Shin Ka Gyuu 辛火牛

There once was a time where AYCE (all-you-can-eat) anything was super popular in the Lower Mainland.  Yes, there are still some kicking around, but with the ever-increasing amount of foodies, those places are not seen as "The" places to go especially for posting on IG.  Hey, I agree since the food quality at AYCE joints tend to be lower and the execution can be hit and miss.  If we look at AYCE hot pot, it can get even dicier as the prices aren't exactly cheap.  Add in the surcharge for broth(s) and sauce(s), it can quickly add up to North of $50.00 easy (depending on the class of restaurant).  So when Shin Ka Gyuu opened up in the old Joey location on Broadway, I was pretty skeptical as it was charging even more than that for their AYCE sukiyaki menu.  Mijune and I were invited to try it out recently, so it was a good chance to see what it was all about.

They have 2 dinner menus at $58.00 and $78.00 each with the pricier one featuring more variety of meats including Wagyu.  There is a special going on where you can get the $78.00 menu for $58.00 during the day before 4:00pm.  Although the menu is AYCE, there is a limit on the Sashimi where we got 4 pieces of Atlantic salmon, 2 spot prawns, 4 pieces of hamachi and 4 pieces of hokkigai. Too bad there was a limit because the quality of the sashimi was quite good.

Moving onto the Sushi, we were served Ebi Aburi and Salmon Aburi Oshi as well as SKG Dragon Roll and Ka Gyuu Roll.  The sushi rice itself was a little on the wetter side, but it wasn't bad at all.  The rolls and oshi were constructed well.  Although the aburi was torched enough for effect, there was a bit too much mayo/sauce on top.  The salmon and ebi underneath were nicely textured and fresh.  I would say these were more than acceptable given they were unlimited.

There was also a bunch of Appetizers available including Tako Wasabi, Seaweed Salad, Cucumber Salad, Jellyfish Salad, Tuna Avocado Salad and Tofu Salad.  I thought they were all pretty solid and in fact, appetizing.  In particular, the tuna salad was full of tuna and salmon.  We asked for more of that without the mayo and voila, more sashimi (see below)!  Even though the soft imitation crab on the softer tofu was all the same texture, I got another.  I liked it for some reason.  Jellyfish salad and seaweed salad were typical, but appealing.  Tako Wasabi was a bit sweet, but also a nice appie.

We got a few more things before the sukiyaki.  They included Onsen Tamago, Chicken Karaage and Kimchi.  Somehow, we didn't get the takoyaki and gyoza, but we had more than enough food already.  Egg was perfectly silky in the centre and the seasoning was just enough.  Chicken karaage was a bit small, so it was more crunch than chicken.  Kimchi was tangy and slightly spicy.  Wish there was some fermented shrimp in there.

Now the main event with the Sukiyaki with the original broth as well as Karai.  We preferred the sukiyaki broth as it was flavourful with depth.  Even though the karai was spicy, it needed more salt.  We had all the meats including Pork Belly, Beef Short Plate, Wagyu Beef Short Plate, Prime Boneless Chuck Flap, Beef Chuck Eye Roll and Chef's Choice (we didn't know what that was...  LOL).  All of them were tender and moist, even after cooking all the way through.  The quality of the meats was high and that alone justifies the price.

We sampled all of the desserts (of course we did, Mijune wouldn't want it any other way) and it was hit and miss.  The highlights included the Green Tea and Black Sesame Ice Cream as well as the Matcha Tofu. That tofu was so silky and just sweet enough.  I could have many of those.  So in the end, much like any other AYCE, we could pick at some of the faults.  However, given the modern dining space (which had great Covid protocol), high quality of the meats and some appealing appies, it was really worth the price.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good: 

- Excellent meat quality

- Nice dining space

- Decent variety

The Bad:

- Dessert can be hit and miss

Zia's Cafe and Grill

The "industrial park" restaurant is one that we've seen before.  Hidden within warehouses and offices, the place is usually non-descript, have limited hours and offers up generic food for the workers in the area.  However, that is certainly not the case with Zia's Cafe and Grill located in 13700 Mayfield Place in Richmond.  Sure, they still serve burgers and such, but that is only a small part of the menu.  In addition to that, we find made-from-scratch Persian, Indian and Middle Eastern dishes.  I recently made my way out there with Jacqueline for a taste of their wares.

