Sunday Brunch @ Cafe Pacifica (Pan Pacific)

I've been wanting to try the Sunday buffet brunch at the Pan Pacific Hotel for quite awhile now. There are not really that many to choose from in the GVRD. There's one at the Sutton Place Hotel; but I haven't heard many nice things about it. The one at the Hotel Vancouver was quite good; however, I thought it lacked selection for the price. I still think the brunch at the Crystal Mall Hilton is still the best value; yet, the one at Cafe Pacifica is apparently the standard.

Well, today I went to find out if the brunch at the Pan Pacific could live up to the hype. Of course, since we are in Vancouver, I had to go on a rainy (snow too!) day. However, with the plethora of glass in the lobby and restaurant area, there was lots of natural light. I really could just sit here content all day with a drink and a book. The ambiance was classy; yet casual enough that you can just plain relax. I enjoyed listening to the piano throughout my meal. Before any talk about the food, I must say that the service was impeccable. I guess for $50 a head, it'd better be good service! All the staff went out of their way to make us comfortable and happy. You know the service is good when you don't have to ask for anything - it just automatically happens. I also found the staff very accepting of my picture taking; this was one of the few times I felt weird taking photos. Maybe they thought I was a tourist or something.

Now on with the food... The first thing that caught my eye was the big bowl of Cocktail Shrimp and King Crab Legs on a bed of ice. The shrimp were very large and fresh (very crunchy). The other appetizers included Assorted Sushi, Cheese Plate, Smoked Salmon, Corned Beef, Seafood Ceviche, Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Couscous, Artichoke and Pepper Salad, Cherry Tomato with Bocconcini Cheese and Cold Asparagus. The sushi was decent; but you would never confuse it with a true Japanese restaurant. The smoked salmon was outstanding; the slices were big and the salmon was melt-in-your mouth goodness. Surprisingly the corned beef was excellent. The meat was well marbled and it was ever so tender and tasty. The seafood ceviche was fresh; but it was not mixed very well. Some parts had way too much lemon and other parts had no flavour at all, despite the obvious bits of onion, cilantro and peppers. All of the other cold salads and appetizers were pretty standard.

Moving onto the hot food, I was surprised to find a relatively small selection. In addition to the regular items such as sausages, bacon, and Eggs Benedict; there were roast potatoes, mixed vegetables (baby carrots, green beans, baby squash, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, orange cauliflower and purple cauliflower), Chow Mein, Beef Curry with Chutney, Haw Gow, Sui Mai, Spring Rolls, Smoked Salmon with Fennel and Beurre Blanc, Mongolian Free Range Chicken, Halibut Wellington and Roast Pork. The curry was actually pretty good, with the beef being very tender and the chutney adding sweetness. The Chinese Dim Sum items were a miss, you'd be better off going to any random Dim Sum place. The smoked salmon was a bit overcooked (it's hard to control that in a buffet setting); however, it did taste good. The mix of smokiness, beurre blanc and fennel was pleasant. The Mongolian chicken was tender and not overcooked; yet the sauce tasted purely of Hoisin. The halibut was fabulous, it was a bit overcooked; but it can be forgiven since it's in a buffet setting. The pastry was flaky and not overbearing, while the mushrooms mixture brought an earthy flavour to the dish. The roast pork was also a hit. It was cooked perfectly, despite it's dry appearance. One bite into the meat produced the "mmmm" reaction from everyone. It was so tender and juicy that you really didn't need the demi-glace.

Nestled within the hot food was the omelette bar. I didn't get a chance to try the omelette bar since there was so many more food options. Yet, I did watch the chef make the omelettes and he seemed very proficient and skilled. The dessert section was quite extensive, I only got to try a few items - Creme Caramel, Cheesecake and a Lime/Chocolate Mousse Cake. All of them were as good as they looked (naturally there would be skilled pastry chefs in a premier hotel). So, is the Sunday brunch at the Pan Pacific worth $50? Well, it all depends. If you enjoy being pampered in an inviting environment combined with above-average food, then it's definitely worth it. However, if you have an eye more for value, then I would go for the brunch at the Crystal Mall Hilton. It's $20 less and the selection is only slightly smaller.

