An Pho

If one wanted to grab some Pho out in Whalley, the default would be Pho Tam.  It's been around for awhile and serves up the best Pho in the GVRD (in my opinion).  Everything else pales in comparison, but that is not to say there are places not worth trying either.  One place I tried about half-a-year ago was Pho Tamarind, tucked inside a strip mall on 104th.  As fast as it opened, it closed and suddenly became another Pho 99.  And even before I could even pay it a visit, it suddenly morphed into An Pho.  Man, this Vietnamese joint was doing its best "Changing Chinese Restaurant" routine.  Well, I quickly jumped at the chance to eat there before it became something else.

I started things off with the Salad Roll which was pretty textbook.  The rice paper wrapper was soft while still chewy.  Inside, there was rice noodles, sprouts, lettuce, pork, shrimp and basil.  It was well constructed and not lacking in any ingredients.  One thing I didn't like was the dip as it was predominantly hoisin. As usual, I followed that up with a bowl of Pho Dac Biet.  I loved how they included saw leaf herb with the sprouts.  As for the Pho itself, I found the broth pretty standard where it wasn't exactly overly meaty, but did have enough going for it to not be bland.  There was a decent amount of al dente noodles and tender meats as well.  Not Pho Tam quality, but respectable in my books.

Lastly, I also tried the Lemongrass Chicken on Rice.  It was a good portion size consisting of 2 large pieces of leg meat.  It was charred beautifully, moist and was very flavourful.  Strangely, I found the food very similar to that of Pho Tamarind (which was 2 stores ago).  Not sure if the previous owners are back under a new name?  Whatever the case, the food was decent and so were the portions.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Good portions

The Bad:
- Really hidden location, not good for them

ZETA Cafe

Sometimes, I really wonder why North Burnaby has such a pathetic selection of Asian food.  Sure, there are a few decent Japanese restaurants, but really, that's about it.  Good Dim Sum?  Nope.  Korean?  Nada.  Vietnamese?  Maybe.  Heck, we don't even have any bubble tea joints except for Pearl Drops on Willingdon.  So what gives?  It's not like there aren't any Asian people living in the area.  I think it's like 50% of the population.  Maybe everyone heads out to Richmond or something?  Could be.  Even I do that despite my disdain for the traffic.  Yet, have no fear, ZETA is here. Yup, where M&M used to stand, a brand-new bubble tea has appeared.

After our meal at Sushi Town, we decided to check the place out because Viv loves bubble tea.  To my daughter's dismay, Viv went for the Milk Tea with pearls and coconut jelly. Yes, she wanted something fruity, but Viv didn't give in.  The milk tea was pretty balanced with a certain milkiness and moderate sweetness.  Not bad for the price.  Now, unlike Viv, I did give in and ordered a Mango Slush with rainbow jelly.  Suddenly, I was the best dad in the world.  The slush was a little watery, but did have a decent mango flavour without tasting like candy.  With the jelly, it was a little pricey being $5.50.  Yet, we enjoyed out drinks and will probably be back because for us, it is now the closest bubble tea joint.

The Good:
- The people seem friendly
- Decent bubble tea

The Bad:
- A little pricey, but not out of the ordinary

Sushi Town (North Burnaby)

After a lazy morning at home, it looked like there was no interesting eats on the horizon.  Yet, all of a sudden, Viv wanted to go out for Japanese food.  Score!  An unplanned food adventure!  But where?  There are not many nearby Japanese joints we've not visited as of yet.  I briefly considered AYCE, but common sense prevailed (and the fact it would be like $15.00 per kid, they can't eat $15.00 worth of food!).  We finally settled on a place we hadn't visited in awhile - Sushi Town.  And really, with their pricing and portion size, it is practically AYCE.

We started off with their Seafood Salad which wasn't exactly pretty to look at.  With a pile of iceberg lettuce topped by vermicelli noodles, the result was a pool of unappealing water on the bottom of the plate.  However, when mixed together with the ginger dressing and wasabi mayo, it did taste okay.  There was only a modest amount of seafood consisting of tako, salmon, ebi, hokkigai and crab stick.  Next up was a Sushi Town best seller being the Spicy Salmon Sashimi.  Considering the price, this was both large in portion size and decent in execution.  The salmon had a firm, yet buttery texture while the cucumber was fresh and crunchy.  The best part was the flavourful spicy and sweet sauce.

