Rehanah's Roti & Trinidadian

Port Moody, one of the last places I've yet to blog about. There hasn't been a particular reason that has prevented me from doing so. Hey, I used to live in Coquitlam and I would often dine here. Now, with a quaint little place such as Port Moody, you'd expect to find places like Pajo's at Rocky Point or Saint Street Grill right on the main strip. It would not be an obvious choice if you were looking for an authentic Caribbean roti. Yah, that's what I thought when I first spotted Rehanah's Roti nestled among other restaurants. It's a small place; but you can't miss it with it's red awning and unique name. Even though it was late in the afternoon, there were people waiting for their orders. Appearing to be a one-woman operation, there was a slight wait. At first, I was asked if I was from Trinadad. Interesting question; however, I do have Asian friends who have come from there. She was curious how I knew about the place. Well, partly because I pass by it often and that Frank from Calypso had mentioned it too.

I originally wanted to try the Goat Roti; but I chose a more conservative choice in the Chicken Roti. I could've had it spicy or medium. I went for medium since the last time I chose spicy (House of Dosas), it was as hot going in as it was going out (TMI!). When I went to grab the takeout bag, I was surprised how heavy it was. This thing has got some substance to it! If you are familiar with the Malaysian or Thai roti, it's rather flaky. The one here is much thinner and chewier. For this application, it is absolutely the perfect texture and consistency. It helps hold the massive amount of chicken and potatoes in while you eat it. And about that filling, for being a "medium", it was pretty darn spicy. Not crazy spicy; yet there was a real kick from the curry. I can only imagine how hot the spicy is! The chicken was tender while the potatoes were creamy soft. I was only planning to eat half; but I ended up eating the whole darn thing. I shouldn't have done that since I was just about to go play hockey.

So I make a return visit in hopes of trying out the Goat Roti to no avail. They're sold out! Undeterred, I went for the Shrimp Roti not expecting much. I bit into it expecting shrimp and what I got were tonnes of perfectly cooked crunchy prawns! Combined with the same delicious curry and soft potatoes, this was a nice treat. Again, I was only planning to eat half and finished the whole darn thing!

The Good:
- Really large and full of stuff
- It's spicy (if you like spicy that is)
- Roti has a nice chewy texture

The Bad:
- Not cheap
- Not close for most people (close enough for me to revisit!)

House of Dosas

Alright, this was the last late night hockey on Wednesday for awhile. Apparently, Brit will be off limits during the Olympics. So, I really needed to make our post-hockey meal count. Seeing how Kim had mentioned that House of Dosas is now open 24 hours, it looked like a good bet. It's definitely something different, especially in a sea of Northern Indian cuisine. You see, most of what you see as "Indian" food is actually from the Punjab. Dosas are representative of Southern Indian cuisine. Made of lentil flour, these "crepes" are often filled with potato, paneer and curries.

Initially, I was a bit weary of heading over to House of Dosas for late night eats. Hey, it can be quite spicy, depending on the filling. Probably not the best idea just before bedtime. Whatever the case, I was willing to take the chance. I ended up getting the Lamb Dosa. Nothing particularly interesting with that choice except for the fact I asked for it to be spicy. When I mean spicy, I mean "burning in your mouth, on your tongue, down your esophagus, warm-in-your-tummy hot". While eating it, I had to resist drinking any water. While trying to rest my mouth, I was able to enjoy the thin, crispy dosa. Served on the side was Sambar and the usual chutneys - coconut and spicy tomato.

I found that the lamb filling inside the dosa to be quite plentiful and of course spicy. The lamb itself was tender. Polka King chose a milder Lamb Palak Dosa and it too was full of filling. Compared to Mayuri and Desi Dosa Madras, I think the one I had here at the House of Dosas to be better in terms of the dosa and filling. I would come here again even if it were not 2:00am. I'll just skip the spicy version because I paid for it dearly 5 hours later...

The Good:
- Light, crispy dosa
- Plenty of filling
- Very nice staff

The Bad:
- Place could be tidier

Nancy Wonton House

*Restaurant is now closed*

Poor Polka King. Suffering from the flu, it didn't look good for him to play any late night hockey. But a nice power nap seemed to reinvigorate him enough to participate. The first thing I said to him while picking him up was that he needed a nice bowl of congee. Yes, the Chinese rice gruel which is usually a vessel for such things like century duck eggs, pork blood, liver, kidney and stomach. For some, if they weren't sick before, just thinking about this might make them hurl. Fortunately, Polka King is Chinese, he's used to it... My recommendation was to go out for a nice steaming hot bowl of congee for his sore throat after hockey. I always devise a plan to make people eat out with me. This was no different.

