King Mongolian Grill

I'll have to admit it. I've never pay much attention to Mongolian restaurants. For some reason or another, I do not find them all that interesting. C'mon, it's merely a bunch of meat, veggies and noodles cooked up on a large grill. Sure, it's neat to look at; but isn't it a glorified form of U-Grill and the sort? However, if I look at it from a different perspective - as in that it is a generally inexpensive filling meal - then it gets a bit more attractive. I'm sure you've noticed that "fast food" joints are creeping up dangerously close to $10.00 for a complete meal. Hence, people who are a bit more health-conscious look towards food like soup noodles, sushi, teppanyaki and Mongolian-type grills. Hey, when I'm in a food court, I usually go straight for U-Grill or Koya. Although, the downside of U-Grill is that it can get pretty pricey if one wasn't paying attention.

Now where some places will charge you by the gram for the amount of food you choose, King Mongolian Grill in PoCo lets you put as much into a bowl without making a mess for only $6.50. Now that is easier said than done. Akin to the first Tuesday of every month at Chong Lee Market, the place was a madhouse with people all over the place grabbing things. The food station looked like an aftermath of a food fight while there was no real ordering system in place. Bubble Girl and I had to literally guess what we should do. We were really impressed that the cook remembered whose bowl was who's. At one point, there was a line of 10 bowls of raw ingredients waiting to be cooked. I actually went up for seconds and automatically triggered the All-U-Can-Eat option for $11.50. Again, I'm not sure how they keep track. I guess it would be the honour system. I'm sure Geighis Khan would not be impressed. LOL...

So the actual protocol is to grab a bowl, select your meats, veggies and noodles, then head over to the sauce station (although the sauces looked quite watered down). Once you have chosen your sauces, leave the bowl for the cook to grill it. Once grilled, they will bring it to you. If you do the AYCE, then just repeat as many times as you want. For me, I only went twice. There is only so much I can eat! Seriously! And what I got was something that is very similar to U-Grill, but cheaper and with many more sauce options. Since everything is essentially cooked all at once on the hot grill, some things will be more cooked than others. Hey, it ain't perfect; yet ultimately it is a filling and relatively healthy meal. Their lunch special for $6.50 allows one to fill their large bowl with whatever they want to the brim and then some. Hence there was stuff all over the place and floor. Seeing how there were so many teenagers in here, even they know that this is a pretty good deal. Nice to see that they are choosing this over McD's.

The Good:
- Cheap
- It has got the "choose your own adventure" kinda thing going on
- Stuff is fresh

The Bad:
- Lack of real sense of order... much like Richmond
- Food is pretty average, only to fill you up
- The included "salad bar" looks more like rabbit's leftovers

Dinner @ Grand Dynasty

The mad rush at Chinese restaurants, otherwise known as Chinese New Year, is an annual tradition for many families. This is where large tables of people pig out on too much food. Really, it is intentional. When there is too much food, it is an indication of good fortune. Normally, we do the New Year's Eve dinner; but it fell on a weekday and frankly we were all too tired to go out. We ate in instead. However, we did go out for the New Year's dinner instead. Trying to break away from the usual places, we decided to try out Grand Dynasty's dinner service. We had already done Dim Sum a few weeks back and came away impressed at the quality of food and service. On the other hand, all of that came at a cost. Well, I'll tell ya, dinner is equally expensive. No matter, if the quality is there, then the price is merely representative.

As expected, the place was packed. There were several set meals available; yet they did not seem all that attractive to us. In the end, we ordered a la carte dishes which actually ended up costing more than the set meals. One of the items we selected seemed to throw one of the managers for a loop. Apparently the Peking Duck might have been a bit ambitious for the kitchen on such a busy night. He checked with the kitchen and they were game. I must give them kudos for that since it came out perfectly. With a beautifully roasted appearance, the whole Peking duck was served table-side. As fatty as the skin can be on Peking duck, a lot of the fat was actually rendered and we liked how there was some meat attached. The accompanying crepes were a little different than what we were used to. Pan-fried until there was colour and topped with sesame seeds, they were slightly oily; but soft from start to finish.

Now the next item could possibly elicit some negative feelings from some - the Shark's Fin Soup. I'm fully aware of the ethical ramifications of this and honestly, I'm not using this blog to be political about it. And that is the extent I will talk about it. So as for the soup, the broth was light; yet had nice depth at the same time. It was just thick enough with a silky texture. There was a decent amount of shark's fin along with chicken and Yunnan(?) ham. After that, the second course of the Peking duck arrived. All the meat from the duck ended up in the Duck Lettuce Wrap. This dish exhibited good "wok hay" or high heat caramelization from wok-frying. Good colour, not wet and a slight smokiness while the veggies retaining their crunch, this was a textbook lettuce wrap. We particularly liked how the lettuce was neatly separated (while still intact) and in big pieces. Made for easy wrapping and eating.

