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Honestly, Kirin in New West at the Starlight Casino was not our first choice for Dim Sum. Nothing against the place, but it was a backup plan of sorts because the new Pennisula in Oakridge was booked solid. A strange phenomenon if you ask me since the dishes are well over $6.00 per dish and more often than not, closer to $10.00. Do people have that much money to burn??? Don't they need to save it for car repairs and increased insurance premiums? I digress.
In reality, Kirin New West was not really that bad of a consolation as my last visit was pretty good. We were able to coax them into reserving a larger table for us since we tend to order a lot of food. We started with the Shrimp Spring Rolls which were good. They were lightly crispy with a thin exterior and minimal grease. Inside, the filling was a combination of mousse and pieces of shrimp which exhibited a snap. One thing we didn't like was the overuse of salt as it overpowered all other flavours. Next up was the Beef Meatballs. These had a good bounce texture where the meat felt almost airy. There was a good mix of greens that added flavour without taking away from the meatiness.
We ended up getting both the Donut Rice Noodle Roll and Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll. This was due to my son not liking the latter. It truly makes no sense as he eats shrimp spring rolls and ebi tempura... Anyways, the donut rice noodle roll had a particularly strong bonito taste due to the abundance of flakes on top. We found the donut too dense and no longer crispy which didn't help the already dense rice noodle. In turn, the shrimp rice noodle roll was also too dense and chewy. However, the shrimp itself were large and had a good snap. Flavours were mild as the shrimp was not really seasoned, but then the sweet soy made up for it.
Onto the most important dishes, we has the Haw Gow and Sui Mai. Although the dumpling skin on the haw gow was decent being slightly chewy while not dense, the filling was so-so. It was predominantly shrimp mousse with only a few pieces of whole shrimp. Furthermore, it was quite bland with no distinguishing flavours. As for the sui mai, it was much better. There was a good mix of pork, shrimp and shiitake where the flavours were diverse with a touch of sweetness. Moreover, the textures benefited from the ingredients as there was bouncy and meaty pork and shrimp with snap.
My obligatory offal dish was the Curry Tripe. As evidenced in the picture, there was definitely the taste of curry while at the same time, not over-sweetened (which usually happens in Chinese cuisine). There definitely was a spiciness to the dish, yet not overly so. What I didn't like was the very soft texture of the tripe. There was no chew left. We got a bigger dish in the Fook Chow Fried Rice and it was quite pedestrian. The fried rice was done right with a nutty chewiness. However, the sauce on top was one-note in flavour (which was salty). Despite being generous with the large chunks of duck meat, it wasn't texturally appealing when eaten.
The Fried Capelin must've been the worst dish of the meal as it was completely over-fried where the meat was chewy and the exterior was leathery. Suffice to say, it wasn't crispy at all. Even with all the seasoning sitting on top, it only added spice, yet very little in salt. At first glance, the Spicy Wontons looked great. However, the sauce was not spicy at all. In fact, there was far too much sugar which made the dish taste funny. On the other hand, the wontons themselves were really good. With a thin buttery wrapper giving way to a meaty filling, this somewhat saved the dish.
Onto dessert, we had the Egg Tart first. We found the tart shell to be buttery and flaky except for a few denser parts at the bottom. The egg custard was light and quite sweet. On that note, the Steamed Sponge Cake was really sweet due to the use of brown sugar (and lots of it). It was fluffy though benefiting from a nice dose of lard. Overall, we felt the food was acceptable, but hardly impressive given the price point. Of note, the service was quite attentive and relatively friendly (despite a mix-up with one dish). The one thing that this Kirin benefits from is its location (no real competitors nearby) and nicely appointed interior.
The Good:
- Nice comfortable digs
- Decent service
- Lots of parking
The Bad:
- Food is okay, but doesn't justify the price point
There we were, Miss Y and I, all ready to use our coupon for Yo Ramen. As we approached the door, someone flipped the sign from "open" to "closed". He looked at us, we looked at him, nope, we weren't eating there apparently. With money already in the meter, we had to go to plan B. Wait, there was no plan B... We ended up wandering up the street and decided on Bin 941. Hey, an impromptu revisit! Heck, I haven't been back to the place in 5 years.
They started us off with complimentary bowls of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. It was smooth and creamy with a low salt content. The flavours came predominantly from the ample amount of ginger and sprinkle of coconut on top. Hence, it was fragrant and natural tasting. Next, we had the Brussel Sprouts with orange chile glaze and toasted hazelnuts. This was a veritable flavour explosion where the sticky glaze was really tart in an almost balsamic manner. However, there was a certain sweetness that brought it closer to being balance. The noticeable spiciness created harmony with the firm sprouts.
Next, we had the large mound of Pomme Frites with sea salt, telicherry black peppercorn balsamic drizzle. I've had this dish before and for some reason or another, it was not really all that crispy nor hot. Rather, it was only warm featuring limp frites. We did like the drizzle though as it had plenty of zip with both sweetness and pepperiness. The East West Crab Cakes with burnt orange chipotle sauce, cucumber salsa, sesame bak choy and tobiko was executed on point. The thick cakes were filled with fluffy crab that remained moist even after the cooking process. Crunchy all around, the exterior was a nice contrast to the soft crab. With familiar flavours to some of the previous dishes, the zip and spice from the sauce complimented the crab cakes nicely.
