Sushi Town (Coquitlam)

Knowing that I wouldn't be going out to eat until Sunday, I lobbied with Viv that we really should go out for dinner tonight. Reluctantly she agreed, with one condition - we eat Japanese. Having already been to the Sushi Town in Burnaby, we decided to try out their Coquitlam location. As with the Burnaby location, there was a substantial lineup when we arrived. The trick here is to put your name and party size on the whiteboard at the entrance. If you forget to do this, your name will never be called. One thing that struck me about the place was the completely mismatched light fixtures. They have an antique look to them and do not go with the rest of the restaurant. I guess these lights were on clearance? Surprisingly, the wait for a table lasted less than 10 minutes. Too bad we were seated in a corner with little light. I did what I could with the pictures.

If you have never been to Sushi Town before, you will be impressed with the portion sizes and prices. However, if you were expecting really high quality Japanese food, you might want to go elsewhere. The food is decent; but it's the value you come here for. We started with one of my favourites, Takoyaki. Soft and fluffy with nice bits of octopus, topped with just enough mayo, bonito flakes and sauce, the takoyaki delivered. Too bad my son didn't want to try it. He doesn't like "things' in this food. Honestly, what food doesn't have things? I guess that's why we ordered a Plain Udon for him. It's not something that I would ever order for myself! The udon was... well... plain, except for a tofu puff, 2 slices of fish cake and sliced button mushrooms. Yup, you guessed it, he only ate the udon. For good measure, we got an Assorted Tempura for the kids. Well, for my son, he'd only eat the tempura batter anyways. At least my daughter ate the carrot and yam. For some reason or another, the tempura was not as good as the Burnaby location. There was just too much tempura batter and some of the pieces were cold. Did they fry some items ahead of time?

While we were in line, I saw that the nigiri sushi looked pretty good, so when we decided to get a few pieces. We went for 2 pcs of Unagi, 2 pcs of Inari, 2pcs of Scallop, 2 pcs of Toro and 1 pc of Tamago. With a generous amount of unagi, toro, scallop and tamago, the nigiri was pretty good. I liked how the rice was the right consistency as well. At this point, the constant nose-blowing due to using too much wasabi led to a nose bleed. The lady sitting right next to us kept staring. C'mon, have you not seen someone have a nose bleed before? Let's just say she must be extremely bored to watch someone bleed profusely from their nose while eating sushi!

On the topic of bleeding, we also ordered a Red Roll which consisted of scallop and cucumber on the inside and spicy tuna on the outside. Aesthetically, this roll look like someone slapped mushy fish on top of an amateurish roll. Also, there seemed to be too much rice as well. Although it was fantastic value at $4.95, the roll was poorly made and was overpowered by the spicy tuna. For some strange reason, the Spicy Salmon arrived last. By that time, we were quite full. As you can see from the picture, there is a plethora of large chunks of salmon and cucumber tossed in a spicy sauce. Unlike some other establishments, most of the salmon here are not leftovers. This is an excellent value at $7.95. There was so much, we actually didn't end up finishing it.

Once again, a pretty decent meal at Sushi Town. Much like the Burnaby location, you get good portions at reasonable prices. In terms of taste, there isn't anything to write home about; but it is more than acceptable. However, both locations suffer from hurried and minimal service. It's not that they're not friendly; but all the servers seem to be running around all time with too much to do. Getting more tea or even paying your bill may take you awhile.

The Good:
- Generous portions
- Low prices
- Food is fresh (high turnover)

The Bad:
- There is better Japanese food elsewhere (of course for more money)
- Always a lineup at peak times
- Service doesn't really exist

Belgian Fries

Little do people know, my absolute favourite food is the simple French fry. That's right, a unassuming sliver of spud trumps even the mighty lobster. You might be wondering why on earth I would prefer fried potatoes over everything else. Well, think of it. It's portable, easy to eat (I love finger food!) and is essentially a canvas for the addition of flavours and condiments. Not to mention, it's fried! Of course it is destined to be good! After reading Kevin's (604Foodtography) post, I was wanted to try it out for myself. It has taken me so long since then, the place has expanded and renovated.