Another best seller and their most popular roll is the Awesome Roll.  We finally got to try it as believe it or not, we've never had it despite eating here many times.  For $6.95, I wouldn't say it was exactly awesome, but definitely a good value.  It featured imitation crab, avocado, cucumber and masago with salmon, green onion, masago and bonito flakes on the outside.  This didn't need soy as it was flavourful enough on its own with the fishiness of the bonito and sauciness from the mayo and teriyaki.  Once again, we got the Chirashi Don consisting of tuna, salmon, tako, tai, hokkigai and amaebi. The sashimi was pretty decent although I'm not a huge fan of tuna being cut that thick.  As for the sushi rice, it sucked.  Texturally, it was dry and not at all sticky.  Furthermore it was pretty bland.

For the kiddies, we got them an order of the Tempura Udon.  For a Korean-run Japanese restaurant, the udon was prepared the way we like it.  Typically, unauthentic Japanese restaurants dump various amounts of veggies into the broth which, in my opinion, messes the whole thing up.  Not here.  It was simple and straightforward (like it should be).  In addition to the side of tempura, we got an extra order of Ebi Teumpra because the kids can't get enough of it.  These were done nicely with an airy and crispy batter which was not greasy.  The ebi itself had a light snap while being seasoned.  I know there are people out there who detest places like Sushi Town and Sushi Garden, but for the price, the food is respectable enough.  Consider it an alternative to AYCE where the food is better and probably costs less in the end.

The Good:
- Cheap
- Large portions
- Okay eats considering the price

The Bad:
- Don't expect complete authenticity nor super carefully made eats
- Service gets sparse when busy

Tamarind Hill (North Van)

On the hottest day of the year, JuJu and I (with his buddies Ace and Weezy) decided to play a round of golf at Northlands in North Van...  without a power cart.  Now, that would not be a really big issue if we were in shape.  Hence, after the 9th hole, we relented and picked up a power cart.  Sweaty, tired and disgusted with our scores, we turned our attention to eats.  We figured Pho, hot pot and Korean BBQ were out of the question, so I suggested we head to Tamarind Hill on Lonsdale.

We ended up sharing a good amount of food starting with the Chicken Satay. The meat exhibited nice grill marks while being moist and tender.  The marinade had a heavy hit of lemongrass and was not very sweet.  As for the peanut dip, it was definitely nutty with only a modest amount of palm sugar.  Next up was a double order of the Roti Canai. Although the exterior was nicely browned and crispy, the rest of the roti was doughy and dense.  I did like the slight sweetness though.  As for the curry dipping sauce, it was mild and coconutty with a good amount of palm sugar.  There was a pleasant shrimp paste aftertaste.

Continuing on with the usual favourites, we had the Sambal Green Beans.  The beans were a smidgen past done which made them slightly soft.  However, they were far from soggy.  In terms of flavour, it was a nice balance of spice, palm sugar and the pungent flavour of dried shrimp.  There was also a good amount of wok heat as there was no residual moisture.  Next up was the Beef Rendeng which arrived as a healthy portion.  We found the sauce to be mild, yet still exhibiting a good level of complexity of flavours including coconut milk, galangal, ginger and lemongrass.  There was a depth of flavour which penetrated the beef.  Although the beef was tender, it was rather dry due to the lean cut of brisket.

Although the Hainanese Chicken wasn't a huge portion, the execution was nearly flawless.  The meat was really tender and moist, even the breast.  The chicken by itself was flavourful and sweet, yet with the grated ginger and chili sauce, it was even better.  The accompanying chicken oil rice was chewy, not too greasy and aromatic.  Lastly, we had the Mee Goreng which was surprisingly good.  The noodles were al dente while the ingredients were plentiful.  The flavours were balanced between spicy, sweetness and savouriness.  I liked how the noodles weren't too saucy either.  Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Tamarind Hill.  There was not much to complain about except for the slightly high prices.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Friendly service (if not stretched)

The Bad:
- Slightly pricey
- Flavours were good, but personally, I would've liked more spice

The Foundation

Honestly.  How hard is it to convince people to eat with me?  Well not that hard, but in the case of The Foundation...  let's just say it's a tougher sell than a Snugli.  Many-a-time I would suggest the wonderful vegan eats available to us to no avail.  In fact, Bear went on a rant about the place and threatened to not eat-at-all. Fine.  I gave up, never to mention the place again in their presence.  Alas, I had a taker.  Choobee wanted to go for lunch and I sheepishly suggested the place.  She agreed, but then proceeded to do her best Miss Y impersonation and showed up 45 minutes late.