The Good:
- Excellent service
- Comfortable surroundings
- Food is pretty good for a buffet

The Bad:
- Unless you eat the whole bowl of shrimp and crab legs, it may not be worth the $50
- Parking is expensive (go for the parkades a block away)
- Some of the items are sub-par (not really acceptable for supposedly the best brunch in town)

Cafe Pacifica (Pan Pacific Hotel)
999 Canada Place
Vancouver, B.C.
604-662-8111
www.dinepanpacific.com/cafepac.php

Prince

Had to drive the folks to the airport this morning, they were headed off to Hong Kong again. They had just gone during Christmas, but they were stuck in that snow delay. They waited on the plane for over 10 hours!!! Air Canada, knowing that they peeved a lot of customers off, decided to hand out discount vouchers. Therefore, my parents decided to take up Air Canada's offer and this time, thankfully there wasn't any snow. Since we were out anyways, we had arranged to have Dim Sum with Costanza at Prince.

Prince is fairly new, but the actual location has been many different restaurants in the past. Each one has failed somehow, not sure if this location is jinxed or something. However, Prince seems to be doing quite well and maybe it will be the restaurant that will break the hex. I've been to Prince before and the food quality is pretty good. The place is very busy during Dim Sum, you have to show up when it opens at 10:30 to avoid being in a long lineup. Arriving early also guarantees you a parking space. There are very few spaces available for Prince, most of the other spaces are reserved for Tom's Video and Bentei Sushi. However, there are some more spaces behind the restaurant as well.

There are no push carts at Prince, you use a checklist to order your Dim Sum. It's quite obvious why they don't, the restaurant is too small and tight for carts to get through. So we ordered a bunch of food off the list: Haw Gow (steamed shrimp dumpling), Sui Mai (pork and shrimp dumpling), Spareribs, Fried Eggplant with Shrimp, Shrimp Spring Rolls, Bible Tripe, Pea Shoots, BBQ Pork Buns, Taro Pudding, BBQ Pork Puff Pastry, Cheun Fun (rice noodle roll) , Dan Tat (egg tart) and BBQ Duck Noodles.

The Haw Gow were pretty good, I've had better, but for the price they were decent. I guess the shrimp inside were not large enough for my liking. The Sui Mai were good, the pork retained its texture (not overdoing it with the baking soda) and the shrimp were crunchy. The spareribs were very good, the meat still retaining its chewiness, yet still being tender. I liked the addition of peppers on top, it added to the overall flavour of the dish. The fried eggplant was outstanding. I've had this dish at many places before; but this is probably the best I've had. There were 4 large pieces of eggplant with a generous amount of shrimp stuffed into one end. It was fried perfectly with the eggplant being soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. The black bean sauce was not overly salty either. The spring rolls were filled entirely of shrimp and were not oily at all. I liked them, but on a side note, what ever happened to the old school spring rolls? What I mean is the spring rolls filled with pork and/or vegetables? Not many places have regular spring rolls anymore...

The bible tripe was executed perfectly, it was soft and chewy at the same time. The Char Sui Bao (BBQ pork bun) was bursting with BBQ pork and the bun itself was fluffy. The steamed taro pudding tasted great with plenty of dried scallops, preserved Chinese sausage and meat on top. However, the pudding itself was a bit stiff. The stir fried pea shoots were fresh and cooked just enough, so that it retained its texture. There was also a large amount of large dried shrimp that gave the dish another flavour component. The BBQ pork pastries were large and full of BBQ pork while the pastry was light and flaky. The beef cheun fun was soft and it was stuffed with plenty of beef. There wasn't an overabundance of scallions; thus you could still taste the flavour of the beef. The egg tarts were flaky just like the BBQ pork pastries, and the egg filling was not too sweet.

