Charm Modern Thai

*This restaurant is now closed*

Let's face it. Much like anything these days, restaurants are changing with the times. As much as the basic restaurant can do the job in terms of offering up good eats, it is lacking in all other areas. For example, why must we have the latest technology such as the iPhone 4 or a nicer car when we can get by with a classic Motorola brick-of-a-phone and a Pinto? Simple, because we have wants that are not necessarily needs. That has been the case for quite awhile since the dawn of consumerism. Hence, I find it quite troubling that people merely write off things that are deemed frivolous for nothing more than being "trendy" or "modern". Take Bao Bei for instance. Yes, it is not your typical Chinese restaurant; but it is not trying to be so. With that in mind, there are some decent eats there that go along with their awesome drinks. Even Terracotta has some okay dishes as well despite some flops. Hey, no restaurant can be perfect you know. There is a lot that goes into operating a restaurant! And that gets into the topic of exactly what is the target clientele of a particular establishment. The bottom line of any business is to make money. Plain and simple. So they will cater to its core customers. Take East Side Mario's for instance. Their "Italian" food is dumbed down to be a safe place for those who are not as adventurous. In fact, they have introduced some more classic dishes in the past to no avail. Thus, they end up keeping the items which sell and ditching the ones that do not.

With all this in mind, restaurants in Yaletown can never be judged solely on their food. C'mon, let's get real here. Yaletown is trendy. Yaletown is expensive. Yaletown is about style. My point? If you don't like this, then don't eat there. Plenty of other places in the GVRD. Now, the food still needs to be at the very least decent since a restaurant is a place where one eats... By merely providing style without edible food is not good for the longevity of any restaurant (Society is an example). I'll be honest though, for the reasons provided, I have hesitated to try Charm since Thai food is expensive enough without being located in Yaletown. However, I got invited to give Charm a try and I figured why not? So I ended up going on a regular Tuesday night dinner service (with them knowing I was there of course). And yes, here is my usual disclaimer... Sure they invited me; but once again, a restaurant can only be as good as it can be and can be only as bad as it can be as well. And of course, you know I'm gonna give you my honest opinion.

We started off the meal with the Green Papaya Salad. The colours were vibrant and the ingredients exhibited a very fresh crunch. Unlike some other versions of this salad, the flavours were bold. Lots of fish sauce and a bit of spice, it was amazingly balanced. Viv thought that there was a good mix of salty, sweet, tart and spice. The roasted peanuts added a nice aroma and extra crunch to the dish. Now for one of their signature items - The Duck Sticks. As advertised, these were awesome. Of course anything put into a spring roll is not exactly rocket science. However, these spring rolls had a pronounced duck flavour. That put it over the top because being crunchy isn't uncommon for a spring roll; yet having a pleasing duck taste makes it special. Presented on the same plate was the Tiger Prawn Satay. These were barely cooked and I mean barely. It appeared they were marinated in a peanut/curry satay sauce. They were served with Thai-style garlic toast, Thai peanut sauce and cucumber chutney. The prawns were so tasty, there was really no need for the peanut sauce. Somewhat of a strange combination, the cucumber chutney atop the garlic toast worked. However, we would've preferred more tartness from the chutney.

Next up, we had the Tom Yum Goong with perfectly cooked prawns. The broth was very flavourful with big hits of lemongrass, fish sauce, cilantro and galangal. Despite some bold flavours including some spice, it was well-balanced. For our first main, the Pineapple Braised Short Ribs, we found the red curry to be quite good. A good balance of coconut milk, spice and sweetness from the pineapple. Personally, I would've liked it spicier; but again, restaurants usually cater to the masses. Curiously, the short ribs were a bit dry; despite being tender. Our next dish was something that we didn't prefer. I have to give them props for something as creative as Green Tea Chicken; but we found the green tea coating very overpowering. There wasn't anything inherently wrong with the orange and ginger glaze, there was just too much of it. The side of veggies were prepared perfectly being crunchy and not overseasoned.