So after a spirited game, we quickly got ready to go and headed off to Nancy Wonton House. I've always wondered about this place. It's been at its location on Victoria for quite some time; but I've never had a chance to try it. From the outside, it looks like any other Chinese wonton joint with its bright lighting to the gaudy yellow signage. I think we arrived as they were preparing to close, so we hurried up and ordered and even paid before starting to eat. Since Polka King was ordering the congee already, I decided to try their Wonton Noodles and a plate of Yeung Chow Fried Rice (Pork & Shrimp Fried Rice). I gotta say that it was a pleasant surprise when the wonton noodles arrived. By just looking at it, I knew this was going to be one fantastic bowl of noodles. First of all, the predominantly shrimp wontons were freakin' huge. Second, the noodles were thin and slightly translucent (a sign of perfectly cooked wonton noodles). Third, the broth was a nice rich colour and steaming hot. I dug in and boy, those noodles had a chewiness and bounce that we all look for in a good bowl of wonton noodles. The soup was indeed flavourful without being salty. The wontons were jam-packed with crunchy shrimp and only a modest amount of pork. Absolutely delicious!

Polka King's Minced Beef Congee was also pretty solid. Thick, burning hot and full of hand-minced tender beef, the congee had a nice consistency. Neither being too salty or under-seasoned, it did not reek of MSG. At the end, it did begin to get a bit watery. Congee Noodle King is better; but this was still quite good. Our dish of Yeung Chow Fried Rice also appeared to be quite good despite the curiously small shrimp. The rice was firm and there was plenty of shrimp and BBQ pork. There was just the right amount of salt and the dish wasn't oily. The only criticism would be that the fried rice was a little on the dry side. However, there was very little to complain about the food here at Nancy Wonton House. Also, with relatively cheap prices, I can see myself coming here for more eats, even if Polka King didn't have a sore throat.

Alright, within a few weeks, we returned to Nancy Wonton House since my aunt and uncle were in town for a visit. They wanted to eat some good ol' wonton noodles and congee for lunch. Well, I could've taken them to Congee Noodle House, Congee Noodle King or even McNoodle; but with NWH fresh in my mind, here we are again. Now, in respect to the Wonton Noodles, it looked the same and really, the wontons and broth were no different than before. However, the noodles were not. Unlike the first time where it was chewy and a bit translucent. These ones resembled the texture of instant shrimp noodles instead. Was it cooked too long? Not enough lye? Whatever the case, they were not as good as before. So make your own conclusions with that.

We ordered 3 bowls of congee: Preserved Egg and Salted Pork, Chicken and Offal. All three were solid with plenty of ingredients within a thick lightly seasoned congee. Other than a few clumps of rice, the Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice was pretty solid. The rice was dry (a tad oily) and well seasoned with the salty essence from the fish. It's an acquired taste (it can smell up a room!). So our second visit was pretty solid other than the noodles. I can only assume that it was an aberration since everything else here is pretty good.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Excellent wonton noodles
- Good portions

The Bad:
- I can't get over the tacky signage (I know, it's not really all that important)
- It's cash only

Axum Ethiopian Restaurant

Tonight was another random meet up with Kim and Elaine & Chris of Parker Pages. It's really nice to meetup with fellow bloggers, especially ones that know something about the food we were about to eat. You see, I'm not well-versed with Ethiopian food and African food for all that matter. I think there are roughly a dozen Ethiopian restaurants in the GVRD, so it's a bit difficult to get much exposure. However, when it was suggested that we go try Axum, I was all for it. It's been too much sushi and ramen lately anyways.

I arrived at the same time as Elaine & Chris and they were there to witness my obsession with taking pictures of the restaurant exterior (Kim's obsession too!). It's a modest place, located across the street from The Brave Bull. They might consider fixing the peeling signage since it might be only "ESTRANT" pretty soon. After a short wait, Kim arrived and we got down to ordering some grub. The Vegetarian Combo seemed like a good value for $10.00. We had a choice of 4 "from the above items" on the menu. Curiously, there were only 4 items "above". So essentially, we had as much choice as a voter in a Communist state. However, it only appears to be a printing error, since there are actually 5 items to choose from. So from what I can gather, the 4 items that we did end up getting were (clockwise from the top left): Miser Wot, Kik Alicha, Spinach Gomen and Tikil Gomen. Both the Miser Wot and Kik Alicha were a bit spicy and predictably had a "refried bean" mixed with lentil texture. The Spinach Gomen had the consistency of Palak Paneer without the cheese. I wasn't a big fan of the cabbage, it was a bit slimy (but still a bit crunchy). All 4 were served atop a large Injera (which is a spongy pancake-like bread). At first, they look like rolled up face towels; but in reality, they are soft and fluffy with a lemony flavour. We also got 2 big plates of Injera as eating vessels/utensils. Yes, in Ethiopia, they eat with their hands, no fork or knives here. We did cheat with a spoon though...

