Jz's Pizza

It has been nearly 8 years since we've last been in Toronto.  Finally, we returned but it wasn't our first choice.  Normally, we would head to a warmer destination during Spring Break, but we wanted to stay within Canada for a variety of reasons.  So here we are back in TO!  After arriving at Pearson, we made our way to Downtown on the UP Express to Union Station.  Making our frigid walk (this was March) to our hotel, we noticed JZ's Pizza across the street.  It looked busy and we were not in the mood for travelling far for food.

We started with some appies on the form of the Apple Pecan Salad.  Okay, I'm not usually the type to order a salad, but we need some greens and it did sound tasty.  Consisting of romaine, candied pecans, dried cherries, apple and gorgonzola, this was actually delicious.   Loved the play of different crunchy textures with the sweetness of the cherries and creamy mild sharpness of the cheese.  We dusted this off pretty quickly.

Next, we had the Eggplant Parmigiana which arrived in a large portion.   Topped with a considerable amount of melted and browned mozzarella, the dish was fulfilling and robust.  Underneath, the large slices of eggplant were tender while not being completely mush.  It was bathed in a tangy and lightly sweet tomato sauce.  It was bright and flavourful while giving off some earthy vibes.  Loved the crostinis that came with the dish.  We could've used more of them!

Of course we had to order a pizza, so we got the heartiest of the bunch in the Quattro Carne.  This think crust pizza was not exactly Neopolitan-style.  Rather, it was flatter and less raised on the edges.  However, it was still good with an appealing chew and being well-seasoned.  Nice char on the bottom and it was topped with a tangy sauce.   The amount of meat on this was substantial consisting of pepperoni, sopprasata, salami, hot Italian sausage and smoked apple wood bacon.  Suffice to say, this was not lacking salt nor spice.

We also had the Linguine Jambalaya with tiger prawns, hot Italian sausage and sliced chicken breast in a Cajun-spiced tomato sauce.   This was a pleasing pasta where the linguine was al dente and the flavours were slightly spicy, due to the sausage.  The sundried tomatoes added an extra layer of tanginess.  Amazingly, the chicken breast was moist and tender while the prawns had a meaty and sweet snap.  Overall, the food at Jz's was solid and we came away satisfied.  It won't set the world on fire, but fits the bill for most, especially late-night.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Friendly people
- Open late

The Bad:
- Don't expect gourmet, but it isn't trying to be either

 

Gordon Ramsey Steak (River Rock Casino)

I guess it was a matter of time that we got our very own Gordon Ramsey Steak in the GVRD.  Hey, he already has a location of Gordon Ramsey Burger in the Hard Rock Casino out in Coquitlam!  As much as there is plenty of hype with the name, I appreciate that he shows up for his restaurant openings.  It shows that he cares about his establishments and wants it to start off on the right foot.  Well, Eileen and I paid GRS a visit to see if it can live up to the hype.

Things go started off with an Amuse Bouche that was a Gougère filled with sharp cheese and top with blueberry and pickled onion.  A nice little bite with airy pastry and a good balance of flavours.  Our first ordered dish was the Dungeness Crab Cake.  This was pan-fried and not deep fried like other places.  It was practically all fluffy crab meat with very little filler other than some mayo to bind it.  It was definitely crab forward with sweet brininess that was complimented by some herbs and that was about it.  Nice crispy crust on the outside.  There was some herb aioli and a charred lemon as well.

We had one more appie in the Tuna Tartare.  It was beautifully plated with cucumber "scales".  The tuna itself was buttery soft and well-seasoned.  Maybe it was a bit too seasoned as I found it on the saltier side.  The spicy ponzu was quite dominant and did obscure the natural sweetness and flavour of the fresh tuna and ripe avocado.  This came with some sesame crackers, which were nutty and crunchy.  This helped alleviate some of the saltiness.

Of course we had to get their signature dish in the Beef Wellington.  As you can see in the picture, it was beautifully prepared being somewhere in between rare and medium-rare.  Unfortunately, the tenderloin was a touch chewy and the pastry was a little doughy.  Not that this wasn't good though, it was, but the one I had at Hell's Kitchen in Vegas was superior.  This came with a red wine demi-glace which was velvety and flavourful without being salty. 

We added one more main dish for good measure in the Miso Glazed Sablefish.  This was well-prepared where the fish was nicely seared while still being flaky and moist.  It had intense smokiness and caramelization as well as a rich saltines that didn't overwhelm the fish.  This sat in a briny and sweet shrimp dashi with Napa cabbage, bok choy and shimeji mushroom.  Good crunch from the veggies and added earthiness from the mushrooms.

