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There we were, all ready to give Mamie Taylor's a go when lo and behold... They were closed? Open until midnight my arse! So stuck with no restaurant to eat at after hockey, we had to refocus and head somewhere else. We ended up going into Downtown, where we parked our cars and took a stroll down Granville Street. Lots of choices right? Yes, but we ended up walking the length and stopping at Stackhouse Burger Bar once again.
Taking a quick peek at my previous post, we concluded that the Venison Burger had to be on the table (literally and figuratively). And much like before, it was surprisingly moist for a supposedly lean meat. It wasn't particularly gamy except for the goat cheese on top. Normally, there would be blue cheese, but they had ran out. Off to some burgers we didn't try last time, we had the Ahi Tuna which featured a razor thin piece of fish. Hence, there was not much that the kitchen could do to save it from overcooking. Rather than the desired rare tuna texture, we ended up with something in between cooked chicken and canned tuna. With that being said, we didn't dislike the burger, we just wished the fish would be rare.
Hands-down, our favourite of the meal was the aptly named Stackhouse Burger. The thick beef patty helped keep things moist while tasting naturally meaty. With bacon and a big portobello, there was more than enough flavour. As for the Chicken Burger, it was relatively moist while not juicy. It was decent with enough condiments, especially the slice of brie. I also got a side of Poutine which featured meaty fries that could've been more crispy. I really didn't like the addition of ricotta in the Poutine as it was wet. The gravy was nice though with a good consistency and mild flavour. Again, the food was pretty much the same as last time - good but on the pricier side.
The Good:
- Interesting and generally good combinations
- Low key vibe
The Bad:
- Pricey for what you get
- Portions are modest
As much as I've eaten Korean food all my life (since my parents loved the stuff), it is always good to refer to someone that actually grew up with the stuff. Hence, I was intrigued with the suggestion of Seok Gi Si Dae from Crystal (VancityBuzz), who is Korean. Apparently, this non-descript little joint serves up traditional home-style Korean food without the bells and whistles like many of the other restaurants we often talk about.
With only 2 options for meat, which was Pork Belly and Beef Short Rib, we ended up with both. Rice, egg soup, salad, kimchi and some banchan were included. With the flat grilling surface, the meat didn't exactly char that well, in fact, at the end, the meat didn't end up with any colour. I preferred the pork belly since it was fatty and mostly tender. As for the short rib, it was pretty chewy. Since this was not done with a marinade nor was there any sweet dipping sauce, it was up to the bean paste and kimchi for flavour. For those who are unfamiliar, the best way to eat Korean BBQ is to put some rice, raw slices of garlic, peppers and bean paste in leaf lettuce and eat it as a wrap.
We also got a Bibimbap and it was a pretty basic version consisting of kimchi, ground meat and a fried egg. Ultimately, when mixed together with the gochujang, it was comforting and familiar. The rice was chewy while the rest of the ingredients were fine. I particularly liked the turnip kimchi as it was crunchy with of plenty flavour and a good amount of rich spiciness. Lastly, I decided to give the Kimchi Pork Soup a go. It was steaming hot with an immediate gochujang hit but then finishing off with plenty of rich background spice. Definitely great for those cold nights. Judging by the clientele and the warm people running the place, it is indeed a family restaurant with plenty of repeat business. The food is pretty basic, but comforting while being on the pricier side.
The Good:
- Comfort food
- Warm proprietors
- You get sit on the floor if you like
The Bad:
- Don't expect bells & whistles
- Pricey
- Your legs go numb if you sit on the floor
Honestly, it is pretty hard to get excited about Japanese food these days in Vancouver. One could probably count on one hand the really good spots (which are generally Japanese-run, with a few exceptions). Hey, I'm not trying to be a food snob here because there are some really good value Japanese joints in the city, but I'm really talking about the ones you can differentiate from the rest. Kishimoto on Commercial falls into that category, but I've never actually gotten in because they are that busy.
Finally, Whipping Girl and I made it in, albeit sitting at the sushi bar. If you are familiar with Miku's Salmon Aburi Oshi Sushi, then the one at Kishimoto will look like a mirror image - except less expensive. However, in our opinion, every bit as good with beautiful salmon and nicely textured & flavoured sushi rice. I found the torched sauce to be creamy with a mild flavour accented with a good level of acidity. Even something as simple as Spicy Agedashi Tofu was well-prepared. The silky tofu was encased in a lightly crispy exterior. The dashi sauce was flavouful and sweet with a drizzle of spicy sauce on top.
We really liked the Unagi Ishinabe as it was served in a smoking hot stone bowl. Hence, the chewy rice (when squished against the sides) formed a wonderful crispy smoky crust. The generous portion of unagi was buttery soft with a well-charred and caramelized exterior. Again, a relatively simple dish elevated by proper execution. To get a mix of items, we shared the Sashimi & Sushi Box next consisting of salmon, tuna and toro sashimi; ebi, tuna and salmon nigiri; 1/2 California Roll and 1/2 BC Roll. Carefully prepared with great ingredients and properly-made sushi rice, there was nothing to complain about here.
