Sunday Brunch @ Griffin's (Hotel Vancouver)

When it comes to Sunday brunch in Vancouver, the Pan Pacific (held at Cafe Pacifica) is the most elaborate and expensive hands down. However, other than the view and a few unique items, I don't consider it a good value. At $50.00 per person, it's downright crazy in my books. Thus, it's always good to look at other options. One of these options is Griffin's at the Hotel Vancouver. The last time I had the brunch, it was pretty decent in my books, especially for $39.00. Yes, that is not chump change; yet considering the location and what you get, it's good. Today, we celebrated a belated Mother's Day at Griffin's. One good thing about these Sunday brunch setups is that kiddies are welcome and there is no charge for those under 6 years of age. This is particularly good since my son won't eat anything but the cheapest of items such as the waffles and sausages. I wonder if he has any Chinese in him really... It's all about the seafood and meat for me!

So the food is separated into 4 sections for the buffet brunch. The Cold Food Station consists of breads, smoked herring, artichokes, mushrooms, bean salad, mixed greens, pasta salad, king crab, shrimp and scallops, cheeses and cold cuts. Personally, I'm only interested in a few things in this section, namely the crab, shrimp and scallops. I'm happy to report that all 3 were good, especially the large meaty scallops. The Hot Food Station consists of some standard breakfast items mixed in with some unique offerings. Of course the sausages, bacon, waffles and eggs benny are present (salmon benny too). Despite being served on a buffet line, the eggs benny was fantastic with a perfectly poached free range egg (runny yolk). The rest of the spread included veggie mix, 7-grain rice, pasta, roast potatoes, chicken, roast pork loin, herb roast leg of lamb, spring salmon, halibut, clam & mussels saute, chirizo & merguez sausage, crispy oysters and seafood chowder. Predictably, the fish were overcooked. I'm sure they were not prepared as such; but it's very hard to serve fish properly in this manner. As for the pork loin and lamb, both were a tad dry. However, I really enjoyed the mussels and clams (I'm all about the seafood!). As for the seafood chowder, it was more like fish soup than anything. It did taste quite good exhibiting natural sweetness of the sea.

Related to the hot food section; but in a station attached to the omelet bar is the Prime Rib. Under these circumstances, it is forgivable that the meat is not more rare. After all, there are some people who would not even touch it if it were dripping with bloody juices. For me, I like it medium-rare and the best they could do was medium. Despite this, the prime rib was absolutely fabulous. It practically melted in my mouth and didn't need much chewing. This, my friends was a beautiful piece of meat. As mentioned, the Omelet Bar resides right next to the carving station. I actually didn't try an omelet since I deem it as a filler and there wasn't anything special with the selection of ingredients. My dad did have one and it was made properly looking just cooked.

The Dessert Station is somewhat of a signature feature at Griffin's. It is offered during regular dinner hours as a dessert option. For a buffet, the desserts did look quite appealing. The spread included fruit flan, cheesecake, chocolate torte, rice pudding, creme caramel, white and dark chocolate mousse, profiteroles, fruit tart, berry calfoutis, apple pie, English trifle and fresh fruit. I tried to sample as many items as possible and on the whole, everything was quite good. For a buffet setting, the desserts were both varied and consistent. Also included with the brunch was juice, coffee and tea. Service throughout our meal was attentive and unobtrusive. Much like our last visit to Griffin's for brunch, this time was no different. A solid experience at a reasonable price, considering the venue, location and quality of food.

The Good:
- Generally, the food quality is good
- Good service
- Desserts station is better than most

The Bad:
- Some of the proteins were overcooked (excusable for this type of meal)
- Maybe not as "classy" as some other places
- Omelet station could use more higher end ingredients

Brado

Generally, I'm a pretty busy person as it is. When it gets to the weekend, it's not really a time to relax; rather, it is merely an extension of the week. In fact, there are times that I need some weekdays to recover from the weekend. Chalk that up to activities with the kiddies and sports. So when I got a message from Jessica about a mid-afternoon meet-up with former Vancouver resident, now New York-based blogger Phyllis (Me Hungry!), I really had to see if I could squeeze that in. C'mon, who am I kidding? Pass up an eating opportunity, especially with other foodies? It's like me refusing free samples at Costco. Ah yes... Sunday brunch at Costco... It's a cornucopia of little treats! Anyways, Phyllis had the idea to try out Brado's Poutine Pizza out on the Drive. That sounded quite interesting.

