Laksa King

Once there was this strange food stand located in a not-so-pretty grocery store on Joyce.  Bo was his name and he served up authentic Burmese (Myanmar) food from his make-shift "kitchen".  I was able to try his wares before he moved to a permanent B&M location on Hastings named Bo's Bubbles and Bits.  On many occasions, I attempted to eat there with no success as the business hours were somewhat random.  A few years later, the place has been re-branded Laksa King.  While Bo is no longer there, the place is run by a couple from Myanmar.

Arriving for a late lunch, we shared some appies starting with the Chicken Satay.  Although the chicken was sufficiently tender, it wasn't that moist and was screaming out for more char.  While the flavours were fine due to a decent marinade, it suffered from lack of depth as a result of the cooking method.  The accompanying peanut dip was thick and "peanut buttery" but wasn't too sweet.  Next up was a small order of Roti Cani.  We liked how it was crispy with a rich seared hue on the outside.  We found the inside a touch dense and doughy though.  The dip was flavourful with a big garlic hit with only the slightest of spice.

Okay, being Laksa King, we had to try the Laksa.  We felt it was pretty good as the broth was rich, creamy and flavourful.  We could definitely get the heat, shrimpiness and coconut essence with every sip.  I got half and half noodles and they were on the softer side.  I wasn't a huge fan of the shrimp as they were rubbery.  Next, we got the Pad Thai just because we have read so many bad things about it.  Well, it was okay with slightly soft noodles bathed in a minimal amount of tamarind.  The plethora of pickled turnip added crunch and zip.  What saved the dish was the side of wok-fried chili sauce as it added both spice and smokiness.

Lastly, we had the Beef Rendang which was gingery and coconutty.  The chunks of beef were fork tender.  This was a pretty decent dish, but it really needed more rice as there was only enough to deal with half of the sauce.  Overall, we enjoyed our meal mainly due to the laksa and rendang.  The satay and pad thai were pretty forgettable though.  Hence, a visit would highly depend on what you order.

The Good:
- Laksa is rich and flavourful
- Staff are pretty friendly
- Okay pricing

The Bad:
- Other items we tried were pretty ordinary
- Portions are pretty small

MoMa Contemporary Bistro

What if I told you there was this French bistro located in the heart of Richmond that was operated by 2 Chinese chefs? Okay, before the uncontrollable laughter and the Richmond jokes begin, let me say this does exist and no, it is not a Hong Kong-Style French cafe.  So what possessed me to drive all the way into traffic hell to try this place?  Well, I'm not really sure to tell you the truth.  Call it pure curiosity.  So would this curiosity pay off or would I be spending money to get all those door dings out?  Viv and I were about to find out...

Formerly Cuccina Toscana, MoMa is the brainchild of Xin Mao and Henry Mok (hence MoMa), who both attended Art Institute of Vancouver. After working in various restaurants in town, they finally opened up their own place in Richmond.  We started our meal with a couple of appies.  Viv had the Warm Steelhead Trout Salad with French beans, potatoes and cherry tomatoes.  The sous vide trout was moist and just barely cooked.  It was buttery and naturally sweet.  The crunchy beans added texture and vibrancy while the citrus vinaigrette brightened up the dish.  For myself, I had the Crispy Pork Belly on a bed of taro puree with mostarda, chili oil and jus.  The pork belly was crunchy with a moist interior.  Although there was noticeable peppery notes, it could've benefited from more aggressive seasoning. On the other hand, the taro puree didn't lack any seasoning.  Combined with the chili oil, sweet and tart mostarda and jus, the dish had all the flavour it needed.

Onto our mains, Viv had the Smoked Brome Lake Duck Breast with an Asian aromatic glaze on a bed of lentils accompanied by salsa verde.  There was no mistaking the smokiness as it lingered after every bite.  The skin could've been crispier, yet the meat itself was nicely tender.  The glaze was noticeably citrusy while the lentils were chewy and spiked with plenty of flavour (especially onion).  For myself, I went for the BC Sablefish which was miso cured and sous vide.  It rested on a bed of cabbage & corn fricassee.  The sablefish was completely melt-in-my-mouth soft while still being flaky.  The light torching on the outside added both colour and some smokiness.  There was a natural flavour to the fish with only the slightest hint of miso.  Although I personally liked the soft skin, it probably would've been better if it was seared crispy.  The fricassee was sweet with crunch and did not take away from the delicate fish.

For dessert, Viv chose the Baked Molten Chocolate Cake with a toffee reduction and vanilla ice cream.  Moist and bittersweet, the cake was not really cake-like.  It was surprisingly light in sweetness (which could've been their intention), hence, the toffee and ice cream helped in that regard. Seeing how there was only 3 choices of dessert and I didn't want cheesecake, I decided on Billie's Macarons.  These were crispy on the outside while soft on the inside.  They could've been chewier and less gritty. However, not bad for restaurant.  In the end, we were pretty surprised at the level of execution. Obviously this is not a knock at the chefs, as they did a great job.  Rather, we didn't expect it from a place smack dab in the middle of bubble tea and hot pot joints.