The most interesting dish of the night had to be the Gored Gored. Essentially raw beef warmed in spiced butter, the owner (?) was a bit concerned that we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. Hey, we're game for almost anything! Okay, I really liked the flavour profile since it was indeed buttery and a bit spicy. However, I found it tender and chewy at the same time (sounds weird I know). I realize that uncooked lean beef will be a bit tough especially if it isn't an expensive cut. But it was tender in some spots and quite chewy in others. Served on the side was a home made cheese which looked a little like dry ricotta. It was a bit bland.

We ended up getting one protein from each meat section. For our chicken dish, we selected the Doro Alicha Wot which is essentially a chicken curry. As stated on the menu, the sauce was quite mild with some sweetness. Kim and I agreed that we prefer dark meat as opposed to the breast meat used here (a bit dry); but then again, that is just a personal preference. Elaine and I thought the Fish Tibs was the highlight of the night. Not as oily nor spicy as the Lega Tibs, the fish was perfectly cooked. Tender and flaky while still retaining its shape, the mild sauce did not hide the natural sweetness of the fish.

Curioulsy, the Lega Tibs was cooked in the same sauce as the Fish Tibs. But, the flavour profile was completely different. It was a spicier and had a really large oil slick on the top. Chris informed me it was ghee and it was indeed butter, especially when it totally soaked my piece of Injera. I also suspect the fattiness of the lamb contributed to the slick. The lamb itself had a nice gaminess to it and most pieces were quite tender.
At this point we were really quite full. There was not way we could finish the rest of the Injera. Total carb overload. Being that I am not really all that familiar with Ethiopian cuisine, I can't say this was better or worse than any previous experience. What I do know is that the meal was definitely different and a pretty good value. The best thing of all was obvious: great company, fun banter and food. You can't really lose with that combination.

The Good:
- Good value
- Something a bit different
- Friendly owner (?)

The Bad:
- I personally didn't like the textures of the proteins other than the fish (but that's the way it should be, so ignore me if you don't share the same preference)

Mama's Chinese Kitchen

*Restaurant now closed*

Despite what you think, I do eat at home. In fact, I love cooking. However, taking a look in the fridge revealed that I only had condiments. A ketchup-mustard casserole didn't seem all that appealing. So Viv and I decided to pay Stupidstore a visit. I have a love-hate relationship with this place. On one hand, the prices are quite good and I actually find PC products to be decent. But, with this comes compromises. Shopping there is an exercise in frustration. If people drove the way they pushed carts, there would be mass chaos on the streets. Anyways, on our way there, I noticed a new restaurant on Broadway near Rupert named Mama's Chinese Kitchen. A bit intrigued, Viv and I paid it a visit afterwards.

When we walked in, there was no mama and it sure didn't look like a Chinese kitchen. Rather, 2 fellows operated the place and it looked like a quasi-Japanese, Chinese food fair joint. We were a bit nervous. Strangely, Viv noticed the daily feature board and there were items written strictly in Chinese. That was a bit more reassuring. We were going to try their $4.99 dinner special (Rice with 2 items); but the nice man suggested we try some freshly cooked items instead. We concurred and got 3 items to share. Our first dish was the Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice. It arrived freshly wok-fried and it was pretty darn good. There was no absence of salted fish flavour throughout the mostly well-cooked rice. I say mostly because there was the occasional rice clump due to the fact they used fresh rice. We also got the House Special Fried Noodle and it was also pretty good. Chicken, squid, shrimp, fish, BBQ pork, shiitake and Shanghai bak choy rested atop crispy fried noodles. From the moist fish to the crunchy bak choy, all the ingredients were properly cooked. By this time we were a bit confused why this little place could produce such decent food.

By the time we got our Broccoli Beef, the chef had taken a seat beside us and was chatting with a friend. Trying not to get noticed, I quickly snapped a photo. However, he noticed and remarked in Cantonese to his friend, "hey, that guy just took a picture of the broccoli!". Hearing this, I told him I love taking photos of food. Then he went on to say that his food was big restaurant quality. The reason? He was a former chef at Floata. Now that explains everything. No wonder the food was so decent. It didn't blow me away; but it was pretty darn good for the prices. Nothing much is over $10.00. He went on to say he can cook us anything as long as they have the raw materials - even lobster in cream sauce. Nice.