We began with their Vaziri consisting of both Kebab Koobideh and Joojeh Kebab with saffron rice and grilled tomatoes.  This was a large plate of food that would serve 2 people easy.  Both the chicken and beef were tender and nicely spiced.  The ground beef kebabs were juicier with a nice onion finish while the chicken breast kebabs were a bit drier with the essence of saffron.  I would've liked a bit more char, but these ate very well nonetheless.

 

The next set of dishes included Gheimeh (Split Pea Stew, Ghormeh Sabzi (Herb Stew) and Kashk O Bademjoon (Eggplant Dip).  We could really tell these were made from scratch and resembled more like home-cooking than restaurant food.  Hence, the dishes were salty nor too greasy.  I found the lentil stew to be mild with tender beef and light tomato notes.  The herb stew was very subtle with herbaceousness and tender beef as well.  Complimented by mint, garlic and yogurt whey, the roasted eggplant dip went well with the soft flatbread.  I also thought the flavours in this was also subtle.

By looking at the colour of the Butter Chicken, it didn't appear that they used tomato paste.  In fact, it looked like they used fresh tomatoes.  Hence, the flavours were creamier and again, I'll used the word, subtle.  I was able to get the earthiness of the cumin and just the slightest hint of spice.  Nestled in the sauce, we found tender nuggets of chicken.  Again, this was served with saffron rice.

Now the fact they serve different things other than their core menu has mainly to do with offering more lunch options in the industrial park they reside in.  But their Famous Charbroiled Burger was far from a throw-in.  I thought it was fantastic as the fresh beef patty had a great meaty texture and flavour.  Furthermore, there was a smoky sear that complimented the natural taste of the meat.  Sure, their fries were not house-made, but at least they used Cavendish (Costco Fries) because they were good.

One of the best, if not the best, things we tried was the TFC Burger featuring crispy tandoori chicken bites nestled in a brioche bun with jalapeno mayo.  They were indeed crispy with some spice and plenty of impact.  Chicken was moist and the whole thing just ate well with a variety of flavours and textures.  I would say this is the thing to get here as it is unique and cheap at $10.00 including fries!  I would say that the food at Zia's is reasonably-priced considering that everything (well, almost everything) is scratch-made and not loaded with salt and preservatives.  Good option if you are in the area.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Scratch-made food

- Reasonably-priced

- Wonderful people

The Bad:

- Since it is homemade, things are milder and more subtle

Free Bird Table and Bar

Normally, when a new restaurant opens up shop, there is some form of media coverage, whether it be by traditional means (newspaper, TV, radio) or social media.  But one place opened up quietly during these Covid times and hence, I had no idea about it.  Free Bird Table and Bar, replacing the Irish-themed Ceili's in the Richmond Executive Inn, was not something I had on my radar when I first began my quest to find the best fried chicken sandwich.  In fact, when I finally heard about it, I thought it was related to the other Freebird in town.  Alas it isn't and in fact, joins a growing selection of elevated restaurants in the Executive Inn brand of hotels (such as Seaside Provisions and Hydra).  I recently stopped by to try their fried chicken sandwich as well as some other Southern-themed dishes.

Before we got to the meat of the meal, we went vegetarian with the Crispy Veggies featuring brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, lemon, parmesan, feta and pumpkin seeds.  What better way to make veggies sexier by deep-frying and then roasting them with cheese?  This dish closely resembled some of the other deep fried brussels sprouts offered in town except with the addition of other veggies to the mix.  There was a variety of textures and flavours including the tang from the lemon and saltiness from the cheeses.