The Good:
- Proteins are on point
- A good balance of Asian influence
- Attentive service

The Bad:
- Limited menu
- Attentive service, but really green

Adorabelle Tea Room

High Tea and I get along as much as I love to drive down #3 Road on a moped with "hit me" as a license plate front and back.  Hence, I've only been a couple of times and mostly with Miss Y.  Yes, for some sadistic reason, she loves to drag me out for high tea whenever she has a chance.  This time around, it was my turn to ask her to tag along on my high tea adventure.  The reason for this was that Adorabelle Tea Room sent me an invite to try them out. 

Unlike the last time we had high tea, I picked Miss Y up, ensuring I wouldn't be waiting for 1.5 hours for her arrival... Upon entering the quaint little house in Steveston, we were greeted by a simple, yet elegant room.  We were seated near a draped partition which gave the illusion of some privacy.  I got in touch with my feminine side by ordering a Passionfruit Tea.  With all the accessories such as the decorative China and teapot cover, it helped set the mood for the goodies that were soon to arrive. The coziness of the house didn't hurt the cause either.  I liked the fact there were some larger tables to accommodate groups.  Interestingly, we were told that a stag had recently been held at Adorabelle. There and then, I thought about items such as hot wings and dry ribs on the bottom tier.  No?  Okay, well there must be a market for something like that I'm sure...

When the goodies hit the table, I was actually pretty excited.  We started on the bottom tier consisting of Chicken Waldorf Finger Sandwich, Smoked Salmon Pinwheel, Egg Salad Pinewheel, Cucumber & Creamcheese, Savoury Bacon & Chive Cupcake and Savoury Asiago & Fennel Shortbread.  I liked how the bread was fresh and soft, which in my opinion, is the most important thing. The most interesting item among these was the bacon cupcake which featured layers of flavour while being moist.  As for the shortbread, I liked how it was buttery and savoury with a hint of sweetness. The middle tier included 2 Citrus Scones and 2 Eggnog Cranberry Scones served with Chantilly cream and preserve.  Scones were good as they were fairly light and good on their own.  I loved the addition of citrus and cranberry respectively as it afforded some brightness.  Lastly, the top featured Srawberries and Cream, Morello Cherry Pate de Fruits, Chocolate Ginger Cookie and Peppermint Chocolate. What I liked best among these items was the peppermint chocolate as it was moist inside and subtle on the sugar.

Overall, we had a good time at Adorabelle.  Naturally, being on time and not waiting for 1.5 hours can only help the cause (looking at you Miss Y!).  Of course, there will be arguments made that some other places might have better this and that, but Adorabelle has the good combination of location (quaint), ambiance (understated classy) and goodies.  So have I warmed up to afternoon tea now that I'm gone a few times?  Sure.  But I still think that hot wings would be a great addition...  LOL...

*Note - this was an invited dinner where all food was comped except for gratuities

The Good:
- Quaint house & location
- Reasonable pricing ($25.00pp)
- Solid eats

The Bad:
- Could be a bit far for some people 
- 1 hour seating is sufficient, but could be a tad rushed (hence choose the last seating)

Cannibal Cafe

Finding late night places to eat is not as easy as one would think.  Considering that we would like to avoid places such as Knight & Day and Denny's, the options start to dwindle.  In fact, Milhouse, Lionel Hutz and I recently visited K&D (due to my bad judgement...) and Lionel had the Hulk Burger.  Let's just say he had an "upsetting" reaction to the burger which ironically turned him green...  So with that fresh in our minds, we attempted to exorcise it with a visit to Cannibal Cafe.

I had the BBQ Kimchi Burger which was loaded high with a fresh 6 oz patty, fried coriander, kimchi and tomato.  Although the brioche bun wasn't exactly soft, the amount of moisture made up for it.  I asked for my burger to be done medium and it was more like well.  But it was only a touch dry, yet sported a nice char on the outside.  My side of Poutine was more like melted cheese fries as there was only a modest amount of gravy.  Hence, I didn't get a really good handle on it, however, the fries were plenty salted.  I did like them on their own as they were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Lionel Hutz had the Montreal Smoked Meat Burger.  Again, his burger was done a bit more than his liking, yet it wasn't dry. Naturally, with smoked meat, it added another layer of flavour (more saltiness) to the burger.  His side of Onion Rings were pretty darn good.  Although on the greasier side, these large rings were super crunchy and flavourful on their own.