We decided to share 3 dishes beginning with the Foundation Burger. Constructed with tofu, veggies, flax and oats, the burger patty was moist and decently tasty.  The texture was a bit soft, yet combined with the fresh tomatoes and soft bun, we didn't mind it at all.  It didn't make me miss a beef burger, but I wasn't turned off either.  We had the Maple Bean Chili next and it lived up to its namesake.  The tomatoes, corn and maple combined to made it a sweet mix of stuff rather than a chili.  We liked the chunky textures and the crunchy tortilla chips, but in the end found it too sweet for our liking.

Lastly, we had the Molten Tofu consisting of broccoli and tofu tossed in a slightly spicy bean gravy.  This was alright with medium firm tofu in a mildly flavoured sauce.  It has a touch of spice and some nuttiness from the sesame seeds.  The broccoli was crunchy while the leafy greens added some brightness.  I found the rice to be really dry though.  In the end, the food was acceptable given the limitations.  Being a meatatarian myself, this would not be my first choice, but for those who aren't, it works.

The Good:
- Decent portions
- Reasonable prices

The Bad:
- Flavours were okay, but could've been more strong
- Service was friendly enough, but wasn't exactly attentive either

Banquet Dinner @ Empire Chinese Cuisine

After spending the afternoon tasting 34 different chilis at the 26th Annual Canadian Festival of Chili & BBQ, I was stuffed and bloated.  The best course of action would be to get some rest or grab a seat at my porcelain throne right?  No, that would be too typical and normal.  Not for me.  Instead, we traveled all-the-way into Richmond to Empire Chinese Cuisine for a double baby one-month banquet.  Yes, adding to my stomach full of beef, beans and peppers, I would now eat 10 courses of Chinese food.  Oh, and there were only 6 adults at our table...

Being Chinese banquet veterans, we arrived a full hour after the announced time.  Hence, they were just getting the dinner going as we sat down. Starting with the Appetizer Plate, we had jellied pork hock, tempura-fried seaweed wrapped crab stick, sliced beef shank, jellyfish and mock goose.  I thought most of the items were well-prepared, especially the mock goose as the fried bean curd skin was chewy, yet moist at the same time.  Furthermore, it was filled with flavourful juicy shiitake pieces as well as julienned carrot.  Next up was the Fried Shrimp Balls which were plated faster than they were presented.  I had to get up to get a picture somewhere else!  LOL...  Anyways, these were very good with a lightly crisp exterior which was not chewy.  The shrimp mousse mixture was bouncy with a good amount of natural sweetness.  Also, it had the right amount of moisture.

For our soup, we had the Fish Maw with Shrimp.  They did not skimp on the ingredients here as there was more of that than the actual starch-thickened broth.  As for the broth, it was quite mild with only a touch of sweetness.  It was silky and just thick enough and did not water down as we ate it.  The bits of shrimp were bouncy and nicely cooked while the fish maw could've been just a touch softer.  Next up, we had the Stir Fried Squid & Chicken on top of snap peas and celery.  This was another well-executed dish with crunchy snap peas and celery (exhibiting good wok heat).  The chicken was mostly moist and properly tenderized while thin slices of squid had a snappy chewiness.  The dish was mildly seasoned, yet there was a noticeable ginger hit, which we liked.

Moving along, the Free-Range Chicken arrived with head and all.  I promptly placed it on my son's plate to his displeasure. Although the skin exhibited a nice yellow hue, it was quite warm, soft and fatty.  I would've much preferred more gelatin quality to it.  On the other hand, there was gelatin underneath it.  As for the meat, it was moist, including the breast.  They didn't over-season the chicken, so we could actually taste the natural flavours.  Onto the most anticipated dish of the meal - the Lobster or should I say "lobsters".  Yes, we had 2 whole lobsters for 6 adults.  #firstworldproblems... Anyways, it was prepared nicely where the meat was sweet, bouncy and just cooked.  We liked how there was just enough mild-tasting sauce to coat each piece.

Our veggie dish of the meal was the Mixed Mushrooms on Baby Bak Choy.  This was probably my least favourite dish as the bak choy were overcooked being wet and wilted.  On the other hand, the mushrooms were quite nice though consisting of button and king.  The oyster-based sauce was quite thick without being too salty.  With another serving of vegetables, we had the Fried and Stir-Fried Basa with Broccoli.  Despite being moist and flaky on the inside, I found the breading on the fried fish to be a little tough (even though it was crispy).  However, the stir-fried fish was flaky and tender.  Although the broccoli could be considered an afterthought, I enjoyed its vibrant snap.  Once again, they were not too aggressive with the salt.

