Sundowner Pub

Alright, I normally do not eat a lot of burgers to begin with. It's not that I don't like burgers, I actually love burgers. But, I need to at least attempt to eat a bit healthier, despite the fact I'm really not doing so. So what do you think my reaction was today when my colleagues decided on the Sundowner Pub's Toonie Burger day? Well, I did offer up a bit of a resistance, suggesting we eat at Porto Fino Express instead. Alas, my half-hearted attempt failed and I found myself munching on the complimentary buttered popcorn at the Sundowner. Trying very hard to not have the burger, I was enticed by the $2.00 price tag (you must order a drink though). I folded like a cheap lawn chair and not only ordered the burger; but also a plate of hot wings. Was it guilt that I only ordered a $2.00 item or was it that I wanted more greasy food? Whatever it was, I continued munching on the buttered popcorn.

The hot wings were pretty good. There was just the right amount of hot sauce coating the wings. Wings were crunchy on the outside and fairly tender on the inside. However, I think the ones from the one20 were better in terms of size, price and execution. So to temper my guilt, I chose a green salad instead of the fries. *GASP*!!!! Salad!?!?! Yes, the guilt was so overbearing, I had to forgo one of my favourite food items for rabbit food. In terms of the burger itself, it was your standard frozen beef patty on a bun. Nothing much to look at and to eat for that matter. It also had this multicolour thing going on with it too. But hey, it's $2.00. MN had the Beef Dip again, she had it at Sammy J's just last week. Well, unlike Sammy J's, this one had real roast beef in it and it was pretty decent. I still can't believe a chain such as Sammy J's used cold cut roast beef.

I offered to pick up the tab for the 3 of us and it really didn't cost me much since LG also ordered the $2.00 burger. Service was a bit slow since there was only one server for the whole place. However, she was friendly and as efficient as she could possibly be. Overall, the food was what I expected - standard pub food. I think the one20 has better food and more servers for approximately the same price. Unless I only have spare change and really needed to take advantage of the $2.00 burger; I'd go to the one20.

The Good:
- Inexpensive, especially with their daily specials

The Bad:
- Lack of servers
- Food is just okay
- Outside needs a makeover

Splitz Grill

Fresh off a relatively disappointing visit to Wally's out in Cates Park, I really needed a good burger. It was Monday again and the softball team was quite hungry after another win. We milled around for a bit deciding where to eat. Somebody suggested E Bei Sushi, but most of us were not really in the AYCE Japanese mood. We considered Richmond since we were out in Oakridge; but that didn't get much support either. I finally piped up and suggested we go to Splitz Grill for some burgers. Most people seemed okay with the idea, so we headed over to Main Street for the 2nd straight week. In fact, we were going to be only a few stores down from last week's choice - Grub. Despite the proximity of Splitz Grill in relation to Grub, we were still a bit worried about Miss Y. Last time, she almost didn't make it, luckily Milhouse provided his GPS skills.

So what makes a burger worth $6.00 or more on it's own? Well, first of all, the meat should be high quality and fresh. Moreover, different choices of meat such as lamb and bison help. The freshness and large selection of toppings are very important as well. On the surface, it seems that Splitz Grill has this all covered. I decided on the 1/3 pound Splitz Burger with cheese. I actually added pancetta bacon and Splitz-Sized it once I found out Miss Y was paying. Too bad they didn't have a lobster burger, I would've milked this for all it was worth.

I was quite impressed with all the fresh toppings and condiments that where available. Mind you, the toppings and condiments are not available for you to choose until after you order your burger and they call you up. There are some really cool dressings including Baba Ghanoush and Roasted Garlic Mayo. You can ask for some of these on the side for your fries as well for no extra charge! I now need to give Judes all the credit for this discovery because she was munching on her fries when I noticed the mayo dip she was using. In terms of my burger, it was a bit hard to eat because I had chosen quite a few toppings; but once I got a bite into my mouth it was not bad. As I kept eating it, I noticed that the meat wasn't as juicy as I would have hoped. It was a solid burger no doubt; but it wasn't outstanding. Most of the other people concurred. Even Judes' Chicken Burger and Bear's Lamb Burger were dry.