We didn't get too creative with the next item as we got a half-dozen of Effinghams.  However, sometime simplicity yields the best results.  It was the case here as the oysters were fresh and properly shucked.  No shell fragments to speak of.  These had a subtle sweetness to them with plenty of brininess.  Background brightness and frankly, they could've been eaten without the supplied mignonette or cocktail sauce.  Maybe a squeeze of lemon and you are good to go.

Getting right to the dish we really wanted to try, the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich was fantastic.  I would call this the "sleeper chicken sandwich" because it is so under-the-radar, that most people would never even know about it.  I hope they do now since it just looked the part even before we took a bite.  With that jaw-stretching bite, we were greeted to a crunchy chicken breast that was well-spiced and tender.  Lots of heat and spices from the batter itself and combined with the chipotle mayo, we had layers of flavour.  The coleslaw was thick-cut and firmly crunchy.  Completing the sandwich was a sturdy, yet soft toasted brioche bun.  Really good and should be talked about more often.

We couldn't just try the sandwich and not also go for the Fried Chicken sporting buttermilk-braised chicken with waffles, pickled mustard seed, coleslaw and truffled honey.  This type of fried chicken is unlike what we usually see up here in Vancouver.  This featured a hard thick batter that was nicely seasoned.  The chicken underneath was a little dry since it had been cooked prior to the deep-fry.  I did enjoy the truffled honey as it added a pleasant sweetness to the chicken and soft waffles.   This was a lot of food though as this was essentially half a chicken on the plate.

So I've been to New Orleans before and so my expectations for Shrimp & Grits maybe a bit different than what we are familiar with locally.  Therefore, when the dish hit the table, I was confused at its appearance.  Thankfully, this ate well despite its "neat" plating.  Normally, it would be more rustically set upon the plate with the residual juices and oils from the blackening the shrimp and sausage.  With this version, the cheesy and creamy grits were good.  So was the spiced andouille sausage and the perfectly cooked shrimp (it could've been more aggressively blackened though).  The runny sunny-side egg did help provide moisture to the plate though.

Lastly, we tried the Mini-Shrimp Po'Boys that once again, didn't resemble the ones I had in New Orleans, but were go in their own way.  Instead of a French roll, these mini-sandwiches were served on a buttered and toasted split brioche bread.  I personally love this type of vessel especially with lobster rolls, so that didn't bother me at all.  Inside, we found golden and crispy fried shrimp with a bit of honey mustard.  A few cucumber ribbons on top for colour and crunch.  Non-traditional po'boy, but tasty nonetheless.  Overall, Free Bird offers up Southern cuisine which is not commonly found in Vancouver.   Something a bit different and the chicken sandwich is the dish to have here.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Something different

- Loved the renovated space, nice and bright

- That chicken sammie

The Bad:

- Fried chicken could've been more moist and flavourful

Yep, the blog turns 12!

Ah yes, the blog keeps going, albeit limping along right now due to Covid-19.  Whatever the case, it still exists.  I'm still doing as many posts that I can at the moment, while trying to be as safe as I can be.  I have to say that most of the restaurants that I have visited have been following Covid protocol and are doing their very best.  I feel for the restaurant industry as they have been hit hard.  Some have pivoted well and are able to do take out as their primary business.  Some don't do well with that format, in particular, fine dining.  I really hope things work out for most as these people are hard-working and are trying their best to survive.  With all that being said, here we are at 12 years and I will keep it going despite what is going on in the world.  I do encourage you to follow me on Instagram:@shermansfoodadventures though as I post things that I may not blog about.  So as customary, I'm holding the yearly draw for a $100.00 gift cert to anywhere you want in the GVRD (as long as the offer GCs).  Just leave a comment with your first name and last initial and I will draw the winner in 2 weeks!

Superflux Beer Company

For those craft beer connoisseurs out there, I'm sure you've heard of Superflux before.  Emerging out of the shadows of Callister and Strathcona Brewing since its inception in 2015, Superflux opened its B&M store back in August 2020 with takeaway sales and limited takeout.  As of last week, they are going full-tilt with a dine-in lounge with their full array of beers on tap.  Furthermore, Chef Justin Lee (formerly of the Crowbar), is at the helm of the kitchen with a simple menu of 3 gourmet hot dogs and 3 salads to start.  Jacqueline and I dropped by for a preview before they went live.