We also ordered a large Live Crab prepared in cream sauce with some wonton noodles underneath. The crab was really good. It was meaty and fresh. Now since it was live, you'd expect it be such; however, not all crabs are created equal. There are such crabs that are so emancipated, there is more water than meat in the shell. As for the sauce, it was decent; yet was a bit bland. I will cut them some slack because we had asked them to omit the onions which would've probably added both flavour and another level of sweetness. We thought the noodles were disappointing because there was so little of it for the hefty price tag. Of course with all this, we needed a plate of veggies and opted for the Pea Shoots with Crabmeat. This was an expertly prepared dish. The shoots were high quality and cooked perfectly. I particularly liked that there was no pool of water at the bottom of the plate - a clear indication of high wok heat and possibly good drainage before plating. Whatever the case, it was an example of care put into the dish. Moreover, the crab sauce on top was silky, flavourful and full of meat.

For our last dish, we went for the Fook Chow Fried Rice. It is essentially a fried rice base with a starch-thicken sauce on top consisting of chicken, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, dried scallops and gai lan stems. This was a solid fried rice. Quite mild tasting actually. Probably could've used a touch more seasoning; but that is nitpicking. In terms of the entire meal, it was satisfying and well-executed. This was impressive considering how busy the place was. In fact, the food came out lightning fast. As with Dim Sum, the service was attentive and courteous. And again similarly with Dim Sum, the prices are definitely on the higher side. However, that is the price we have to pay for a "fine-dinning" Chinese restaurant which has solid food and great service.

The Good:
- Good execution
- Excellent service
- Nice, if not tight, dining room

The Bad:
- Really tight dining room
- Pricey

Big Lou's Butcher Shop

Here we go... Another sandwich joint. Just like the ramen craze, there seems to be a new player in the gourmet sandwich scene every month. Hey, it's not a bad idea. Sure, there are places where one can get a sandwich; however the days of relying on the Sandwich Tree and Skyway are over. And let's not get into a discussion about Subway or Quizno's either, despite the fact I don't mind them personally. Then we also have ethnic sandwiches in the torta and the beloved Banh Mi. Add the ever popular pulled pork sandwich at Re-Up and the prosciutto and pear sandwich at Finch's, you can see that there are lots of sandwiches out there. Yet, the gourmet sandwich is a different animal. Following in the footsteps of Meat & Bread and the Dirty Apron, Big Lou's combines a butcher shop that happens to sell sandwiches. The brainchild of the owners of Two Chefs and a Table, Big Lou's is located not too far away, kitty-corner to Sunrise Market.

On the topic of Banh Mi, there is one available here. Of course it is not exactly what you'd find at a Vietnamese shop; but that wouldn't be any fun would it? Served on crusty bread, there is no absence of pulled pork shoulder. Bathed in a sweet sauce and spicy mayo, it went well with the predominantly tart pickled carrots. With that being said, it was still a bit too sweet for me. 2 long "sticks" of pate and cilantro completed the sandwich. Although I liked the herby gaminess of the pate, it really should have been distributed more evenly. I didn't get any hit of pate unless I bit into that side of the sandwich. Honestly, it's tough to sell a non-traditional "Banh Mi" in Chinatown since you can get a real one for 1/3 of the price down the street. Now for the second sandwich, it was a no-brainer - the Porcetta. Served on more of a less substantial bun, there was an overflow of moist and tender roast pork. A simple chimmichurri completed the sandwich. What I liked about it was the ample meat and the simple flavours. What I didn't like was the absence of cracklings. I would give the edge to Meat & Bread on that one.

Now in case you were thinking that my appetite had gone wild, I didn't eat these alone, I shared them with Viv. We both liked the Whole Roast Beef sandwich. Once again, it was overflowing with tender, medium-rare slices of AAA beef caressed with pan mayo, onions and pickles. The large wedges of pickles were somewhat overwhelming; yet I love pickles so it was no issue to me. This was a solid and filling sandwich. Big Lou's Chicago Style was recommended by the staff and I can see why. Consisting of a meaty house-made sausage, pickles, onions, banana peppers, cucumbers, mustard, tomato mayo and celery salt, this was a spicy concoction. I personally liked this one the best since it had the most impact in terms of flavour. It was spicy while not being too much so. The sausage was not fatty and had a nice kick to it with a minor hint of fennel. Pretty solid sandwiches in my books. I wouldn't say it was any better than Meat & Bread, the Dirty Apron or La Ghianda; yet it holds its own. I thought the price points to be very reasonable, especially taking the portion size into account. As for the butcher part of the store, the meats looked really good and I was eying the duck prosciutto the whole time. I think that will be included in my next visit, when I give the Bulgogi Chicken a go.

