Saint Germain Bakery

I'm not really enamored in visiting Metrotown on a Sunday. It's usually a madhouse and I'm quite crowd-adverse. However, everywhere I need to visit was at Metrotown. First I stopped at EB Games and traded in a couple of games. I really love the TIV (trade-in value) at EB Games, it allows me to get some new games for ones I've finished with. After that, I stopped by Stupidstore (I really mean Superstore...) to pick up a few items. On my way out after paying at the self-serve kiosks (are they really all that much faster?), I was face-to-face with Saint Germain Bakery. Oh! Wasn't I on a mission to find the best Chinese buns and pastries? Hey! I have my camera with me (what a coincidence...). I've had stuff from Saint Germain before, but it has been awhile. So I zip over to the counter and only got 12 items. I guess I felt guilty after my 6 egg breakfast at Horizons. After getting over the sticker shock, I quickly made my selections. I got BBQ Pork Buns, Pineapple Buns, Egg Tarts, Ham & Egg Bun and a Strawberry/Lychee Mousse Cake. The service at Saint Germain was outstanding. I know, great service at a bakery, how exciting... Well, with the indifferent attitude I got at Anna's Cake House, this was good!

The first thing you'll notice with the pastries at Saint Germain is that they are very nice looking. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better looking pineapple bun at one of the large chain bakeries. It's uniformly round (because of the paper liners) and the topping covers the entire bun. Does this translate into a better tasting product? Well, I think it's a matter of personal preference. Taking a bite into the pineapple bun, the topping was not too sweet; rather it was delicate tasting. The same could be said about the BBQ pork bun. It was so light tasting, it was bordering on bland. The egg tart wasn't bad, it had an extremely thin crust which is slightly flaky. The egg custard was smooth and lightly sweetened. However, the strawberry and lychee mousse was quite sweet.

For me, the pastries at Saint Germain are a bit too delicate. I much prefer the old school looking and tasting pastries at New Town Bakery. However, if you like delicate tasting pastries, then Saint Germain is not a bad choice. But, you must take into consideration that you are paying much more for it.

The Good:
- Products are made with care
- Great service
- Pastries are not too sweet

The Bad:
- Expensive
- Pastry dough is a bit chewy
- Flavours are a bit too delicate, bordering on bland

Saint Germain Bakery
#1144 - 4720 Kingsway
Burnaby, B.C.
604-438-8182
www.saintgermainbakery.com

Brunch @ Horizons

*As of 4/15/2010, Horizon's will be closed indefinitely due to a fire*

So where can you get 221% of your cholesterol intake for the day in one meal? McD's? KFC? Krispy Kreme? Probably... Well, there are a lot of places you can do that. Today, DT and I went to get our weekly fill of cholesterol in the form of Horizon's omelette bar. For $18, you can have as many omelettes as you want. Yes, that's right, you can get all-you-can-eat cholesterol that can probably last you for the month. Wait, there's more! You have a choice of shrimp, chirizo, smoked salmon, bacon, ham, red onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and cheese to increase the cholesterol levels in the omelette. Oh and did I mention they fry up the omelette in a generous amount of clarified butter?

Vandelay and Donna Chang came along for the brunch; but didn't have the omelette bar. I guess they are conscious about their cholesterol. Wait, scratch that. They love LA Fried Chicken, I think that's just as bad. So, we met up at Horizons on a glorious Sunday morning. The main attraction of Horizons is the view, and on a sunny day, it's hard to beat. The Salmon House on the Hill has probably a better view and also has the same omelette bar. Both restaurants belong to the same restaurant group, including Aqua Riva.