For our sides, we chose the Heirloom Carrots and the Potato Purée.  Roasted with caramelized honey, the carrots came out intensely sweet and smoky.  It further intensified the natural sugars in the carrots already.  As for the potato purée, it was noticeably buttery and silky smooth.  Even though it was aggressively seasoned, we could still taste the natural potato essence.  Some chives on the top not only added colour, it did provide some brightness.

Why have only one dessert when we could have 3?  I attacked the Vanilla Mascarpone Cheesecake first because, well I'm a sucker for it.  This was a good one where it was creamy and rich without being super dense.  It was certainly cheesy and aromatic with on point sweetness.  We had some fruitiness provided by the berry compote on the side while tanginess came in via the lemon curd.  To top it off, there was some airy meringue.

Now the cheesecake was pretty solid, but my favourite was the Chocolate Tart.  Beginning with the firm and crispy tart shell, it held a silky and rich chocolate ganache.  It was a bit bittersweet (in a good way) where the dark chocolate really came through without being too bitter nor too sweet. It was topped with some chantilly cream which helped keep things a bit light.  A brush streak of salted caramel added that something something to bring out the sweetness even more. 

Now does that mean I didn't enjoy the signature Sticky Toffee Pudding?  Well, I did like it, but once again, it wasn't as good as the one I had in Vegas.  The date cake was still super moist and fully caramelized in flavour.  Yes, the dessert was pretty sweet, but hey, it's sticky toffee pudding!  I think the toffee sauce was the point of no return for the sweetness in this dish.  It was a bit smoky and plenty sugary.  I did enjoy the toffee ice cream as it had that rich nutty caramel flavour.  Overall, this visit to Gordon Ramsey Steak in Richmond was okay.  Other than the crab cake, nothing really stood out.  Things were competent and service was excellent.  However, when you are paying those prices, you expect a bit more.

The Good:
- Excellent service
- That crab cake
- Solid desserts

The Bad:
- Beef Wellington was not as good as expected
- More refinement needed

Dessert Artisanaux

Although there are a decent amount of Chinese dessert spots in town, I feel there aren't that many that truly stand out.  I guess Snackshot would be one that is fairly memorable partly due to their unique-looking desserts (such as the Mahjong one).  There is Blackball, which I've been to many times before.  It is fine and I have no problem going there too.  One of the busier spots is Tina Cakes on Kingsway, which I've been to twice without blogging about it (not sure why I haven't), but there is a newer spot nearby called Dessert Artisanaux.  They are constantly busy and their stuff ain't cheap.  Well, I drop by 2 times and yes, I'll blog about it!

The thing to get here is the Mochi Pistachio Paste.  I've had this twice and it is so texturally pleasing due to the soft spoonable mochi.  It is super delicate and has a great mouth-feel.  Beyond that, the bright green pistachio paste is nutty, sweet and aromatic.  It compliments the mochi well since it is not overpowering.  It allows the natural sweetness of the mochi to come through.  Some chopped pistachios add some crunch and extra nuttiness.

They have a pretty solid Pomelo Mango Sago here.  It is lightly creamy, purposefully sweet and refreshing.  Now that gets kicked up a few notches with the Coconut Jelly Noodles and Mini Glutinous Rice Balls with Mango Pomelo Sago.  Yes, that is a mouthful, but when eaten, it is truly a mouthful!  Beyond the good parts of the basic version, this one has the creamy coconut jelly noodles.  This adds aromatics and more sweetness.

If you think that is a mouthful, try the Taro ball, Taro, Coconut Jelly Noodles,Sago,Peach Gum,Mini Glutinous Rice Balls with Coconut Milk.  Yah, this has everything but the kitchen sink and well, it is quite good mainly due to the creamy and nutty taro paste.  Combining it with the aromatic coconut noodles, we have a lot of flavours going on.  The chewiness of the mochi balls and peach gum add more texture and believe it or not, this isn't all that sweet either.

The Taro with Coconut Milk Black Glutinous Rice is also aromatic with the same creamy taro paste and sweet coconut milk.  We have chewy black glutinous rice that offers up its own sweetness and texture.  You can order anything in a takeout container if you wish, so you can take anything you don't finish home.  We did that because we order lots!  Overall, the desserts here are good and there are many choices on the menu.  Prices are on the higher side though, but as you can see, I have been here more than once.  That means, I will be coming back for more...

