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Now before you point out that we were in Richmond 
once again, my mom's birthday required a kid-friendly place where we could enjoy a decent meal. I went back to the well and decided on another hotel restaurant. Now, there once was a time this would translate into culinary anti-creativity, but hotel restaurants have come a long way. Many are balancing the need to provide safe, predictable food and the desire to be more adventurous. Our restaurant of choice this time would be the American Grille in the Vancouver Airport Marriott (photo courtesy of TripAdvisor). One of the main contributing factors to this decision was because I had purchased a couple of Travelzoo coupons.
For myself, I had the Braised Beef Brisket Sliders as my appie. This was definitely a share plate as it would be difficult for someone to eat this and have a main course (unless you're Mijune that is). The beef was moist and well-sauced exhibiting a combination of sweetness and spice. The coleslaw was crunchy and not over-dressed. I really liked the herb bun as it not only stood up to the wet ingredients, the herbs added another layer of flavour. Viv had the Moules et Frites which featured a white wine reduction with garlic, onions, tomatoes and chives. We found the broth to be buttery and full of red onion essence but little wine flavour. The mussels were plump and cooked nicely, however, the frites were not really frites and didn't mesh well with the dish.
My mom had the West Coast Dungeness Crab Cakes which were deep fried. Personally, I much prefer pan-fried, but these were crunchy and not that greasy. There was a good amount of fluffy sweet crab and very little filler. They were not shy with the salt which could've been balanced off with some acidity. Although the remoulade could be easily mistakened for tartar sauce, it really wasn't. I think by calling this a "causal" approach to crab cakes would be the best description. Trying to not duplicate any appies, my dad settled on the Crispy Crab Spring Rolls consisting of dungeness crab and mango. These were served piping hot while the grease was kept to a minimum. Again, the chunks of crab were fluffy and sweet while the veggies were crisp in addition to the sweet mango.
For my main, I went for the Danish Baby Back Ribs for some reason. I usually do not order ribs from non-rib joints and this was another example. Obviously, the ribs were parboiled before being grilled and sauced. Hence, the meat was tender, yet dry around the edges. The sauce was predominantly sweet. Again, the fries were pretty generic, but crispy. Viv had the Smoked Sable Fish with fingerling potatoes, caramelized onions and veggies in a honey miso glaze. We thought the fish was prepared properly as it was moist, fatty and flaky. It was only lightly smoked. As for the sauce, it was too sweet and strangely too salty too with a touch of acidity. We weren't huge fans of the onion as it had no impact.
My dad had the Bouillabaisse which included cold water prawns, halibut, salmon and mussels in a tomato broth. Although the seafood was plentiful, the fish was overcooked. As for the tomato broth, he thought it was lacking in punch where it was very mild. Not a bad bouillabaisse, but not memorable either. On the flipside, my mom had the best dish of the night being the Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb. No, you are not seeing double in the picture. That my friends, was one serving. For $28.00, we all felt it was a fabulous value. Now value is one thing, but what about the execution. Thankfully, this was a fairly well-prepared dish too. The lamb was cooked a beautiful medium-rare and was really moist and juicy. It was served with overly dense gnocchi, vibrant veggies and a rich natural jus.
For the kiddies, they ordered off the kid's menu. My son had the Chicken Strips and Fries. We liked the fact that the chicken strip was house-made with a crispy panko coating. Being white meat, the strips weren't exactly super moist though. Maybe brining the meat first could've helped. As for my daughter, she had the Fish & Chips. The fish itself was moist and flaky, but it suffered from far too much batter which was thick and doughy. On the positive side, the batter was crunchy. The side of tartar sauce had a strange resemblance to the remoulade that went with the crab cakes. With the coleslaw being the same as the one in the sandwich, it was crunchy and nicely dressed.
Off to dessert, we all shared the Apple Strudel and NY Cheesecake. We found the apple filling to be overly mild. There was little in the way of tang and sweetness. However, the ice cream went a long way in helping the cause. The pastry was flaky and light. As for the cheesecake, it was rich and heavy. We liked how it wasn't too sweet where we could taste the cream cheese. So remember at the very start of this blog post where I lamented the hotel restaurant of the past. Well, I believe that the American Grille is a modern version of the traditional hotel restaurant. The food is safe and not overly imaginative, yet at the same time is serviceable. Most, if not all the dishes were fine, but not overly memorable except for the lamb. Bottom line - the food is pretty vanilla aimed directly at the unadventurous hotel guest.
The Good:
- Safe food
- Rack of lamb has to be one of the better values in town
- Service is attentive
The Bad:
- Not much deviation from the regular here
- I wouldn't consider it fine dining, rather elevated casual fare
*Restaurant is not closed*
We all know the "F" word. It's both vulgar and contentious. No, I'm not talking about that word, rather I'm referring the other "F" word - Fusion. Ah yes, the combination of 2 or more types of cuisine into one dish - exciting to some while completely taboo to others. Personally, if something tastes good, I don't really give a flying rat's arse what and who made it. Except if there is actually rat in the dish... Consider this, many Vietnamese dishes are the result of French influences. You don't see many people complaining about a great Pho or Banh Mi. So with that mindset, I set off to my latest restaurant invite to VEDA Bistro out in Langley.
With a modern and "fine dining" twist to Northern Indian food, VEDA Bistro boldly tries to make it work in heart of Langley. Viv and I were treated to a feast which began with the Kebab Sampler consisting of lamb, prawns and chicken. All of the proteins were well-prepared with the lamb being moist with hits of cumin, onion and garlic. The prawns had a nice char and were naturally sweet with a beautiful snap. The chicken was sufficiently tender with a noticeable sweetness and only a hint of spice. Next up was the Stone Kebab consisting of clove-smoked filets of beef topped with a ginger marmalade. Although beef was tenderized via pounding and charred nicely, it was rather tough. On the other hand, the ginger marmalade added a impactful sweetness and pop. Despite looking merely like a garnish, the cheese crisp helped balance the sweetness.
Our last appie was the Mahi Fish Tikka which was prepared in a yogurt marinade encased in phyllo pastry. The fish was firm, yet flaky at the same time. Although the fish itself was not seasoned enough, the pineapple chutney more than made up for it. Most of the phyllo was crispy except for the bottom as it got soft from the moisture of the fish. All 3 appies came with coleslaw which was crunchy, fresh with a nice spice level and zing (in a Dijon kind of way). The streak of mango coulis was not merely there for colour as it had a kick with a big hit of cumin. Next, we tried the Aromatic Chicken Soup consisting of organic chicken, ginger and herbs. The soup was really flavourful bordering on salty, but the finish was nice. The caramelized onions on top added a level of sweetness that complimented the light creamy broth.
We were served a Vegetable Biryani to accompany the main courses. It was prepared with fresh vegetables with saffron infused spiced rice. The use of fresh veggies really showed as there was natural textures and flavours. The rice was firm and had a mild hit of saffron with a decent spice level. The fresh ginger and caramelized onions added more layers of flavour to the rice. Arriving in a large basket, we got 3 types of Naan, including garlic, sesame and regular. All of them had a browned crispy underside while being soft and chewy throughout. The garlic naan was aromatic on its own, as well as the sesame version.
For the purposes of trying as many different dishes as possible, we got smaller portions of Fish Curry, Lamb Curry, Butter Chicken and Palak Paneer. The fish was flaky and moist while bathed in a gingery and spicy curry which resulted in a lingering aftertaste. The lamb was a touch chewy where the curry had depth with hits of onion, cumin and spice. Being prepared with fresh tomatoes, the butter chicken was predictably lighter and fresher tasting. It was still mildly creamy with tender morsels of chicken. With large chunks of tender cheese, the palak paneer was rich, creamy and vibrant. Again, it was prepared with fresh spinach rather than the frozen variety.
As if we needed anymore food, we were presented with the BBQ Crockpot Bison Short Ribs served with purple potatoes. We liked how the braising liquid was mild, yet exhibiting a wealth of flavours at the same time. We picked out cinnamon and cloves. The rib itself was braised until fork tender. Our last entree was the Tandoori Lamb Chops marinated in merlot and served with fenugreek cream sauce. Now if this sounds familiar, you might make the connection with Vij's. And I will boldly say that this version would give it a run for its money. Not exactly the same, but good in its own right with super tender lamb chops with a nice acidic hit from the wine while balanced out with the smooth mild sauce.
We finished off our meal with 2 desserts including Gulab Jamun and Pisatchio Kulfi Falooda. Surprisingly, the gulab jamun was not crazy sweet, but the sauce made up for that being rich and sugary. The falooda was constructed with rich ice cream, pistachios and basil seeds. This was a texturally smooth dessert with only mild sweetness. The ice cream was indeed rich, but a touch icy. Suffice to say, we didn't finish all this food, but it did give a good overview of what VEDA bistro is about. We found most of the dishes (the fusion and traditional) to be well-prepared, except for one (the Stone Kebab). With that in mind, VEDA succeeds in bringing something different to the table in terms of Indian food in Langley.
The Good:
- Something different and interesting
- Open and comfortable dining space
- Reasonable pricing
The Bad:
- As with any fusion cuisine, everyone will have a differing opinion
Normally, the latest trends or fads get their start in Downtown or Vancouver proper (or with some Asian stuff, Richmond) such as the ramen craze, gourmet burgers and cupcakes. With that, the 'burbs get shutout or at the very least get the trickle-down effect. However, often something gets lost in translation as we move further and further away from the source. Thankfully, this is not the case at Big Star Sandwich Company in New West. After drooling over the pictures of their sammies on the internet, I swung by to sample their wares.
I decided to go for 3 half-size sammies for $5.00 each (full size are $9.00). First, I tried the Roast Beef and Capocollo with provolone, lettuce, tomato and mustard first. The ample amount of roast beef was meaty and tender. It had a nice natural roasted flavour which was accented by the spiciness of the capocollo. Add in grainy mustard and the right amount of veggies, this was a hearty sandwich. Normally, I complain about the hard buns most other places use. Well not here. The bun was soft, substantial and fresh. 
It caressed all of the ingredients with every bite. My only suggestion would be to lightly toast them so that it doesn't get spongy from the wet ingredients. Next up was the Turkey, Bacon and Avocado with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayo and honey mustard. Although the turkey was on the drier side (as it tends to be), it was surrounded by a good amount of mayo, veggies and avocado to moisten things up. There was a generous amount of lean crispy bacon which added the necessary punch of flavour.
I also had an unnamed sandwich which we'll call The Royal. It consisted of roast beef, bacon, avocado, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and chipotle aioli. This was a savoury and spicy sandwich that had the smoothness of avocado and saltiness from the bacon. I was only going to have a few bites, but I ended up finishing the whole thing. In fact, half a sandwich was already quite filling and at $5.00, I'd rather hit up Big Star than Subway or Quizno's.
The Good:
- Quality ingredients
- Nice flavour combinations
- Soft bun (easy to eat)
The Bad:
- Interesting location, not enough walk-up traffic?
- Small place, mostly for take out (which works for most people)
Originally, with us being in the Seattle sans enfants, we were planning to hit up some restaurants that were not kid-friendly. However, due to our power shopping and picking up goods from Goose, we didn't have a whole lot of time to eat. We even ate the free breakfast at our hotel (which was not really blogable - the horror!). Since we, wait, I mean Viv still had lots of shopping to do, we stopped for a quick lunch at Pho 36 in Lynnwood.
We had the Salad Roll first and it was quite good. As evidenced in the picture, the rolls were large and properly constructed with vermicelli, lettuce, basil, sprouts, pork and shrimp. The rice wrapper was moist while still retaining a nice elasticity. Furthermore, the dipping sauce was balanced between peanut and hoisin. Continuing on the large theme, the Grilled Pork Banh Mi was loaded with filling. Being chewy, yet well charred, the pork had a nice smoky flavour. There was too much mayonnaise for our liking as the sandwich was too saucy. We felt the bun was far too large and dense despite the crustiness of the outside.
We shared a bowl of Pho Dac Biet which featured a pretty mild broth. It was on the sweeter side with hints of daikon. There was a sufficient amount of noodles as well as tender meats. However, there could've been more of each. Finally, we had the Lemongrass Chicken on Rice with a fried egg. The sliced chicken was kissed nicely by the grill and exhibited plenty of sweetness and smokiness. It was slightly dry but not terribly. The rice was dry as well, but the runny egg yolk helped alleviate that. As with most Vietnamese joints, Pho 36 did the job without incident. A quick, cheap meal when shopping trumps eating.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Okay service
The Bad:
- Not that it is important, but it is worth noting the cluttered decor
Viv and I decided to make an impromptu visit to Seattle for one night because we needed to do some shopping as well as picking up a bunch of things I had shipped to Goose's house. That also meant we had to hightail it to the border after work on a Friday of a long weekend. Thank goodness for Nexus! Not having a whole lot of time to eat, we decided to stop by Sonic in Ferndale (as recommended by Yummy Mummy). For those who are not familiar, Sonic is a fast food drive-in with no indoor seating. Ordering is done via a speaker and menu at your parking stall. Even credit card processing can be done right in the comfort of your vehicle.
We squeezed into the stall which was a tight fit, even for my compact hatchback. This would make Richmond parking spots look spacious! After a quick look at the menu, I decided to get the 1/4 Pound Cheeseburger with a side of Onion Rings. The burger was pretty basic with a soft bun giving way to a somewhat dry patty. However, with all the mayo, ketchup and mustard along with lettuce, pickles and tomato, the whole thing was saucy and messy to eat. Not bad, but I'd gladly take an In-N-Out burger over this one (if they had a closer location than Redding, CA!). The onion rings were coated with a crunchy breading and could've benefited from some seasoning, but they were pretty good. I added a Strawberry Shake as my beverage and it was quite thick and sweet. I liked how they used a lot of ice cream in it.
Viv went for the Asiago Chicken Club with Fries and it was pretty average. The bun was a little too soft while the rest of the sandwich was typical, yet curiously bland. The chicken was not too dry though. We liked the fries though as they were hot and crispy. Overall, our visit to Sonic was a neat experience, but not exactly memorable. A few things left me wondering: why are the stalls so narrow and since it is a drive-in, why aren't there tables you hook onto your doors? The experience would've been less awkward in our opinion.
The Good:
- Neat drive-in experience
- Food is acceptable
The Bad:
- Narrow spots and no place to put your food
- Not expensive, but not cheap either
There are some things in my childhood that I love no matter what others think. Hey food is subjective and really, you can't tell someone that they don't like something. One of my favourite things to eat while growing up was the Double Double at White Spot. Consisting of 2 patties, 2 slices of cheese, Triple O sauce and double pickles, it was really satisfying. Imagine my reaction when I was informed that there was a Triple Triple on their secret menu at Triple O locations. Secret menu? Sounds like an In-N-Out kinda thing. Well, the good folks at White Spot sent me voucher to try this monstrosity, so of course I went!
I brought the family along too because hey, they love White Spot (and subsequently Triple O's) too! But before we get to that, let's talk about what they got to eat. They both went for the Dippin' Chicken with fries, drink, the classic chocolate doubloons and crayons. They gobbled up the 2 crispy chicken strips quickly. Strangely, the fries were pretty dense and not really all that crispy. Viv had the Chipotle BBQ Bacon Melt Burger. It was pretty substantial with plenty of ingredients. She did remark that the onions were the dominant flavour though. For her side, she had Onion Rings (next picture down) and they were the breaded type, which meant they were crunchy.
I was actually the one who ordered the Sweet Potato Fries which were pretty crispy and light. I liked how the side of Chipotle mayo was enough for all of the fries. Now the main event - The Triple Triple! Nothing complex here, just 3 patties, 3 slices of cheese and 3 pickle slices. Yes, this was filling and I barely finished it. Only eat this if you are really hungry. Nothing particularly ground-breaking, but consider it a bigger Double Double. And that's what Triple O's is all about - nothing fancy and certainly nothing mind-blowing. Yet it delivers what is expected.
The Good:
- A little bit more interesting than some of the other fast food burgers
- White Spot burgers in a fast food setting
The Bad:
- Pricier than other fast food joints
- Not a whole lot of seating
After sharing 3 lunch specials at Jitlada Thai, we were pretty much full. However, Choobee wanted to go for some dessert. I immediately suggested Beaucoup Bakery due to its close proximity. Great. Now Choobee was doing her best impression of Mijune. Such a dangerous way to live... Eat til you drop... I immediately tackled the Double Baked Almond Croissant. It was heavenly with a flaky crisp shell which gave way to a soft, buttery and sugary interior. The best way to describe it is that it was a in-depth sweetness rather than just plain sweet.
The Pain au Chocolate was equally flaky and buttery with a semi-sweet chocolate hit. It got really messy as Choobee got it all over her face and hair... Ahem...The classic Butter Croissant was of course, crisp and flaky on the outside. However, it wasn't as buttery and soft as I would've liked on the inside (was it baked too long?). It's not to say it wasn't a good croissant, because it was, but I would've liked it to be less dry (however, I've been told that their croissants are usually not dry in the middle - could it be an anomoly?).
Although the Raspberry Pistachio Macaron was easily the most attractive of all the pastries, it was only okay. The macaron itself was very nice with a crisp delicate exterior and a soft chewy interior. The pistachio cream filling was not all that impactful although it had a creamy texture. The Lemon Tart was very well crafted with a firm buttery crust. Although the lemon curd was a touch on the runnier side, it had a nice tartness to it which tempered the sugar content. I liked how it was small since that was probably all I could eat in one sitting. Savoury and cheesy, the Cheese Scone had a nice contrast of crunch and softness. Love the savoury elements. Overall, we were impressed with the stuff we tried at Beaucoup - these were some finely crafted pastries.
The Good:
- Pastries made with care
- Textures were on point except for the regular croissant
- We liked the high ceilings and bright space
The Bad:
- Well, like any good patisserie, it's gonna cost you
- The regular croissant was dry for some reason
Posts
once again, my mom's birthday required a kid-friendly place where we could enjoy a decent meal. I went back to the well and decided on another hotel restaurant. Now, there once was a time this would translate into culinary anti-creativity, but hotel restaurants have come a long way. Many are balancing the need to provide safe, predictable food and the desire to be more adventurous. Our restaurant of choice this time would be the American Grille in the Vancouver Airport Marriott (photo courtesy of TripAdvisor). One of the main contributing factors to this decision was because I had purchased a couple of Travelzoo coupons.
For myself, I had the Braised Beef Brisket Sliders as my appie. This was definitely a share plate as it would be difficult for someone to eat this and have a main course (unless you're Mijune that is). The beef was moist and well-sauced exhibiting a combination of sweetness and spice. The coleslaw was crunchy and not over-dressed. I really liked the herb bun as it not only stood up to the wet ingredients, the herbs added another layer of flavour. Viv had the Moules et Frites which featured a white wine reduction with garlic, onions, tomatoes and chives. We found the broth to be buttery and full of red onion essence but little wine flavour. The mussels were plump and cooked nicely, however, the frites were not really frites and didn't mesh well with the dish.
My mom had the West Coast Dungeness Crab Cakes which were deep fried. Personally, I much prefer pan-fried, but these were crunchy and not that greasy. There was a good amount of fluffy sweet crab and very little filler. They were not shy with the salt which could've been balanced off with some acidity. Although the remoulade could be easily mistakened for tartar sauce, it really wasn't. I think by calling this a "causal" approach to crab cakes would be the best description. Trying to not duplicate any appies, my dad settled on the Crispy Crab Spring Rolls consisting of dungeness crab and mango. These were served piping hot while the grease was kept to a minimum. Again, the chunks of crab were fluffy and sweet while the veggies were crisp in addition to the sweet mango.
For my main, I went for the Danish Baby Back Ribs for some reason. I usually do not order ribs from non-rib joints and this was another example. Obviously, the ribs were parboiled before being grilled and sauced. Hence, the meat was tender, yet dry around the edges. The sauce was predominantly sweet. Again, the fries were pretty generic, but crispy. Viv had the Smoked Sable Fish with fingerling potatoes, caramelized onions and veggies in a honey miso glaze. We thought the fish was prepared properly as it was moist, fatty and flaky. It was only lightly smoked. As for the sauce, it was too sweet and strangely too salty too with a touch of acidity. We weren't huge fans of the onion as it had no impact.
My dad had the Bouillabaisse which included cold water prawns, halibut, salmon and mussels in a tomato broth. Although the seafood was plentiful, the fish was overcooked. As for the tomato broth, he thought it was lacking in punch where it was very mild. Not a bad bouillabaisse, but not memorable either. On the flipside, my mom had the best dish of the night being the Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb. No, you are not seeing double in the picture. That my friends, was one serving. For $28.00, we all felt it was a fabulous value. Now value is one thing, but what about the execution. Thankfully, this was a fairly well-prepared dish too. The lamb was cooked a beautiful medium-rare and was really moist and juicy. It was served with overly dense gnocchi, vibrant veggies and a rich natural jus.
For the kiddies, they ordered off the kid's menu. My son had the Chicken Strips and Fries. We liked the fact that the chicken strip was house-made with a crispy panko coating. Being white meat, the strips weren't exactly super moist though. Maybe brining the meat first could've helped. As for my daughter, she had the Fish & Chips. The fish itself was moist and flaky, but it suffered from far too much batter which was thick and doughy. On the positive side, the batter was crunchy. The side of tartar sauce had a strange resemblance to the remoulade that went with the crab cakes. With the coleslaw being the same as the one in the sandwich, it was crunchy and nicely dressed.
Off to dessert, we all shared the Apple Strudel and NY Cheesecake. We found the apple filling to be overly mild. There was little in the way of tang and sweetness. However, the ice cream went a long way in helping the cause. The pastry was flaky and light. As for the cheesecake, it was rich and heavy. We liked how it wasn't too sweet where we could taste the cream cheese. So remember at the very start of this blog post where I lamented the hotel restaurant of the past. Well, I believe that the American Grille is a modern version of the traditional hotel restaurant. The food is safe and not overly imaginative, yet at the same time is serviceable. Most, if not all the dishes were fine, but not overly memorable except for the lamb. Bottom line - the food is pretty vanilla aimed directly at the unadventurous hotel guest.
