3-Course Group Menu @ EBO

Last year, I lobbied long and hard for EBO to be the location of Viv's staff party.  After all, the place is spacious, nicely appointed and serves great food.  We got as far as the inquiring about the menu and prices, but alas, it was decided the place was too pricey.  Ultimately the party ended up at Baci out on Hastings.  For $45.00, we were served "okay" food, but nothing that would remotely compare to what EBO is capable of.  Yes, I left with a bad taste in my mouth...  Fast forward to 2012 and once again, I threw it out there...  EBO!  They were able to secure similar pricing to Baci (actually even better) for a 3-course meal and voila, the Christmas party was going to be at EBO!  Finally.  A Christmas party I was actually looking forward to!

Even before our actual meal and right after the bread (which was fantastic), we were presented with an Antipasto Plate consisting of pate, Serrano ham, olives and gherkins.  Nothing particularly amiss with the plate as we proceeded to gobble it all up pretty quickly.  For my appetizer, I started with the Roast Scallops with vanilla scented cauliflower puree, prosciutto, scallop chip, capers and sultana raisins.  The scallops were large and cooked beautifully.  They were naturally sweet and accented nicely by the salty prosciutto and aromatic cauliflower puree.  The sweet raisin reduction added another layer of sweetness.  For my main, I went for the Roast BC Salmon with pomme puree, seasonal vegetable sauté, salmon chip and lobster emulsion. The salmon was just barely cooked which ensured a moist texture and flakiness.  The puree was aggressively seasoned which worked in this case since the salmon was quite mild.  The star of the show was the lobster emulsion which really kicked up the flavours.

Viv went for the other choice of entree being the 8oz Beef Strip Loin with sautéed mushrooms, asparagus, pomme puree and red wine jus  The steak was sufficiently tender where it sat on a smooth puree, mushrooms and asparagus.  Although seemingly simple on paper and visually-speaking, the dish was composed and well-prepared.   As for the vegetarian option, it came in the form of a Chickpea Stew accompanied by EBO's ever-popular house-made Roti.  The stew had developed flavours, in particular sweet onion.  The flavours were mild, yet still apparent.  With the plethora of chickpeas, the dish had a decent amount of body.  Of course the roti was good being flaky and crispy with a bite in the middle. Lastly, for dessert, I had the NY Cheesecake with mixed berry compote. I liked the cheesecake as it was very cheesy.  The texture was smooth and it was not overly sweet.  The crumb crust was just right.

Viv had the other dessert option being the Red Velvet Cake with walnut streusel and raspberry puree. The red velvet cake could've been more moist as it came up a bit dry.  The flavours were there though and the coulis helped alleviate the dryness a bit.  After it was all said and done, I was pleased with the Christmas party.  It was one of those rare times the food was actually restaurant quality, rather than glorified catering.  More often than not, some of the past venues were chosen for convenience over anything else.  But with the combination of good food, attentive service and swank decor adjacent to a casino and lounge, what's there not to like?

Carthage Cafe

Awhile back, Grace tipped me off about a place on the Drive that rarely gets much attention.  The place?  Carthage Cafe.  Okay...  I've heard of it, but indeed it was not on my "to eat" list.  She raved about the Moules et Frites (mussels and fries) and insisted I give it a shot.  Well, I was convinced.  I needed to go.  But with who?  Well, mussels...  Oh yah!  Whipping Girl!  Oh no...  She couldn't go...  Okay, who else loves to eat (I bet most of you!)?  Choobee and JoJo!  And yes, they were able to go since they had a meeting nearby in the afternoon.  Located in the "less busy" part of the Drive, it is little wonder that Carthage can be easily missed.  This little spot is quaint, charming and unassuming.  I arrived first and had to wait for a bit.  For a minute there, I thought I was meeting Miss Y!  Wait, I'd be waiting for over an hour in that case...

So without further ado, let's talk about the mussels shall we?  We ended up with 2 versions consisting of the Carthago and El Atlas.  The Carthago broth consisted of a cumin, spicy harissa, white wine and olive oil.  We were pleasantly surprised by the large and plump mussels which were all open (that's right, not a single one unopened).  I know I use the term "ethnic" quite loosely, but that is the best way to describe the flavours.  The broth was not merely a "run-of-the-mill" concoction, rather it had a unique spiciness accented by cumin.  We preferred this over the El Atlas which was much more mild consisting of fresh ginger, bell peppers, olive oil, saffron and white wine.  I personally love ginger, but in this case, it was the main flavouring agent as the saffron was pretty much an afterthought.  That's not to say it wasn't tasty because normally when a menu states "ginger", we often do not get a really big hit of it.  In this case, it was pretty apparent. They started us off with a warm crusty baguette which was excellent for soaking up the flavourful broth (the Carthgo that is).  In addition, what are mussels without Frites?  They served both portions on a big plate and it was more than enough for all of us.  These were hot, crispy and quite light. They went really well with the mussels and broth.