We were seated right at the window and the view was spectacular, too bad there are a few trees in the way. Ensure that you make a reservation ahead of time to guarantee a window seat. Sitting in the middle of the restaurant is not quite the same. As you know DT and I had the omelette bar. Of course it would be good manners to wait for Vandelay and Donna to get their food first before we attacked the omelette bar. But, we have no manners, so we went to get our cholesterol. Up at the omelette bar, there is a selection of freshly-baked pastries and fresh fruit. I guess the fruit helps lessen the guilt? I particularly like the savory cheese and chive scones. After filling up your plate full of pastries made with butter, you can choose the ingredients for your omelettes. You can watch the ingredients sizzle in butter while the chef creates your custom omelette. There is one caveat though. Don't expect the omelette to be cooked to perfection. The chef is usually too busy making 3 omelettes at a time to make it perfectly fluffy. I find that the eggs are always cooked a bit too much. With that being said, it's still pretty good eats.

Vandelay had the Eggs Benny and it was pretty good. The eggs were poached perfectly with the whites cooked and the yolks runny. It rested on a piece of Black Forrest ham and focaccia bread with a Bearnaise sauce on top. The home fried potatoes were not as crispy as they looked; however, they tasted very good. Lots of natural potato taste. Donna Chang had the blueberry pancakes. They were fluffy and full of blueberries. It was accompanied by honey sweetened whipped cream and syrup.

Service was pretty good, we were never left with an empty glass and finished plates were removed promptly. However, there were a few times where the service wasn't as good. On a previous visit for brunch, many of the servers were chatting it up at the bar and seemed like they forgot to check on their tables. I've been to Horizons many times before, for dinner and brunch. Food is decent; but you'll never confuse it with newer upscale restaurants in downtown.

Much like The Cannery, the food is a bit more conservative; yet if you accept it for what it is, it's more than acceptable. If you are looking for cutting edge fine dining, you might be disappointed. However, most of these other restaurants do not reside on the side of a mountain. The location of Horizons is a huge plus. Right now, there is a 3-course special for $29.95, this is cheaper than eating at Milestone's. Sure, the food may not wow you, but it's not exactly terrible either. I do think that their regular prices are not reflective of the food; but their special pricing makes up for that. Oh, and for the record, DT and I had 442% of our daily intake of cholesterol.

The Good:
- Outstanding view
- Plenty of parking
- Comfortable and spacious dining room

The Bad:
- At regular price, the food may not be up to par
- Service is hit and miss

Horizons
100 Centennial Way
Burnaby, B.C.
604-299-1155
www.horizonsrestaurant.com

Lao Shan Dong

If you can remember my previous post about Tomoya, I really wanted to visit Lao Shan Dong instead. We didn't know they closed early on Sundays. Well, here is attempt #2; mind you, I've been here lots before. Lao Shan Dong shares a parking lot with Tomoya; yes the same small, narrow one. I often wonder why they make parking lots so narrow, when some people obviously cannot maneuver in them. This is also the case of the Crystal Mall parking lot. I guess it's for economic reasons - get as many people in as possible. So Viv squeezes our SUV into a tiny space and she barely was able to get out herself, luckily she's petite.

The menu at Lao Shan Dong is pretty simple. They have a few noodle choices, dumplings and some small side dishes to choose from. We didn't feel like having a bowl of noodles each, so we decided to share a large bowl. We also got a small order of boiled dumplings and 3 side dishes: Beef Shank, Pickled Cabbage and Dry Tofu. The large bowl of noodles is more than enough for 2 people, especially if you order other items like we did.

The food came out fast and furious. I believe we got all of our items within 5 minutes of ordering. Of course the side dishes were quick because they are all pre-made and displayed up at the front of the restaurant. The beef shank was sliced razor-thin and topped with a thick soy-based sauce. It was pleasant to eat; however, the sauce was really salty. The dry tofu was also topped with the same sauce and all we could taste was salt. The pickled cabbage was lightly flavoured with vinegar, sugar and peppers. It was a good compliment with the spicy beef noodles. The boiled dumplings is an interesting dish. At first glance, it looks boring and bland. Also, the skin is a bit thick and the meat filling is not very flavourful. Okay, you're probably thinking that I don't like the dumplings. On the contrary, I do! When dipped into a mixture of soy sauce and white vinegar (you can adjust this any which way you want), it really works. It's also a bargain - 10 pcs for $5.