Now you might think French fries are easy to make. Well, they are actually easy to make; but will they turn out right? Something so simple is not necessarily an easy thing to execute. What makes a good French fry? Well, it is indeed personal preference; but I like mine very crispy. Furthermore, it still needs to resemble a potato. Otherwise, what we have are potato crisps. At Belgian Fries, they double-fry their spuds. That's what makes them so crispy. Despite this double dose of oil, the fries do not seem greasy or overcooked.

Viv decided to be conservative and merely ordered a small cone of fries with chipotle mayo. Sometimes the simplest things are the best. The fries eaten on their own were indeed crispy with fluffy potato inside. Dipped into the mayo, it was pure pleasure, I could probably eat a whole large cone of these. For myself, I went all out and got the Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine. What you see in the picture is a medium. Imagine the size of the large! Atop the crispy fries lay a mound of cheese curds and no shortage of thinly-sliced smoked meat. A glistening gravy finished it off. I really enjoyed my unique poutine; but the combination of smoked meat and gravy made the entire dish a bit salty. Furthermore, I wish the cheese curds melted a bit more.

Other than my small complaints, Belgian Fries satisfied my craving for French fries. There were so many choices of poutine, I almost couldn't decide. In addition, they have burgers and fish n chips on the menu at a reasonable price. Although a bit on the pricey end for fries, the quality and quantity makes up for it.

The Good:
- Really crispy fries that still resemble a potato
- Many different choices of dips and poutines
- Lots of space to enjoy your fries

The Bad:
- If you don't love fries, it might be a bit pricey for you
- Healthy eating this is not

Ba Le Sandwich Shop

On my way back from a truly satisfying breakfast at Cafe Medina, I stopped by Ba Le in Chinatown. No, I wasn't getting some Banh Mi for myself, I'm not that much of a glutton! Rather, Viv had just taken our son out for his swimming lesson and didn't have lunch yet. Normally, I get my Banh Mi fix at the Kingsway location; but it really wasn't on the way home. Honestly, I really don't remember the last time I visited the Chinatown location. It would probably be back when we lived in downtown before kids. Ah, life was so much simpler back then.

The Chinatown location is quite a bit smaller than it's Kingsway counterpart. It is considerably more run-down looking after the recent renovations at the Kingsway location as well. However, no one really goes there for the ambiance (at least I hope not), it's the excellent Banh Mi that counts. But, there is a difference. For some strange reason, there were no hot peppers in the Banh Mi. Instead, there was an abundance of pickled onion slivers. Personally, Viv and I didn't like that combination and much preferred the other version better. It's probably that we had to request peppers to get it? Despite that, there was the requisite cold cuts, pate, butter mayo, fish sauce, pickled daikon and carrot and cilantro on a crunchy french roll. At $2.75, this has to be one of the best values in town, especially if you like Banh Mi (is it just me or is it cheaper than the Kingsway location?).

For good measure, I picked up some Thit Bo Vien (Beef Meatballs) and Chả Lụa (Silky Sausage) at around $5.00 each. These go great with any bowl of noodles at home. Despite being full from breakfast, I was still determined to fit a Banh Mi into my eating schedule today. Although we were planning to meet some friends for dinner tonight as well...

The Good:
- It's tasty, fast and cheap
- Great combination of textures and flavours in an unassuming sandwich
- Consistently good here

The Bad:
- If you don't like pickled onions, you'd better tell them before they make your sandwich
- Not much parking around there

Cafe Medina

Last time while I was dining at Chambar with Whipping Girl, we had noticed Cafe Medina next door. Incidentally, Cafe Medina is operated by Nico and Karri Schuermans of Chambar with former staffer Robbie Kane. It has taken us until now to try it. I just needed to find an excuse to go there. Well, MagMagMug's visit had come to an end and she was leaving tonight back to Hong Kong. Hey, let's do a going away brunch! Originally, TS (eating_club Vancouver) was supposed to join us; but she was just too tired from her gastronomical adventures in NYC. Too tired to eat? What's with that??? So it ended up to be only the 3 of us. When we arrived, I was about to park right across the street from Cafe Medina; but I noticed the special parking restrictions on the meter. I thought better to park the next street over since there was a tow truck taking a Range Rover away and the meter maid standing right across the street ready to pounce. Pretty obvious I should not park here eh?