Lastly, the Prawn Tempura was on point served piping hot. The light and airy battery was crisp and not greasy at all. Inside, each prawn was buttery exhibiting a light snap. As you can probably ascertain, we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Kishimoto where we were planning our next visit as we ate. This... my friends is an example of how Japanese food can be exciting again, where execution, flavours and visuals combine to offer up an eating experience worth remembering.
The Good:
- Carefully, nicely plated food
- Effort put into the preparation
The Bad:
- A bit more pricey than regular Japanese restaurants, but much better though
- Small with limited seating
As mush as one can get Chinese BBQ from a number of places including T&T, most fall within the average. To get really good Chinese BBQ, there are only a few places that are worth the drive. For me, HK BBQ Master is worth the obstacle course, otherwise known as #3 Road (Parker Place BBQ across the street is respectable as well). Hopewell in Vancouver (in the T&T complex) is no slouch either while Delicious BBQ in Crystal Mall is also worth a visit. Ironically, all 3 require one to exhibit extreme patience and to risk their car's health. I decided to grab a few items from Delicious since I was in the mall already.
I dug into the Roast Pork first and it was texturally on point. By virtue of being pork belly, it was fatty and moist. There was a definite roast pork essence, yet I felt they could've been a bit more aggressive with the seasoning. On the other hand, this was easily alleviated with hoisin sauce. As for the crackling, it was light and crisp without being too crunchy. A solid roast pork indeed. Next, I sampled the BBQ Duck. For half a duck, the styrofoam box was bursting at the seems. This was one large and meaty duck. Hence, the breast meat was substantial where it was moist and tender. I liked how it was seasoned enough that I could taste it without being overly salty. The skin was aesthetically-pleasing and somewhat rendered where it was edible without having a big chunk of fat in my mouth.
The best of the three was the BBQ Pork. I chose to have the half-fat portion since that is the only way to eat BBQ pork (in my opinion). Therefore, it was super moist and fatty. In fact, the meat was practically melt-in-my-mouth tender where the bark provided a nice chewiness and flavour. I found the marinade to be on the saltier side (could've used more sweetness), but it was fine and one would be eating it with rice anyways. On another visit, I got half of the Free-Range Soy Chicken. As expected, the meat was lean. That meant the chicken was on the drier chewier side. In terms of the soy, I found that the sauce had penetrated the meat making it slightly salty. This was not bad, but the BBQ items were better. Once again, HK BBQ Master is still tops in my books, but in Burnaby, Delicious is more than acceptable.
The Good:
- Best Chinese BBQ in Burnaby
- Moist meats
The Bad:
- They try to up sell too much and the lady gives attitude if you don't bite
- That parking lot...
Awhile back, Gordo and I had visited Hou Lok after late night hockey at Richmond Ice. Due to the diverse late night clientele at the restaurant, I decided against drawing too much attention and hence took some pretty crappy photos. Therefore, I didn't end up posting that visit and planned to return some other time. With Gordo on the shelf due to a concussion, I looked to Mijune, who is always a willing eating companion. Seeing how it was closing in on 1:00am, I suggested we head to Hou Lok in hopes of a quieter crowd...
Naturally, we ordered off their "Da Lang" menu (late night smaller dishes served with congee). Large and plump, the Fried Smelt was pretty good. Due to their size, the smelt retained a certain moisture which meant it wasn't dried out. With the good amount of roe, there was an appealing texture and taste of the sea. The exterior was not as crispy as I would've liked but it was laced with chili, garlic and salt. Next, we had the Scrambled Eggs with Turnip. This was suggested by the server and it was enjoyable to eat. The eggs were fluffy and not overly greasy while the bits of pickled turnip added little surprises in each bite. What I would've liked to see was even more of it as we were having plain congee.
On the other hand, the Chili Pepper Beef was bursting with flavour. The combination of black beans, chili sauce and soy ensured there was a salty-spicy thing going on which naturally went well with the congee. As much as the beef was tenderized, it wasn't overly so. Hence, there was still a slight chew which was fine in my books. Lastly, we had the 4 Seasons Beans. Again, this was well-seasoned with chili, garlic, ground pork and soy. I found the flash-fried green beans to be slightly past done though as they lacked a snap. However, this was only criticism I had about the dishes we tried. Along with the previous visit, the food at Hou Lok is pretty solid, especially for late night eats.
The Good:
- Solid eats
- Well-priced
- Open late
The Bad:
- It's not as if the service wasn't any good, but it was sparse
- Cleaniness is not next to Fordiness here.