The Good:
- Lots of choice
- Above average
- Not too sweet

The Bad:
- A bit expensive
- Needs more servers
- Parking is a bit difficult at times

Big Way Hot Pot (New West)

Okay, I'm sure most of you have visited Big Way Hot Pot (or something similar) by now.  Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that there has been an explosion of "build-your-own hot pot" restaurants in the Lower Mainland (and also other parts of North America).  You grab a bowl, pick your ingredients, get it weighed and pick a broth (or dry mix).  Food is brought to you when it has been cooked and when you are done eating, you can grab a to-go container.  Oh, and there is complimentary ice cream as well (with differing quality).  So I've been to the original Big Way location on Kingsway when it first opened.  Now I've made many visits to the large New West spot recently. 

As mentioned, this location at New West Station is large and spacious.  Situated in a former pub, it is a unique-looking dining room for hot pot (especially the crescent booth seating).  There is also much more space for the refrigerated display cases.  However, there is a bottleneck at the entrance and the start of the serve-yourself line.  You will find an tablet where you can put you name on a wait list.  Better yet, just do it online before you arrive.

After you grab your ingredients (you can save money, if you ease up on the meatballs, tofu and anything that has shells), you walk up to the till and have it weighed.  Pick your broth and take a number, it will be delivered to you shortly.  One of the more popular broth options is the Collagen Bone Broth.  This one is best for people who don't want anything too flavourful nor spicy.  It does have some meatiness and it is on the milder side.  I personally wouldn't pick this one though.

For me, the one to get is the Tomato Broth.  It isn't as concentrated as some of the competitors, but it does have the classic tangy sweetness.  It does taste like tomatoes and is properly seasoned in my opinion.  I find that this works well with meats as it is robust enough.  Furthermore, I like this broth with any noodles that will absorb a lot of moisture (such as dried noodles or instant noodles).  It takes on all of that flavour.  You can also have this in spicy and that is even more tasty.

So on the topic of spicy, there is the Signature Ma La Tang.  I've had this a few times and dependent on the time of day, it can be remarkably spicier or milder (you can also chose the spice level).  I think as the day goes on, the broth gets more concentrated?  Not sure, but there is some inconsistency.  When it is spicy, there is a real kick that lingers.  Underneath that spice, there is definitely some saltiness and sweetness.  I think this broth goes well with any of the sliced meats.  

Beyond the tomato broth, I also really enjoy their Miso Broth.  It is one of the more impactful soups where the saltiness does come through.  This goes really well with anything, but in particular tofu products.  It helps flavour them in a way that enhances the natural taste.  Noodles benefit from this broth as it adds the necessary seasoning.  Veggies do really well with this as well where it brings out the natural sweetness.

Finally, the most flavourful broth in my opinion is the Tom Yum Broth (with coconut).  It is super fragrant with a big hit of lemongrass as well as the galangal.  The coconut comes through with aromatics and the tanginess makes things super appetizing.  If you can imagine, this works well with both meat and seafood, but I find it compliments seafood the best.  The brininess pairs well with the Thai components of the broth.  Noodles do well too.

Of course, when you are done, complimentary Soft-Serve Ice Cream comes your way.  Depending on the day, you might find a vanilla, matcha or black sesame.  The picture here is the matcha.  This is not my favourite as it is quite gritty.  Tastes okay though, not too bitter.  The vanilla is the best in my opinion.  Now you won't confuse this with good soft serve such as Dairy Queen, but it is no extra charge.  So, is Big Way still the king of the hill after all of the copy cats have arrived?  I would say it is still one of the best and holds its own.  Other spots such as Datang may have more concentrated broths and at Jojo, lobster broth.  I do like this New West location as it has a parkade (paid though) and it is has lots of tables (and a view of the Fraser River).  

The Good:
- Spacious location
- Convenient, has parking and right at the Skytrain station
- Reliable eats

The Bad:
- Entrance is a bottleneck
- No validated parking

 

Din Tai Fung

So Vancouver finally gets their own Din Tai Fung...  Why is this so special?  Well, it all started with an oil shop in Taiwan that then transitioned into a small restaurant that had some really great Xiao Long Bao.  It became a bigger restaurant (that still stands today) and expanded globally.  Located right next to the Camana Hotel on Alberni, Din Tai Fung seems ready to take on the tourist crowd and also locals (who will brave Downtown traffic and find the few precious and expensive parking spots).  There is underground parking available as well.  We waited until the initial crowds had dissipated to check it out.

We've been to Din Tai Fung many times in the past, so we have a baseline for what to expect.  To start, we had the Cucumber Salad as well as the Seaweed & Bean Curd Salad.  Both were pretty small in size, but delicious.  Exhibiting a fresh crunch, the baby cucumbers were perfectly salted and accented by both sesame oil and chili oil.  As for the seaweed & bean curd salad, it was also well-seasoned with mild spice and a good balance between savoury and sweet.  Nice textures here.

