Fortune Restaurant

Upscale Dim Sum. That sounds almost like an oxymoron. Despite some items consisting of seafood (predominantly shrimp), Dim Sum can be quite reasonably-priced. In fact, more often than not, most Dim Sum joints offer dishes starting at around $3.50 (and some places at under $3.00). Then you have the more deluxe establishments such as Kirin, Victoria, Imperial, Red Star, Spicy Court, Fisherman's Terrace, Sea Harbour and the sort where you'd be lucky to find anything under $4.00. That begs the question: is it worth it? Depends on your needs. If you merely want good Dim Sum at reasonable prices, you can easily find it at Golden Phoenix, Western Lake, Happy Valley and the sort. Finally, if you really want it on the cheap, then places like Kam Wai and The Roc fit the bill for under $3.00 per dish. However, there are times when an expensive Dim Sum meal is in order. It could be a special event, merely be a splurge or somebody has money to burn.

The former was the case this time as we were taking Viv's dad out for a belated birthday meal. We've been to Fortune Restaurant before albeit for dinner. It was "okay" while still disappointing due to their high prices. And those prices continue into Dim Sum service. In fact, probably some of the highest prices for Dim Sum I've seen in the GVRD other than Imperial and Victoria. Despite these prices, Fortune Restaurant remains a very busy place due to its location. Lots of covered parking in Oakridge and the ample amount of clientele in the area are some reasons for its popularity. Luckily for us, we had made a reservation and we got a table right away. Too bad it was in the middle of the whole place, away from the window. Not wanting to use my flash, the pictures turned out quite poor. I need a new lens. Hint, hint Viv...

Predictably, we started with the Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) and they were alright. The filling was decent with a good amount of crunchy shrimp. I didn't like the addition of bamboo shoots, I personally find it a contradiction to the shrimp. When not rinsed properly, the bamboo shoots overpower the delicate shrimp. It was the case here. Furthermore, the dumpling skin was oversteamed being soft and fell apart once we picked it up. Of course the next item would be the Sui Mai (Pork and Shrimp Dumpling). I'm sorry to say this was a complete fail. The whole darn thing was so loose, it didn't even make it to my bowl. Furthermore, the meat was over-
tenderized. No bounce from the pieces of pork, just mush. At least the shrimp was good and it did taste okay.

Generally, one of the most expensive Dim Sum items is the the Shark's Fin Dumpling in Soup. Hence, it'd better be good. This one was not. The dumpling itself was harder than a someone on Viagara. Even after several stabs at it, the thing didn't fall apart. There was far too much chewy pork and not enough gelatin and seafood. The chicken broth was also quite bland, not exhibiting any depth or luxuriousness. Generally, the soup should have an almost silkiness to it. On that note, the Shrimp & Chive Dumplings were a bit hit and miss. We liked the filling. As you can clearly see, there were large whole shrimp tucked inside. Nicely cooked too. However, the dumpling skin was very thick and gummy. I do realize due to the high tapioca content of this wrapper, it will be gummy; but it was far too thick. In terms of the Beef Rice Noodle Roll, the noodle was slightly on the chewier side; yet wasn't too thick. I would've preferred if it was served at a warmer temperature though (this probably contributed to the chewier noodle). Beef was tender and there was only a moderate amount of green onion.

We got a Chicken Rice Hot Pot for the kiddies and this has to be one of the smallest versions we've ever seen. The picture doesn't really show how small it is. Imagine a regular rice bowl for one person and you'll get the size of it. Portion-size aside, the rice was not too bad with a nice chewy texture (good for adding the sweet soy to) and the chicken was tender and not too salty. The smallish portion size trend continued with the Black Bean Spareribs. When you can see portions of the dish where spareribs should be, that is never a good thing. To make matters worse, most of the pieces were not very meaty. Sure, that could just be bad luck; but that's what we got. Texture-wise, it was okay, a bit on the over-tenderized side though. I did like that it was only mildly seasoned, so it wasn't too salty. We could still taste the pork.

For me, it was quite confusing why the Daikon Radish Cake arrived stone cold. Since it comes directly from the kitchen, one would expect it to be served hot. Well, I'm sure the kitchen is busy and as such, this was probably fried up in advance. I don't blame them for this since it can take quite a long time to fry it up right. However, at the very least, reheat it by quickly frying it on both sides or even *gasp* nuke it. I don't mind. I just don't want cold food. Other than it being cold, it was okay though with a nice balance of flavours.

The Beef Tendon was a relatively large dish since it filled the small plate. By now, we were not expecting too much in the way of portion size. In fact, it was pretty decent. Walking the fine line between being too soft or too chewy, this was perfect. It was on the sweeter side; but all-in-all, a solid offering. On the other hand, the Beef Meatballs were not to my liking at all. These were a bit different than the typical beef meatballs found at most other Dim Sum restaurants. These were partially encased in the same wheat wrapper used in sui mai. No matter, that really didn't impact the dish too much. Yet, the one word I can describe these is mushy. Yes, these were some pretty mushy balls. And I hate mushy balls! Devoid of texture and frankly devoid of much meat flavour, these were a complete fail. Far too much baking soda and starch.