Normally, I'm pretty shy despite exhibiting verbal diarrhea at times. Hence, I haven't gone seeking out public appearances all that much. Recently, I received an email from a faithful reader (now to be known as Ned Flanders) who has gone on his own food adventures in search of diverse and tasty food. He thought it would be a great idea to meet up and we ended up heading over to Kao's Family Restaurant in Richmond. Not sure why he chose Richmond because by reading the blog, he would've known my "love" for the place... LOL...
Since Miss Y was in the neighbourhood, she stopped by to join us. She was only late by 15 minutes to my complete shock. Anyways, starting with some offal, we tried the Pork Intestines and Beef Tendon. I found the intestines to have the right texture which combined a fatty tenderness with only the necessary amount of chew. Naturally, being intestine, there was a certain level of gaminess, but it was not overpowering. The accompanying sauce was flavourful in a savoury manner that was aided by the nice zip of grated ginger. As for the tendon, it was very soft, yet still maintained its shape and some texture. The seasoning penetrated the tendon while the soy dressing was mildly balanced by some sugar. A sprinkle of pepper on top added a background spice.
The Crispy Chicken Nuggets were super airy and light. Juicy and super tender, the chicken was dusted with a crispy, barely-there batter. Personally, I didn't like the inclusion of the chicken skin because some parts were still quite fatty. However, the other portions were very crispy and rendered. Flavourwise, I thought it was predominantly salty with little in the way of any 5 spice nor pepper. Since not many places serve Stinky Tofu, it was necessary for us to try it. I've had it before, but this version was more pungent and sharp. I thought it was fried quite well and the chili sauce was a good accompaniment. Yet in the end, it was a bit too sharp for me personally (not that it wasn't any good).
Our order of Spicy Wontons featured tiny dumplings filled with smooth processed pork. These were not inundated with too much wrapper, hence they were light and easy to eat. The sauce was a nice balance of soy, chili oil and sugar. We also gave the Beef Noodle a try and it featured really moist beef shank. It practically melted in my mouth with little chewing (probably braised a bit too long). As for the noodles, they were not too soft nor al dente (but then again, we didn't eat them right away). As for the broth, it had a nice amount of chili oil and overall flavour, however, there was very little depth or meat flavour.
Lastly, we had the Fried Chicken Rice which was mostly a duplicate of our chicken nuggets, except with a larger piece of chicken. Hence, the texture and flavours were similar, however, by virtue of being a large piece of chicken, the meat was a bit more moist. In the end, we thought the food was pretty good for a small, hidden family joint. Nothing Earth-shattering, but okay for a quick casual meal.
The Good:
- Friendly family-run restaurant
- Okay pricing
- Decent eats
The Bad:
- And the winner of the most hidden restaurant goes to...
- Don't expect any ambiance
- Insufficient parking lot
Sometimes I really wonder why we drive so far away for food after Friday hockey. You'd think since we are in North Van already, we'd eat in well, North Van! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Wait, maybe a rocket scientist wouldn't figure that out! So, in my personal goal to be more assertive, I suggested we go to Raglan's Bistro out on Lonsdale. We've been there before, but that was like 5 years ago. Lots can happen during that time, such as the introduction of bike lanes in Vancouver...
For $9.00, we weren't expecting much, but when the Classic Poutine hit the table, it was of a significant size. We liked the fries as they were crispy and held their own against the gravy. However, the melted Mozzarella was a definite let down. Now if we put away the authenticity attitude for a moment, the poutine as a whole was not bad as the gravy had a nice consistency without being salty. We were surprised again when the Spicy Mexican Nachos arrived as they were ginormous with chips piled high and topped with beans, guacamole and spiced sour cream. Not bad as there was no absence of flavour where pockets of spiciness were strewn throughout.
Again, for $9.00, the Coconut Prawns were also a surprise. The butterfly prawns were fried up really crunchy while not being too greasy. I didn't get a whole lot of coconut hits, but the dipping sauce was a nice balance of sweet and spicy. As for the prawns, they had a light snap and were moist. Since no one ordered the burger, I got a 360 Burger for the heck of it. The burger patty was charred crispy and smoky, yet was fairly dry. I got quite a bit of onion essence from it. The rest of the ingredients were fine while the ciabatta bun was toasted up nicely. Crispy and slightly dense, the side of fries did the job.
Gadget Girl decided on the Spicy Pepperoni Deluxe Pizza made with a whole tortilla shell. It was a bit too wet from all the ingredients though. Thus, the super think crust did not stay crunchy for very long. She thought the flavours were pretty mild, but then again, she asked for less spicy. Both Milhouse and Lionel Hutz had the Beef Burrito stuffed with black beans, aged cheddar, tomato and green onion with garden salad, chipotle sour cream and salsa. There was a definite lack of beef, but there was a smokiness from the char. Overall, it was okay (due to the fresh ingredients), but not especially flavouful. In reality, the food was fine for the price and considering it was late night eats on the North Shore. Not particularly memorable, but did the job.
The Good:
- Reasonably priced
- Good portions
- Funky surfer thing going on
The Bad:
- Food is pretty average
- Seating is a bit squished
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