Our final savoury dish, we had the Stir-Fried Yee Mein with shiitake mushrooms.  I didn't particularly like the texture of this dish as the noodles were sloppy and wet.  On the positive side, it was tasty with a nice hint of sesame oil.  For dessert, we had the sweet red bean soup (not pictured), Almond Cookies and Fried Sesame Balls.  These were pretty typical, except I found the sesame balls to be remarkably light on the grease.  Overall, we were quite pleased with our meal at Empire considering it was a banquet menu serving 10+ tables.  Most proteins were prepared properly while the seasoning wasn't overly aggressive.  Sure, there were some issues, but it was above-average for sure.

The Good:
- Well-executed proteins
- Not aggressive with the salt
- Spacious

The Bad:
- Service was a bit rushed and pushy (as in pushed you out of the way to pick up dirty dishes)
- Parking lot insufficient

Sunday Brunch @ Cafe Pacifica (Pan Pacific Hotel)

Okay, we've finally come full circle.  My first Sunday brunch post was at Cafe Pacifica (at the Pan Pacific) a good 4 years ago.  Since then, I've meandered my way through most of the other Sunday brunch offerings in town.  Hence, it was about time I did a re-visit to see if my initial thoughts were on the money or completely off-base.  Being the priciest in town, at $50.00 per person and add in parking costing almost $20.00 (depending how long you stay for), one would have heightened expectations.

One of the main draws is the location of Cafe Pacifica.  Being right on the water affords lots of natural light and somewhat of a view depending on where you are sitting. Like deja vu, we sat roughly in the same seat as last time and the spread looked identical as well.  Like any good Asian, I attacked the seafood first including the same big bowl of large Cocktail Shrimp and Snow Crab Legs.  For a buffet, these were pretty good since the cocktail shrimp were gigantic and exhibited a great snap.  As for the crab legs, I liked how they weren't salty and the meat was relatively fluffy.  Included in this Cold Appetizer Section was also a Cheese Plate, Breads, Sushi Platter, Smoked Salmon, Grilled Vegetables, Fresh Fruit and various Salads.  Moving onto the hot food, there was a Carving Station consisting of Prime Rib and Salmon Wellington.  The prime rib was really moist and super tender, although cooked a bit too much for our liking.  The wellington was great with flaky salmon and puffed pastry.

Next to the carving station, there was the obligatory Omelet Bar and then directly in front was the Hot Food Section.  This included the usual items being Bacon & Sausage, Eggs Benny, Veggies & Potatoes.  Nothing much to comment on these items as they were pretty typical. Now the next 2 items were not only not typical, they were prepared very well considering this was a buffet.  The Seafood Trio consisting of Salmon, Ling Cod and Prawns in an orange & mango beurre blanc was fantastic.  With a nice snap and natural sweetness, the prawns were barely cooked. The fish were cooked just right with the ling cod being the highlight which was buttery and soft.  However, no one (during the time we were there) was really able to sample the ling cod because some moron picked it clean each and every time they put out a new tray. Anyways, we had no problem helping ourselves to the next dish as he didn't seem to fancy it.  The Pan Seared Duck Breast with port & sour cherry jus was also a fantastically prepared item.  The duck was buttery soft with only a bit of resistance while the skin was rendered nicely.  The tart and sweet jus was a natural compliment. 

Completing the hot food section were some Asian dishes that were pretty forgettable including the Singapore Fried Noodles and Black Bean Chicken Stir-Fry.  The noodles were pretty weak in flavour and predictably soft since it had been sitting in a chaffing tray.  As for the stir-fry, it suffered from far too much moisture and lack of flavour.  Also pretty typical was the Haw Gow and Sui Mai, as they did not exhibit the bouncy texture we would normally see.  But this was to be expected from a non-Asian restaurant. The individual components were okay though. Onto Dessert, there was a good selection of items including Bread Pudding, Cheesecake, Creme Caramel and Creme Brulee.  Most were pretty good especially the Creme Caramel.  In fact, the majority of the food was above average, even for a non-buffet setting.  Of course the Asian food was forgettable, but if we ignored that, the Sunday Brunch at Cafe Pacifica is probably still one of the better ones in town.  With that being said, it is also the most expensive too.  Whether it is worth it or not would be based on each individual's threshold for spending money.

The Good:
- For a buffet, the proteins were done nicely
- Not a whole lot of seafood, but for the ones available, they were good
- Nice ambiance and location

The Bad:
- Expensive
- Service was not attentive enough to justify the price
- Parking is expensive