Finally, the last dish was the BBQ duck noodles. It didn't arrive until 1.5 hours after we had ordered it. We were concerned that the kitchen had never received our order when we received all of our food and it still didn't show up. So I asked a manager to check on it... Another half hour passes. So I asked one of the servers to check up on it... Another half hour passes. Finally, we spoke to another manager and mercifully it comes out. To add insult to injury, we get it 1.5 hours late and we get the duck wing! The worst piece of duck to get is the wing, because it's usually lacking in meat and it's the driest portion of the BBQ duck. During all this time, we never received an apology of any kind. Again, some of you might just say, "Sherman, it's a Chinese restaurant, what did you expect?" Well, I'm sorry. I pay money to eat and if I get service like that, I don't care what type of food I'm eating. I think there needs to be a minimum level of service. I will admit that the food at Prince is pretty good, especially for the price. But if the service is lacking, then I cannot understand why I would want to pay for disappointment.

The Good:
- Dim Sum is very good
- Dinner is good too
- Good value

The Bad:
- Service needs to improve
- Parking is limited
- Dining room is tight

Prince Chinese Seafood
2881 Grandview Hwy
Vancouver, B.C.
604-430-6808

Dim Sum @ Golden Swan

Boy, we've been going to Golden Swan since it first opened. In fact, we went to it's previous incarnation as Golden Phoenix on Nanaimo and Broadway. Golden Swan first opened up as a small little one-unit operation on Victoria back in the 80's. Gradually, it began expanding by taking over neighbouring units until it has now taken over the entire plaza. Golden Swan is one of the few remaining places that employ push carts for dim sum. Most places give you checklists and you merely choose your dishes and they are brought to you. Now, I am actually indifferent to how the dim sum is brought to me, as long as it's good.

However, at Golden Swan, I would just rather they used checklists. Why? Well, the people that push the dim sum carts seem to have the PNE Showmart mentality where if they bother you enough, you'll want to buy 2 Sham-Wows or a vegetable slicer. If I don't want fried squid, I DON'T WANT IT. No matter how many times you ask me and tell me it's awesome, it won't change my mind. When I go for dim sum, I don't want to experience the same pressure I get at a furniture store. No, I don't want this couch and no I do not want to buy today. Do these ladies get a commission or something for the amount of Haw Gow they sell???

Anyways, dim sum is busy here at Golden Swan, so you'd better come early or later to avoid the 11:30 - 12:30 rush. Parking is also an issue, there are very few parking spots available and most of the street parking is restricted to residents only. Since we had 6 people for dim sum, we were able to order a wide variety of items. They included Haw Gow (steamed shrimp dumpling), Sui Mai (pork and shrimp dumpling), Spareribs, Beef Balls (ground beef and green onion), Dai Jee Gow (scallop/shrimp dumpling), Chicken Feet (it's really not that bad), Pork Knuckles (same, it's not as bad as it sounds), Beef Tripe, Cheun Fun (rice noodle roll), Rice with Spareribs, Seen Jok Geun (tofu skin roll) and Daan Tat (egg tart).

The Haw Gow was pretty good, the shrimp was crunchy; however, it was a bit oversteamed since the dumpling skins were stuck together. The Sui Mai and beef balls were quite good, flavours weren't too salty and the meat wasn't oversaturated with baking soda. However, the spareribs were horrid. It was swimming in sauce that mostly consisted of oil. They either put too much marinade or they steamed it too long. The scallop dumpling was a total miss as well. There was too much onion in the shrimp portion of the dumpling and it killed the sweetness of the shrimp. There is no need for onion in the dumpling. Also, one of the dumplings had pathetic pieces of broken scallop on top. That was aesthetically atrocious. Why the kitchen would let this happen is beyond me. I don't know about you, but I'm not paying good money for scraps . They should have refrained from using the leftover pieces of scallop.

The chicken feet and pork knuckles were pretty good, they were both soft and flavourful. The rice with spareribs was a bit mushy and it is probably due to the same reason the steamed spareribs were swimming in oil. The same spareribs probably saturated the rice with oil; thus making it soggy. The egg tart was very good though. The crust was flaky and the egg was soft and had just enough sweetness. However, the beef tripe was not tender at all, it was quite chewy. Although the tofu skin roll was pretty good, the dim sum cart lady made a mistake. We asked if there was shrimp in it and she confidently declared that there was no shrimp. We had someone at our table who is allergic to shrimp and guess what was in the roll? Yes, shrimp.