The Good:
- Nothing much over $10.00
- Pretty decent for such a small place
- Friendly owners

The Bad:
- For the limited places to sit, they're uncomfortable
- The ready-made stuff looks a bit unappetizing

HK BBQ Master

If memory serves me right (gosh, sounds like the original Iron Chef...), HK BBQ Master used to be in Coquitlam. If I am indeed right, then I have fond memories. Really solid Chinese BBQ items that people would lineup for, especially during Chinese New Year. Well, since it's in Richmond now, I haven't gotten a chance to blog about it. It's too far and well, it's in Richmond. Incidentally, everything I dislike about Richmond traffic reared it's ugly head today and well, let's just leave it at that. If I had to rant, this post would last a week.

So on our way out of Richmond (whew...), Costanza and I stopped by HK BBQ Master, located in the covered Superstore parkade. No, it's not the sexiest of storefronts; but it does the job. I decided to get 2 of their most popular items: Roast Pork and BBQ Pork. By just looking at it, the roast pork looks absolutely delicious. With a crisp, golden brown skin giving way to alternating layers of meat and melt-in-your mouth fat, this is money. I tried one almost right away and it had all those visual qualities in my mouth having a nice pork flavour with some saltiness.

If that weren't enough, the BBQ Pork, in my mind, was even better. With a nice sweet caramelized glaze and a touch of burnt ends, the tender fatty pork was delicious. Even with all the fat, the pork was not difficult to chew and just enough flavour to not make the pork taste like candy. Honestly, this exemplifies what good Chinese BBQ is about. Oh how I miss this. It's so far away. I have to suffer with T&T BBQ... Just not the same. I may need to brave Richmond and do it again soon.

The Good:
- Expertly executed BBQ meats
- Good portions with the eat-in dishes I observed

The Bad:
- Just like Memphis Blues, it ain't diet food
- A bit pricier than other places (but worth it!)

Dan Sung Sa (Surrey)

*Restaurant is now closed*

For such a large city, it's difficult to find good eats in Surrey. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good places to eat in Surrey, it's just that everything is so spread out. And honestly, there is a severe lack of info on each individual restaurant. I mean, there are some bloggers that do post about Surrey restaurants, such as Jenny (My Secret Eden) and Mijune (Follow Me Foodie). However, that's about it. So for me, to do any real research, it's quite a struggle. Consequently, I've copied what Kim (I'm Only Here for the Food!) often does - drive around and eat at a random place. Of course, that can be a bit onerous since I was tailed by an RCMP cruiser once while circling in Whalley. Well, that's exactly what I did, I headed out there and pulled into a random strip mall and there it was: a Korean restaurant just sitting there for me to visit. The place is called Dan Sung Sa. I believe there is a Vancouver location on Thurlow as well.

I was there quite early and took whatever table I wanted. Unlike some recent Korean restaurant misadventures, I was greeted warmly and the owner (?) was quite anxious in seeing that I was happy throughout the meal. Well, it really helped that for the duration, I was the only patron! I was presented with their regular menu as well as their lunch specials. It was a bit confusing that there were Japanese items mixed in with traditional Korean items. I ignored the Japanese food and went straight for their lunch specials. I love BBQ short ribs and gravitated towards the Kalbi Bento Box (yah, a bento box for Korean food, oh well...). For variety purposes, I added a Japchae. What I noticed right away were the prices. The Japchae is only $10.95! I'm more accustomed with $15.00+. My lunch special cost only $8.95 and included 6 pieces of short rib, rice, Korokke, Kimchi, Green Salad, Miso Soup and Orange. Moreover, as with any other Korean restaurant, I got banchan consisting of more Kimchi, Pickled Daikon and Marinated Tofu Skin.

Of course, with any random restaurant, I went in with no expectations whatsoever. Imagine my surprise when the dug into the tender, perfectly grilled short ribs. They were meaty (with not too much fat), sweet, savory and just plain delicious. The Korokke (I know, it's Japanese) was also very well executed. Thicken Worcestershire sauce topped a very crunchy exterior with a soft bechamel centre with corn. Even the rice was perfect being a bit chewy; yet cooked all the way through. If this bento was a surprise, the Japchae was an utter shock. The plate was humongous! Similar in size to the ones I've had at Jang Mo Jib, Insadong and Hanwoori, this one is on average $7.00 cheaper. Not only was it cheaper, the darn thing was well executed. There was no absence of red peppers, onions, carrot, beef and mushrooms swimming in perfectly cooked noodles. These noodles were soft; yet slightly chewy and had just enough moisture that they didn't stick together while not being mushy. Naturally, I was unable to finish it and took most of it to go. This is definitely a place I will visit again.

The Good:
- Inexpensive (for Korean food)
- Large portions
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- Food preparation is a bit slow (due to limited amount of staff)
- A bit confusing with the Japanese influences (but in this case, it worked)