Our last entree was the Coconut Cream Scallops. The scallops were nicely grilled and barely cooked inside exhibiting a slight smoky aroma. Curiously, 2 of the scallops had a bit of chewiness around the edges. Possibly a bit uneven flame? The coconut cream sauce and veggies underneath let the scallops do all the talking. No need to overwhelm such a delicate and naturally sweet item. As for our desserts, we started with a Vanilla Bean Tapioca which was not sweet at all which is a good thing. We could see the vanilla bean; but couldn't taste much of it. Lastly, we had the Deep Fried Banana with vanilla sauce. Once again, anything stuffed into a spring roll will have a good chance at succeeding. This was not different. The banana was very ripe; hence it tasted good on its own and we could barely detect the chocolate and coconut.

Although not mind-blowing, most of the food was pretty good. As much as it is advertised to be modern Thai, most of the items on the menu are quite traditional cooked by actual Thai chefs. As for some of their more adventurous creations, I guess it comes down to personal preference. To be honest, it was better than I expected. Of course, we need to take into account that Charm is one of many restaurants in Yaletown that share the same model. That is, to fit into the Yaletown scene with progressive food and a little pizazz. Hey, I get it, I really do. I lived in Yaletown for 6 years after all. Of course, if you wanted Thai food for cheaper, it definitely can be found elsewhere. That is not rocket science. But if we take Charm for what it is, their target clientele and where it is located, it is a good place for drinks, appies and certain dishes.

The Good:
- Not as expensive as you would think (especially with an Entertainment coupon)
- As with most Yaletown eateries, dining space is nice
- Some pleasant surprises

The Bad:
- Some dishes are better than others (which is pretty normal for any restaurant)
- If you're not really into the Yaletown scene

Sanpachi

There has never been a time where Japanese ramen has been so accessible. Of course there was ramen available at many Japanese restaurants before; but let's be honest, none of them were really all that good. And don't even get started on instant ramen. That doesn't count. However, I practically grew up on Nissan noodles with a side of Spam and fried egg. Yum! That was before I discovered I'd be better off munching on a Quarter Pounder with Cheese if I were to take into account the nutritional information. I digress. Located in "ramen central" around Robson Street, Sanpachi is the newest kid on the block and replaces the former Royal Thai. Much like Santouka, Sanpachi originates out of Japan and this particular location is its first in Canada. I was wanting to try the place out last Friday, so I called up Kim. Turns out he had already visited the place 3 times in one week! Luckily it is ramen, not something like... brains! So, a week later, I was able to recruit Krazi to join me for some Ramen.

Much like the other ramen joints around, there are the usual choices such as shio, tonkotsu, shoyu and miso. Seeing that, Krazi went for something a bit different in the Negi-Ramen in a miso broth. Topped with onions and leeks, there was a definite herbiness to the overall flavour profile. The ramen was still chewy despite sitting in the broth while I took photos. We thought the miso was a bit salty with some spiciness. Thin slices of chashu and bamboo shoots completed the dish. For myself I went for a combo which included a side of Nori-Mayo. As the name suggests, there is both dried seaweed and mayo. It was essentially sushi rice with a mayo/pork mixture within a piece of nori. This was actually good, despite my initial reservations. I liked the chewy rice with the meaty pork and smooth mayo. A few slices of oshinko accented the dish.

For the other part of the combo, I selected the Tonkotsu Ramen. The first thing I noticed was the dark oil drizzled on top. Upon further investigation, it turned out to be black garlic oil. It added a certain depth and bitterness to the already flavourful broth. I found the broth a bit salty; yet not disturbingly so. There was a definite rich pork taste which is a few notches below Santuoka in my opinion. Bamboo shoots, nori, chashu, green onions and a slice of fish cake rounded out the bowl. The chashu was good being soft and moist, too bad there wasn't enough of it. For my one extra, I added an Ajitama Egg (strangely named Yummy Egg on the menu). It was cooked properly with a runny centre. At first, I was concerned I wouldn't be full; but with the thicker noodles, I ended up quite satisfied. Definitely good flavours with proper execution. Sanpachi is a fine addition to the ramen corridor (aka Robson); yet it doesn't manage to unseat Santouka as my personal favourite.