The sides such as the fries and onion rings were decent, being crispy and all. Miss Y had the milkshake and you guessed it, it was decent, but she's had better (like Hamburger Mary's). I think you get the theme here, it's decent food; but it won't wow you. For the price we paid, we probably got our money's worth; but nothing exceptional. On a personal level, I much prefer the burgers at Vera's, Moderne and Burger Heaven.

The Good:
- Quality ingredients that are fresh
- Good selection of toppings and condiments
- It's a decent burger

The Bad:
- Meat(s) were a bit dry

Bon's Off Broadway

When dining at the Golden Phoenix last week, I was eying Bon's Off Broadway. I haven't been to Bon's in quite awhile and I was wanting to have their $2.95 all-day breakfast. Yes, that's right, for the price of a used Milli Vanilli cassette, you can dine on 2 eggs, 2 slices of toast, hash browns and your choice of bacon, sausage or ham. Of course, for that price, it comes with some compromises. Bon's is a dive. Yes, even Guy Fieri would be proud of this place with it's 1970's decor, mismatched chairs and random pop culture posters.

After a fun gymnastics session at preschool, my son and I made our way to Bon's. It's almost ironic since my dad took me to Bon's when I was in preschool (we only lived a couple of blocks away then). Despite arriving well after lunch, the place was bustling with activity. We seated ourselves and waited for service. We waited and waited some more. Yes, for these prices, you have to make exceptions. However, when we did get service, it was friendly and very efficient. Naturally, I got the $2.95 breakfast and also added the soup of the day, which was Beef Noodle. My son got 2 pancakes, which incidentally cost as much as my breakfast. Let's just say that if you want pancakes, go to IHOP or something like that. The pancakes here did their best impression of a rubber mat. Luckily for me, I just doused it with an obscene amount of syrup and my son was more than content. He was also content on dipping the sausages I gave him into the syrup as well. I think he'd make Will Ferrell proud, just like in the movie Elf - syrup on everything.

As for my breakfast, for $2.95, it was fabulous. Everything looked and tasted like it should be. Moreover, I actually like the hash browns at Bon's. They are simply sliced boiled potatoes that have been pan fried. If you look at the picture, I got 3 split sausages. That is pretty impressive for a $2.95 breakfast. As for my soup of the day, it was nothing special, just leftover beef that was made into soup. But for $1.95, it was a good deal. In fact, most of the food at Bon's is well priced. For what you pay, you will get standard diner-type food. As for the breakfast, I doubt you'd find a better deal than Bon's.

The Good:
- Inexpensive, all you need is some loose change
- It's got that "good" dive quality to it
- Good portions

The Bad:
- Although the service is friendly, it's very sparse
- Some of the food is really quite average

The Soup Meister

It was another gorgeous day in the GVRD, much like the last 2 weeks. I had just finished up an early morning game of ice hockey at Brit and was a bit hungry since I didn't have a chance to grab a bite. I originally was planning to pay a visit to Pizza Garden which is nearby on The Drive; but they had closed the street and it was full of people. It was another car-free day celebration; but as you know, I'm not fond of lines and crowds, so I drove on by and headed home. We really needed to pick up some groceries for the week; thus we headed out to Costco for some Sunday brunch (if you don't know what this means, it's all the samples they dole out). After that, we had to head over to Michael's again, since Viv wanted to get some stuff and she could not use all the coupons at once yesterday. Being on the North Shore, we decided to head over to Lonsdale Quay for some more food. On a beautiful sunny day, we opted for soup. Yes, that's right, hot soup on a warm day. It's just like that time I had hot chocolate from Mink's on a warm day. In fact, I played ice hockey too; I must have my seasons all messed up.