We got one order each of their famous Kurobuta Pork XLBs and the Crab & Kurobuta Pork XLBs.  Both featured the classic thin dumpling skin with exactly 18 pleats.  This optimal method keeps all the soup inside while looking aesthetically-pleasing.  I am happy to report these were just as good as I remembered.  The skin was delicate with some elasticity.  The pork filling was moist and tender with a considerable amount of sweet and savoury soup that was not greasy.  Personally, I enjoyed the regular pork XLBs more than the crab.  It was just a bit too briny for my liking.

For our one veggie dish, we selected the stir-fried Spinach with Garlic.  Presented in the shape of the wok ladle, there was actually quite a bit of wilted spinach on the plate.  It was definitely soft, but not mushy.  Plenty of seasoning meant it tasted great.  Featuring the same spinach, the Stir Fried Rice Cakes with Chicken was also well-executed.  Possibly there could've been more searing on the rice cakes, but the dish did have wok hei.  It was nicely seasoned where it was a bit salty with some sweet elements.  The rice cakes were chewy, but not hard and the chicken was tender.

We moved onto a pair of noodle dishes next with the Braised Beef Noodle Soup and the Noodles with Minced Kurobuta Pork.  The beef noodle soup was legit with a meaty broth that had depth and was well-seasoned.  The large pieces of beef were almost melt-in-my-mouth tender with some tendon within.  It was also flavourful from the braise.  Noodles were al dente with a nice rebound.  As for the mixed noodles, the mince pork "sauce" was lacking moisture to combine with the chewy noodles.  With that being said, the pork itself was not dry and was full-flavoured being on the saltier side.

We went back to the dumpling well with the Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Shao Mai and the Sticky Rice with Pork & Mushroom Shao Mai.  Yes, they looked like sea anemones and unlike the XLBs, the dumpling skin was much thicker and chewier.  With the same pork filling, the first shao mai had elements of the XLBs.  With carbs on carbs, the second shao mai was rather doughy and not really something I'd order again.  They did taste good though with some umaminess and mild saltiness.  I've had these before, but somehow I forgot I didn't like them! 

To get our fill of dumplings, we also got the Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Potstickers as well as the Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Spicy Wontons.  We really enjoyed both of these with the potstickers having a crispy skirt.  Subsequently, the bottom was crispy as well and the rest of the dumpling skin was medium thick and appealingly chewy.  Filling was juicy and tender.  As for the wontons, it had the same filling, so that was a good start.  They were quite large in size and held onto the chili oil sauce well.  It didn't eat as spicy as it looked, rather taking on some sweetness and smokiness.

We got our dumpling fix but couldn't resist and had the Chocolate & Mochi XLBs with a side of Sea Salt Cream.  Oh these were fantastic with a rich and sweet velvety chocolate centre.  The sea salt cream was the key to this as it added a balancing saltiness.  I would have these again in this combination.  Overall, the meal at Din Tai Fung was as expected.  It was satisfying and the XLBs were on point.  Service was fantastic being attentive and personable.  Prices are of course on the higher side and portions size are not very big.  Good for a visit once in awhile or to bring your out-of-town guests who don't have a Din Tai Fung.

The Good:
- Excellent XLBs as usual
- Other dishes are above average
- Service is fantastic

The Bad:
- Pricey for the portion size
- Parking in the area is expensive

Sunflower Lodge

Last summer, I met with some friends at the Blackberry Kitchen in Mission.  This beautiful wood lodge situated at a top of a hill (with a view) offered up homey vibes with lunch and dinner service.  Well, fast forward to the present and now it is The Sunflower Lodge, which is affiliated with the Sunflower Cafe in Maple Ridge.  Hence, it dishes up the same fresh produce from the farm and focuses on BC ingredients.  We decided to go for the a la carte menu, however, they do have a tasting menu available too.

We were started off with a Amuse Bouche of White and Red Gooseberries in a sorrel purée.  This certainly perked up our appetites with bursts of sour tanginess with just a touch of sweetness.   If the pops of flavour from the gooseberries wasn't enough, the tartness and "greenness" of the sorrel compounded the appetizing effect.  There was also some bread with the same delicious cultivated butter from the cafe.  It was so creamy with strong "butter" flavours.  The addition of flaked salt really elevated the impact.