The Good:
- Flavourful broth
- Chewy thick noodles (if you like that)
- Some interesting options

The Bad:
- Much like many other ramen joints, it's small resulting in waits
- Broth could be too salty for some
- Not exactly cheap but it is inline with other ramen shops

La Belle Auberge

*Restaurant is now closed*

When it comes to fine dining in the Lower Mainland, Ladner would not probably come to mind. In fact, there is not a whole lot of dining options in Ladner in general. However, the top-rated Zagat restaurant in the GVRD happens to be located here. Really now... I'm not pulling your leg. Leg... Mmm... Roasted... Oh, I digress. Only a short walk from the quaint Ladner Village, La Belle Auberge has been serving fine French food for the last 30 years. This place has been on my culinary radar for quite some time. You see, Bubbly and Chill have been here quite a few times. They have been raving about the place and really wanted us to try it. So much so, that they decided to crash our birthday dinner for the second straight year (it was Cru last time)! When I remarked to Costanza and Elaine that we try the Table d'Hote menu at La Belle Auberge, it elicited 2 responses - Where is this place? And $95.00 per person??? Yah, I had to do a bit of salesmanship to build-up a bit of excitement. In fact, I arranged that we watch the new Harry Potter movie at Riverport prior to dinner so we were in the general vicinity. I am indeed quite sinister and persuasive when it comes to dining destinations.

Located in a primarily residential area, La Belle Auberge is an actual house converted into a restaurant. We were warmly greeted by the Maître d’, Elmond and seated at a nice round table. I love round tables because you can actually have a conversation with everyone as opposed to a long rectangular table. The proprietor, Bruno offered up personalized service throughout the evening. We really didn't need to look at the menu, we were solely here for the Table d'Hote. Hey, we were going for the best thing here! We started with an Amuse Bouche consisting of Gemini Tomato, Terrine of Goat Cheese, Smoked Salmon Roulade, Roast Pheasant Leg and Prawn Terrine with Saffron Mayo. I really enjoyed the prawn, it had a nice snap and crunch from the beans. The mayo spoke up; but did not overshadow the sweet prawn. The pheasant was tender and had a deep roasted flavour while the roulade was buttery smooth with a nice pop from the tobiko. The goat cheese terrine reminded us of a fluffy cheesecake, especially with the berry topping. Finally the tomato was a refreshing end (not sure if that was supposed to be eaten last; but it worked out for me). Early on, it was apparent they take their service very seriously here as the Chef de Cuisine, Tobias MacDonald, personally served a few courses at each table.

Our first course consisted of the House Smoked Sockeye Salmon atop a phyllo cracker and topped with a pea sprout salad, beets, capers and a grainy mustard dressing. Costanza astutely noticed the fennel in the sprout salad even though it was very mild. The combination of the fennel, salty capers and sweet mustard dressing complimented the buttery smoked salmon. The phyllo cracker acted as a textural contrast; but was a bit clumsy to eat. Second course was the Seared Foie Gras with apple tart tartine, snap peas, fennel and port wine sauce. Normally, foie is akin to eating a stick of butter since it is predominantly fat. However, the nice seared gave an almost smoky crust which provided some texture and caramelization to the otherwise melt-in-your-mouth foie. Of course pairing it with apple is a classic choice and predictably provided plenty of sweetness and a touch of tartness. In some ways it was probably a bit too sweet; but not in a bad way. The snap peas added another layer of textural crunch while the fennel attempted to provide some balance to the very sweet apples.

Up next was the Rabbit and Chantrelle Fricassee in a vol-au-vent served with spinach and tomato confit. First off, the rabbit white meat was super tender. It went well with the sauce and the salty spinach. I'm assuming the wilted spinach was extra salty to make up for the mild rabbit. The dark meat filled up the vol-au-vent. I wasn't able to detect much chantrelle if at all. Not a big deal since chantrelles aren't naturally bursting with flavour. With the close of our "appetizers", we were served Fresh Fruit Sorbet with sour apple explosion as a palate cleanser. The star of this duo was no question the white chocolate ball with a hidden surprise when eaten. A burst of sour apple syrup not only cleanse the palate, it was a taste experience in itself. The sorbet was only semi-sweet and completely refreshing.