Moving onto our vegetable intake of the meal, we had the Salade Niçoise.  When it arrived, Choobee cried out, "why balsamic, why???".  Yes, usually it is made with a light vinaigrette, but in the end, it still tasted great and that's all that counts right?  Well, not for some people I guess, but don't get me started on that...  It appeared that balsamic was the only artistic liberty taken on the dish as the usual components such as lettuce (butter in this case), beans, red peppers, egg, tomatoes, potatoes, canned tuna and anchovies were present.  The ingredients were fresh while the tuna was moist and tasted great with a good amount of olive oil.  Moving onto the mains, we ended up with 2 cous cous dishes because the Chicken Tagine wasn't available.  When the Cous Cous Menani arrived, I was taken aback at the portion size, especially since it was halibut.  Served bone-in, the halibut was moist and flaky, which was no small feat as it can usually overcook very easily.  It rested on a bed of steamed couscous in a cumin sauce reduction with autumn vegetables.  This was a hearty dish where the flavours were mild which didn't overshadow the fish.

To get a handle on all the meats, we had the Cous Cous Carthage consisting of steamed couscous, chicken, lamb, merguez and autumn vegetables in tomato sauce.  Again, this was a really large plate of food considering the price.  The lamb shank was fairly moist while the chicken was stewed until the meat practically fell off the bone.  As for the merguez sausage, it was "ethnic" tasting once again (especially the spicy harissa).  We didn't end up finishing those dishes as they were really that big. The best way to describe Carthage would be "elegant rustic" where the restaurant has a certain charm while the food is both plentiful and homestyle in appearance. We enjoyed our meal and as for myself, I am already planning to return for those mussels.

The Good:
- Really good Moules et Frites
- Quaint and charming
- Large portions

The Bad:
- Dinner can get up there in price, but the portion size makes up for it
- It's definitely quaint, but also a touch cramped too, best to keep it a small group 

Prospect Point Cafe

There was a time, when we lived in Downtown, that we ate almost exclusively within a 5 km radius.  Yes, as much as I say there is great food in the burbs, I was one of those people who didn't travel for food. Let's just say I have been reformed and have seen what the burbs have to offer.  So some restaurants we'd frequent in the past, stayed in the past as we moved into Burnaby (apres les enfants).  When the general manager of the Prospect Point Cafe invited us for a meal, that really brought back some memories.  We'd often have breakfast on the weekends there because of the location.  Honestly, we didn't have much recollection of the food, mostly because it was pretty average at best.  Yes, it was one of those restaurants - relying on its stellar location.

So when we headed out for a Sunday lunch, we had no real expectations.  We were started off with some Chardonnay to go with the Wild Salmon Sampler.  It consisted of salmon spread with lemon cream cheese and fried capers; grilled, candied and smoked salmon.  This was a substantial offering which satisfied us an appetizer.  It would probably suit 4 people just fine.  We found the salmon spread to have body and a natural flavour about it.  The smoked salmon was buttery where the fried capers added a nice tang.  Of course the Indian candy was a real treat as it was moist and sweet.  The small piece of grilled salmon was moist with a good char.  Next up was the Serious Seafood Chowder with large pieces of salmon, clams, cod, carrots, celery and red-skin potatoes.  This was a thick and creamy concoction which had a fresh seafood flavour with big peppery hits.  We would've preferred a bit more salt though.

Onto the mains, my son went for the Logger's Breakfast consisting of 2 eggs, Canadian back bacon, fried potatoes and whole wheat toast.  He was very happy with the breakfast as his request for scrambled eggs came out right.  More often than not, scrambled eggs become fried eggs or even an omelet.  Not here, they were fluffy, buttery and just barely cooked.  He liked the back bacon, but since it was sliced so thin, it was pretty dried out.  The large chunks of fried potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  For Viv and myself, we started with the Lookout Burger which was constructed with a large Angus Beef patty, Canadian back bacon, cheddar, tomato, lettuce and pickles.  This was an above-average burger which neither excited nor disappointed us.  We liked the meaty, not overprocessed patty as it had lots of beef flavour.  It could've been cooked a tad less in our opinion.  I really liked the bun as it was airy and did not overwhelm the rest of the burger.  As for the fresh cut fries, they were aesthetically-pleasing and crunchy.