Our first dish was the Charred Asparagus with smoked mushrooms and Hollandaise.  Each sprig was tender while completely smoky from the char.  It was well-salted where it amplified the sweet flavour of the asparagus.  We found the fried mushrooms to be extra crispy, offering up a textural contrast while also giving off an appealing smokiness.  Creamy and mildly seasoned, the Hollandaise nicely complimented the veggies.

Bringing it down a few notches, the Turnips & Snap Peas was a somewhat subtle dish which acted like a palate cleanser of sorts.  Featuring fresh cubes of bright and earthy turnip and sweet pops from the snap peas, this was simple, yet so delicious.  On top, we found a goat cheese mousse which was also rather understated.  Normally, anything goat cheese can be rather strong and gamy.  However, this wasn't the case, especially combined with the tartness of the flowering currant vinegar.

One of the most unassuming dishes was the Smoked Sablefish Salad.  It consisted of flakes of smoked sablefish with pickled seaweed, celery, fennel with a rice vinegar, apple & celery dressing.  With each bite, we got the butteriness of the flaky sablefish and a pretty strong smokiness.  However, this was balanced off by the tang and sweetness of the dressing.  Crunch from the supremely fresh celery and fennel added texture and the small drops of dill oil afforded herbaceousness.  There was some background spice to it too.

When the Roasted Carrot Salad arrived, we noticed the plating with plenty of negative space.  Yet, the plate in general was nothing but positive.  It featured little underdeveloped carrots that would normally be discarded.  These cute little things were sweet and quite earthy with a touch of spice.  To compliment there was some dukkah for added earthiness and nuttiness.  Going for no wastage, we found a carrot top pesto which was herbaceous and also earthy.  We got another hit of creamy nuttiness from the cashew cream.

Moving onto the larger plates, we thoroughly enjoyed the Housemade Pasta.  These large agnolottis were stuffed with creamy boursin cheese.  That in itself was pretty tasty while encapsulated in an al dente pasta.  However, these were sauced with a sweet onion soubise which was creamy, sweet and buttery.  With the addition of porcini mushrooms and heidi cheese, we got some big hits of earthy nuttiness.  Really good pasta dish.

Arriving as a pretty big portion, the Poached Halibut was perfectly cooked, not to mention, super fresh.  It was flaky, barely cooked through and moist.  This was also an indication that the fish was never frozen.  It was fairly mild in terms of seasoning, but no matter as the creamy sauce Veronique provided a floral and herbaceous flavour to the dish.  Underneath, there was a spring vegetable succotash that exhibited a precise brunoise.  It was cooked beautifully where the fresh texture remained.  Some acidity was provided by the gooseberries and to top it off, there was some sea asparagus. 

Just like at Sunflower Cafe, we also had the Fraser Valley Roasted Duck Breast.  If I had to compare, this was prepared even better than the Cafe, but both were good.  The duck was super tender and juicy while the fat was fairly rendered with a crisp skin.  That Haksap berry jus was balanced with equal parts sweet and tangy.  It was definitely there but allowed the duck flavour to come through.  On the side, there was a turnip salad that was, of course, super fresh, bright and turnipy.

Saving the heaviest dish for last, we had the 16oz Ribeye with gnocchi fries, braised leeks and allium salad.  As you can see, the steak was prepared medium-rare and well rested.  It was also evenly charred with a caramelized smokiness.  To further enhance the steak, there was also a demi-glace on top.  Super crunchy and a nice concept, the gnocchi fries were pretty tasty, if not on the saltier side.  But this was alleviated by the onion and chive salad as well as the seared leeks.

Before we got to dessert, we had a pre-dessert in the Strawberry with elderflower and magnolia topped with mint.  Suffice to say, this was pretty complex with floral, fall flavours and fruity notes.  Nice palate-cleanser before we got to the Ricotta Donuts with housemade lemon curd and blueberry jam.  These were so airy and fluffy, it didn't feel like we were consuming any calories.  Wishful thinking I know!  The combination of tangy lemon curd and sweet jam meant there was a good mix of flavours.

We had one more dessert in the Goat's Milk Tres Leche with fresh strawberries and chantilly.  Once again, the gaminess of goat's milk was very subtle.  The sweetness of the caramelized condensed milk was the most impactful component other than the sweet and tangy strawberries.  This was a well-composed and balanced creation.  Very delicious.  In fact, the food at Sunflower Lodge is excellent and an improvement over Blackberry Kitchen.  Dishes are more refined and elevated.  What a real find in Mission!

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

The Good:
- Surprisingly level of refinement out in Mission
- Beautiful location
- Reasonable pricing given the quality and quantity of food

The Bad:
- For those not close by, it is quite the trek