Right at the entrance to Lonsdale Quay is The Soup Meister. We've been here several times and their soups are pretty good. They do not use any of that artificial or preservative stuff in their soups, just natural ingredients. The selection today was Boston Clam Chowder, Chicken Noodle Soup and Tomato Basil. It was easy for me to decide since I love creamy clam chowders. Viv had the same and we got a small chicken noodle soup for our daughter. All the soups come with a bun. I'm not really sure what the difference in size is between the large and the small because they looked very similar to me, despite the large costing $6.00 vs. $4.50 for a small.

I was really satisfied with my bowl of clam chowder as sweat was beading down my face. It was extremely creamy and buttery chock full of clams, potatoes and celery. The chicken noodle tasted very much like home cooking. The vegetables were fresh and there were big chunks of chicken throughout the soup. The broth was very light flavoured with the natural sweetness of chicken and vegetables. The soups at The Soup Meister are really good and are so full of ingredients, it is a meal in itself. Combine that with a lovely setting such as Lonsdale Quay, you can just relax and enjoy a bowl of soup soaking in the surroundings. Just don't do it on a warm day because it's quite warm in the Quay.

The Good:
- Fresh, non-salty soups
- Packed with stuff
- Great venue

The Bad:
- It's warm in the eating area, not a great place to have hot soup (take it to go and eat outside)

Vij's

Oh how I hate lineups. I hate lining up at the border (I got Nexus now, so not big deal), lining up at any Government office, lining up at Stupidstore, lining up at Costco, lining up at the PNE, lining up at the airport, lining up for Dim Sum, and I even hated lining up at the hospital to get a room when our son was born. I HATE LINES! So, that's why it's taken me so long to actually go eat at Vij's. They do not take reservations at Vij's and if you aren't the first wave of diners at 5:30pm, you could be waiting for over an hour. Finally, I couldn't hold out no more, I needed to eat there. With Viv still stuck doing report cards, TS (eating_club Vancouver), Vandelay, Donna Chang and Whipping Girl join me in this lineup to get into Vij's. Right at 5:30pm, Vikram Vij opens the door and greets those who were in line. Almost if it were planned, we were directed to a seat right at the entrance and near a window. Light! Great for pictures!

Shortly after we were seated, the complimentary appies and chai came around. Usually, if you are in the lineup, you get these little treats. We got to try 3 appies - Pakora, Cassava Fries and Puris. We spent quite a bit of time trying to decide what to eat, especially TS. She even asked Vikram personally what she should order (the Sablefish or the Pork Loin). Being the experienced restaurateur that he is, he asked TS what she had for lunch. TS sheepishly replied that she had pork chops for lunch. We all burst out laughing, including Vikram, realizing that was a rhetorical question. TS ordered the sablefish. TS and I decided to order one spoon each of the Punjabi Heart Attack. Each spoon had a generous helping of spicy cashews, raw sugar, paneer and ghee. For me, it was like eating dessert before my meal; but that was a good thing. It was delicious and buttery sweet. TS thought it was very good. It wasn't spicy, but definitely very rich-tasting from all those ingredients. It came served with a quinoa salad with lemon dressing to counteract the richness with something lighter-tasting and more refreshing. We also got the Jackfruit in black cardamom and cumin masala as a starter. We were surprised that it was a completely savoury and spicy dish. The jackfruit resembled artichokes in this preparation and it was a delight to eat. TS thought it was just "okay".

I love lamb, it's such a delicious meat. I don't really get to eat it much since Viv doesn't like it. Of course when I have the opportunity, I will order lamb, and this time was no exception. The Wine Marinated Lamb Popsicles in fenugreek cream curry on turmeric spinach potatoes are to die for. The lamb is super tender and combined with the curry, the dish comes alive. It's a bit spicy, but is tempered by the cream and the potatoes. TS had the Marinated and Grilled Sablefish with grilled zucchini in Mango Reduction. In the words of TS: the unctuous nature of the sablefish (or black cod) is precisely what I don't like about it, but in this case, it was complemented perfectly by the mango reduction sauce. The sauce was slightly sweet, yet very multi dimensional in flavor, with a nice balance of spices giving it a general warmth. The dish also came with both grilled zucchini and grilled asparagus.

