Luna Park Cafe

I'm a huge history buff, especially when it comes to the World Wars.  So imagine my disappointment when we had to leave the Museum of Flight (last year) just as we were entering the displays on WWI and WWII.  You see, the kiddies were hungry and we had already spent over 3 hours at the museum.  Determined to visit it again, we made our way to there this time around and headed straight to the part I wanted to see.  We met up with our friends Lola and Scout who had free passes.  Score!  Afterwards, after another 3 hours, the kids were ready to leave once again.  We ended up heading to Luna Park Cafe, which sits on the site of a former amusement park.  Hence, the decor in the cafe has all sorts of memorabilia.  In essence, the place is a diner complete with a long counter and jukebox. As such, I got into the diner mood by ordering a Creamsicle Shake.  As clearly shown in the picture, the shake was melting over the sides while a nearly full tin essentially doubled-up the order.  It was creamy, not crazy sweet and yes, very creamsicle-ish.  I liked how it was thick, yet at the same time, easy to process through a straw at the same time.

For my main, I had the Gut Bomb, which sounded really large in theory, but ended up to be a decent-sized burger with ham, cheese and a fried egg.  Nothing particularly amazing nor disappointing with it - a capable burger that filled my tummy.  The ham was moist while the patty was dry and slightly chewy. The bottom half of the bun was a bit wet as well. The side of fries looked amply fried and starch-coated, thus being really crispy.  Viv went for Jackie's Favorite which was a turkey melt with green chilies.  The turkey was dry while the green chilies added a nice tartness and slight kick. It was kissed by the flat-top with a nearly burnt (but not) exterior which added crunch and butteriness.  She had it with a side of Clam Chowder which was super rich with a heavy dosage of bacon.  Hence, there was no shortage of salty-smoky flavour to go with the creaminess and clammy broth.  This was good, but a cup was all one could take.

Scout had The Grinder which resembled a Philly cheese steak, but not.  It was pretty good with lots of ingredients prepared on a flat top, but what was the star of the plate was the thick crunchy onion rings.  I generally like the breaded version more, but this one was coated pretty thick and was super crunchy - hence very good. Lola went for the 1/2 Veggie Sandwich with a side of Chili.  The grilled veggies were vibrant with a slight char.  Despite the high moisture content, the bread did get wet which was a pleasant surprise.  The chili had a good kick although it was predominantly beans.

As for the kiddies, my son had the *yawn* Grilled Cheese.  Does he ever want anything else?  Anyways, it was made with real cheddar and toasted a golden brown.  However, there shredded cheese in the middle was not completely melted.  My daughter had the Kid's Burger and it was plenty big for her.  She wasn't particularly impressed with the chewiness of the patty though.  As you can see, the food here ain't gonna pioneer any culinary revolution.  It's a diner after all!  So if expectations are reasonable, Luna Park Cafe is a neat place to grab a meal.

The Good:
- Cool retro, eclectic digs
- Wonderful service
- Good milkshakes

The Bad:
- Food is so-so
- Long lineups (good for them)
- Lack of parking

I Love Pho

A few years ago, we visited a place called I Love Sushi and it turned out to be far better than we expected.  With a name like "I Love Sushi", it just didn't scream out authenticity, let alone great food.  Therefore, we were thinking much the same with "I Love Pho".  Yah, not the most original name, but I guess a cut above the regular numbering system of Pho <insert number here>.  Although I really do think What the Pho? and Pho Shizzle to be absolutely fantastic names.  The real reason we were looking for Pho in Bellevue was mostly for the kiddies. For some reason or another, they would much prefer some noodles over a cheeseburger.

One thing that has become a recent revelation for them is Fried Chicken Wings, so we got an order to start.  These were pretty large and fried up crispy.  Inside, the meat was moist and juicy.  For the kiddies, they shared an order of the Saigon Noodles.  Personally, it looked more like something you'd find at a Mongolian grill than anything else.  Yet, it was decent with predominantly sweet flavour.  The noodles were toothsome while the chicken was tender and veggies crunchy.  For ourselves, we had the Beef Yellow Curry which was very mild despite asking for spicy.  Furthermore, the sauce was thin and mostly sweet.  As for the beef, it was certainly tender, but far too overprocessed with baking soda.  This was a fairly large portion that came with an insufficient amount of rice.

