Parkcrest Diner

It was a cold and stormy day in Vancouver...  Yes, not really a stretch in October, but there I was, all alone with food on my mind.  I drove around aimlessly looking for the next food adventure.  There were ideas floating around, yet I did not have the effort level to follow through. Essentially, I pulled a David Booth, lots of dash with no finish.   Finally, I ended up nearby at a place I've driven by countless times.  Parkcrest Diner, this would be the day I visit you.

I do believe this would be the first time I describe a Clam Chowder as "crunchy".  Sadly, the veggies, in particular the onions and celery, were not cooked enough (or not at all).  Hence, the soup did not have any depth either.  It was like drinking a watered-down Mott's with uncooked veggies and some clams here and there.  Thankfully, the Pork Cutlets were quite good.  Although they were thin, the meat was not dry and exhibited a tender chewiness.  It was lightly dusted with flour and fried up crisp.  The gravy was pretty typical, but it did the job providing moisture to the potatoey mash.  The frozen veggie mix was a bit pale, yet was not overly mushy.

On another visit, I had the House Burger consisting of a thin beef patty, lettuce, tomato, processed cheese and fried egg on a sesame bun.  This was not rocket science by any stretch because one could easily make this at home.  However, for $5.95 including a side of crispy fries, I wasn't complaining.  In the end, it was a decent homestyle burger although the meat was a bit dry due to its thinness.  I decided to get Combo B (Chicken Fried Rice and Sweet & Sour Pork) to go and it included a Chicken Noodle Soup. It was quite light while packed with celery, carrots, onions and noodles.  Nothing amiss here, but it could've used more seasoning.

As for the combo, it was pretty typical of a Chinese-run diner.  The rice was dry and chewy with lots of chicken.  It had a decent amount of wok heat (including some burnt parts) which meant the flavours were caramelized.  The fact that the sweet & sour pork was not radioactive in colour was refreshing to see.  It was decent, yet not incredibly flavourful either. The best way to describe Parkcrest Diner would be value eats.  Nothing more than expected and nothing less, all for a low price. 

The Good:
- Cheap
- Where everybody knows your name (well, if you are a regular that is...)
- Acceptable eats for the price

The Bad:
- Won't be mistakened for great food

Dim Sum @ Top Gun Hot Pot

Normally, one would not visit a hot pot joint for Dim Sum.  It's like going to a Japanese restaurant expecting Korean and Chinese food...  Wait...  Bad example, especially in Vancouver.  Furthermore, one would not visit Crystal Mall in hopes of Dim Sum at a hot pot restaurant, not because it sounds strange, rather it is just the mere thought of parking at Crystal Mall that sends people running.  Ironically, this foreshadowed Betaboy's experience after our meal...

Anyways, there is actually Dim Sum to be found at Top Gun Hot Pot, despite its namesake.  I've tried it before a long time ago, but never blogged about it.  With Big D in my car, he convinced me to park across the street (which would prove fruitful...). To start off, we had the Shrimp Spring Rolls.  These were well done with a crunchy, minimally greasy exterior packed with well-seasoned shrimp exhibiting a cold-water snap.  Next, the Stuffed Eggplant and Tofu were also quite good.  Although the shrimp mousse was a bit chewy, it was well-seasoned.  Both the tofu and eggplant were fried just enough for texture without drying out.  The black bean sauce was pretty good being flavourful for once (unlike other places).

My argument for only having 2 kids rests partially on things made for 4 people like hockey game packages, booth seating, passenger cars and of course 4 Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) in a steamer.  Well, they had 5 here...  Better not take Viv to this restaurant...  Anyways, these were not bad with a slightly chewy dumpling skin featuring large pieces of crunchy shrimp.  It could've stood for more seasoning though.  The same could be said about the Sui Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumpling), which thankfully numbered only 4...  A touch on the bland side, the sui mai benefited from the ample amount of shiitake and shrimp.  The meat had a nice bounce texture while being easy on the fat, yet the whole thing was somewhat loose.

On the menu, we were trying to figure out why the Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice) was advertised at "60's style".  When it hit the table, it made sense as it was a big ass lo mei gai (just like ol' times).  Suffice to say, if you look at the picture, there was a bevy of moist ground pork, shiitake, salted egg yolk and tender pieces of chicken.  The rice was moist while maintaining some chewiness.  This was very well-executed.  Next up was the Steamed Black Bean Spareribs which were accented by some vibrant scallions.  It didn't add much other than colour, but it looked pretty.  The ribs themselves were chewy, yet easy enough to eat.  I found the whole dish too wet and greasy though.  Moreover, it was lacking in seasoning.

