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While I was milling around before the Foodtograhy tour, I contemplated about picking of some goodies to bring home. I think the contemplation lasted about 5 seconds. Of course I would buy some items to try... duh... I was so committed, that I had to run back to the car with the goodies as quick as I could. After all, I didn't want to hold up the tour! Once home, I had no choice but to share with the kiddies as they love this kind of stuff. Me thinks, I should've bought more...
We started with the Croissant and it was indeed flaky and crisp on the outside. Although buttery, I would've liked it a touch more airy inside. Regardless of this, it was a pretty solid croissant. I still happen to like the one from Faubourg and Chez Christophe more (Beaucoup makes a good one too, but I didn't have a good experience last time). Naturally, the Chocolate Croissant was equally crisp and in fact, crispier. The interior was exactly like the regular croissant. Hence, the chocolate got a bit lost within the density. Again, a good offering nonetheless.
Continuing on the topic of dense, I found the Savoury Cheese Scone to be on the heavier side. I did like the exterior as there was a light crunch and saltiness. However, there were pockets of saltiness here and there which were a bit too much. Fortunately, there was not an overabundance of cheese, which lessened the effect. The herbs including green onion added a nice background flavour though. The kids fought over the Bacon Twist as it was lightly crispy with plenty of buttery goodness. Adding to the mix was a strip of bacon which added both saltiness and chew.
As for the Cinnamon Bun, it was also appealingly firm on the outer ring of bread while soft on the inner portion. Naturally, it was sweeter and stickier as it got closer to the middle and bottom. Although plenty sweet, I found it not sickeningly so. Furthermore, the cinnamon was not overwhelming. My favourite of the bunch was the Brownie as it was just dense enough to give a rich chocolaty texture without resembling fudge. Hence, it was closer to a heavy cake. It was topped with salted caramel that made up for the mild sweetness.
Since I was there for the food tour, I also got to try the Praline Mini Tartlet and Lemon Meringue Tartlet. I liked the firmness of the tart shells as it held up to the fillings. The lemon curd was both mildly sweet and tart. I found the chocolate and the hazelnut in the praline tart to be appealing and balanced. It wasn't too sweet while I could get the aroma of the nuts. So from the diverse array of goods we tried at Cadeaux, nothing was particularly outstanding (except the kids loved the bacon twist), however, everything was more than acceptable.
The Good:
- Above average
- Simple, yet modern space
The Bad:
- Being where it is located doesn't mean it costs any less
- Limited seating
Up until recently, I believed that Lin Chinese Cuisine had the best Shanghainese food on the Westside of Vancouver. Well, that is no longer true as my latest visit yielded less-than-impressive eats. And there was The Place and its wonderful Xiao Long Bao which has become less-than-wonderful. Okay, now what? Where can we get decent Shanghainese West of Main Street? Well, apparently Ramen House could be it. Ramen house? Japanese? Nope, Ramen (as in Lai Mein) in the Chinese sense of the word. We ended up traveling to the Westside from our hockey game in North Van to give it a shot.
The first item to hit the table was the Hot & Sour Soup. Although it was on the paler side, the flavour was there in the form of vinegar and spiciness predominantly from white pepper. I would've personally preferred chili oil and/or actually chili flakes, however, the soup was far from bland. Texturally, there was the usual wood ear mushroom and bamboo shoots along with cold-water shrimp and interesting imitation crab meat. Of note, there was a bit too much salt. Next up was the Xiao Long Bao which were freshly made prior to steaming. These featured a relatively thin dumpling skin all the way to the top swirl. This was both good and bad since it meant that it broke quite easily. Inside, the ground pork was soft and not gritty while there was plenty of soup. I didn't notice much in the way of ginger nor xiaoshing wine though, rather, the soup tasted quite meaty.
Onto our favourite dish, the Dan Dan Noodles (which are also made in house) were laced with an aesthetically-pleasing sauce. The noodles themselves were chewy, yet somewhat sticky. The combination of roasted peanuts, chili oil, a touch of soy, chili paste and an ever small dab of sesame paste was fantastic being flavourful with only a purposeful amount of spice. Next, we had the Shanghai Fried Rice Cake. At first, the appearance was unsettling as it was pale and looked like it lacked wok heat. It was partially true, but it was not devoid of flavour. However, I would've liked to see more dark soy. The rice cakes were soft while maintaining their hallmark chewiness. There was a good amount of Napa cabbage, but not much spinach. The slivers of pork were tender and not fatty.
We also tried the Wine Chicken which was a pretty large portion for $7.99. Although it was practically swimming in wine sauce, it was rather weak. There was a very mild xiaoshing wine hit and it really didn't penetrate the chicken meat very much. As for the chicken itself, it was pretty moist, including the white meat. I liked the chicken skin as it was gelatinous while exhibiting a layer of gelatin underneath. Lastly, we has the Eggplant with Chili Sauce. It was stir-fried with slivered pork, wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The eggplant was on the softer side while the other ingredients added crunch. There was a good spice level from the chili oil, yet there was a touch too much salt once again. Ultimately, despite its shortcomings, Ramen House does the trick in terms of Shanghainese food on the Westside.
The Good:
- Decent, especially for the Westside
- XLB's are respectable and freshly made
- Good service
The Bad:
- A bit heavy with the grease and salt
- Some items are a little pricey
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.
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