso featuring tender and thin slices of buttery beef drizzled with a creamy Parmesan truffle aioli and fried capers.  In the centre, we found delicious crispy Parmesan crostinis.  This dish was on point texturally and in terms of flavour, the truffle oil was muted enough that it didn't overwhelm.  Some parts were on the saltier side though.

Moving onto the pasta course, we were served both dishes on one sharing plate.  We got the idea of the concept, but it didn't bode well for pictures!  The first was Tagliolini Con Gamberetti with red prawns, tomato, fennel, arugula, pepperoncino and extra virgin olive oil.  The pasta was nicely al dente being firmly chewy.  Due to the pepperoncino, the sauce was spicy and continually elevated as we ate the pasta.  We enjoyed the mild salt content, but then again, the buttery shrimp were salty on their own.  To balance off the flavours, there was enough tang in the tomato sauce for an acidic brightness.  For our other pasta, we went creamy and rich with the Ravioli Ai Funghi Ai Salvia filled with mushrooms, mascarpone, ricotta, and white truffle oil  topped with sage-brown butter sauce.  Again, the pasta itself was al dente while the filling was creamy and light.  Flavours were predictable being chewy, Earthy and smoky buttery.

As if this wasn't enough food already, we moved onto 2 mains including the Anatra Due Modi featuring confit leg of duck with parsnip puree and roast duck breast with pine nuts and frangelico-orange sauce.  I found the brined duck breast to be tender and a bit salty.  The skin was a little fatty and somewhat crispy.  On the other hand, the leg was completely rendered with crispy skin.  However, the meat was somewhat dry, especially the parts near the surface. Loved the smooth parsnip puree while the orange sauce was sweet with a mild tang.  Our last savoury dish was the Rombo Amalfitano or potato-crusted halibut with limoncello-chive butter sauce.  The halibut was unfortunately dry, but still relatively ok.  The potato crust was crispy and well-browned, yet greasy.  Lightly sweet and tangy, the sauce went well with the fish, while the cheesy risotto was actually pretty good.  It did need more salt though.

For dessert, we shared the cliched dessert being the Tiramisu.  It looked decent and in the end was not bad.  The espresso-soaked ladyfingers were moist and flavourful while only being lightly sweet.  However, the marscapone cream was on the sweeter side and balanced out the ladyfingers.  For some reason, I wasn't that engaged with this dessert even though I've had my fair share of bad tiramisu (and this one wasn't bad).  Overall, the meal wasn't bad with a few bright spots.  However, considering the prices, I guess we were expecting more?

The Good:
- Effort was put into the food
- Wonderful service
- Classy ambiance

The Bad:
- Pricey
- A few execution issues (dry halibut, dry confit duck leg)