To my dismay, we were seated far in the back of the cafe because the front table near the window was taken. This would mean bad photos! The humanity!!! Ah, no worries, we noticed that the people had left and I flagged down our server and asked if we could move. Whipping Girl was a bit concerned for all the trouble we were causing and thought they would spit in our food. C'mon, they won't do that, we're not in a Chinese restaurant you know! Joyfully, I moved to our new table with excellent lighting. MagMagMug was doing her best Miss Y impression and was fashionably late. It was alright, I wasn't in any rush; but I think Whipping Girl was anxious to get back to work. Just as we were about to order without her, MagMagMug arrived, so all was good.

While MagMagMug was looking over the menu, I hinted to her that the Fricasse was their most popular breakfast dish. It was my way of making her order it because Whipping Girl and I had already choose other dishes. With a combination of 2 fried eggs, braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, arugula, applewood cheddar in a skillet and grilled foccacia on the side, it's easy to be popular. This makes the standard eggs and bacon breakfast look downright boring. I was able to sample a bit of the short rib and it was so tender. Short ribs for breakfast - awesome!

Prior to the Fricasse, we all had one waffle each. Hey, you can't have breakfast at Cafe Medina and not have a Belgian waffle! Well, that's the play I used on MagMagMug anyways. The girls opted for the Mixed Berry Compote with their waffle and I settled for the White Chocolate Pistachio (since Fig Orange Marmalade was out). Let me say that I'm not much of a waffle person; however, I really liked this waffle! Warm, soft, slightly sweet and crisp; this waffle would be great for snacking alone. I preferred the berry compote more than my chocolate pistachio. It was too sweet and didn't have much pistachio flavour. The compote had a nice tartness to it.

Whipping Girl already picked out her meal the day before (that's some type of planning) and it happened to be La Sante. Presented on a large platter, the deconstructed breakfast consisted of a soft boiled egg, vine ripened tomato, avocado, prosciutto, extra virgin olive oil and grilled ciabatta. It was a great array of textures and flavours from the salty prosciutto, smooth avocado, crispy ciabatta to the delicate egg. My choice was the Cassoulet which consisted of 2 fried eggs on baked beans, saucisson de Paris, double smoked bacon, andouille and grilled foccacia. This breakfast made me a happy man. I had baked beans, 3 types of meat and fried eggs. How could I not be happy? It was so savoury and rich in flavour, I actually ate all the onions (despite my issues with them)!

What makes Cafe Medina special is that it's no ordinary breakfast. Combined with the delectable waffles, the savory and filling breakfasts have a certain "wow" factor. Combine that with a really quaint dining room and friendly service, who wouldn't want to have their first (or second) meal of the day at Cafe Medina?

The Good:
- Fresh and tasty waffles
- Unique savory breakfasts
- It's got a wonderful chicness to it

The Bad:
- Tight table arrangements
- A bit more expensive than the usual fare (but it's worth it)

Nick's Spaghetti House

With our softball season officially over, naturally, the only way to mourn the loss of eating out every Monday night was to... eat! With 16 people in all and a few kiddies, options were limited. Compounding the problem was location since it had to be central to everyone. Nick's Spaghetti House popped into my mind and everyone seemed receptive to the idea. However, in the end, I'm not sure if it was the best choice... But more on that later. Miss Y indicated that she would drive to my place and hitch a ride off me. Naturally, she arrived late and dressed like she was just about to sashay down a catwalk. She was definitely over (under?) dressed for Nick's!