I showed up a bit early so that I could take some exterior shots of restaurants I had visited in the past. Why? Because I wanted better pictures! Yah, chalk that up to my OCDness... Finally meeting up at Brado with Jessica, Mark, Phyllis and Kris, we were wondering if Kim would show up. Of course he would. And bearing treats from Cake-Ya! This... was not going to be a low-cal afternoon! Now, the actual "restaurant" itself is a bit strange. The actual store is shared by another business that really has nothing to do with Brado specifically. With limited seating, we essentially took all the tables. Phyllis and Kris were generous enough to treat us to the Poutine Pizza. As the name implies, it's a pizza with lots of cheese, gravy and fries. For me, the actual taste of the pizza wasn't bad per se. It resembled eating poutine on top of pizza dough. But therein lies the problem. We have starch on top of starch. Not really my thing. I thought the crust could've been lighter considering the heaviness of the toppings.

With that in mind, I had try their actual poutine. Thus, I got the large Smoked Meat Poutine. When I got back to the table and informed everyone of this, I got looks of shock. Apparently, their large is extremely large. So large, it makes Belgian Fries largest size look like a small. No matter really, I was going to share it with everyone anyways. Besides, it wasn't that expensive at around $8.00. Yah, when I did get it, it was freakin' huge. I'm not sure even in my finest hour (or worst) that I could finish it myself. As we dug into the poutine, I noticed that there was quite a lot of cheese curds (although most of it had melted). Thus, I couldn't necessarily get the squeak I was looking for. I did like the gravy, it was on the salty side; but it was hot and thick. As for the fries, I personally couldn't stand them. They were of the generic frozen variety. Call me a fry snob; however, I would much prefer fresh cut potatoes that are double-fried. With all that being said, the owner is a charismatic guy who cares about his business. I think with some tweaks with the pizza and the poutine, it can be much better.

The Good:
- Huge portions
- Inexpensive
- Owner cares about his business

The Bad:
- For a place that serves poutine, the fries need to be a whole lot better
- Poutine pizza sounds good, but in reality, it is too heavy on the carbs
- Not a place to linger

Boulangerie la Parisienne

To be completely honest, I'm not really into sweets. Well, it's not that I don't like sweet things, I just prefer finger food more than anything (such as appetizers). Thus, I am never one to save room for dessert or a sweet drink after a meal. Unlike Mijune, who has a 2nd stomach reserved for desserts, I tend to subliminally avoid pastries. However, this time around, as I was leaving Bistro Sakana, I had the sudden urge to walk over to Boulangerie la Paisienne. Consider it reminiscing about ol' times. I used to live within a stone's throw from here; but haven't been back since I moved 5 years ago.

I only wanted to get a few items; but call it the power of suggestion or just plain lack of self-control, I ended up with almost a dozen. Seeing how Mijune not particularly liking the items she tried on her visit, I went for a different selection. One of the first things that caught my attention was the Tiramisu. It was pretty mild being not too sweet. However, I thought the whole thing was rather bland in general. I didn't think that there was enough sweetness or espresso flavour. With that being said, the texture was silky smooth and the lady fingers were not dry.

I gave the entire Blueberry Tart to my daughter though (well, not before taking a bite). The blueberries were really fresh and I enjoyed the semi-sweet custard. However, I wasn't that big of a fan of the crust. It was a bit hard and not as buttery as others I've had lately. That would be the same for the Lemon Tart as well. If I wasn't a sucker for lemon tarts, I probably would've never chose this one based on its appearance. I know, I know, many lemon tarts look this way and its all in the taste and texture. Yet, this time around, the looks said it all. The same hard flavourless crust gave way to a lemon filling that I can only describe as unrefined. Unlike the lemon tart from Thomas Haas and the lemon pastry from Bakery Nouveau, this filling was quite pedestrian.

The last item I'm going to write about is the Napolean. I didn't get to try this one because I gave it to my mom. She really loves this particular dessert and since I'm indifferent towards desserts... My mom has had many Napoleans and her favourite is still from Bon Ton. This particular one was very disappointing. The mille feuille was far too sweet and she thought it was almost like eating candy. Furthermore, the pastry was dry and hard to eat. Okay, I have to admit that this visit changed my feelings about this place. Nothing was horrid; but there was something off about everything we had. If one wasn't picky, I'm sure that the pastries here would do the job. However, if one was looking for better, just venture further into downtown visit La Boulangerie attached to the Sutton Hotel or Boulangerie Cho Pain.