The Good:
- Good amount of meat
- Reasonable pricing
- Good sandwiches

The Bad:
- Not the most scenic of areas, if that matters to you
- It's mainly takeout, not many seats

Urban Masala Grill & Restaurant

Okay, it was bound to happen. It was only a matter of time. With all my picture-taking and the fact I could pass for Japanese, someone has finally done the predictable. While I was snapping photos of the buffet station as I was leaving Urban Masala, the owner asked me if I was "Japanese". Go ahead. Laugh if you will. I often joke about how I look like a Japanese tourist because I take pictures of practically anything. I just didn't expect that query to come from here. That actually stunned me and I really didn't have an answer at first. I could see the owner's son sharing a chuckle in the background with Nikita. I'm not sure what they thought about my standard excuse that I just like taking pictures of food...

Formerly Ravi Bar & Grill, the restaurant does not seemed to changed much other than the name. One thing that is different is the available buffet. Now while buffets are usually not the best way to experience food, it is a good way to get a variety. Hence, Nikita and I had a no-brainer. We merely grabbed a plate and began to eat! One other benefit of a buffet... no waiting around! Much like Mehfil, there are a variety of items such as Butter Chicken, Goat Curry, Aloo Mattar, Dhall Makhani, Shahi Paneer and Curry Yogurt (Cuddi). Naan was served fresh from the kitchen. I thought the Goat Curry was the best of all the curries. The meat was tender and mostly moist (it's difficult since goat is lean) while the curry was mild and did a good job in masking the gaminess. As for the Butter Chicken, it was predominantly tomato and lacked creaminess. As for the other curries, they were very mild and watery.

The Naan was soft and slightly chewy as it was served hot from the kitchen. I would've preferred a bit more browning on the outside; but it was fine as it was. It did a good job soaking up the curries. After it was all said and done, we were pretty full and it didn't cost too much. In terms of value, we got our money's worth. The food itself was pretty average, although the goat curry was good. Personally, I would rather go somewhere else and not do a buffet. Yet, if you are hungry and don't really care about quality, this place can fill you up.

The Good:
- Nice dining space
- Good service
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Food is pretty average
- Restaurant didn't seem very busy, I wonder about the turnover of food

Rosa's

What do celebrities and restaurants have in common? Obviously they can afford to eat at restaurants and exclusive ones at that. However, what is up with restaurants with pictures of celebrities and athletes on the wall? Is the mere fact a celebrity that likes a particular restaurant suddenly make it great? Well, more often than not, it is mostly hype. One prime example in Vancouver is the Elbow Room. It is a decent place to have breakfast; but there are better. But due to their shtick, they remain popular. When I was in NYC, Carnegie Deli definitely had the star factor. They even had their signature sandwich named after one - Woody Allen. Best corned beef sandwich? Not bad; but again, there is better. Now, here I am at another restaurant that boasts a slew of celebrity guests including Ron Jeremy. I mention this because we were seated right next to his picture. Not sure if I was in the mood for Italian sausage...

We did start with some meat in the form of Anna's Salad. A meat salad... my kind of salad! Consisting of salami, prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and olives in a balsamic vinaigrette. Nothing particularly amiss about the salad, it is what you see in the picture. However, the balsamic vinaigrette was flavourful and left a lasting impression. In fact, I used it with the complimentary bread. Much better than using butter. Wolvie decided to order the Veal Parmigiana. That was a good idea in my books. I was torn between that and a pasta. She helped me with my decision-making. We found the veal to be okay. It was quite large and doused with quite a bit of sauce and cheese. The sauce was both tart and a tad salty. The same could be said about the sauce with the accompanying penne. It always seems like we bring Italian Stallion with us whenever we eat Italian. This time was much of the same. I guess he is our "legitimacy" police. He went for the Cannelloni and it was in the same sauce which in turn made the dish salty. The copious amount of cheese only made it even more flavourful. The meat was properly seasoned and moist. He thought it was an acceptable version; but not as good as his mom's. Can't argue with that!

For myself, I had the Linguine alla Vongole. Predictable, if you know me by now. I gotta say that this was pretty good. The pasta was nicely al dente and the abundance of clams, onions and garlic provided a huge punch in terms of flavour. I'm sure the aggressive use of salt didn't hurt either. It could be too salty for some; but it definitely worked for me. The only thing I would change about it would be to hold back a bit on the olive oil. Viv had the Ravioli. This was mostly a "meh" dish. The freshly made ravioli was slightly doughy while the sauce was tart and flavourful, much like the other dishes. Despite this, the flavour had a hard time meshing with the ravioli since they were quite dense. Not a bad dish per se, just nothing special about it. I have to admit that I've heard many differing views on Rosa's prior to our visit. The service we received was both friendly and courteous. Some have remarked that it is generally rude. Wolvie and Italian Stallion confirmed this by stating that the service was less than warm the last time they were here. I guess it depends on your server. Furthermore, taking into account their last visit and this one, one's opinion about the food rests solely on what is ordered. I thought my linguine was fantastic; but the others were either okay or nothing special. Thus, I'm not sure if Rosa's is another place that is a victim of being over-hyped or not. But I know that if I want Linguine alla Vongole again, I'd certainly return.