Moving along, we had had the Salmon Fish & Chips with housemade tartar and coleslaw.  First off, we were pretty overwhelmed at the sight of the 2 filets as one could easily feed one person.  The salmon itself was cooked nicely as it was still moist.  However, we found the batter to be too thick and in some spots, bready.  Therefore, it retained too much oil and became greasy as a result.  The tartar sauce was creamy with a mild tang.  Viv thought it need more zing, but I was okay with it.  Again, the fries were good and went well with the fish.  Lastly, we had the Cedar Plank Salmon which was properly-prepared.  The fish was a little rare in the middle which meant it was moist and not dried out.  There was a nice smoky, woodsy flavour.  The veggies and potatoes underneath were pretty good as well.

For us, if we could compare, the food has improved at The Prospect Point Cafe.  However, Viv probably said it best when she stated, "although the food was generally solid, it still didn't imprint a lasting impression".  Yet, we both agreed that the salmon appetizer was really good.  The restaurant itself needs a little bit of updating (which is in the works) that could possibly make the experience more memorable.  At the very least, they are not solely relying on its location as a selling point.

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

The Good:
- Food is decent, considering it is generally thought of as a tourist-trap
- Location is a selling point

The Bad:
- Due to the high cost of operating at Prospect Point, prices are higher
- Not sure what can be done, but the plethora of flies in the dining room was annoying

Dinner @ Tung Sing Chin

*Restaurant is now closed*

Some of you might wonder why my father and mother-in-law love to go to Tung Sing Chin so much.  The reason being is that my father-in-law is friends with the chef and the owner.  He used to run a large Chinese restaurant himself and hence, he practically knows half the Chinese restauranteurs in Vancouver.  Hmm... I guess I should've thought of that before I expressed my opinions about some of them...  Nah!  Gotta be honest right?  One things for sure, I'm so glad they changed their English name from Dung Sing Chin to Tung Sing Chin.  In a previous post, I did point out that they shouldn't be using "dung" when they are serving food.  Not good for business...  And yes, the picture you see of the front is an old stock photo.  I just didn't feel like crossing the street to take another!

The reason why we were here for dinner this time around was for my father-in-law's birthday.  We had a feeling he'd choose this place...  So, we started with a combination of Lobster & Crab on a bed of noodles.  Both of them were meaty and fried properly where the meat was cooked all-the-way through while maintaining a bouncy texture.  There was a lack of sauce though, where the large amount of noodles soaked it all up. The sauce itself was mildly seasoned and with so little, it was hard to actually taste it.  Next up was the Peking Duck which was carved table side. Despite it's golden appearance, the skin was not all that crispy.  Furthermore, the fat underneath was neither rendered nor removed.  Hence, most pieces were chewy and hard to eat.  Another problem was the duck meat that was attached to the skin, it was also quite chewy.  My son, the Peking Duck connoisseur, was not impressed.  

When there is Peking Duck, there is a good chance the next dish would be Duck Lettuce Wrap. First of all, I've never seen lettuce so hacked up in my life that was not part of a salad.  That made it difficult to wrap as things starting falling out.  The large chunks of duck were pretty chewy, however, the veggies were crunchy, which made it an okay dish overall.  I liked the addition of pickled vegetable which added more crunch and acidity.  With the duck courses out of the way, the Fish Maw & Crab Meat Soup arrived.  The soup was very mild with lots of crab and fish maw (which was cut up into good sized pieces).  The soup had a silky texture and stayed thick until the last spoonful.

Unexpectedly, the Sweet & Sour Pork arrived in a large portion plated in a hollowed-out pineapple.  Okay, I'm pretty sure this is not how serve it normally.  As for the dish itself, it was pretty good.  The pork was crisp while moist inside.  There was just enough sauce to coat each piece which ensured that some crispiness remained.  The sauce was more sweet than sour though.  Up next was finally a "healthier" dish being the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots. It was a pretty large portion which was not glistening with a layer of grease. Therefore, it was "healthier" than usual.  The pea shoots were just barely cooked, hence there was a crunch.  We could clearly see the garlic in the dish, but it was not that apparent.  In fact the whole dish was under-seasoned and could've benefited from more salt.