Milhouse opted for the The Big Blue consisting of a blue cheese-stuffed patty, onion ring, horseradish mayo and more blue cheese.  Although the burger wasn't hurting for flavour, he thought it wasn't as impactful as the ingredients suggested. His side of Mac n' Cheese was really saucy rather than cheesey.  I'm sure there was a good amount of cheese used as we could clearly see it, but maybe it needed to be sharper or maybe some more seasoning such as mustard powder and/or Worchestershire sauce was needed.  Lastly, Gordo had the American Classic with the usual standard toppings.  He liked his burger as it was relatively moist and meaty tasting.  His side of Yam Fries were not exactly that crisp and in fact, some were undercooked.  He also got an Strawberry Milkshake which was a bit disappointing as it was thin and overly sweet.  As you can probably ascertain, there were some aspects of our meal that we liked and other parts that were not-that-good.  I liked the burger patty itself as it was moist and flavourful.  If they could work on some of the sides and the milkshake, there is potential here.

The Good:
- Flavourful and moist burger patties
- Decent service
- Nice vibe

The Bad:
- Sides could be better
- Milkshake too thin

Guu Original (Thurlow)

Sometimes, going back to the well isn't necessarily a bad idea.  Although we had intentions of trying something new, Grace, Sean and I ended up at Guu Original on Thurlow (with a small push from moi...).  Quite possibly the first real Izakaya in Vancouver (at the time), Guu Original pioneered the small plates with booze complete with a whole bunch of yelling from the staff. And ya, we were greeted by the expected yelling and seated at one of the small tables complete with the usual uncomfortable chairs.

We started with the Salmon Yuuke where the quail's egg was served on the side.  After a quick mix and scoop onto a shrimp chip, the combination of flavours and textures worked.  I found the balance of sugar, sake and soy to be on point where it accented the salmon rather than masking it.  Naturally, the quail's egg added a silkiness.  Next up, the Chicken Karaage was fried up beautifully where it was crispy on the outside while juicy on the inside.  It was well-seasoned with enough salt and a touch of spice.  At this point, some people started giggling at our picture-taking.  Thank goodness I wasn't the only one (strength in numbers!)

And off course I had to order the Ebi Mayo where we found it only marginally crispy on the outside.  Instead, it was more "fluffy" than anything else with an airy batter from the exterior to the ebi.  The ebi itself was meaty and had a slight snap.  There was definitely enough chili mayo (possibly too much) on the bottom which coated each piece.  It was not spicy-at-all despite the colour.  Grace really wanted the Gyu-Tan (Beef Tongue) and we gladly shared it with her.  She seemed joyful in that respect...  Anyways, tt was chewy, as with any non-stewed ox tongue would be.  However, it was okay enough to eat.  Flavour-wise, it was pretty au natural with not much in any seasoning.

Elegantly plated (for an Izakaya), the Maguro Steak was a large portion and well seared.  On the inside, it was still rare, which meant it wasn't hard to eat.  It was buttery and tasty due to the caramelization on the outside which was aided by garlic chips, soy and spicy seasoning salt.  It was more filling that it looked (or maybe it did look filling...) We weren't overly enthused with the Deep Fried Ling Cod "Surimi" Croquette as it was a bit plain.  Although it was fried up crispy on the outside and sweet on the inside, there was no defining flavour or texture that would make it memorable. On the other hand, a squeeze of lemon did bring it somewhat alive.

Lastly, we had the Pan-Fried Chicken Hearts and Gizzards with garlic stems.  This was flavourful with some spice.  The gizzards were crunchy and chewy while the hearts were a touch overdone.  I liked the crunchiness and herb-flavour of the garlic stems which provided a brightness to an otherwise heavy dish. Ultimately, despite the minor shortcomings of some dishes, we enjoyed coming back to the original Guu where it continues to be a dependable option for an Izakaya in Downtown.

The Good:
- Reasonable-pricing
- Okay portions
- Lots of yelling

The Bad:
- As with many Izakayas, seating arrangements are not comfy
- Lots of yelling
- Awkward location

Uncle Fatih's (Broadway)

Due to my recent slice pizza crusade, it was only natural that I do a revisit to the one of the best in town.  I'm not referring to Fresh Slice or Mega Bite (although they do the job).  Rather, it was ol' Uncle Fatih's after late night hockey on a Saturday.  Yes, it has been a sad state of affairs since Gordo's concussion - no one to eat with me!  Also, prior to the Neapolitan Pizza explosion in town, I believed that Uncle Fatih's was one of the best in town.  Naturally, as I tried more pizzas, my opinion has changed.