Now the main attraction, the beef noodles. As mentioned, the bowl of noodles is quite large, even the small bowl. The broth is flavourful; yet not overly salty. I like the addition of pickled vegetables which gives the soup some zing. It also gives a texture contrast to the noodles and beef. The noodles themselves are soft, yet still retains its elasticity. There were an abundance of noodles and beef in the broth. The beef flank was tender; however, since it's a relatively lean cut of meat, it can be a bit chewy. The beef noodles are good at Lao Shan Dong and stand up well to other places in the GVRD. Service, if you can imagine is hurried and efficient. you won't get much in the way of chit-chat; but this place is not about that. You can sit down, order, eat and leave within 30 minutes no problem.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Large bowls of good beef noodle
- Curiously good plain ol' dumplings

The Bad:
- Side dishes are so-so
- Seating is tight
- Lineups are common

Lao Shan Dong
4887 Kingsway
Burnaby, B.C.
604-439-9588

Business Hours:
11:00am - 9:30pm (Mon - Thur)
11:00am - 10:00pm (Fri & Sat)
11:00am - 3:00pm (Sun)

White Spot (North Road)

White Spot? You might be wondering why I chose such a conservative, unadventurous place for dinner. Well, if you read my previous post on Aquarius Bakery & Cafe, you will know that it was certainly an adventure, in more ways than one. I know that I wouldn't be hassled at White Spot for taking any pictures, even if it is close to Cumpari's and Anna's (I had picture-taking problems there too). Besides, I had my whole family with me, I wouldn't want to be "arrested" (see Aquarius again) for taking pictures of food?!?!

White Spot has been a favourite of mine since I was a little kid (can you say Pirate Pack?) going to the Oakridge location when the Oakridge Centre was an outdoor mall! Yes, an outdoor mall... in Vancouver. Go figure... Rain! Hello? I also went to the original Granville location before it burnt down. Hmmm... Am I feeling old??? Anyways, now that I'm in Burnaby, I go to either the North Road or the Lougheed and Gilmore location. I'm not particularly enamored to either of them, but they are close to me. When I go to White Spot, it's usually for their burgers. Yes I know, they are not very big, there is waaaay too much mayo on them and the patties are kind of thin (even the Bigger Better ones). Well, for some strange reason, it reminds me of my youth (damn, I'm using that cheesy Iron Chef line again). There are very few things in British Columbia that have the appeal of a White Spot burger. It's messy; yet satisfying. Even their Triple-O sauce is not a really big deal; after all it's just hamburger relish. I personally wouldn't rate it against places like Moderne, Vera's, Hamburger Heaven, Fatburger and Burgers Etc. It's not the same type of burger. There's a certain "je ne sais quoi" quality to the food.

Now that I have completely confused you with my pathetic explanation as to why I like White Spot burgers, let me continue my rambling... The fries that come with the burger are really not even all that crispy, but I like them. Think of Moderne Burger fries, but soggier. They're really good with a side of Triple-O. Yes, it's heart attack on a plate. Viv always looks at me in disgust as I slather each fry with mayo and relish. Add a Classic Plate or have the Grill & Greens and you get treated to Zoo Sticks. Fried zucchini and ranch dip never tasted so good. Maybe get some Dippin' Chicken or a clam chowder for a starter. Too bad they got rid of the fried mushrooms - those were good! Instead of having a burger, there are the ol' standbys, the CBC (no not the TV station), Chicken Broccoli and Cheese or the Turkey Dinner. Don't go for the spot size, the regular size is more than enough. However, every time I go, some of my turkey slices are nuked beyond edibility.

Now here I come to rain on the foodie nostalgia. White Spot has gone through a few changes over the years which included the interior decor and the menu. They began doing theme features that celebrated different cultures and more recently; local celebrity chefs. In my opinion, do yourself a favour and avoid these dishes. They are not very good. Usually, they cost $15 or more and are not executed well. If you want Thai food, go to a Thai restaurant, not White Spot. If I'm going to spend $15+ for a meal, I'm going somewhere more authentic and not a chain restaurant. However, if you want a really messy, not overly big burger that is still reasonably-priced, White Spot is the place.