Unfortunately, Nick's does not take reservations, so we had to wait for a table. Ranger and Ketchup had arrived first and the server was a bit shocked at the request for a table of 16. Luckily we didn't have to wait long. Honestly, I've never eaten at Nick's because the outside looks rather run down. Well, the inside is not much better. It looks like they kept everything from when it first opened 52 years ago. It definitely reminds me of restaurants during my childhood in the 80's. However, one look at the menu and the prices are definitely nothing like the 80's; in fact, they seemed rather high. Nothing appeared to be under $15.00. Alright, I'll play along here, maybe the portions are large? Yes, the portions are quite good, I can't deny that. But what about taste and presentation? Now this is where it gets downright controversial. I ordered the Combination Dish, which included Ravioli, Spaghetti, Meatball, Mushrooms and Spareribs. Sounds like a lot of food right? Yes, it's a good amount of food; but was it worth $20.00? Okay, you look at the picture and what do you think? For me, just by looking at it, I would say it's not worth $20.00. Wait a minute you say. What about the flavour? Sometimes really good food is worth any amount of money because it's a taste experience to last a lifetime! To me, the taste was definitely associated with my lifetime; but way back in the 70's! Yes, that's how pasta was served and tasted like when my age was in single digits. The pasta was overcooked and the sauce was something that reminded me of summer camp. To be fair, it wasn't terrible, but the sauce lacked any complex flavours, being one-dimensional (quite tart). However, I did like the meatball, it was large and moist. The spareribs were tender; yet the sauce destroyed any other distinguishing taste. I must mention that some people like this style because it's not oily.

Viv and Miss Y both had the Gnocchi with Meatballs. Again, Viv thought the meatballs were quite tasty; but the gnocchi was quite dense and doughy. Furthermore, the very same sauce did not improve the dish. It didn't end there, every dish that arrived came with the same red sauce. Judes had the 1/2 rack of BBQ Ribs with Ravioli. The ribs looked decent and as for the ravioli, the ones I had were bland and again, the sauce killed it. Milhouse opted for the Veal Cutlet with Ravioli. The large veal cutlets looked to be fried up nicely glistening with oil. For the ravioli, I'm sure you get my drift already so I'm not going to comment on it any further. Mr. Blueberry went for the mother of all dishes and had the Large T-Bone Steak with Ravioli. Man, we're not really original eaters are we??? The steak sure looked impressive; however was quite tough. Gadget Girl and Ketchup both had the Spaghetti and Meatballs. They seemed to enjoy it, so it really depends on personal preference. But again it was the same sauce and the same meatballs. Boss Woman did have something a bit different - Italian Sausage. But nevermind this time or any other time, I didn't get to try it because Boss Woman won't let me have any.

Alright, by now, you must be thinking that I totally hated and despised Nick's. Hate is a really strong word and there are not many restaurants that I truly despise other than Po King and Floata. With that being said, I think the biggest problem I have with Nick's is not even necessarily the food. After all, the meats were all pretty decent (except for the steak) and we never got a chance to try any other sauces. Nick's is really ol' school and unrefined; but really, my biggest problem were the prices. It's not cheap to eat at Nick's despite the decent portions. I only say decent, because Ranger and I dusted off the biggest plate they had in the Combination Dish. I was full, but not bursting at the seams. For $19.25, either the food has to knock my socks off or it has to stuff me til I want to puke. It did neither. Remember when I said Nick's causes controversy? Well, they have been in business for over 50 years, so they must be doing something right. There are some people who swear by Nick's and there are those who absolutely hate it. For me, I couldn't erase the comparisons I was making with Boston Pizza. Yes, I couldn't believe it too; but I began to have thoughts that the pasta sauce tasted like the ones at Boston Pizza! I'm sure some people will now leave nasty comments saying I don't know anything and I'm a idiot. But I'm merely sharing my honest opinion. Nick's serves very loyal customers food that they obviously like and hold dear to their hearts; however, I'm just not one of them.