Let's get right to the point of this blog post - the beer!  They didn't have actual flights per se, but to get a sample of what they had offer, we got 6 x 6oz tasters.  From top left and clockwise, we had the Green Hill Cider, Colour & Shape, Fresh Foam, Happyness, Coconuts and Velvetone.  My favourite of the bunch was the happyness, an IPA dry-hopped with mosaic.  This was aromatic and light with a pleasant sour finish.  As much as the velvetone is a double-IPA hopped with galaxy, citra, mosaic and nelson, it wasn't that intense.  In fact, it was balanced with a nice crisp finish.  The most surprising was the coconuts as I was expecting something too sweet, but in the end, it was aromatic with a pleasant bite.

Off to the eats, we tried the salads including (from left-to-right) the Purple Queen Turnip "Not" Caesar (with cannellini, parmigiano vinagrette and crispy butter), Castelfranco Radicchio Nahm Jim (with radicchio, green bean, fermented tomato nahm jim, fried shallots and peanuts, Endive Bolzanese (with Belgian endive, Italian egg salad dressing, pickled onion and crispy potato.  Don't let the fact these were salads fool you.  They were excellent.  The turnip in the "Caesar" was crunchy and bright while the butter soaked croutons (aka crispy butter) were sinfully addictive.  Absolutely enjoyed the South Asian flavours in the castelfranco that featured tang, aromatics and slight spice.  Creamy and eggy, the crunchy endive was also the beneficiary of the added texture of the crunchy and nutty potato bits.

From the 3 salads, we went to the 3 hot dogs including The Mortadella (with a Black Forest Premium Bavarian dog, corn ragout, mortadella, lemon mayo, pistachio, grana padano and olive oil), Beet Ranch (with the same dog, beet and white onion salad, baby cucumber, house ranch, dill, potato crum and olive oil), and The Oscar (with Two Rivers all-natural dry-aged beef dog, oven-dried tomatoes, dressed rock crab, bearnaise sauce, smoked paprika, chives and olive oil).  Our favourite was the beet ranch with its combination of textures, dill and sharp onion.  In the oscar, the tangy impactful tomatoes really brought the hot dog alive as well as providing a jolt of acidity to the creamy bearnaise.  As you can see, the food is limited at the moment, but they really do go with the beer (even the salads!).  Nice spot to grab some superflux bevvies to go with your food.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Well, the beer!

- Surprisingly good salads

- Solid hot dogs

The Bad:

- Dining space limited due to Covid

Moxie's Grill & Bar (Richmond)

Believe it or not, I've not been to a location of Moxie's since 2011.  Back then, it was for late-night eats and we came away satisfied.  Since then, there have been changes to the menu and more recently, I was invited to try their happy hour and dinner menu at the Richmond location attached to the Sandman Hotel.  We were seated in the outdoor "solarium" section of the restaurant that could be converted to an outdoor patio.

Looking over the menu, there was a little of everything that would satisfy most appetites but there were a few items that stood out.  As simple as the Roasted Tomatoes and Whipped Feta sounded on the menu, it turned out to be one of our favourite dishes.  Creamy, tangy and full-flavoured, the airy feta was perfectly balanced by the blistered tangy tomatoes.  The combination of olive oil and garlic added even more aromatics.  The flax seed sourdough drizzled with olive oil was fluffy, yet still firm enough to be the complimentary vessel.

Another eye-pleasing appetizer was the Fresh-Smashed Guacamole served with fresh white corn chips & pico de gallo. Prior to Covid-19, this would actually be prepared table side.  However, there was no mistaking that this was made-to-order.  The ingredients were fresh from the ripe avocado to the tangy tomatoes and sharp onions.  I would've liked to see a lime wedge on the side, so we could adjust the acidity for ourselves.  We loved the corn chips as they were light and crunchy while not over-salted.