The Good:
- You know what you are getting
- Still one of the least expensive chain restaurants
- Good for families

The Bad:
- Hit and miss theme menus
- Expensive theme menus
- Why do they microwave their turkey?

White Spot
4075 North Road
Burnaby, B.C.
604-421-4620
whitespot.com

Aquarius Cafe & Bakery

*Update* This restaurant is now closed.

While picking up Toolman for lunch yesterday, I noticed a small Filipino restaurant across the street. I'll be honest, it didn't look all that attractive, since it was in a dumpy strip mall. However, something kept me thinking about it. So today I convinced myself to actually try it. The restaurant itself is not very big; it looks much more like a take out place. I asked the lady what was good to eat and she suggested I try the Tocilog. Since I have absolutely no clue what Filipino food is about, I trusted her and ordered it. Well, Tocilog is actually a Filipino breakfast that consists of a fried egg, rice and sweet pork. At first glance, the dish didn't look so promising; but it was really good. Getting a spoonful (yes, they don't use knives, it's a spoon and a fork) of each item, it was really tasty. The pork is definitely sweet and since it was pan-fried, the caramelizing of the sugar gave it a smoky flavour. I also had a side of Pusit, which is essentially squid that has been simmered in a sauce. I definitely got hints of garlic and vinegar. What was interesting is that it was whole squid, nothing was removed. I ate the innards, tentacles and eyes - all of it! I actually didn't mind it because it tasted like squid. However, for my personal tastes, I was not fond of the texture because it was fully cooked, I like my squid just barely cooked. But then again, I don't know much about Filipino food.

As I was paying, the most bizarre thing happened. If you've been reading my last few posts, I've been having really bad luck with places not wanting pictures taken. Well, today it went to a whole new level. I was just about to leave, when a man identified himself as a cop. He began asking me why I was taking photos and what was my purpose being there. Well... I explained the whole blog thing and after that he got really friendly. He even began explaining some of the food items in the store. Well, I'm not going to speculate on this strange encounter; I'll let you fill in the blanks.

Despite the twilight-zone event, I was still satisfied with my meal and although it looks like a hole-in-the-wall, Aquarius Cafe & Bakery has some good eats. Although I'm not familiar with Filipino food, I can tell that it's authentic. Oh, did I mention it was cheap too? Most items are well under $10, actually closer to $5. So it's practically a no-risk food adventure. Unless you take pictures that is....

The Good:
- Food is authentic (from what I can gather)
- It's different
- Cheap

The Bad:
- Small restaurant, mostly good for takeout
- Can get arrested for taking pictures???

Aquarius Cafe & Bakery
12043 88th Avenue
Surrey, B.C.
778-565-0068

Business Hours:
11:00am - 8:30pm (Tue - Thu)
7:00am - 7:00pm (Fri - Sun)

Sandar`s Thai Garden

Met up with Toolman again for lunch. We decided to avoid Indian food this time, since it seems like that's all we eat when we meet. However, as I have said before, there is a good selection of Indian restaurants out here in North Delta/Surrey. I'm slowly picking off every restaurant that exists on Scott Road (120th). Up next on my radar was Sandar's Thai Garden. I've read quite a few positive comments regarding this place and I was eager to try it. As I was pulling up the restaurant, which is in the same complex as Futureshop, I saw a choice parking spot. I signaled and was just about to pull in when out of nowhere another SUV stole it! Wait a minute, I'm not in Richmond am I? Instead of wasting my energy on rude people like that, I just parked in another space and went my merry way.