The Good:
- Portions are pretty good
- Meats appear to be decent
- It's got character and nostalgic qualities

The Bad:
- What's with those prices???
- Everything tastes the same (referring to the red sauce)
- I don't get it (someone please enlighten me)

Takarabune

Today was the all-day softball tourney at Gordon Park in Vancouver. We had a break in between games and decided to grab some lunch. We needed something nearby, inexpensive and wouldn't be too heavy. I remembered that I once dined at a Japanese restaurant nearby right next to the Church's chicken on Victoria Drive. I was struggling to remember the name, when suddenly Bear exclaims "Takarabune"! Ah yes, Bear is always dependable, he seems to know every restaurant in town. Not sure why he doesn't blog too! In fact, Bear used to frequent Takarabune with his family quite a lot before they changed owners. Despite the change in ownership, it still remains an authentic Japanese restaurant run by Japanese people. You may wonder what is really the difference especially since some Japanese restaurants run by non-Japanese are still pretty good. Well, when Bear wanted his Yakitori made dry with salt, they were able to grant him his request. A non-Japanese run joint may not even know what the heck he was talking about.

Miss Y was having a really tough time deciding what type of noodle she was going to order. She finally decided on the Zaru Soba over the Udon. Well at least with buckwheat noodles, I declared to her annoyance that, "her bowel movements will be on time unlike herself". In terms of the soba, she seemed to enjoy it. Silent Bob opted for a plate of sushi. He remarked that the rolls were looser than Jenna Jameson... What a delightful visual... Anyways, Bear ordered a couple of small dishes which included Gomae, Yakitori and Gyozas. Everything looked quite tasty, especially the large bowl of Gomae. Unlike Chinese-run Japanese restaurants, there wasn't a big glop of dressing on top. However, much like Kim (I'm Only Here for the Food!) remarked, it seemed almost underdressed and there seemed to be too many stem pieces.

The rest of us were a little boring and went for the Bento Boxes. Judes had Box A which consisted of Sushi, Tempura, Sunomono, daily special (Salmon Belly), Rice and Miso Soup. She added a Scallop & Tobiko Roll for good measure. Dr. 911 and Sienna (she hates being mentioned in the blog), shared a Box C which consisted of a California Roll, Tempura, Chicken Teriyaki, Rice, Miso Soup and Fruit. They also added a Negitoro Roll. I went for the largest box they had which was the Box F. It included Sashimi, California Roll, Tempura, Sunomono, Tamagoyaki, Beef Teriyaki, Rice and Miso Soup.

One thing that was pretty much evident in everyone's orders was that the sushi rolls were poorly made. They tasted good; but the rice was so loose, most of the rolls fell apart. Aesthetically, it was not pleasing to look at either. We're not sure if the sushi chef was rushed, since the restaurant was busy or that's just how they made it. However, I really enjoyed the sashimi, it was sliced nicely and tasted fresh. The tempura was crispy, if not a bit oily. At least the batter was light and not too excessive. Although the beef teriyaki was flavoured just right (not too much sauce), the beef itself was a bit overcooked and tough. Furthermore, the sunomono could have used a bit more vinegar.

When we finally finished our meal, we really needed to leave since our next game was coming up. Mr. Blueberry was so anxious to get the bill, he flagged down a customer thinking they were staff. Awkward. Anyways, the food was decent, if not pretty standard at Takarabune. I was a bit disappointed at the loose and messy sushi rolls, especially when the restaurant is Japanese-run. That aside, the prices were fairly reasonable and the portions were good. By the time we left, the restaurant was packed with a lineup. Looks like they're doing something right.

The Good:
- Authentic
- Reasonably-priced and good portions
- Friendly staff

The Bad:
- Sushi rolls were terrible looking and fell apart
- Parking lot is insufficient for the amount of businesses

La Quercia

This dinner has been a long time coming. We originally wanted to take Polka King out for his birthday more than a month ago; but it always seemed like we had to postpone it. More often than not, it was because Polka King was busy Friday nights due to his "gigs". The reason why he is named as such is because he plays in a German Polka band. Nothing really funny here; other than he's Chinese. Imagine the looks on the elder German folk at the Vancouver Alpen Club when he breaks into song... in German. Yes, he is indeed the Polka King. We deliberated over several places to go and finally I made the choice (it's a dictatorship, they have no say!). The venue of choice was La Quercia, a joint venture by former chefs at Parkside and La Buca, Lucais Syme and Adam Pegg on 4th near Alma.