Excuse me if I don't sound too excited with the Steamed Live Tilapia.  I've never been a huge fan of the fish since the flesh can be rather soft and mushy.  However, it wasn't too bad in this case because it was barely cooked.  Therefore, the meat was still somewhat springy (in a mushy tilapia kind-of-way).  With that being said, I'd much prefer some rock cod (which is practically impossible to get or too expensive these days...). Lastly and ironically our least favourite dish was the Goose Hot Pot.  Depending on which piece, it would range from tender to chewy.  I didn't find the meat too gamy, but that was probably masked by the fermented tofu dip.  I found some of the fried tofu overdone and completely disintegrated in the sauce.  An okay dish, but I would've preferred lamb instead.  In general, I thought the food was hit and miss, where some dishes could've benefited from more seasoning. On a related note, I've returned for more meals since then and nothing has changed.  The Peking Duck really needs work and the rest of the food can be good, but can be pretty bad too.  Definitely hit and miss...  I wonder if my father-in-law will read this???

The Good:
- Fairly spacious dining space
- Good portions

The Bad:
- Food could use more seasoning
- Hit and miss
- Entire restaurant could use some renovations

McD's Giveaway Winner

Congrats to Cally S. for winning the McD's giveaway.  Please email me direct at admin@shermansfoodadventures.com to claim your prize!

So Crab So Good

Here we go again.  Another seafood boil.  Man, Vancouver does like its fads eh?  First, we had Crawfish King, then Cray Kitchen and followed up by Glowbal's Fish Shack. Now all of a sudden, and quietly I might add, another one has popped up in North Burnaby of all places.  At first, I was perplexed as to where it was located as I drove by twice without noticing it.  Well it turns out they took over the space once occupied by El Mariachi (but the signage had not been changed yet, now it is!).  I met up with Choobee, Rich Guy and Gordo for lunch as we immediately noticed that the place was completely no-frills.  No mariner-themed decor (like Crawfish King), no attractive waitresses (like Cray Kitchen) and no hype (like The Fish Shack).

We were greeted by the owner, Steven, who was very attentive and aimed to please.  We ended up sharing 2 orders of the Combo A (Shrimp, Clams, Mussels, Red Potatoes, Corn and Sausage) for $15.99 per person and 2 orders of Combo B at $25.99 per person.  The only difference between A & B is the addition of crab to B. As with most of these types of establishments, there was a choice of sauce and spice level.  We had the sauces on the side consisting of Hala-Cajun, White Wine and Holy Smoke (a combo of all the flavours).  Normally, the seafood would be tossed in the sauce, but we specifically asked for them on the side to try more than one flavour.  We liked the holy smoke the best because it had a multitude of flavours including sweet, spicy, savoury and garlic.  The sauces were on the thicker side and if the seafood was dressed in them, it might've been plenty wet.

As for the seafood itself, everything was fresh (well, the white shrimp were frozen) including the crab, which was fluffy and cooked just right.  The corn was sweet and plump while the potatoes could've stood for more boiling.  A decent amount of food for 4 people considering the fact the bread was complimentary (which we got a second order).  This was not the sexiest seafood boil I've ever been to, but for once, the costs were controlled and it was an acceptable value.  Yes, this type of eating will never be inexpensive, but consider that you can easily spend the same amount of money at a chain restaurant, at the very least, this was a fun, if not messy way of eating.

The Good:
- Fixed cost option where you don't get a surprise at the end of the meal
- Seafood was cooked properly
- Owner that cares about his customers

The Bad:
- Not an "authentic" seafood boil, more "Asian-style" (if you care...)
- Although we thought it was a decent value, some may still find it pricey

McDonald's McCafé Festive Beverage Giveaway

Wow, it's been awhile since McDonald's has contacted me about anything.  I guess it had something to do with my indifference to the Angus burgers?  Well, give them props for dropping me a line to try their new McCafé festive beverages.  Actually...  I've already tried them prior because they were like only $1.00 each (not anymore tho...)!  And...  Well, the Peppermint Mocha is pretty good.  Viv has been actually getting them every time she has a chance.  Essentially a mocha topped with whipped cream and mini-candy cane-like thingys on top, the drink is sweet, but not too sweet.  I could still taste the coffee while the mint flavours make it almost refreshing.  I'm not that much of a coffee drinker, but I don't mind it.  Could be due to the fact it is not hard-core coffee. Is it better than other gourmet coffees?  Well, not really a fair comparison is it?  Let's just say, I'd drink it again.  As for the Hot Chocolate, it is more of a sweet drink than anything.  Not bad, but I actually would prefer a coffee hit to balance the sweetness.  Of course the kiddies might prefer the hot chocolate.  Oh, and yes, there is a giveaway here.  Leave a comment of sorts with your first name and last initial and by 12:01am Monday, I'll draw a winner for a $25 McDonald’s Gift Card, McCafé branded travel mug, Be My Guest cards and chocolate covered espresso beans!