Onto the weird part of Dim Sum, for some people that is...  We had the Steamed Honeycomb Tripe, which was also garnished with scallions.  I found the texture to be just right with a good balance between chewy and tender.  There was minimal gaminess which gave way to plenty of garlic and a touch of heat.  And then we had the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet) with...  scallions.  Okay, it looks nice with the vibrant green colour, but really, on every dish?  Sadly, these chicken feet were undercooked (as in not fried and steamed enough).  Hence, the darn things were chewy with crunchy cartilage underneath.  Much like the tripe, these were well-seasoned being garlicky and spicy.

Lastly, we got a bunch of rice noodle rolls since Big D cannot do without them.  His favourite is the Salty Donut Rice Noodle Roll and yes, we got a couple of them.  The donut itself was airy, light and crispy while the rice noodle was a touch too soft.  Furthermore, it could've benefited from some dried shrimp as the whole thing was missing savouriness despite the soy sauce.  We also got one each of the Beef Rice Noodle Roll and Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll.  Although it was stuffed with lots of hand-chopped beef, the plethora of greens made the roll "interesting".  We weren't sure what to make of it.  As for the shrimp, they were large and had a nice snap.  They were seasoned nicely while the flowering chives added some variation in texture.  After the meal, we all agreed that it was above average with some really good dishes.  However, the prices were almost shocking as they rival some of the most expensive in town.  Oh, and Betaboy took all of 30 minutes to exit the Crystal Mall parking lot.  Good call Big D...

The Good:
- Carefully prepared food
- Above average
- Okay service

The Bad:
- Overpriced in our opinion
- Seating is strange due to the hot pot setup
- That parking lot...

Warrior Grill

*Restaurant is closed*

Sometimes, it really makes me wonder why some places can get away with charging a king's ransom for what is essentially a pauper's lunch.  Case-in-point - U-Grill.  This food court staple allows people to choose their own ingredients to be prepared on a flat top.  These ingredients are weighed and more often than not, your quick food court meal quickly becomes North of $15.00.  Therefore, they must be making a killing because there are many more similar joints that charge for the bowl (as much as you can stuff in it) for roughly $10.00.

Well, there's a new place in the Strawberry Hill shopping complex that boasts an all-u-can-stuff small bowl for $6.99 (includes steamed rice too).  Modeled after Mongolie-type grill restaurants, Warrior Grill offers up choices of meat (beef, pork, chicken & imitation crab), veggies and a myriad of sauces.  There is one major difference and it is with the grill itself.  It is a flat top, not a round Mongolie Grill.  For my first visit, I went for the large bowl ($9.99) and even with it conservatively stuffed, it was more than enough food where I found myself struggling to finish.  There is also a "warrior size" for $12.99 which is only meant for football linebackers.

The next time, I picked up a small bowl for Mrs. Spray Bottle and compared to my large bowl, it was still a decent amount of food which would satisfy most people (last picture, small on the left and large on the right).  Considering the grill they use, the food turns out pretty good with decent caramelization.  Moreover, they don't overcook the food either.  With so many sauces available, it is possible to have a different tasting stir fry with each visit.  Whatever the case, Warrior Grill is a hit in my books with fresh food and fresh cooking at reasonable prices.

The Good:
- Well-priced for the amount of food
- Made-to-order food is a plus
- Super friendly owners

The Bad:
- Could use a few more items such as different noodles and varied veggies

Quesada

It's nice to see that other people suffer the same affliction as I do.  No, I'm not talking about eating too much nor am I talking about incessantly taking pictures of my noodles either.  I am referring to the mindless purchase of Groupon-like deals.  At the time, they seem irresistible, hence the "how can I possibly lose?" mentality.  Well, Ginseng bought a few of them and had been bugging me to help her use them to no avail.  Finally, I relented and we headed up to SFU to try out Quesada.