Donna Chang had the Beef Tenderloin with almonds & garlic in tomato and yogurt curry. Vandelay had the Duck Breast marinated in ground mustard seed and ginger paste with sauteed yellow/green zucchini. Quoting Vandelay: The duck breast curry had a strong depth of flavor, not spicy but the hints of ginger finished off the sauce very well. The duck breast was a little bit overdone, but was seasoned very well. Of all the dishes had that night, the beef tenderloin was the most subtle in flavor and taste. Compared to the other dishes, the tomato and yogurt curry was not as bold, but the flavors were well balanced, and what was surprising was the addition of blueberries which added a nice texture to the curry. However, the beef was not as tender as I would have liked it.

Now in the words of Whipping Girl who had the Braised Short Ribs in cinnamon and red wine curry with warm greens. My first thought was, holy $#!T, how am I going to finish it, it’s huge!!! Next thought, it smells so good, dammit Sherman, you better be quick with the photo opt, I’m hungry! The meat was cooked perfectly, being very flavorful and tender. The curry itself was bold and rich. From the description of the dish, I was expecting the curry to be more cinnamon in flavor, but it was more of a tomato sauce with a kick of heat and loaded with lots of different spices. All the different flavors melded very well together. I really enjoyed the dish; in fact I enjoyed it so much that I took the last piece of naan and sopped up the last bit of curry.

Each entree included unlimited naan and rice; however I thought the naan was not as fluffy as I prefer. So it looks like a home run for Vij's according to everyone at the meal. Compared to the Indian food I normally have, Vij's adds a definite "je ne sais quois" to every dish. Moreover, Vikram Vij is very much interested in pleasing each and every one of his guests. It is both worth the cost and the wait to experience the food and ambiance at Vij's

The Good:
- Vikram Vij is a gracious host
- Portions were good
- A unique twist on Indian cuisine

The Bad:
- Long lineup (but you do get complimentary appies)
- Naan was a bit stiff

Wally's Burgers

Alright, we were in North Van today shopping at Michael's. Let me rephrase that, Viv was shopping at Michael's and the family accompanied her there. As much as I don't mind scrap booking and arts & crafts, I'm not all that excited about going to Michael's. Being the typical male, I'd much rather be at Futureshop or The Hockey Shop. I think the kids were having a good time, playing with the craft supplies as if they were toys. We took advantage of being in North Van to visit Wally's Burgers in Cates Park (Whey-Ah-Wichen). Kevin (604Foodtography) and Kim (I'm Only Here for the Food!) have already visited the newly revived burger joint and feeling left out, I finally made it out there.

The drive out to Cates Park from the Second Narrows Bridge is roughly 10 minutes if you are following a slow car (#$(&#$()#*$)# which we were). Or 7 minutes if you had no one in front of you (on our way back). Arriving at Cates park, there is a noticeable sign stating that Wally's Burgers is in the park. Located right next to the waterfront, Wally's is really non-descript. It is basically the old concession stand, now with a large Wally's menu in the front. It was nostalgic to see the ol' items from the old Wally's on Kingsway near Earles. However, the prices are definitely not the same as before. I decided to go full on and order the Deluxe Chuckwagon with cheese. Viv got the Combo Burger with cheese and mushrooms. For our sides, we got the Onion Rings and Yam Fries. Both came with a roasted pepper dip. With 2 bottles of water, our bill was in excess of $26.00. Cheap eats this is not.