The Good:
- Great location in Yaletown
- A decent selection of goods

The Bad:
- Pricey
- Average pastries

Bistro Sakana

It's interesting that we have varied expectations for food based on location. Normally, we put up with generally inferior food in the burbs since competition isn't necessarily an issue. In the more extreme cases, we might need to put up with crap because that is all there is. Reminds me of the time my parents took me on a road trip and we passed through Roseburg, Or. Apparently we visited the "best" Chinese restaurant in town. To our complete horror, "chow mein" translated into those prepackaged crunchy orange-coloured noodles you'd find in the Asian section at Safeway. Ugh... Fortunately, when we deal with Vancouver's Downtown core, it becomes a whole new ball of wax. Much like the triangle of ramen near Robson and Denman, there are certain expectations and intense competition. If we look at Japanese food in general, Downtown is the hub of Izakayas and higher end sushi joints. Of course, there are good Japanese restaurants all throughout Vancouver; but once again, if they're in Downtown, they'd better be good.

And that brings me to Bistro Sakana. Japanese food in Yaletown, which essentially means, food at premium prices. At the very least, Pomegranate and I were here for lunch, which tempers the cost. Looking over the menu, the prices weren't as scary as first thought. Lunch specials hovered around the $10.00 mark with large regular items around $15.00. Pomegranate decided to go for the Deluxe Sushi Combo for $17.00. When it arrived, it looked like something that would normally go for $10.00 or less at most other sushi joints. Consisting of a partial California roll, dynamite roll, salmon and tuna maki and 2 pieces each of tuna and salmon nigiri, it sounded like a lot in the menu. Realistically, there wasn't much. With that being said, the sushi was pretty bang on. Everything was fresh and the sushi rice was pretty good. It could've been a bit drier; but not a huge problem.

For myself, I went for their Lunch Bento Box which included sashimi, tempura, teriyaki chicken and California roll. Not bad for $12.00. Once again, the sashimi was fresh; albeit in pretty small slices. I thought the tempura was both executed perfectly and consisted of quality ingredients. It just seemed to be made with care, which translated into a nice crispy eat. As for the teriyaki chicken, I appreciate the use of white meat. I really do. However, for me at least, it never translates into a good chicken teriyaki. More often than not, the chicken is dry and since it has less fat, doesn't have the depth of flavour as dark meat. In this case, they tried to make as moist as it could be; but all I got was out of it was dry chicken with sauce. Despite this, we thought the food overall was quite good, if not a bit boring. We did enjoy the ambiance, being Yaletown and all. Great place to grab a bite and do some people watching. And that usually comes at a premium.

The Good:
- Fresh ingredients
- Carefully prepared food
- Courteous and unobtrusive service

The Bad:
- Pricey, especially at dinner
- Portions are quite small
- The place is quite small (hence the "bistro" in the name)

Ho Do Szechuan

It's interesting how so many restaurants exist within a small little block near the Surrey Central skytrain station. Pho Tam, New Town, Pho Hoa Hong, Top King's, Cucina Manila and Ho Do Szechuan all reside in essentially the same complex. To top it all off, there are only around 15 parking spaces for all of them! It seems that I'm slowly working my way through. Little did I realize, Ho Do actually serves Dim Sum. Now, Dim Sum and Surrey go together like Jessica Simpson and a textbook. Yah, it usually isn't a pretty combination. There are 2 decent places along Scott Road in Yummy Wonton and Lotus; but they are technically in North Delta.

As I picked up Toolman for our Dim Sum lunch, he looked a bit nervous when I suggested my intentions. Dim Sum in Whalley? Well, we won't know the answer to that if we don't try right? I must give it to him, he was game. However, there was a slight concern on my part since Ho Do is a Szechuan restaurant. For those who are unfamiliar with different Chinese cuisine, the Dim Sum that is most popular in the GVRD is specifically Cantonese (however, Shanghainese Dim Sum is quite prevalent as well). Thus, a Szechuan joint serving Cantonese Dim Sum could be a recipe for disaster. Yet, Szechuan Chongquing on Broadway in Vancouver is an example that would suggest otherwise.