Unlike my recent visit to Cinco de Mayo, Quesada is closer to Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican.  No matter since each of them have their own merits. Ginseng went for their Hard Tacos with chicken and steak complete with all the fixins'.  Everything was fresh, but the proteins were quite dry and relatively cold.  I went for the Soft Tacos and it was pretty much the same issue.  I went for one each of the fish (rubbery and cold) and steak (chewy and cold).  The one saving grace was their sauces which were indeed spicy as advertised.  The really nice owner passed on a super hot sauce (seen on the side) which was potent.

I also tried out their small Burrito with a whole wheat shell.  This was not bad as the ingredients were vibrant and crisp.  A dash of the hot sauce and the whole thing came alive.  And sounding like a broken record, the pork filling was not exactly warm.  Yet in the end, the place does the job, especially for hungry SFU students who want to fill up for a reasonable price.

The Good:
- Okay pricing
- Super friendly owner
- Hot sauce is hot

The Bad:
- Meats were cold

Knight & Day

This was my opportunity.  The chance to suggest a revisit to a restaurant that nobody wanted part of.  With only Lionel Hutz and Milhouse available for late night eats, I uttered the offensive words, "how about Knight & Day?".  Pure silence.  The utter shock and stunned expressions illustrated the prevailing sentiment.  Hey, I really wanted to eat it again just for kicks and to  get my fill of mystery meat covered by a brown sauce.

But before that desire for universal gravy over meat, I tried their Manhattan Clam Chowder first.  In a large overflowing bowl, I was treated to a heavily flour-thickened broth of watered-down tomato soup with ingredients here and there.  It was passable as a cafeteria-style soup with little-to-no clam taste.  I fulfilled my goal of gravy and meat with the Veal Cutlets with mash potatoes, veggies and garlic bread.  The relatively thick cutlets were meaty and surprisingly moist.  It was chewy in spots while the exterior was lightly crisp.  The gravy tasted exactly like it appeared being salty, thick and not very meaty.  The mash was lukewarm and actually had a potatoey texture.  Completing the dish was overcooked frozen veggies and a decently crispy garlic bread.

Lionel Hutz, to my surprise, went for the Hulk Burger.  He wanted to relive his youth, but I cautioned that he was not all that young anymore, despite his crotch rocket and Nissan Skyline.  But he went ahead anyways with the monstrosity consisting of a beef patty, fried egg, bacon, cheese and a really large sausage (was he making a statement?).  He remarked it was actually okay with a not-too-dry patty and well-made ingredients.  He went for the onion rings but was given fries at first.  I swiped one and it was very starchy and only lightly crispy.  As for the Onion Rings, they were hot and crunchy in a flour-battered kind-of-way.  The chipotle dip was actually quite good with some spice.

Milhouse decided on the safest dish being the Trucker's Breakfast.  You can't screw up breakfast right?  Well... The large pancakes were dense and doughy.  The rest was pretty typical though.  He couldn't finish it and our server insisted he take the pancakes home to his chagrin.  I think he fed it to the local raccoon.  Anyways, with my twisted fantasy come true, we were treated to exactly what we expected - mediocre food served in the very same decor from 20+ years ago.

The Good:
- Large portions
- Open 24 hours
- Our server was nice

The Bad:
- Food only an inebriated person at 2:00am would enjoy
- Decor needs a reset (much like the Canucks?)
- Not as cheap as you would think

Edible Canada at the Market

Often more than not, finding a kid-friendly restaurant where the adults can enjoy a unique (as in something that doesn't involve Triple-O sauce or an onion ring tower) meal is as challenging as a traffic circle in Vancouver (that upside down triangle means Y-I-E-L-D).  Sure, there are the hotel spots, but very few nicer restaurants offer an actual kid's menu.  However, to our surprise, Edible Canada at the Market not only offers one, the prices are actually reasonable.  Hence, Edible Canada was our destination for my dad's birthday.

Exactly how it should be, the kid's meals arrived first.  I commend them for that since many restaurants do not make such allocations for kids.  My daughter had the Fish & Chips with duck fat fries.  For the price, this was not only an ample portion, it was good too.  The fish was flaky and super moist while the batter was crunchy with minimal grease.  As for the fries, they were crispy and aromatic from the duck fat.  My son, the ever-adventurous eater (yah right), had the Grilled Cheese and fries.  Made with white cheddar, it was a good grilled cheese being nicely browned on both sides.  They weren't shy with the butter nor the cheese as it was quite rich.  He exclaimed that he liked it, but he loved the fries even more so.

For myself, I had their 3-course menu starting with the Quinoa & Beet Salad.  I found the field greens to be slightly overdressed, yet in the end, it wasn't devoid of flavour.  With the quinoa mixed in, I found the texture to be quite odd while the beets seemed to be an afterthought on the plate.  The crumble of goat cheese was a nice compliment though as it added a certain cool creaminess that was balanced by the balsamic reduction.  For my next course, I had the Pacific Fish Cake with ginger and green onion accompanied by chili aioli.  I found the breading to be decently crispy while the inside to be a bit too mushy for my tastes.  It was like mashed potatoes.  I did appreciate the considerable lemon hit as well as the tart and spicy aioli.

Viv also had the 3-course meal and started with the Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with Maple creme fraiche, sage and toasted pumpkin seeds.  We found the soup to be smooth while mild in flavour.  There was a hint of sweetness from the creme fraiche and herbiness from the sage.  The star of the dish as the crunchy pumpkin seeds as they added some wonderful texture.  Next, she had the Bison and Bacon Meatballs with curly kale, parsnip puree and tomato gravy topped with Allegretto cheese.  As expected, the meatballs were on the chewy and dry side due to the lean bison.  It was meaty though where the fresh and tomatoey (while not tart) sauce was enough to flavour the dish.

My dad also had the squash soup and followed it up with the Wild Mushroom Croquettes.  These were made with goat cheese and served with a Romesco sauce.  As evidenced in the picture, the croquettes were fried up light and crispy.  Interestingly, we were searching for goat cheese and mushroom as the flavours were very muted.  We liked the Romesco sauce though as it was mildly peppery with some nuttiness.  For his main, he had the Lois Lake Steelhead Filet with Canadian grain medley, harvest vegetables, herb beurre blanc and fennel puree.  With a beautifully seared crispy skin and moist flesh, the salmon was prepared beautifully.  It was only lightly seasoned where it was enough for flavour without overwhelming the fish.  The veggies underneath were still crisp and vibrant.

My mom went for the regular menu and began with the West Coast Clam Chowder.  It was enhanced by double-smoked bacon and candied salmon which added a certain smoky-sweetness.  Combined with a creamy and slightly seafoody broth, this was a solid interpretation of chowder.  Onto her main, she opted for the Heritage Angus Steak Frites where the steak was sous-vide medium rare and served with peppercorn jus, salsa verde and duck fat fries.  The steak was super moist and required little chewing.  Both the jus and salsa verde were quite mild and did not interfere with the natural meat flavour.  And as mentioned before, the duck fat fries were fantastic.

The award for dud of the meal, it would be Viv's Fraser Valley Pork Chop (served with buttercup squash puree, harvest vegetables, apple jus and mustard crumb).  Although it was served slightly pink in the middle, Viv had to work her jaw muscles to break down the meat.  It was in dire need of a brine (for flavour and texture) or something.  We noticed a lady at the next table making a weird face when she took her first bite.  Fail in every sense of the word.  Onto my dish, I tried the Duo of Elk with medium-rare medallion, braised leg and spatzle, harvest vegetables and juniper jus. I loved the medallion as it had a flavourful bark and was remarkably tender for game while the jus added a nice red wine hint.  I was not as enthused with the braised leg as it was pretty dry and stringy. Not sure if mixing it an equally dry spatzle was a good textural idea.

Lastly, we shared 2 desserts including the Molasses & Ginger Cake and Campfire S'mores.  Resembling a sticky toffee cake, but with bits of candied ginger, the cake was not as sweet as it looked.  We found it be moist with a considerable ginger hit.  The salted caramel sauce was a nice compliment as it added even more moisture to the mild chocolate, molasses & ginger cake.  Oh and the pumpkin ice cream made it even more rich!  With their interpretation of s'mores with a bed of melted dark chocolate, torched marshmallows and graham cracker crumble on top, they were able to elevate it to another level.  We liked it for its simplicity. In conclusion, the meal as a whole was acceptable except for a few duds.  Considering the wide range of dishes we sampled, it is impossible for any restaurant to be perfect.  Therefore, if you choose the right dishes, Edible Canada is an option on Granville Island.

The Good:
- 3-course menu is a decent value
- Kid-friendly complete with great kid's meals
- Service we got was fine

The Bad:
- Regular dinner menu is pricey
- Food is okay, but can be better
- Seats are not particularly comfortable