For our mains, there was a choice of 3 items. I went for the AAA Beef Tenderloin with foie gras en torchon and burgundy jus. I asked for my tenderloin to be prepared medium-rare closer to the rare and it turned out to be medium. Strangely, Bubbly had hers prepared perfectly medium rare. Wonder if they gave us the wrong orders? Whatever the case, the meat was predictably tender and moist. The burgundy jus and foie gras provided the flavour necessary for beef tenderloin since it is not inherently flavourful. Served with every dish was a potato pave, aspargus, green beans, tomato, beets, red cabbage and squash. The bevy of veggies were prepared flawlessly with maybe the exception of the green beans which were slightly limp. Elaine ended up with the Seared Qualicum Scallops with veloute cream. I only tried a small piece; yet that was enough to illustrate the skill of the chef. The scallops were seared perfectly, just barely cooked. The veloute sauce was creamy with tarragon I believe. I only tried a small piece so I'm not completely sure.

Arguably the best dish of the night was the Wenzel Farms Duck Breast with blueberry sauce. At first, I thought the duck was sous-vide first before searing because it was so tender and moist. Tobias confirmed that it was only roasted. That in itself exemplifies the quality of the duck as well as the skill of the chef. The blueberry sauce was understated (since blueberries are not exactly overwhelming). That worked in this case because we could taste the duck. Perfectly executed dish. After our entrees, we got a Cheese plate consisting of a piece of what we figured as Gouda and Edam with candied walnut, grape and green apple salad. The candied walnut went really well with the cheese. Mercifully for Constanza (who was about to take off his belt), we finally reached the last course which was a choice of dessert. Inexplicably, he went for the most decadent of them all - Chocolate, Hazelnut & Passionfruit Mousse Cake. The Maître d’ warned him that it was the richest dessert on the menu and indeed it was. However, the beautifully presented passionfruit helped temper the rich chocolate.

Elaine decided on the Vanilla Crème Brûlée. I would've preferred a more burnt sugar topping; however, the custard was smooth and had a nice consistency. It was sweet; but not overly. It could've used a touch more vanilla. For myself, I had the Caramelized Plums, Chocolate Mousse & Ice Cream. Costanza kept warning me that it would purge my stomach; but I didn't mind a cleanse after this meal! Anyways, the plums were pretty good. Soft, sweet and tart, it was a nice compliment to the semi-sweet chocolate mousse. The ice cream was very nice, as it wasn't too sweet and acted as the bridge from the plums to the mousse. Just like they intended? Finally, Viv's dessert was the most visually striking. She had the Tiramisu Chocolate Tear Drop. Viv thought it was very creamy while being light tasting. Not too sweet and not exhibiting much in the way of any liquor or coffee flavour. The passionfruit and strawberry coulis added some vibrant colour to the dish. As if we needed anymore food, we received a plate of Mignardises which happened to be a melt-in-your mouth chocolate on a crispy wafer topped with sea salt. It reminded us of a Ferrero Rocher without the hazelnuts. The sea salt intensified the flavours at the end and left a strong; yet pleasant aftertaste.

What a culinary experience! Sure, it was $95.00 per person before wine, tip and tax; but for me, it was well worth it. Almost everything was perfectly executed and carefully prepared. Of course it wasn't perfect. Nothing ever is. It amazes me that La Belle Auberge is hidden out in Ladner of all places. Actually, it adds to the charm really. Despite its inaccessible location (for most who don't live nearby), it was a busy night with practically a full-house. Well, I can see why. Outstanding food, honest service, quaint dining space and people who really care about their craft can only have one outcome - a dining experience worth paying and driving out for.

The Good:
- Superior execution
- Impeccable service
- The food speaks for itself

The Bad:
- Out-of-the way location for many
- Expensive (yet in line with most fine dining establishments)

Yami Yaki

Last time, while I was regrettably picking up "Chinese" food from Hang Lee at Scottsdale Mall food court, I noticed Yami Yaki nearby. Now, when I say food court, I really mean Hang Lee and Yami Yaki only. You see, there used to be more food stalls here including McD's; but the place just ain't too popular and places to eat has dwindled down to 2. This time, I aim to complete the Scottsdale Mall food court experience by getting some takeout from Yami Yaki. Since there are only 2 places to eat here, I guess Yami Yaki tries to be more than merely Sushi and Tempura. Rather, it's got this Koya/U-Grill thing going on where you can pick your ingredients and they'll cook it to order. I stuck with the Japanese food this time with a combo; but they ended up cooking my Yakisoba fresh on the flattop.