As much as Calamari is pretty much a staple at most restaurants these days, this version at Moxie's stood out.  Rather than preparing the squid in rings, they were cut up "Asian"-style, that allowed for more texture.  It was a nice balance between being tender while still offering up some bite.  Light on the grease, the crispy batter was well-seasoned and fried just right.  Loved the charred half-lemon, where we could really brighten things up with the entire dish.

Our last happy hour item was a complete flavour bomb.  We weren't expecting the Shrimp Tacos to blow our minds, but it did with a combination of spiced shrimp, spicy black bean crumble, pickled red onions, corn salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole and spicy mayo.  Warm and soft, the tortilla encased a combination of textures, heat, sweetness, acidity and aromatics.  Shrimp was on point with a snap.  I would gladly eat this again!

Served on a pretzel bun with sauteed mushrooms, horseradish, roasted garlic aioli and cheese, the Beef Dip was satisfyingly filling.  It was loaded with tender roast beef that was actually rather lean.  Nice flavours already from the cheese, mushrooms and aioli, but the au just was super flavourful.  It was salty on its own, but combined with the robust pretzel bun, it was balanced.  On the side, the fries were crispy with plenty of potato goodness left inside.

For myself, I didn't get too creative because I'm currently on this fried chicken sandwich kick.  Hence, I had to order BT's Crispy Chicken Sandwich in the spicy version with Louisiana hot sauce.  Ultimately, this became a buffalo chicken burger and it was pretty good.  It featured a large whole chicken breast with a thin layer of panko on the outside.  The chicken was moist while the panko was crispy (even with the sauce).  With 2 large dill pickle slices underneath, it added a nice tart crunch.  I would've personally liked to see a brioche bun, but the bun was still soft and toasted.

Neatly plated atop ancient grains and green beans, the Chipotle Mango Chicken was finished with pico de gallo and avocado.  Coated with a sweet & smoky rub, the chicken was not lacking in impact.  Except for the very thin tip, the chicken breasts were tender and moist while sporting an even char.  Mango puree on the side added a kick of tropical sweetness.  Loved the chewy grains underneath as they were full of texture.  Green beans were cooked perfectly too.

For our pasta dish, we tried the Chicken Madeira Rigatoni with pan roasted chicken, creamy mushroom and madeira wine sauce, fresh rosemary and lemon. This was a large portion of al dente rigatoni where the sauce was full of depth from the umaminess of the mushrooms combined with the meatiness of the chicken.  Furthermore, the madeira came through without being too strong.  It was also a good thing that there wasn't too much moisture on the plate either.

At first, we were a bit skeptical of our dessert - the White Chocolate Brownie.  Normally, white chocolate anything is overly sweet.  However, we found this brownie to be purposefully sweet without going overboard.  It was rich and gooey with chunks of dark chocolate inside, chocolate sauce underneath and French vanilla ice cream on top.  We shared this and still thought it was rather large!  This was a nice finish to a solid meal at Moxie's. 

Nice to see they are adapting their menu with the times.  Plenty of tasty choices to be had within an environment that is following Covid-19 safety protocols.   

Now if you want a chance to dine at Moxie's to see and taste for yourself, I have teamed up with Moxie's for you to win one of two $50.00 gift certificates to be used at the Richmond location.  To enter, go to my Instagram page.  Follow @moxies and @shermansfoodadventures, tag a friend asking what food or drink they would like to try on their next visit *¹ The draw will be held in one week and will be announced via Instagram story. 

*All food and beverages were complimentary* 

The Good:

- Plenty of choices on the happy hour menu

- Well-portioned dishes

- Some bold flavours

The Bad:

- Could replace the peppers in the pico de gallo with spicier chilis for more impact 

*¹Giveaway is only open to residents within the BC Lower Mainland. Winners will be required to pick up their gift certificate at Moxie’s Grill & Bar Richmond location and are entitled to use it on food and non-alcoholic beverages. Contest closes on October 27, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST.