Yen Izakaya

I was prepared this time.  I had a list.  Yup, a list of restaurants we could visit after softball.  No scrambling for ideas or trying to navigate Urbanspoon or Yelp! on my Galaxy.  But wait.  I got an email from Yen Izakaya during the softball game indicating that they had just opened up where Soul Izakaya used to be.  Well, we were near Richmond and most were in favour of Japanese food...  Bear, being Japanese, hated the former Soul Izakaya for its lack of authenticity.  Well, notice that "Japanese Korean Izakaya" for all to see on their front signage.

With that in mind, we weren't shocked to see Korean food on the menu.  Authentic izakaya?  Nope, and really, they weren't hiding the fact either. We ended up starting with an order of Salmon Sashimi.  It looked alright and tasted okay as well.  But it was a bit soft for our liking.  On the other hand, the Tuna Tataki was the complete opposite.  Generally, this dish features delicate tuna with a lightly seared exterior.  Yes, the outside was indeed lightly seared, but it was strangely rubbery.  Nothing particularly amiss with the rest of the tuna though.  Moreover, the dressing was tart and appetizing.

Next up was a trio of their fried chicken offerings starting with the Soy Fried Chicken.  Since it was tossed in a mildly sweet soy sauce, the chicken wasn't as crispy as it appeared.  However, it was juicy and moist on the inside.  As mentioned, the soy was not particularly strong.  It was mostly sweet with only the mildest of savoury elements.  The Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken was exactly as advertised being sweet and spicy.  I wouldn't classify it as really spicy, but it definitely had a kick.  It was more sweet than spicy though.  Naturally, with all that sauce, there was no crispiness left.  Finally, we had the plain Fried Chicken and it was predictably crunchier.  We found the seasoning to be light with only a hint of pepper.

Since Gyoza King decided to join us for eats, it was only natural to order a couple of orders of the Pork Gyoza. Um...  These were the strangest looking gyozas we'd ever seen.  Oh right, we were in a "Japanese Korean Izakaya".  So these were really pan-fried Korean mandus. If we looked at them in that respect, they were pretty good where the pork and glass noodles added a nice texture.  The good amount of greens brought brightness and flavour while the dumpling wrapper was super thin.  Good mandu, not a gyoza though.  We also decided to try the Lobster Gyoza (Robster Gyoza on the menu... Were these stolen or something?) as well.  Again, these were more like lobster wontons than gyozas.  In that case, they were good with properly cooked sweet lobster with the same thin wrapper. Again, not Japanese gyozas.

Bear loves Short Ribs, so I encouraged him to order 2 portions because one would be for him and the other for the rest of us.  The short ribs were pretty good being meaty with a minimal amount of fat.  They were tender, yet retaining a good chew (not over tenderized).  Naturally, they were quite sweet, but not overly so.  The sugars caramelized so there was a depth-of-flavour.  Continuing on the Korean theme, we had the Japchae which was a decent portion for the price.  There was a good noodle-to-ingredient ratio where the beef was moist and well-marinated.  The noodles themselves were chewy and flavourful. Of note, the japchae at our other table (we split into 2) was not nearly as good as ours.

We tried some maki sushi with the Dragon Roll.  It consisted of essentially a dynamite roll in the inside with spicy tuna and tempura bits on top.  The ebi tempura was smoking hot.  So much so, it made the rice around it quite warm.  The rice was decently chewy while the overall flavour profile of the roll was sweet and spicy.  There were good textures, especially the crunch for the ebi.  The same couldn't be said for the Ebi Mayo though.  I'm sorry folks, but this was not an ebi mayo.  I don't care if they are fusion or whatever they call themselves, this was not good.  The prawns were fried far too long and did not have enough batter to keep the moisture.  It resembled more like a Chinese fried prawn.  The mayo dressing was more like a spicy aioli where there was a dire need for more sweet mayo.

Moving onto a better dish, we had the Saba which was a pretty large portion.  Although it was missing the head and strangely presented with the bone side up, the flesh was moist, flaky and well-seasoned.  Shockingly, this was one of the better versions we've had of late.  Our last dish was an order of the Yakiudon.  We felt that the whole dish was a bit too wet and overly sweet.  However, the beef was moist, veggies vibrant and the noodles were chewy.  As we were finishing up, we had differing opinions about the place.  Dark Helmet thought this meal warranted another visit back while Bear vehemently disagreed.  For me, I would like to be a fence-sitter as there were some good dishes to go with the sub-par. I am willing to give them a pass on the unauthentic dishes because they do boldly advertise on the outside they are not a solely Japanese Izakaya.  Besides, what I have noticed from all the Izakayas in Richmond is that they tend to blend several different cuisines that appeal to the locals.  I guess you can't fault them for that.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- If we ignore the menu descriptions, there were some good dishes
- Service wasn't bad

The Bad:
- Despite their assertion of not being truly authentic, some dishes completely threw us off and were not done right
- Will definitely offend authentic Izakaya aficionados

Tuc Craft Kitchen

"The pork cracklings are freakin' awesome", Bam Bam exclaimed with much enthusiasm.  This was during Monday night softball and he just couldn't contain his excitement about his visit to Tuc Craft Kitchen.  Okay, when someone says something is "freakin' awesome" I take notice, especially when that someone knows their food.  Hence, I made it a point to visit Tuc ASAP.  As soon as possible meant a lunch date with Whipping Girl.

Since both of us already checked out the menu online, we ordered relatively quickly to get to the...  Pork Belly Crackling. These little morsels of joy were lightly crisp on the outside with fatty goodness on the inside.  What really made this dish work was the star anise red wine reduction as it provided the necessary acidity as well as sweetness and aromatics.  I couldn't stop eating these even though I felt my arteries hardening with every bite.  With a light dusting of the same cracklings, the Mussels and Clams were prepared really well.  Both were plump and just done sitting in a light white wine cream broth where the alcohol had been properly cooked off.  Accenting the dish was more of the cracklings and some crunchy croutons.

Whipping Girl decided on the Tuc Salad Jardinière for her main.  It included arugula, spinach, basil, mint, vinaigrette, pickled vegetables and a tempura & bacon wrapped egg. The salad was pretty much typical salad with a balanced vinaigrette.  Yet, the saltiness and crunch of the egg brought the salad to a different level. Since everything had the cracklings already, we thought it would've been good to add it here too. For myself, I had the Beef Brisket and Pork Crackling Sandwich with smashed potato fries.  This was a really good concoction consisting of medium-rare fatty brisket, Dijon, salsa verde, cucumber, pickles on whole wheat french bread.  There was a nice acidity to the sandwich that cut through the heaviness of the juicy brisket.  As much as the cracklings added even more fatty flavour, they were no longer crunchy due to the moisture.  The fries were really crunchy and went well with the house-made coriander ketchup as it wasn't too sweet. Although we only sampled 4 items from their menu, the food was both good and interesting enough that we were already planning a dinner visit.

The Good:
- The items we had were well-prepared and just plain tasted good
- Spacious with high ceiling
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- Health food this is not (that's why it tasted so good)

Airport Coffee Shop

I'm sure there is little disagreement that Chilliwack is not the hotbed of good eats.  Sure, there are places to eat and some can be quite good, but nothing quickly comes to mind...  except for one.  Of all places, the Airport Coffee Shop is well-known for their pies.  Having just left Harrison Hot Springs and fresh off a wonderful tour of Hofstede's, I thought that it was as good as any time to pay the place a visit.  Sure, it was 3:30pm in the afternoon, but anytime is a good time for food right?

Miss Y and I weren't exactly hungry, but I insisted we share some food to go with our pie.  First up was the Mushroom Burger which was blessed with fresh and aesthetically-pleasing toppings.  We liked how the mushrooms were not cooked to death either.  Surprisingly, it was a good burger with a soft bun and a moist hand-made patty.  Next, we tried the Rueben with fries.  For a grilled sandwich, we would've preferred to see it crunchier, but it didn't make or break the dish. The corned beef was a little dry but the sauerkraut and cheese helped alleviate it somewhat.  Despite being the generic type, the crinkle-cut fries were super crispy.

Now for the main event, the reason why we were here - the pie! I gave the Bing Cherry a go first and I was impressed at the tempered level of sweetness.  Within the flaky crust, there was a plethora of cherries.  Of course we couldn't bypass the standard, being the Apple Pie a la Mode!  Again, the crust was flaky, yet a touch dense.  It was probably due to the moisture with the apples as it became doughy on the inside.  We did like the tender slices of apple though and once again, the pie was not too sweet.  Hey, nothing mind-blowing here, but solid eats with all things considered.  We loved the honest friendly service too.

The Good:
- Seemed like genuine service
- Okay pricing
- Pies are solid

The Bad:
- Dunno if I would drive out to Chilliwack especially for it, but good to try if in the area

Yukiya

Having missed the buffet breakfast at the Terrace Cafe at the resort, we were a bit unprepared as to other eating options.  We decided to take a stroll outside to see what we could find.  In the end, we didn't walk very far as we stopped at the first place we saw being Yukiya.  Sushi at Harrison Hot Springs?  Yah, a bit daring, but we wanted something lighter to eat.  Upon sitting down, we were served by the owner (?) who was almost overly-friendly.  One look at the menu and we were shocked to see prices which were easily double what we would normally expect.

Whatever, we were hungry and Miss Y was treating...  LOL... I decided to go for the Teriyaki Chicken and Sashimi Bento.  Despite sliced quite thin, the salmon, tai and tuna sashimi were acceptable given where we were.  I found the salmon to be a touch soft, but nothing was fishy.  I wasn't a huge fan of the chicken as it was cut up into small pieces and subsequently overcooked while mixed with far too much sauce.  As for the gyoza, they were not fried up crispy, hence the dumpling skin was a touch doughy.  The filling was okay though with a good mix of meat and cabbage.  Miss Y had the Tempura Udon which was served with a substantial amount of vegetables on top.  Although not typical of an authentic udon, she welcomed it as she needed her veggies.  The udon was a bit soft while the soup was not bad being balanced.  The accompanying tempura was actually pretty good with a thin layer of batter.  It was fried up light and crispy.

As a bonus, the friendly owner presented us with a plate of California Roll.  We found the rice to be subpar as it was hard and pretty bland.  On the other hand, the ingredients were alright including the ripe avocado.  We were pretty indifferent about our meal and really didn't have any expectations.  Given that it is located right on the lake, it has location on its side.  But the prices are far too high for the quality of food.

The Good:
- Super friendly owner
- Acceptable food with all things considered

The Bad:
- Food quality does not justify the prices
- Not the most wonderful of ambiances

Hofstede's Country Barn

The original plan for our second day at Harrison Hot Springs was to check out the Lakeside Cafe for their buffet breakfast.  However, we were too busy relaxing in the hot tub to make it before the breakfast ended.  We ended up going on the self-guided Circle Farm Tour but due to many places not being open during the middle of the week, we only ended up at 2 places.  The first was Farmhouse Cheese, which we had sampled the day before with our "welcome" cheese & fruit plate.  We weren't able to get a tour though.  Undeterred, we headed into Chilliwack to visit Hofstede's Country Barn.

Initially, we were a bit skeptical about a grocery store being on the tour.  However, after over an hour with owner, Richard, we fell in love with his place.  Little did we know that Hofstede's is not an ordinary grocery store.  In direct contrast to the big box stores, Hofstede's focuses primarily on local produce and unique products.  Some of which are non-spray meaning that they are pesticide- free. We were able to sample various fruits and veggies that really showcased what Hofstede's is about.  Personally, I've never seen produce that nice in a big box store.  Sure, prices are higher, but worth it in my opinion.

As for the dry goods, there were items I've never seen before.  Many are local, but a lot are imported from Europe.  Think of Hofstede's as a more rustic down-to-Earth Capers or Whole Foods.  There is even an in-house coffee shop that features house-made soups and sandwiches.  We didn't get to sample any since we were still full from lunch, but next time I'm in Chilliwack...  And hey, if you're out in Chilliwack, it's worth giving them a look.

The Good:
- Quality, local produce
- Friendly staff
- Rare, hard-to-find imported dry goods

The Bad:
- Costs more 
- With some of the non-spray produce, it degrades really fast

Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa (and The Copper Room)

Gosh, I haven't been back to Harrison Hot Springs in ages.  This little resort has been out-of-sight and out-of-mind even though Viv and I have had many chances to visit.  Why is that anyways?  Not really sure because it ain't that far -only 1.5 hours from Vancouver. Furthermore, it's not really that difficult to get to - just drive East on Hwy 1 and take one exit.  Well, I recently got invited by the Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa to check out the place, as well as dining at The Copper Room.  For a split second, I considered going it alone because Viv couldn't get away on a weekday.  But the thought of snapping photos of my food by myself in a corner at a romantic destination just didn't sit well.  Hence, I invited Miss Y to tag along.  Don't worry, this was wife-approved...

We were put up on the 6th floor in the West Tower facing the lake.  Naturally, the view was fantastic and it was relaxing to sit out on the balcony.  The rooms were nicely appointed with modern decor complete with wireless internet (that worked quite well), flat screen TV, coffee maker and the aforementioned balcony.  Adorned with slate tiles, the washroom was in good shape and appeared upscale.  There was only a standup shower, but with all the pools downstairs, a bathtub was not necessary.  I found the beds to be medium-firm and quite comfortable.  I was able to get a good nights sleep (the blackout curtains didn't hurt either).  Shortly after we arrived, we were treated to a cheese, cracker and fruit plate with wine.  The cheese was supplied by The Farm House Natural Cheeses.

However, the main draw at the resort are the private pools, all 5 of them. They are all hot-spring-fed mineral pools – each at a different temperature.  The outdoor lap pool is kept at 28C (83F), which is great for a dip to cool off from the warmer pools.  Of which, the outdoor adult pool (not pictured) maintains a temperature of 37C (98F).  This is a great place to relax without any kiddies frolicking around.  Now, if you do have children, the outdoor family pool is the largest of them all (at 4000 sq ft) with the same temperature as the lap pool.  Inside, there is a pool that has temperatures ranging from 32 – 35C (90 – 95F).  Adjacent, there is a indoor hot pool that ranges from a toasty 38 – 40C (100 – 104F). I can honestly say my aches and pains never felt so good after multiple dips into the various pools.

After our visit to the pools, Miss Y and I were ready for dinner.  We headed over to the Copper Room where we were greeted to a dining room that was a throwback to yesteryear.  With tables surrounding a dance floor, we were entertained by the Jones Boys that had played there for many years.  Now as for the food, we were allowed to order whatever we wanted.  In fact, our server dared us to order everything.  Hey, I had Miss Y with me, not Mijune!  So we settled on 4 appies, 4 entrees and 2 desserts.  LOL...

We began with the a nicely plated Bison Carpaccio with horseradish aioli, Parmesan and truffle oil.  The meat was really good and melted-in-our-mouths. We felt that there was probably too much aioli, but that didn't make or break the dish.  Next up was something we don't see much on many menus anymore being the Vichyssoise which is a cold potato and leek soup.  Frankly, I've only had this dish only 3 times ever, hence, I am no expert.  However, basing it on whether we liked it independently of other versions, we thought it was pretty good.  It was well-chilled and was fairly light with only the slightest of potato texture.  It wasn't too creamy while the flavours were very mild.

Moving onto our next 2 appies, we had the Goat Cheese and Herb Ratatouille and Fresh Scallops & Pancetta. Interestingly, we thought the ratatouille was more like antipasto atop goat cheese.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't as if we didn't like it.  In fact, the ratatouille itself had a nice texture which was not firm while not mushy.  Flavourwise, it was sweet and a bit tart.  We felt there was probably too much goat cheese in relation to the ratatouille.  Our favourite appie was the scallops as they looked appetizing exhibiting a nice sear.  The scallops were barely cooked being buttery and sweet (with natural flavour).  The crispy and salty pancetta was a touch overwhelming, but did not make or break the dish.  The mild and creamy white wine and leek sauce was quite nice as it brought some moisture to the dish.

Onto the mains, we tried the Fresh Arctic Char Amandine first.  Sadly, the fish was overdone where the meat was dry and stiff.  Furthermore, there was a general lack of seasoning.  Continuing on that theme, the accompanying rice was also dry and bland.  On the other hand, the fresh veggies were vibrant and crisp.  Thankfully, the Agnolotti stuffed with BC wild mushrooms, cream cheese and provolone was much better.  Completing the dish was a cherry tomato compote and a drizzle of truffle oil.  The pasta was thin, yet chewy and toothsome.  We found the filling to be flavourful and pungent (in an Earthy way).  The truffle oil only further amped the natural flavours.  The tomato compote added the necessary acidity to the dish.

Now for the meat of the meal, literally and figuratively starting with the Bison Tenderloin with blueberry jus.  As stated on the menu, it was simply grilled and served with roasted potates and fresh veggies.  It was prepared a wonderful medium-rare (closer to rare, just how I like it).  The meat was very moist and tender with just enough gaminess for flavour.  There was a good char on the outside which added some richness while the savoury blueberry jus was mild enough to let the meat shine.  Saving the best for last was our favourite dish - the Rack of Lamb which was crusted with Dijon and fresh herbs.  This was accompanied by a polenta cake and fresh veggies while a rich demi-glace adorned the bottom of the plate. The lamb was beautifully cooked being moist and soft.  The crispy impactful crust added texture and a sharp hint of Dijon.

For dessert, we only went for 2 as we were completely stuffed. First off, we had the Chocolate Pate Tower with fresh seasonal berries. This consisted of chocolate pate encased in white chocolate lattice. We found the chocolate pate to be smooth with a nice bitter finish while the white chocolate was pretty sweet.  The tart raspberry coulis helped balance the flavours.  Lastly, we tried the flaming Amaretto Creme Brule. The thin hard sugar topping was nicely caramelized while the creamy custard was smooth and only semi-sweet.  We really got a big hit of amaretto with every bite.  Well, I gotta say this meal was much better than I had anticipated.  Sure, the food is pretty traditional, but 9 of the 10 dishes we had were executed quite well.  Prices are on the higher side, but nothing much in Harrison can be considered cheap.  Oh, and the live entertainment was pretty fun too.

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

The Good:
- Most of the proteins were done right
- Romantic in a traditional manner
- Relaxing

The Bad:
- Pricey
- For those who don't like traditional

DD Mau

I'm sure you've noticed that I often eagerly check out new restaurants to see what the fuss is all about.  But then there are some that take me an excruciating long time to visit.  One of which happens to be DD Mau.  Why?  Honestly, the thought of paying at least double the cost for a Banh Mi just doesn't seem that appetizing.  I've done that at Chopsticks on Pho and came away feeling ripped off (despite serving out good food).  However, since Choobee and I were on our way to BC Place for EAT! Vancouver, I figured it was a good enough reason to stop by to check it out.

From the many choices on the menu, we decided to start with the classic Cold Cut as a baseline of sorts.  The most obvious difference between the Banh Mi served at DD Mau as opposed to the ones you'd find on Kingsway was the bread.  Rather than a wide crusty baguette, they used a long, narrow and denser bun. This eliminated the hallmark crunch from the sandwich which was a definite miss in our opinion.  However, the ingredients were both top-notch and plentiful.  In particular, the amount of pate was spot on providing plenty of flavour and moisture.  It did taste more like traditional pate rather than the Vietnamese version though.  We also tried the BBQ Duck and it was jam-packed with moist and fatty meat.  I'm pretty sure they didn't make the duck in-house, hence the hefty $10.50 price tag (in addition to their rent being in Yaletown).

Lastly, we went for their other featured sandwich being the Roast Pork.  Again, it was packed with enough meat that was there in every bite.  As with the other subs, the pickled carrots and daikon were crunchy and balanced adding a nice acidity which cut through the fat.  We actually ended up eating most of the meat without the bread because it was so dense.  By just judging the sandwiches independently from the prices, we thought they were carefully made with plenty of great ingredients.  As mentioned, we weren't fond of the bread.  Now back to the prices - we understand why they charge double of the ones found outside of Downtown.  The rent, operating costs and ingredients all add up.  However, for many, I can see that they might care about these factors and stick to the ones found on Kingsway.

The Good:
- Good amount of quality ingredients
- An interesting amount of different choices

The Bad:
- Didn't like the dense bread
- Expensive for Banh Mi (but you need to consider the location and material costs)