Of course we couldn't forget about a bowl of Pho Dac Biet (since the place is named I Love Pho).  Again, the dominant flavour was of sweetness (they like their sugar here) while the broth as a whole was rather light, but clean.  The meats were sliced thin and tender.  An acceptable bowl of Pho.  Well, I Love Pho did the job (especially since we were heading to Factoria which was across the street), but we were more akin to "I had acceptable Pho" than anything else.


The Good:
- Acceptable eats
- Decently friendly people
- Wide selection of other dishes


The Bad:
- Wide selection of other dishes
- Everything was a bit too sweet

Honey Hole

As per our annual Spring Break tradition, we made the trek down to Seattle for some shopping, eating and picking up stuff from GPS.  GPS?  Yes, Goose's Parcel Service.  Come again?  You see, Goose lives in Bellevue and he has been nice enough all these years to be the receiver of various items that I've purchased on the internet.  This time around, even before setting foot into one store, we had over $2800.00 worth of goods to be picked up.  Yes, he does have house and contents insurance...  Before anything else, our first thing to do was eat lunch upon our arrival.  The place - Honey Hole Sandwiches.

We started the kids off on the Club Tasty consisting of thick-sliced bacon, Zoe's Black Forest ham, in- house roasted turkey, sharp cheddar, lettuce and tomato on a demi baguette.  This was a neatly constructed sammie with quality ingredients.  Nothing complex about it, but well made nonetheless.  We found the bread to be a bit on the chewier side which made everything slide out with each bite. For myself, I had the Buford T Justice which was really a pulled-pork sammie with pepper jack cheese and coleslaw on the same baguette.  The pork was moist and saucy with a sweet rich BBQ sauce.  The coleslaw was crunchy while not overly wet.  The dense baguette worked really well here holding up to the ingredients.

I added a Cream of Mushroom soup as my side and it was more Earthy than creamy. Definitely a whole lot of mushrooms went into this soup which was mild other than the inherent flavour.  Viv opted for the Waverider consisting of turkey, pesto, smoked gouda, red onion, hot peppers and aioli.  This was our favourite of the bunch as the smoked gouda was prominent while the pesto added a nice herby component.  Really good mix of flavours and lotsa turkey.  Oh yah, the fries were pretty good as well.  So as simple sandwiches can be, Honey Hole successfully makes them more interesting at a reasonable price.

The Good:
- Large sandwiches at a reasonable price
- Interesting combos
- Made with care

The Bad:
- Place is really busy with limited and tight seating

Gordy's Cafe

Over 4 years ago, I once visited a joint on Scott Road called Jellie D's.  Seeing how it named after a donut, I expected their wares to be good.  How wrong I was.  They made donuts as well as the Spice Girls can sing. Well, apparently, they were just sold and the new owners were not really all that interested with donuts.  I believe they were sold again and the donuts were removed from the menu altogether.  Yes, kinda confusing when the place was still named Jellie D's. However, I looked past the name and decided to give their $3.00 breakfast a shot.  Okay, it wasn't mind-blowing, but a really good deal nonetheless.  Finally, they've changed their name to Gordy's where cheap and freshly made is their calling card.

I've been back quite a few times, so consider this a recap of sorts rather than an individual post.  So what does $3.00 get you?  Their All Day Breakfast Combo consisting of 2 eggs, meat (bacon, sausage or ham), hashbrowns and toast.  As you can see in the picture, it's a respectable plate of food.  Kinda makes the one at Bon's look messy.  You could upgrade the breakfast with more meat and cheese atop your eggs for a couple of bucks more.  The options are quite extensive. Moreover, by looking at the bacon, it was not burnt while being crispy.   I've also given their Corned Beef Hash a try and let's just say it's best to stick to the breakfast combo.  The shredded hash browns and the deli-corned beef just doesn't cut it despite the low price.

Of course I have also tried their $5.49 1/4 Burger Combo which is also made in-house including the fries.  The beef patty can be a bit loose and crumbly, but it is freshly made.  The toasted roll along with the crisp lettuce and tomato make this a respectable burger.  The fresh cut fries could be crispier, but they do the job.  As you can see, the food ain't gonna win any awards, but for the price, it is more than serviceable complete with free smiles (sounds kinda familiar eh?).