That was not the only frustration with the wait staff either. One of the dim sum ladies tried to force the aforementioned fried squid on us and actually had placed it on our table and marked it off on our bill. We told her we didn't want it and she forgot to take it off the bill! We had to track her down to get the item removed. She spent 5 minutes trying to count how many dishes we had. We had 7, and she marked off 8. I'm sorry to be mean, but how hard is it to count to 7? Then, we tried to order a small bowl of noodles. The server kept trying to tell us that they only had big bowls of noodles. Uh... no. All Dim Sum restaurants have small bowls of noodles, what if we only had 2 people??? If we ordered the big bowl of noodles, all we could eat are noodles! Then why come to Dim Sum??? Finally, we were able to order a small bowl of noodles after much trouble. So was there a perfect storm of negative events that made this venture to Golden Swan brutal? I would hope so. I've been to Golden Swan many times before and it's never been like this. So I need to be fair and think that this may be the exception. However, with such intense competition in Vancouver for Dim Sum, Golden Swan better not have too many of these off days.

The Good:
- Wide variety of Dim Sum
- Always lots of carts coming by your table

The Bad:
- Pressure sales from Dim Sum ladies
- Clueless wait staff
- Some issues with food quality

Golden Swan
5380 Victoria Drive
Vancouver, B.C.
604-321-6621

Mui Garden

*Location now closed*

Okay, what exactly is Chinese-style curry anyways? Well, it is definitely not "real" curry, such as the ones you find at authentic Indian restaurants. Chinese curry is usually yellow and quite mild. However, within that Chinese-style curry, there is another version that more resembles Malay/Thai curry, which uses coconut milk. This smooth curry is what Mui Garden is famous for. Sure, there are other places that serve similar curries such as Curry King and Cafe Glouchester; but Mui Garden arguably has one the best smooth curries in town. Now, this type of curry isn't for everyone. It's not spicy like a Thai green curry and it really doesn't have complex flavours like an Indian Curry. In fact, it's sort of bland.

I personally can appreciate all types of curry and I enjoy all of them. In addition to their curry, Mui Garden serves up items you would find in a typical Hong Kong-style cafe such as fried rice, noodles, spaghetti, sandwiches and a variety of drinks. Another signature dish is their Hainanese chicken, which is just as popular as their curry. Naturally, we ordered both the Beef Brisket Curry and the Hainanese Chicken, since it is what Mui Garden is known for. As mentioned before, the curry is very mild and velvety smooth. The smoothness can be attributed to the liberal use of coconut milk in the dish. This is definitely not low-fat eating! You have a choice between plain white rice and chicken oil rice. The chicken oil rice is usually served with the Hainanese chicken. The rice is essentially cooked in fatty chicken broth which is left over from cooking the chicken. Again, it's not low-fat eating; but it's ever so good. The beef brisket itself is remarkably tender. This is due to the fattiness of the meat itself and slow braising. The potatoes in the curry are also done perfectly; they are in one piece and still quite soft.

The Hainanese chicken was quite meaty for free-range chicken. Generally, free-range chicken are quite lean and the meat is a bit chewy. I don't mind this type of chicken; however, there are people who prefer the juicier, regular type of chicken. We also had the stir-fried Chinese broccoli and it was done perfectly. It was still crunchy and had lots of garlic flavour. However, it was a bit oily, they could have used a bit less oil and it would have still been good. The last dish was Steamed Tofu with Seafood and Chicken. This dish was pleasant to eat, but it was very bland. I know the premise of this dish is delicate flavours with delicate textures. However, it was way too delicate to the point that it tasted like nothing. I've been to Mui Garden a few times and if you stick with their popular dishes, they are indeed pretty good. However, I'm not convinced that their other dishes are really that good. I would say they are acceptable. There are other places with better food and at lower prices. With that being said, Mui Garden is another solid choice for Chinese food.