After a short wait, we anxiously opened up the wrapper to get at our burgers; well, after I took pictures that is. Note to self, do not take pictures with sunglasses on, everything looks too dark! I opened up my Chuckwagon to find the requisite 2 patties, lettuce, tomato and enough sauce to make White Spot jealous. Viv's Combo had the one patty, a large split hot dog wiener, mushrooms, cheese and a little less sauce than my burger. I have to say I agree with Kevin and Kim, the burgers are... nothing special. They weren't bad; in fact, they are better than most concession stand fare. However, either there is something different about these Wally's burgers or maybe they aren't that unique anymore. It doesn't help that the burgers patties are frozen too. My hypothesis (oooo... big word!) is that I've tried many really good burgers lately and it's possible that Wally's just isn't as good. I much prefer going to Burger Burger for their $5 special which includes fries and drink.

On the other hand, we thought the sides were very good. The yam fries were crispy and sweet, while the onion rings were crispy and not oily. The roasted pepper dip was a bit bland, it was more sweet and mayonaissy (is that a word?), rather than spicy. After finishing up our meal, we took the kids to the playground and it was a great, albeit brief family outing. I had to leave because I had a hockey game (yes, I played hockey with a Chuckwagon digesting in my stomach). Funny thing was, we could see where we lived across the water in North Burnaby. Too bad we had to drive all the way back to the bridge and back again. As much as I prefer other burgers in the GVRD, I think at the very least, Wally's at Cates Park is in a unique location. If you were there anyways enjoying the scenery or hanging out, grabbing a Wally's burger just adds to the experience.

The Good:
- Beautiful, if not stunning setting
- Nostalgic
- Everything is made to order

The Bad:
- Meat was a bit dry
- Not cheap

Thai Son

Tonight was game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals for 2009. What an exciting game! The Pens were leading after 2 periods and Crosby had been knocked out of the game! I can't believe I left to go for dinner rather than catching the 3rd period. Well, actually food takes precedent over everything else... Not wanting eat anything really all that heavy, we ventured to Thai Son in the T & T complex at 1st and Renfrew. This particular location used to be a Pho Hoa; but all of a sudden it became Thai Son, with the same staff. Well, more than one person can tell you that it is a change for the better. No offense to Pho Hoa; but Thai Son is better.

Of course, when I make a statement like that, there must be a reason. Well, I think Thai Son has better portions than Pho Hoa. Is it just me or the portions at Pho Hoa getting smaller every year? Also, I think Thai Son has better consistency and is less expensive. Sometimes it looks like the stuff at Pho Hoa has been just thrown together in haste. With that being said, I still visit Pho Hoa occasionally since it's still decent.

Today we ordered a variety of dishes. First, we got the Grilled Pork Chop, Chicken and Shredded Pork with Fried Egg on Rice. This was an enormous dish with plenty of food for more than one person (unless one was very hungry). Both the pork chop and chicken were very flavourful and cooked perfectly. We also got the Beef Brisket Stew with French bread. The French loaf came out warm and toasted. Perfect for dipping in the rich stew which has the requisite oil slick on the top. Alas, that my friends, is where all the flavour is! The beef, tendon and carrots were tender; yet still all intact.

Naturally, we couldn't visit Thai Son without ordering some Pho! We got the Pho Dac Biet which is essentially "everything but the kitchen sink" Pho. It's got flank, brisket, meatballs, tendon, bible tripe and rare beef. At some of the other Vietnamese restaurants, this is what they would classify as the "Adventurer's Choice". We got the cilantro and onion on the side because my mom doesn't particularly like that stuff. Pho was good as usual, with a decent amount of noodles and meat. Moreover, the soup isn't too salty; yet still rich with beef flavour. This was yet another great meal at Thai Son. Of course there are some smaller Vietnamese restaurants that maybe better; but for a chain restaurant, it's pretty good.

The Good:
- Reasonably priced
- All around good food
- Decent portions

The Bad:
- No ambiance, but hey, that's not what it is all about...

Business Hours:
10:00am - 10:00pm (7 days a week)