For a split second, I almost ditched the Dim Sum idea since the lunch specials start at the rock bottom price of $3.95. Alas, I reverted back to my original mission (testing out Dim Sum in Surrey). We started with the staples of Dim Sum - Haw Gow (shrimp dumpling) & Sui Mai (pork & shrimp dumpling). The shrimp dumplings were alright. The shrimp filling was a tad loose; yet the shrimp itself was crunchy and tasty. However, the dumpling skin was a bit chewy. As for the sui mai, I was not a big fan of them. Usually, we look for pork with a bit of "bite"; but in this case, it was just plain tough. Flavourwise, there wasn't enough seasoning which in turn led to the dumpling tasting too "porky".

On the flipside, the Fried Squid was quite good. I guess it was predictable that they'd do this dish right. With flavours that are more familiar with Szechuan cooking, the perfectly fried squid was laced with chilis, garlic and salt. The only thing that would've made this dish a home run would be a slightly lighter batter. For me, I don't really get to eat sticky rice very often. So, whenever I get the chance I order it. In this case, it was the Loh Mei Gai (sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves). Usually within the sticky rice, there is ground pork and shiitake mushrooms in a gelatinous sauce with lap cheun (Chinese sausage) and a piece of chicken (which "gai" represents). In this case, there was no chicken and the rice was subpar. It was dry and hard, even the filling couldn't save it. This was a real miss.

The next dish was totally my own fault. I decided to order a Shanghainese specialty during a Cantonese Dim Sum meal in a Szechuan restaurant. It's akin to ordering BBQ ribs during a Japanese meal in a Ukrainian restaurant. It will ultimately result in an epic fail. And guess what? Yup, these Xiao Long Baos were an epic fail on massive scale. First, the dumpling skin was as impenetrable as a kevlar vest. Second, the meat was stiffer than Ron Jeremy. Lastly and most importantly, these XLBs were bone dry. Not even a drop of juice. To add insult to injury, they were not even served with vinegar. Serves me right for ordering it.

At the very least, the Black Bean Spareribs were acceptable. I know, my expectations proceeded to move down a sliding scale by this point. There was a good amount of garlic and black bean which gave the ribs good flavour. However, the meaty pieces were on the chewier side and a bit difficult to eat. One dish that did not resemble its description in the menu was the Fish Maw & Chicken. I'm sure the Chinese description was right on the money; but the English version did not state the ingredients would be wrapped in bean curd sheets. Hey, I'm all for bean curd sheets, it was just a bit unexpected. I thought they had brought out the wrong order since it resembles another dish - Seen Jook Gune. In fact, this looked and ultimately tasted very similar to if except for the filling. Rather than pork, we got a small piece melted fish maw (fried fish air bladder) and overcooked chicken. I know, not a ringing endorsement.

Last but not least, we got the Char Sui Bao (BBQ pork bun) as ordered by Toolman (in his broken Cantonese). These were actually quite good. The bun itself was soft and fluffy. The BBQ pork filling was plentiful and flavourful without being too sweet. But honestly, the Dim Sum was not very good. I know we shouldn't expect too much considering the location and type of restaurant. In fact, I really should return and try what they specialize in, which is Szechuan cuisine. But for now, my hunt for decent Dim Sum in Surrey continues...

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Quite a few lunch options
- Service was decent

The Bad:
- Dim Sum is subpar
- Once again, there limited parking here

Pho Hoa (Kingsway Vancouver)

Probably the most recognizable Vietnamese chain restaurant in North America (and other parts of the world), Pho Hoa is the McDonald's of pho. I've been to locations from Edmonton to San Jose. Despite not looking alike whatsoever physically, the food is generally more-or-less the same at each location. Despite what the pictures says, it's not Pho Harestau. I guess the recession has limited their budget on signage. Tonight, Polka King and I were not being very creative with our eating destination after Wednesday night hockey. Trust me, at 1:30am on a Wednesday, creativeness is extremely limited. So, rather than trying to make it before the 2:00am closing time of most late night joints, we settled on the 24-hr pho.