The Good:
- One of the best smooth Chinese-style (Malay/Thai inspired) curries around
- Good free-range Hainanese chicken
- Very comprehensive menu

The Bad:
- Prices are bit high for mostly average food
- Service is decent, but they need more staff
- Parking is limited
- Cash only

Mui Garden
4327 North Road
Burnaby, B.C.
604-421-8838

Business Hours:
11:00am - 9:30pm (7 days a week)

Shabusen Yakiniku House

*Restaurant is now closed*

You'd think that having Japanese AYCE so many times lately would make me sick. Well, if you know me, there are very few things that make me sick - well, maybe raw onions... Anyways, this is the first time I've been back to Shabusen since it had that infamous fire last June. Shabusen is a bit different from all the other Japanese AYCE joints, it includes Korean BBQ. For Korean BBQ enthusiasts, Shabusen might be lacking authenticity and choice. Moreover, for those who are well-versed in Japanese food, they might cringe at the Japanese food served here. But, as I have said before about AYCE Japanese restaurants, you cannot expect too much. You must go in with reasonable expectations, otherwise you'll be bitterly disappointed. But, if you really want quality Korean or Japanese food, and you cannot accept any less, then I suggest you stay away from these places. Now if you can stomach these types of restaurants, then please read on...

The prices at Shabusen have slowly crept up from 5 years ago, it's roughly $3 more now. AYCE lunch is $13 and dinner is $23. I personally think that the prices are reasonable for what you get. The overall decor and atmosphere of both Shabusen locations are inviting and comfortable. Only problem is leg room is at a premium since the grills are built into the tables. The service is a bit inconsistent. In fact, the service can be quite indifferent and slow. It really depends on your luck and I guess if you have to rely on luck for good service, then just like a casino you'll probably lose more than you win. The selection of food items is quite extensive for dinner and the lunch menu is better than most other AYCE places. Lunch even includes sashimi, albeit there is a limit of 8 pieces per person (that's still plenty).

We ordered a variety of items starting with Salmon and Tuna Sashimi. The fish was fresh and the slices were very big (Nordel Sushi, please take note!). It's nice to see that even though there was a limit, they didn't skimp on the size. The Gyozas were fried up nicely and were not overstuffed, having just enough filling. The Beef Teryiaki was alright, similar to most places, the meat was a bit chewy and it was pretty much unmemorable. The Chicken Teriyaki was alright as well, it was not overcooked and there wasn't too much sauce on it either. The Tonkatsu was a bit thin and overfried. The Tonkatsu at Ninkazu was better, as was the Chicken Karaage. The karaage at Shabusen was not very good. It's fried perfectly, but the skin isn't all that crunchy and the chicken is completely flavourless. It didn't look all that appetizing either, they probably used too much flour or starch.

The Nigiri Sushi was pretty standard, but it's good to see that the fish completely covers the rice (take note Nordel Sushi!). The roll sushi was actually not that bad. There was plenty of filling and they didn't overdo it with the rice either. Now, I left the Korean BBQ for the end because this is maybe a contentious issue for some people. Let me get this out first - it is NOT authentic Korean BBQ. That doesn't bother me personally; however I can understand why it would be an issue for others. I love authentic Korean BBQ and there are plenty of places in the GVRD that serve it. The Korean BBQ at Shabusen suffers from several issues - no small appetizer dishes, lack of meat selection, bland/unauthentic marinade and no service button at your table (just kidding...). But if you were looking for authentic Korean BBQ, you should look elsewhere. For me, Shabusen offers good value, taking into account the price and the overall selection of food. I will admit that Shabusen doesn't satisfy my Korean BBQ cravings; but I can put up with the occasional visit once in awhile.

The Good:
- Good selection for dinner and lunch
- Comfortable surroundings
- Korean BBQ included

The Bad:
- Service needs some work
- Food is a bit average
- Korean BBQ is not authentic and limited

Shabusen Yakiniku House
2993 Granville Street
Vancouver, B.C.
604-737-6888
www.shabusen.com

Business Hours:
11:00am - 2:30pm, 5:00pm - 10:30pm (7 days a week)