As for the Steamed Chicken Buns, they were quite wet. What I mean by that is the bun itself had spots that were completely drenched. Reason for this? Nothing inherently wrong with the steaming time or the bun itself; rather the final product suffered from being steamed in a metal steamer. Unlike a bamboo steamer which can both soak up moisture and is permeable, the metal one traps the moisture. It's a catch-22 since a metal steamer is more sanitary; yet not as effective. I guess one can't win... Other than the moisture, the buns themselves were fluffy and the chicken meat was tender while retaining some texture.

Lastly, we got the Egg Tarts. I have to admit that I'm biased when it comes to this dessert. I only like the flaky pastry-type, not like the ones here which are the hard tart shells. Somehow the texture is all wrong for me. Yes, it is a nice textural contrast to the sweet egg custard; but personally, I just like it all soft. So this wasn't bad per se, I just don't like these shells. Now personal opinion aside, we universally agreed that the Dim Sum at Fortune was not that great. Considering the price point, it made it even worse. Paying that kind of coin for mediocre Dim Sum does not cut it. Sure, the location is nice and the restaurant itself has an upscale feel to it. However, with Spicy Court kiddie-corner, there is no contest between the two. I guess the plethora of clientele with money to burn will keep this place in business.

The Good:
- Nice location with covered parking
- Relatively nice restaurant
- Service was okay

The Bad:
- Food is sub-par
- Overpriced considering the quality of the food

Jethro's Fine Grub

Since we took Guy Smiley out for his birthday last time, he wanted to return the favour. With so many choices of eats, you'd think it would be easy. Not so fast. Girl Smiley is expecting. Let me try this again. Girl Smiley can pop anytime now! Hence, we weren't going for anything such as AYCE sushi. Furthermore, with kiddies in tow, nothing too complicated either. With my son's skates getting a bit tight, we were needing to head out to Cheapskates anyways. So with Jethro's Fine Grub just around the corner, it was as good as anytime to finally try them out. This visit has been a long time coming. Originally, we were supposed to head there after golf in the summer; but the boys were so famished that they decided to eat at the first place they saw - which was Flamingo House. Although, this time around, we almost didn't get to eat there again. You see, there was a 1 hour wait for a table. The place is really small and probably can seat 26 people max.

No, we weren't going to leave despite my disdain for lineups. Instead, we walked up to Cheapskates and did our shopping first. Upon returning, we still had to wait about 20 minutes. They were able to turn a table for 4 around so that all 6 of us could fit. It was a tight squeeze; but the place has a certain charm to it that it really didn't matter. Although the prices are not exactly cheap, I think that they are more than fair considering its location. Looking around at the portion sizes, it actually made the prices look quite attractive. Girl Smiley decided on the standard 2 Eggs & Meat (choice of double smoked bacon, sausage, grilled chorizo or ham steak). She went for the ham steak and really, it was as large as a steak! Eggs were cooked perfectly while the hash browns were the boiled-first-then-pan-fried type. Good value for $8.00 considering the level of execution.

Viv ended up with the Crab Cake Benedict. Rather than bread, the crab cake itself was the base for the poached egg and Hollandaise sauce. We both agreed that the crab cake was both large and well-executed. Fluffy crab inside with a crispy exterior, these would've been fine on their own. Add perfectly poached eggs and a creamy Hollandaise, this breakfast rocked. Only thing I personally would've liked was more lemon in the sauce itself. Since no one was having an omelet, I had the Baked Potato Omelet. As the name suggests, there is hashbrowns, bacon, cheddar, sour cream and scallions (I omitted this). Well, nothing more to say than it is essentially a "baked potato" with all the fixins in an omelet. I like baked potatoes, especially with lotsa sour cream and bacon. This omelet delivered. Although, the egg itself could've been cooked a tad less. I also loved the fresh fruit and rye bread as well.

For my daughter, we ordered the Corned Beef Hash. Our server was concerned that she couldn't finish it and she was right. Little did she know that Viv and I would just eat more! Well, it really wasn't that large; but it would be enough for one person definitely. I stole the poached eggs and subsequently had enough cholesterol for the whole week in one meal. I gotta say that they really know how to poach eggs here. Perfect once again in terms of a runny yolk and aesthetically pleasing. We found the hash to be pretty good; yet nothing extraordinary. Hashbrowns were soft and just enough corn beef for flavour without being salty. It wasn't greasy either. Guy Smiley went for the Heuvos Rancheros. In one of the neatest looking versions of this dish, it was solid, if not a bit too refined. No matter, everything was fresh and well-executed.

Finally, for my son, he had the usual in the Short Stack Pancakes. Little did we know that meant 2 enormous pancakes that would rival the size of some dubs on a Range Rover. Well, it sure tasted better than dubs. Instead of brake dust, we find powered sugar. The pancakes were not dense nor rubbery. Pretty good. My son ate it, that makes me happy. In fact, we were all pretty happy. Jethro's has the winning formula of good eats, reasonable prices and good portions nestled within an eclectic atmosphere.

The Good:
- Good portions
- Reasonable prices
- Decent eats

The Bad:
- Always a wait for a table
- Tight dining space

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)