No matter what others feel about Pho Hoa, I personally don't mind it. Yah I know, nothing will blow you away here. Just because it has grown into a large chain doesn't mean it's bad. Instead, they must be doing something right. Wait, lemme take a step back. Not all chain restaurants are necessarily good; but again, they all have their clientele (everyone has different tastes). I don't know about you, one thing that bugs me is the use of lemons instead of limes when it comes to pho. I realize sometimes limes are just not available; but nonetheless, it ain't the same. One thing that unnerves Polka King when it comes to late night eats is the "shady" characters factor. He believes that many of the clientele of late night establishments belong to the criminal element. Thus, he gets a bit nervous. Therefore, I chose not to use the big honking Speedlite flash. Honestly, he worries too much. I'm sure there are more people stopping by for pho from the sex shop next door than gang members. However, it gives new meaning to "special" sauce...

So on the topic of sauce, I liked the hoisin/peanut sauce that came with my Salad Roll. Often, I get really annoyed that the sauce is way too sweet - not in this case. Not a whole lot to say about the roll itself except that the filling was fresh and crunchy. As always, I went for a large #44 (Phở Chín, Nạm, Gầu, Gân, Sách) which has everything yummy like brisket, flank, tripe and tendon. I find that the broth here to be quite decent. Sure, it's a bit on the thin side; but it isn't offensive. I'm sure there is msg; but it's okay with me in this case. One thing that irritates me about the pho here is the lack of noodles and ingredients. Most other Vietnamese restaurants trump Pho Hoa in terms of value. Polka King had the Lemongrass Pork with rice and spring roll. He remarked that the pork chop was flavourful and not overcooked. Too bad about the spring roll though, he would've preferred a rice flour wrapper rather than wheat. Well, there you have it. A relatively non-offensive Vietnamese meal. Nothing to write home about; but reliable eats, especially when most other places are closed. Well, except for the XXX shop next door; but that serves something other than food...

The Good:
- Reliable food
- Open late
- Okay pricing

The Bad:
- Nothing ground-breaking here
- Place needs a cleaning
- Service? What service?

The Apron

The first time I ever heard of The Apron was at the Hot Chefs Cool Jazz event hosted at the Vancouver Convention Centre. At their food station, I was introduced to 2 unique little bites. The first was a Beef Tartar served on a crispy tendon. The second was Puffed Foie Gras. With those 2 offerings, I realized that The Apron's Executive Chef, Hamid Salimian (no longer with the Apron, he has moved to Diva at the Met), was not afraid to experiment and to think out-of-the-box. Coincidentally, a few weeks later, I recieved an invitation to a tasting at The Apron by a good friend of Chef Hamid on his behalf. Located in the new Westin Wall Centre, The Apron is a modern; yet small restaurant which is both classy and casual. The location is a bit odd since the hotel is situated among car repair shops and empty lots. There is not much in the way of street parking; however, there is complimentary valet for patrons of the restaurant. Once the area is fully developed, I can see everything looking less disheveled.

At this meal, I finally met Matt who writes for Vancouver Slop. It's strange that all this time, we've never crossed paths. He is indeed a very knowledgeable foodie and I certainly hope he can put up with me for another meal sometime down the road! Anyways, with little delay, the feast came at us fast and furious. We started with the Kushi Oyster in a Garden. Presented as if it was a garden, the oysters with a yuzu cloud, sat among edible garnishes. First and foremost, the oysters were fresh and the nice touch of citrus really helped accent the natural sweetness. It was so refreshing that I could've ate the whole garden by myself (which is quite believable with all types of gardens). Next up was a very interesting interpretation of Popcorn Shrimp. Normally, most people associate popcorn shrimp as something breaded and fried. In this particular version, there are indeed shrimp; but the similarities end there. With mini spot prawns, smoked steelhead roe, powdered popcorn, puffed rice, mayonnaise and orange pieces, this was not like any popcorn shrimp I've ever had. With so many components, the result was a good contrast of textures between the shrimp, roe and crunchy bits. Furthermore, the smoked flavour of the roe and tartness of the orange provided a nice balance.

At this point I was yakking about how I remembered the 2 offerings from the Apron station at the Hot Chefs Cool Jazz event. As if they had read my mind, the Beef Tartar and Crispy Tendon arrived. So, we essentially have a piece of crispy tendon (yes, not a misprint) employed as a serving and eating vessel for the beef tartar (comprised of pickled shallots and crumbled egg yolk). Although this is a very clever offering which is also quite unique, I'm personally not all that fond of it. I get the concept of the crispiness being a contrast for the soft beef tartar. Furthermore, I understand the pickled shallots representing the acid in the dish. However, much like the first time I had it, it didn't elicit much of a response from me this time either. Viv thought it lacked flavour despite the many components.