Sandar's is not a very big restaurant, there are no more than 8 tables in total. However, they are not packed that tightly together; thus we were quite comfortable. There was a lady that served us and she was wearing what looked like a shower cap. I'm not joking, it looked like a shower cap. The only thing I can surmise is that she was preparing food in the kitchen and she really wasn't suppose to be at the front-of-the-house. Well, at least we felt good that we wouldn't have any hair in our food.

The lunch menu is pretty simple, it consists of 13 choices which included either a Tom Yum soup or green salad with one spring roll for $8.99. I chose to have the old standby, Pad Thai with shrimp. Toolman chose the Pad Ped, which is chicken, beef or pork in chili sauce with bamboo shoots and basil with rice. The tom yum was essentially broth with diced mushrooms on top. I really liked the soup, it was a good balance of lime, lemongrass and fish sauce. No one flavour overpowered the other. The spring roll was hot and crispy. Despite being a fried, it was light tasting and the filling was mild.

When the Pad Thai arrived, I was surprised by the decent portion size. Moreover, I knew right away that it was going to be good since the colour was not an unnatural red. Rather, it was coloured a pale reddish-brown which is an indication that there isn't an overuse of ketchup. There were lots of tofu, egg and shrimp in the rice noodles (done a nice al dente) which was topped with carrots, bean sprouts and peanuts. Mixed together, this Pad Thai really worked with good contrast in textures. In addition, the cold-water shrimp had good crunch and were not overcooked. The pad ped was also very good. The sauce was a good mix of sweet, salty and a bit of spice. All the items were cooked perfectly, with the vegetables still crisp and the chicken being tender. Again, there was more than enough food on the plate for one person. Since we ate before noon, we were the only table there and the service was very good. I guess it'd better be! We thought that the food was both decent and a good value. If you are in the area, Sandar's Thai Garden is a good option.

The Good:
- Food tastes how it should taste
- Personable service (showercap withstanding)
- Clean

The Bad:
- Small restaurant, not good for groups larger than 4

Sandar's Thai Garden
#105 - 7500 120th Street
Surrey, B.C.
604-599-5612

Business Hours:
11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:00pm - 9:00pm (Tue - Sat)
5:00pm - 9:00pm (Sun)

Cumpari`s Gelato & Caffe

What a nice day it was today. When it's sunny and warm in Vancouver, there is really nowhere better. Well, I did like Hawaii and Miami though... Anyways, when I got home today after work, I promised my son we'd go for some ice cream after dinner. However, there is not much to choose from if you're not near downtown. However, there is this one place on North Road that I have yet to try - Cumpari's. Despite the fact I was quite full and tired after dinner, I needed to fulfill that promise of ice cream (or gelato in this case).

It really wasn't that busy and that gave us time to look over the limited selection of gelato and sorbetto. I asked if I could take a picture of the display case and I was again denied! This is the 2nd time in 2 days. I got denied yesterday at Anna's Cake House, which is coincidentally within walking distance of Cumpari. Is there a Bermuda Triangle of anti-foodtography here in Burquitlam? Fortunately, I was allowed to take pictures of everything else. We ended up getting 2 medium cups @ $5.00 each. Viv had a scoop of Chocolate (mostly for my son) and a scoop of Strawberry. I choose to have the Berry Cheesecake and the Lemon Sorbetto. I barely got to eat my cheesecake gelato because my daughter kept spooning it all into her mouth, or at least she tried. What a bloody mess, especially on a glass table!

One thing I noticed right away was that the gelato was quite flavourful. The cheesecake gelato was full of cream cheese flavour and the lemon sorbetto was bursting with lemon tartness. I tried the chocolate gelato and it had an intense chocolate flavour without being too sweet. The strawberry gelato had a natural taste; as opposed to a jam like flavour. Texture-wise, the gelato was quite creamy (even though there is no cream in it). I must say that the gelato here is pretty good. It rivals the best in the GVRD.

The Good
- Bold flavour in the gelato/sorbetto
- Creamy texture
- No shortage of comfortable seating

The Bad:
- Small selection

Cumpari's Gelato & Caffe
535 North Road
Coquitlam, B.C.
604-936-8089