As for that Yakisoba, by virtue of being prepared fresh, it was pretty good. The noodles were slightly chewy, chicken was tender and veggies crisp. Maybe a touch too much sauce though. I realize that I shouldn't expect much out of the food here; but the Tempura was awful. There was an obscene amount of gummy gooey tempura batter on each veggie. It acted like an impenetrable barrier between me and my veggies. Believe me, there is already many obstacles that stand in my way of vegetable consumption. Mind you, fried veggies don't really count when considering a healthy meal. Last item in the combo was the obligatory California Roll. Yah I know, nothing really all that exciting; yet it is user-friendly and safe. When you are 1 of 2 food stalls in a mall, it's best to not put something strange into the food. As expected, the roll was pretty darn average. The rice was bland and a bit too soft. The roll was not made with care and slightly stingy on the filling.

Okay, despite my rumblings about how the food isn't that great, Yami Yaki remains a viable option for those in need of quick eats. Sure, the food ain't great; but it's made fresh and doesn't cost very much. The proprietors are friendly and honest people, who try their best to put out a decent product. With very little to compete against, in the mall at least, they will have their customers.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Food is made to order
- Nice staff

The Bad:
- Food is so-so, but the freshly cooked noodles were good
- It's fast food; but prepare to wait a bit since they make it to order (which is good)

Ben Laila Donair

*This restaurant is now closed*

The Donair. A relatively easy food to find in Vancouver. Sometimes, it is the only late night option in Downtown. However, other than Surrey, you won't find too many of these joints in the burbs. Imagine my utter confusion when a new donair spot opened up in Port Moody. Get this, it wasn't even in the heart of the action. In fact, it is at the top of Clarke Road hill where there are very few businesses. The only other place that even catches anyone attention is KY Market. Insert joke here. Anyways, the reason I know about Ben Laila Donair is because I drive by it daily. Where Pomegranate is busy looking at women, I'm in search of new restaurants. Imagine the humour of the moment when I snapped my head towards the right when I was driving. He thought there were some pretty females around. No, no females. A restaurant! Ah yes, I had spotted a new restaurant! Check it out!

So weeks passed. Eventually even months passed and I would drive past Ben Laila. Finally, we decided to stop and try it out. Initially, I had a hard time deciding what to have. Beef? Chicken? Lamb? The friendly owner decided to offer some samples of each. They were all pretty good. I eventually went for the Chicken Platter with rice, salad, hummus, tahini and tzatziki. The chicken was tender, although it could've used a bit more flavour such as the one at Al Basha. I really liked the accompanying salads. They included Red Cabbage, White Cabbage, Hot Carrot, Tabbouleh and Arabic Salad. All were very vibrant and fresh. Pomegranate got the Lamb Donair with extra meat. As you can see, there was a lot of filling. From what I sampled, the lamb was moist and flavouful. The donair itself could've used a bit more condiments to up the flavour intensity.

Lastly, we got some Falafels to try. I'm not a huge fan of falafels (probably since I'm a big meat-eater); but these were fantastic. At first, they didn't appear fluffy. However, one bite past the crispy exterior, it was fluffy and flavourful. I could sit down and eat these with a cool one. That was a nice end to a pleasant meal. We were surprised to find such a place out here, especially since it was pretty good too. I'm still a bit impartial to Al Basha; yet for something that is a bit closer for me, Ben Laila does the job.

The Good:
- Good portions
- Solid eats
- Super friendly owner

The Bad:
- Possibly more impact from the sauces would kick up the flavour quotient

Tropika (Cambie)

Now this is a classic food adventure. You see, Tropika was one of our usual hangouts during University. Whenever we met up for a "just because" dinner, we'd hit this place up. In addition to Banana Leaf, we got our fill of Malay food quite often. Hey it was a great departure from the other usual joints such as Milestones and Cactus Club. Okay, before the authenticity police sends out a warrant, I fully realize that Tropika is Chinese-owned. But once again, let's have the food speak for itself first. This time around, it was for Guy Smiley's birthday. Since it was 2 days before our Entertainment coupons were set to expire, that was another reason. We never actually end up saving any money when we use our Entertainment coupons anyways. I always end up ordering 2 extra dishes to make up for the coupons. Thus, we just get more food as a result. Besides, I felt a bit sheepish treating someone and using coupons... So, we decided on heading over to the original location out on Cambie and 14th since it was closer for the both of us. And it wasn't anything against Richmond this time. I swear!