Okay, that concluded our amuse bouche portion of the meal, now onto the dinner (albeit smaller tasting portions of course). Another interesting take on a classic was the English Pea Soup. We were first presented with a bowl with the individual ingredients for us to see before the pea soup was served table side. With the use of molecular gastronomy, we had the buttermilk served as a bubble. A mint "crouton" (more like gelee), Tyrol bacon and peas rounded out the ingredients. Combined with the smooth pea soup, each item contributed to the flavour profile in a clean and discernible fashion. I could taste the mint, buttermilk and bacon; yet at the same time, they all went well together.

Now, the second item from the Hot Chefs Cool Jazz event was the Puffed Foie Gras. I remembered this one fondly. I was ever-so-happy to see it again! Chef Hamid explained how he "puffed" the foie gras; but honestly, I wasn't listening. My mouth was just watering... By virtue of being puffed, the foie gras is appreciably lighter and airy. Accompanied by a sour cherry fluid jelly, port, beet and warm brioche, this was a luxurious; yet easy dish to eat. There was just enough tartness to cut through the richness of the foie gras. At the sixth dish, most tasting menus would be wrapping up. Oh no, we were only HALFWAY though! Arriving next was the Seared Scallop with spiced basmati rice, coconut curry froth and pineapple carpaccio. A pretty straightforward dish with the scallop cooked perfectly with nice caramelization. The rice was good; but due to the small amount, it didn't add much to the dish.

Okay, onto the second half of the dinner... We got Lobster with Yukon gold gnocchi, morels, Parmesan crisp finished with a lobster emulsion. The lobster consisted of a whole claw which was cooked perfectly. The naturally sweet flesh went well with the fragrant emulsion and earthy morels. The gnocchi were tender and of a perfect size. Heading back to the molecular gastronomical well, we got the Sous Vide Pacific Provider Salmon served with Provencal tart, apron chorizo and sunchoke coriander vinaigrette. As mentioned by another diner at the table, the salmon was devoid of texture due to the sous vide method of cooking. This may be one of those dishes that one will either love or hate. For me, I loved the flavours (especially the chorizo), but the salmon was indeed too mushy for my liking.

Now, here comes the epic fail. No, not in terms of the food. I was so enjoying my Queen Charlotte Sablefish that I forgot to take a picture of it! *Gasp* the horror!!! Let's just say that it was seared perfectly with a nice crisp exterior. Thankfully, I didn't forget to take a picture of the Slow Cooked Lamb Shank accompanied by sweet bread foie gras sausage, cipollini onion, whipped carrot and natural jus. If you know me, I really like lamb; thus, I'm a bit picky regarding its execution. This particular piece of lamb was prepared excellently being moist and gelatinous while still maintaining its meatiness. I especially liked digging out the bone marrow. The sausage was interesting and quite good; but I'm not sure how it tied into the dish particularly. It was meaty richness upon meaty richness.

Finally, we made it to dessert and we started with a "pre-dessert" of White chocolate and Kalamansi. It consisted of a ball of white chocolate filled with liquid kalamansi (it's a Chinese orange) resting on a bed of powdered white chocolate. The trick is to put the whole thing in your mouth and let it "pop". Once again, a very creative offering; but the presentation would've benefited from some colour. So our last course... finally... was the Sous Vide Apricot Tart with Babes honey ice cream, rose water marshmallow and almond & hazelnut soil. This was a pleasant end to the meal. I particularly liked the soft and sweet apricot paired with the deliciously smooth ice cream.

With the sheer amount of items we got to sample, naturally, there would be some that I liked and some not so much. With that being said, the tasting was quite good. I really enjoyed Chef Hamid's creativeness and willingness to take chances (and the use of molecular gastronomy). It's not often that we see this type of risk-taking at Hotel-based restaurants. Of course I expected the food to be prepared carefully since I was invited to this tasting; yet no one can question Chef Hamid's skill. It remains to be seen if other patrons will appreciate his creations; but at the very least, it will not be boring food.

*Note: This was an invited dinner where all food was comped*

The Good:
- Creative culinary interpretation
- Hotel-food with some flair
- Almost flawless execution

The Bad:
- Some items get lost in translation
- Physical size of the restaurant is quite small