I ended up picking up an equivalent of a whole extra large pizza (I guess I was hungry?).  After a quick warmup in the toaster oven, I gave the Beef & Blue a go and it as pretty much how I remembered it.  The crust was light and crispy while the ample amount of beef on top ensured there was enough flavour.  In this case, possibly too much as it was on the saltier side.  The modest amount of blue cheese dressing lessened its impact.  Next I had the Bacon and Mushroom which was loaded with ingredients.  Again, this meant the pizza was salty once again, but the tart tomato sauce (plenty of tomato paste) helped balance it out.

Viv tried the Olive, Tomato and Pesto which was flavourful (and salty as well).  The plethora of olives was the culprit in this case. Hence, the pesto got lost and we really didn't taste any of it.  The little bits of tomato helped water down some of the salt.  Lastly, I had a slice of the Ham & Pineapple which was literally covered with ham and only a bit of cheese and pineapple.  And yes, the pizza was again on the saltier side.  And much like other versions of this pizza, the pineapple helped balance the flavours.  On this revisit, it pretty much confirmed what I thought before - that Uncle Fatih's is one of the better slice pizza joints out there albeit one has to like salt.  Oh and on a final note, I chose not to compare this directly with the Neapolitan pizza joints because they are completely different animals.

The Good:
- Light, crispy crust
- Ample toppings

The Bad:
- On the saltier side
- Could use some more cheese

Dine Out Vancouver Festival Culinary Walking Tour (Presented by Off the Eaten Track and Vancouver Photowalks)

If we look back to a mere 5 years ago, a food tour in Vancouver was a rarity.  Fast forward to the present and there are many to choose from.  Therefore, it would take something different to set one food tour apart from the other.  Enter Off the Eaten Track's "foodtography" walking tour that combines the usual multi-establishment visits with a photography lesson.  When I got an invite to see for myself, it didn't take me much time to decide because it was right up my alley.

We met up at Cadeaux Bakery where after a brief intro, we dove into some picture-taking with advice from Suzanne Rushton (of Vancouver Photowalks).  Since we had a diverse array of cameras, she did her best to accommodate the different needs of each participant.  We finally finished the mad picture-taking to sample 2 items including the Lemon Meringue and Praline Ganache Tartlets. I liked the firm buttery shells as well as the fillings.  The lemon curd was mild in both tart and sweetness while the hazelnut & dark chocolate ganache was rich and sweet.

Next, we strolled to the Railtown Cafe where we were served a plate of food consisting of Pulled Pork, Fall Salad and a Turkey and Lentil Soup.  The unsauced pulled pork was a touch dry, but the accompanying aioli added both the necessary flavour and moisture.  Despite my avoidance of leafy greens, I enjoyed the Fall Salad consisting of baby kale, crispy squash, honey crisp apple, toasted farro and pumpkin seed dressing.  The crunch from the squash combined with the pumpkin seed dressing added texture and a unique flavour to the salad.  As for the soup, it was too small of a sample to get a clear picture (sorry for the pun).  Hence, all I can say about it is that it was pretty mild.

Taking a short stroll up the block, we ended up at the Vancouver Urban Winery where they feature wine-on-tap.  With their airtight system, the wine is not compromised while the savings from being in a keg rather than bottling is passed onto the customer. In the near future, they will be adding a full-service restaurant on site. Back to the wine, we were presented with samples of both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I particularly enjoyed the chardonnay as it was crisp with light fruit notes.  As for the pinot, it was mild-tasting with some cherry notes.

Our last stop was at a place that we walked by on our way to Railtown Cafe.  With only a neon skull as signage, Cuchillo would be easily passed by many. We were treated to several items including the wonderful Chipotle y Sea Salt Dusted Fry Bread. These were pillowy soft and lightly crisp with a notable spice and definitely not lacking in seasoning.  Next was the Jicama y Asian Pear Ensalada dressed with Tajin seasoning.  The crunchy sweet pears, cucumbers and crisp jicama were amped by the spice.  These were good.  We also enjoyed a serving of the corn chips with 3 dips including Guacamole, Tapenade Manzanilla and Huitlacoche Salsa.  Another solid offering with fresh and vibrant guacamole and a pair of dips I've never had before.  The tapenade was unmistakable with its salty olive hit while the huitlacoche (corn smut, which is fungus) was Earthy and flavourful.  

Lastly, we had the Lois Lake Steelhead Trout ceviche with cucumber, choyote, jalapeno y lychee ensalada and dressed with basil, coriander and mint.  I liked how the trout was buttery soft while retaining its integrity.  The crunchy textures with a combination of sweet and tart elements really complimented the fish.  This was a nice finish to an informative tour about food, some of the history of Railtown and of course, photography.  

*Note - this was an invited dinner where all food was comped

The Good:
- Food & photography together, makes sense doesn't it?
- A bit more background about the area and vendors than most other food tours
- Decent lineup of establishments

The Bad:
- A little lacking in substance (food-wise) to make it a meal, more like a snack
- The level of photography lesson is highly dependent on the participants