I originally made my reservation on Opentable for 4 guests; but due to last minute add-ons, I had to call the restaurant on 2 separate occasions to change the reservation. They did so in a professional and cordial manner. I was impressed that they were so flexible with my changes. I picked up Milhouse along the way out to La Quercia. Joining us were Emilicious, Lionel Hutz, Special K and of course Polka King. The restaurant is pretty unassuming from the outside. We almost missed the restaurant altogether. However, upon entering the restaurant, we were impressed at the simple; yet elegant decor complete with a beautiful main lighting fixture and a wall of abstract art. We were greeted warmly at the door and led to our table, right at the window - perfect! Some people from our party were a bit late in arriving due to the fact they were driving a fair distance to the restaurant. But we never felt rushed by the staff. In fact, we were presented with a complimentary appetizer of Melon with Prosciutto. The melon was perfectly ripe and sweet. This classic combination with the salty prosciutto was a great start to our meal.

As a table of 6, we had to dine "alla famiglia" style, which is involves the whole table sharing all the courses. For $40.00 pp, there roughly 5 courses and $59.00 gets you around 11 courses. Both include dessert, however the 11 course meal adds risotto "cooked to order". Believe me, although we had no choice in the matter since we were a table of 6, the alla famiglia dinner was the only thing we had in mind anyways. Our first course was Lattuga al Gorgonzola, which was a beautiful mix of butter lettuce, radish, Gorgonzola dressing, crumbled Gorgonzola and duck fat croutons. Being oh-so rich and crunchy, the croutons were the star of the salad. Rarely do you have people fighting over croutons! The dressing itself was surprisingly not overpowering despite the use of Gorgonzola.

The next course was Zucchini Blossoms stuffed with Scallop Mousse. These crispy treats were a contrast in textures from the crunchy exterior to the soft sweet mousse stuffing. Definitely a pleasure to eat. By now I'm not even really keeping track of the courses; rather I'm busily taking pictures and trying to eat in between. As we were just dusting up the zucchini blossoms, the Sformato di Parmiggiano or Parmesan Souffle arrived. Served on the side was a zucchini salad and the plate was finished off with a balsamic reduction. Fluffy with a strong Parmesan flavour, the souffle was a nice, light treat before the heavier courses.

Speaking of the heavier courses, a trio of pastas arrived next. They included Rotini, Agnolotti and Gnocchi. Dressed in a fresh tomato sauce with pancetta and smoked pork cheeks, the al dente rotini exuded both a lightness and heaviness at the same time. The richness of the meats combined with the light tomato sauce acted in perfect balance. Packed with veal and Swiss chard, the agnolotti exhibited an earthiness. The Parmesan added the necessary saltiness to flavour the dish. My favourite of the trio was the gnocchi. Unlike a majority of the gnocchi I have tried, this one was fluffy and almost melted in my mouth. Due to the chantrelles, the dish was earthy, aromatic and downright tasty. Adding both richness and a texture contrast was an abundance of house-made sausage.

At this point Milhouse had thought our meal was over. He was quite satisfied; but to his surprise, we hadn't received our meat course which was a lovely Veal Scallopini. Presented on a long platter, the veal rested on a bed of cauliflower and topped with a demi-glace (?) with capers. A little on the salty side (probably due to the capers), the veal was tender and the cauliflower was perfectly cooked. At this point, we had already reached the end of our reservation; but rather than being rushed, the service continued as usual. We were presented with 3 different cakes for our dessert. It consisted of a Spiced Cake with Coffee Ice Cream (?), Chocolate Mousse and Frangipane. Of the 3, I personally liked the chocolate mousse cake since it was not too sweet and had a rich chocolate taste. According to Emilicious, the cakes were not particularly memorable.

Regardless what everyone thought of dessert, it was a consensus that the meal overall was wonderful. For $40.00 per person, it is not only a fabulous value, it was well-executed. I believe that La Quercia is now a favourite of mine. I can't wait to try the 11 course meal. Lucais Syme and Adam Pegg have successfully merged rustic and modern elegance into a delightful little restaurant.

The Good:
- Beautifully executed food
- Great value, especially the alla famiglia
- Attentive, unpretentious service

The Bad:
- Restaurant is small, so seating is a bit tight