It's funny how things often seem like they're in a time warp. As if it were still in the 90's, the decor and menu items at Tropika seem exactly the same. It's like Viv and I were meeting up with friends on a regular weekend night. Wait, our two kids in tow immediately reminded us that was awhile ago. Instead of 2 free hands, I had a portable booster seat in one and cooler bag in the other. Don't I look cool? Right... So after we sat down, we got down to ordering. While we were doing so, our server was hinting that we were ordering way too much food. That was the intention! We started with the 2 most popular appetizers - Roti Canai and Satay Skewers. The roti here is very similar to the ones at Banana Leaf. Slightly chewy and relatively loose, these were not oily at all and had a nice crisp exterior. The accompanying curry dip is of the sweeter variety much like Banana Leaf once again. We actually prefer this type more than the actual predominantly curry dip found at other places, such as Bo Laksa's. We got one each of the pork, chicken and beef satay skewers and they did what they were supposed to. Tender enough, with lightly sweet curry seasoning and nice charring.

Since it was Guy Smiley's birthday, I insisted he pick a dish despite his indifference. Thus, he chose the Sambal Clams being his favourite. With only a few unopened mollusks, this was a solid dish. The juicy clam meat was accented by a mildly spicy and savoury sauce. Despite not being a Malaysian specialty, we always seem to get the Hainanese Chicken anyways. In that sense, it is expected to be nothing like the Singaporean version. Rather, it is of the free-range chicken variety that is not de-boned. No matter, I like both, each with their own qualities. The one here was prepared well with a nice layer of gelatin underneath the "springy" skin. The meat was moist including the white meat. A better than average attempt.

Finally, a classic Malay dish, the Rendang Lembu or Beef Rendang. In terms of overall depth of flavour, I liked the one at Tamarind Hill more; but this one was not bad either. The beef was not too fatty, although there were a number of drier pieces. The sauce had hints of coconut; but was mostly dominated by the chili spices. It wasn't hot by any stretch of the imagination; however, it was very evident. Our next dish was one of the specials on the menu board. The Oxtail Stew seemed interesting, so we decided to give it a go. We liked the tender oxtail meat which still retained a good amount of meat texture. However, we were not that impressed with the stewing liquid. It was very sweet with little other apparent flavours. We could see it was tomato-based; yet failed to get any impact. A one-note dish.

From one-note to very flavourful were the Sambal Bunchies. We get this every time at any Malay restaurant since it's Viv's favourite. Comparatively, this version was generally not lacking in the flavour department. So much so, maybe a bit too much. Sure, green beans need to be seasoned aggressively since the flavour doesn't really "stick". However, it ended up being quite sweet with big hits of belacan and dried shrimp. The beans were slightly on the overcooked (or should I say overfried) side. Went well with rice though. Alright, the next dish is something that I personally like even though it was never all that popular with my friends when I always ordered it. The Tropika Homestyle Chicken is essentially fried chicken with a spice rub consisting of coriander, cinnamon, cumin and anise. It is very obvious that there is anise since the licorice flavour really comes out. But the one issue that I can see about this chicken is that once again, it is predominantly sweet. It almost drowns out the other spices. With that being said, the chicken remains tender.

Our last dish was mainly for the kiddies and in no way would I order this for myself. The Char Hor Fun consists of fried flat rice noodles with enough sauce to drown in. This dish is bland and devoid of any texture. Not Tropika's fault in that respect because it has been like this everywhere I've ordered it. With that in mind, the rice noodles were horribly overcooked here, disintegrating on contact. Alright, I gotta admit the food in general is only okay. But for some odd reason, I don't mind it. I really can't explain it. Could it be habit or even nostalgia? Not sure. I do know that it is predictable and reasonably-priced for the portion size. In a way, it's "safe" Malaysian food. You can see that in the clientele. Whatever the case, you could do better at other places; but Tropika does the job if expectations are not high.

The Good:
- Reasonable pricing
- Portions aren't bad
- User-friendly food

The Bad:
- Lacking a bit in the flavour balance department
- Not Malaysian-run if that matters to you