The Good:
- Decent portion sizes
- Homey place
- It's got that hidden, out-of-the way location appeal

The Bad:
- Could be a victim of hype
- Very small place, prepare to lineup... outside
- Food comes out really slow

Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich @ McDonald's

We all know that McD's is usually a very busy place, especially during peak hours. However, today was busier than usual. Why? How about free stuff? It appears more and more that restaurants, particularly fast food joints, have been handing out free stuff for promotional purposes. So how better to introduce the new Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich than to give it away with no strings attached? For me, I guess the Asian in me took over and I *had* to get my free sandwich this morning. After all, my mom has a huge collection of McD's straws at home already... Why stop at hording free straws? So there I was lining up for my free sandwich. To me, this was not exactly my first time trying the sandwich. You see, it has been available in the States for some time. It's only "new" to us in Canada. For those who missed it, it's still free during breakfast on February 10th as well.

Essentially the same ingredients as a McGriddle, the new sandwich merely replaces the pancake bun with a buttermilk biscuit. There are 2 options for meat - sausage or bacon. Ma had the Sausage Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich. If I had to make a comparison, the biscuit is more dry and crumbly than the one at Tim Horton's. I wouldn't say one biscuit is better than the other since it comes down to personal taste. One thing is for sure, the sandwich at McD's is noticeably bigger. As for the individual components, the egg is somewhat more natural looking than the one at Tim's. For myself, I went for the Bacon Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich. Unlike the sausage, the bacon is less substantial and adds a layer of crispiness. I like the sausage biscuit better. In terms of the overall product, I still like it; but it might benefit from more moisture such as *gasp* - more butter!

Hida Takayama Ramen

As if we need another ramen joint out on Robson, I got a warning from Bear that this was indeed the case. Warning? An ominous sign... Hidden inside Robson Market is the newest entry into "Ramen Central". Unlike the existing establishments, Hida Takayama Ramen is not an actual storefront. It resides in the dead fair... er... I mean food fair. Originally, I was going to quickly pay the place a visit since I was going to be in Downtown already. However, Kim was planning to visit the place in a few days and by coincidence, I had a conference in Downtown at the same time. Seems like we could try it out together. Why not? More variety. Who wouldn't like that?

So during my lunch break, I made my way down to lower Robson. I spotted Kim and he looked like a total mess. Well, I guess messier than usual. Looks like the flu has hit him hard. Nothing like a big bowl of hot ramen to improve the situation! We ended up with 2 bowls of ramen and a couple of other items. Starting with the Natural Salt Ramen, the first thing that we noticed was the light broth and plethora of pork. One sip of the broth and I was immediately overwhelmed by salt. Sure, it's Shio and naturally it should taste salty. But really, that is all that I could taste. No meat flavour, no richness or other discernible taste. In fact, the noodles themselves were salty as well. As much as it is a possibility that the salty broth had penetrated the noodles, it didn't seem plausible in the short amount of time before we dug in. It was as if they cooked the noodles in heavy saltwater. In terms of the texture, it wasn't bad. It was a bit chewy, not overly so; but at the very least it wasn't soft. As mentioned, there was plenty of pork. It appears that they used the pork chop minus the bone. Very meaty. Possibly a bit too lean; hence it was somewhat of a chew in spots. As for the Miso Ramen, it was much of the same. In fact, with a generous amount of miso, it was quite overwhelming to the point that it was too strong. Curiously, there was an absence of additional ingredients such as corn, ajitama egg and so on.

We ended up with an order of Gyoza as well and it really was hit and miss. The dumpling wrapper was thin and easy to eat; however, the filling itself was too loose and bland. The last item was the Pork Bun. From the outside, it looked very much like a Chinese bun and in some ways it was. When I tried to remove the paper from the bun, it ripped off the entire bottom, revealing a soggy mess. The filling was much too wet, resulting in a unappealing texture. Man, this is a tough one. I can see that this is a family-run operation and they are honest people. However, the food is just not up to par, especially with so many great ramen shops within walking distance. It is unfortunate that Hida Takayama is smack dab in the middle of Kintaro, Benkei, Santouka, Motomochi and Sanpachi. There is a lot to live up to. In this case it didn't and unless some changes are made, I'm not sure how they can compete.

The Good:
- There is a generous amount of pork
- It's quick since you don't have to lineup for a seat
- They're really friendly

The Bad:
- Broth is one-dimensional
- Noodles are salty?
- It is not really cheaper than its competitors