The Good:
- Cheap
- Decent eats
- Friendly owner


The Bad:
- Place could use a reno of sorts
- Stick to the basics

Fire Pizza

Much like the last time I visited 4 Brothers Pizza, I was all alone with no one to eat with.  Therefore, I went back to the well along Commercial Drive to try out some more slice pizza.  Right next door to the 2nd location of 4 Brothers, I decided to visit Fire Pizza.  For $1.79 a slice, it seemed like a good bet, as well as the many choices they had. I gave the Beef & Blue Cheese a shot first, partly because it is the standard here along Commercial Drive.  I found the beef topping to be more substantial and "meatier" than that of 4 Brothers and Uncle Fatih's. Combined with an ample amount of blue cheese dressing, there was definitely impact.  However, what ultimately made the pizza slice a bit ordinary was the chewy and dense crust.  Of course it was reheated, much like the other joints, but even with that, it wasn't that crispy.  

Something that really caught my attention was the Honey Garlic Pork with bacon, red onion and pineapple.  This was pretty tasty with a good combo of sweet and savoury.  The drizzle of honey garlic sauce was not overwhelming while the ample amount of toppings ensured flavour in every bite.  However, much like the previous slice, the pizza was dry and dense crust just made it somewhat of a chore to eat. Lastly, I gave the Salmon Pizza a shot and it was predictably dry.  In fact, with no sauce and with the aforementioned crust, I needed a drink to get it down. Furthermore, there was a general lack of flavour as well. Now, on the other hand, I thought for the price ($1.79 per slice), there was more than enough salmon to make it a good deal.  And Fire Pizza is a good deal, especially for a quick bite or the munchies (for whatever reason...).  The interesting and ample choices ensures there is something for everyone.  But for me, the crust just doesn't cut it when compared to the other joints on Commercial.  

The Good:
- Lots of choice
- Cheap
- Interesting toppings

The Bad:
- Dense and chewy crust

The Crab Shop

With my son up on Mount Seymour for a birthday tubing party, it left the rest with 3 hours to kill.  Well what did you think we'd do?  Eat of course!  Rather than heading over to Lonsdale, we decided to head down to Dollarton Highway in search of fish n' chips.  Where you might ask?  Well, way back when, there was a little place called The Crab Shack.  They moved a few years ago into an business complex closer to the 2nd Narrows Bridge.  In addition to serving fish n' chips, crab sandwiches and chowder, one would find an actual seafood store itself.  Great way to have fresh stock on hand.

We started with the Clam Chowder which was more floury thick rather than creamy.  However, it did taste like the sea while having a good balance of flavours.  There wasn't an absence of ingredients per se, but the veggies were diced up far too small.  In essence, it felt like we were eating a sauce rather than a hearty chowder.  Viv opted for the Cod & Chips which was nicely prepared.  The cod was barely cooked where it was flaky and had a slightly rebound texture which indicated its freshness.  The tempura batter was neither too thick nor too thin while being aggressively seasoned.  The fries were a touch generic-looking, but in the end, were fried very crispy.  Despite lacking in tang and crunch, the tartar sauce was creamy with a good hit of dill.  

For myself, I went for the Halibut & Chips and it was fantastic.  Knowing how halibut can be easily overdone, this was cooked beautifully.  The fish was flaky and super moist.  And of course it was fresh as well.  Being named The Crab Shop, we couldn't get out of there without trying the Crab Sandwich.  First and foremost, I need to compliment them on the use of an excellent choice in bread, which was toasted just enough for a nice crunch to contrast the fluffy crab meat.  And about that crab meat, it was fresh with a bouncy texture.  There was a good amount of it, tossed in slightly too-much-mayo with tomato and lettuce.  What really made the sandwich was the aforementioned bun.  Overall, it was a pretty satisfying meal in a neat little place tucked away from the regular high-traffic areas.  It's worth checking out in you are ever in the area.

The Good:
- Fresh stuff
- Fish fried beautifully
- Okay pricing

The Bad:
- Fries could be better
- Chowder could be heartier
- Mostly take-out, only a few tables and counter seats

Cibo (Spring Into Lamb Tasting Menu)

I'm a lucky guy.  I know it.  Not only did I get invited to try the Spring into Lamb tasting menu (with Nk' Mip wine parings) at Cibo...  I was invited by Mijune as a guest.  Food, wine and a pretty lady - see what I mean as in lucky?  No, not that kinda of lucky!  Get your mind outta there!  I think Viv might be reading this...  Anyways, for the month of April, Cibo is featuring a lamb tasting menu for $69.00 and for $59.00 more, you get wine pairings for every dish.  Recently, Faizal Kassam returned to take over the reigns of the kitchen, where he had worked a few years ago. My last visit to Cibo was during that time and I found the food to be quite good.  As such, our expectations were pretty high.

We started with the Crispy Lamb Belly with salsa verde.  Initially, I thought we were being served polenta since I would've have never guessed that they would bread a lamb belly and fry it.  In the end, this dish didn't work for me.  The belly itself was chewy, salty and not "belly-like".  Furthermore, the salsa verde was too sour in my opinion. I appreciated the thought behind this dish because the breading would've acted as a contrast to the soft belly (which it wasn't).  Honestly, I would've been happy with a confit belly on its own.  Paired with this dish was Nk' Mip Pinot Blanc 2011. I found it to be smooth going down with a bite at the end.  It was a nice light wine that helped cut through the fattiness of the dish.

Next up was the Lamb Loin Carpaccio with smashed peas, fresh ricotta and crispy rosemary.  The peas were sweet with a bit of texture remaining while the fresh ricotta was airy, creamy and flavourful.  The lamb itself was seared lightly and went well with the compliments, yet the meat itself was sinewy. Not sure if this was just bad luck, but it prevented the dish from being excellent.  A glass of Nk' Mip Pinot Noir 2011 accompanied the dish. I found it to be a full-bodied wine with a definitive oak and peppery notes.  For me, it was possibly a bit strong for the delicate lamb, but by itself, it was a good wine.

Onto our favourite dish of the meal, the Anolini of Minted Ricotta with Tuscan lamb braise and ricotta salata was nearly flawless. The tender morsels of melt-in-our-mouths lamb were bathed in a rich reduced braising liquid.  The resulting sauce was full of natural meaty flavour which was balanced.  The pasta itself was al dente despite its thinness. It was filled with the same fantastic fresh ricotta. Pair with this was a glass of Nk' Mip Quam Qwmt Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.  For me, this was a strong wine with plenty of bite throughout and with a slightly vinegary finish.  I wasn't a huge fan of this, but then again, I'm not partial to stronger wines.

And yes, more lamb, in the form of Roast Leg of Lamb with new potatoes, cipollini onions, rosemary and honey.  Resembling more like a tenderloin, the leg meat was prepared beautifully.  It had a nice natural flavour on its own, yet was further accented by the sweet onions.  However, we felt there needed to be a demi of some sort to bring the dish together since the potatoes were dry while the lamb looked a bit lonely on the plate.  We were poured a glass of Nk' Mip Mer'r'iym 2009 to pair with this dish.  This red was in direct contrast to the other ones we had since it was fruity and light.  Definitely a good pairing with the leg of lamb.

For dessert, we were served a Pine Nut Semifreddo with crunchy orange bits, chocolate and mint. This was fantastic in my opinion.  The semifreddo was creamy and light (as it should be) with just enough sweetness.  It could've benefited from more pine nut, but that would be nitpicking.  The crunchy orange-flavoured bits were a textural and taste delight.  This was paired with the Nk' Mip Qwam Qwmt Riesling Ice Wine 2011.  Naturally, it was super sweet with noticeable fruity notes. Overall, I found the meal to be decent, but not without flaws.  The lamb belly was a fail in my books, yet the rest of the dishes were either very good or a component or two away from being very good.  It's obvious Executive Chef Faizal Kassam has talent.  Besides, I enjoyed the food he had a hand in preparing the last time I was at Cibo.  As for this tasting menu, a few tweaks are needed to make it complete.

*Note: This was an invited dinner where all food was comped*

The Good:
- If you like lamb...
- Some well-executed components

The Bad:
- Some tweaks are needed
- A tad pricey