Another solid offering was the Beef Tenderloin Wellington with roasted garlic mash, grainy mustard and Marsala demi. Although a bit rare-looking, the beef was expertly prepared as it was melt-in-our mouths tender. We liked the phyllo packaging, but it easily slid off (to be eaten separately from the meat). The rich Marsala demi was another flavour explosion as it had a sweet wine essence. We finished off the meal with the baked-to-order Belgium Chocolate Torte with cognac sundried cherries, chocolate truffle centre and caramel cafe latte sauce. This "souffle-like" dessert was pure decadence. The dark chocolate had a lightly sweet rich bitterness which was bolstered by the sweet sauce. Little nuggets of boozy cherries added an extra layer of tartness. We really enjoyed our meal at Bin 941, yet due to our choices, many of the flavours were similar. I still don't really think the food can be seen as tapas (maybe for 2 people only), but it is solid nonetheless.
The Good:
- Well-prepared eats
- No weak flavours here
- Welcoming service
The Bad:
- Pricey
- Similiar flavours (at least with what we ordered)
- Ultra cozy (c/b good if you like that)
What can one get for $4.95 these days? Parking in Downtown for 2 hours (if you're lucky)? 2 Macarons? One dumpling at Pennisula??? Yes, not much can be had for that amount of money in and around Vancouver. Well, similar to The Warehouse, The Dime offers up cheap eats on Commercial Drive. Interestingly, judging by the eclectic decor and clientele, this would be the last place to be Rick Roll'd. Yes, Never Gonna Give You Up came on all of a sudden and to top it all off, people began singing along to it... #bizarre
Anyways, as for the food, we were perplexed at the temperature it was served. The Korean Chili Fried Chicken and Cucumber was stone cold. Yes, the cucumber was supposed to be cold, but the chicken was actually not even lukewarm. Overlooking that, the chicken was sufficiently moist with a sweet and mildly spicy sauce. Next, the Garlic Shrimp was at the very least warm. It was sauteed with garlic, leeks, basil and white wine atop lemon-thyme tomato & grilled bread. The shrimp had a meaty snap while the flavours were pleasant enough. I liked how the bread stayed crispy despite the wet ingredients.
Next, we shared the Dime Burger consisting of Canadian beef, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and roasted pepper mayo on a toasted bun. We added maple bacon for $1.50. Hey, for the price, it was a solid burger. The beef patty was moist while the bacon was crisp. I liked the soft airy bun as it didn't interfere with the ingredients while holding up to the moisture. The side of fries were decent being crispy and not greasy. We also had the East Van Pulled Pork rubbed with red curry and slow cooked. It was sufficiently moist without being doused with sweet BBQ sauce. The apple and papaya slaw was somewhat in the background as it was only mildly tangy.
Lastly, we tried Mama T's Mac n' Cheese spiked with curry. Again, this was served stone cold which greatly depreciated our eating enjoyment. Despite this, the noodles were still toothsome while there was no mistake there was curry in the mix (a definite spice level). It was more curry-like than cheesy though. But then again, there was very little to complain about due to the low prices. One thing worth mentioning is the really cheery and attentive service we got. Definitely a surprise considering the price point of the joint.
The Good:
- Cheap
- Cheery and attentive service
- Decent burger
The Bad:
- Food was not hot
- We got Rick Roll'd (LOL)
For a place that has been around for 41 years, it is a bit odd that I've never ate at Romana Pizza. It is especially curious that I've totally ignored the place even though I have lived in the neighbourhood for nearly 10 years. It took a visit from Aussie and family for me to actually go for a meal. Ironically, the guy who makes the pizza is retiring (yesterday was their last day). I guess we made it just in time! For those unfamiliar with the place, think along the lines of similar Greek-Italian restaurants such as Gigi's, Neighbours and Sunrise.
I remember a time when Aussie would be able to down a whole large pizza in our University days. Hence, it came as no surprise when he ordered 2 large for his family of 4. But to get some greens, they started with Grandpa's Garden Salad first. It was an assortment of cucumber, romaine, red peppers, olives, artichoke hearts and sundried tomato in a vinegary and zesty dressing. Everything was crisp while the olives and sundried tomatoes added extra saltiness and tang which meant less dressing would've been better. For their first pizza, they had the Mama's made with pepperoni, mushroom, salami, green pepper, olives and a whack load of cheese. For this type of pizza (ie. not Neapolitan or slice style), it was good since it was overloaded with toppings (especially the meat) with lots of cheese (which was not greasy) and on top of a crunchy while soft crust. They also had the Hawaiian and it was also packed with ingredients.
For myself, I got the Calamari to start. It arrived with larger than most pieces of squid which were tender while at the same time maintaining a chew. The crispy and light batter was good and not overly greasy, but due to the size of the some of the pieces, it didn't adhere properly. As for the side of Tzatziki, it was light with plenty of cucumber. I would've liked more impact though. For my main, I went for the Kleftiko New Zealand Lamb Shoulder with potatoes and Greek salad. At first, I was concerned with the perceived small amount of lamb on the plate. However, as I ate, I realized it was more than enough (partly because there was no bones). The lamb was tender with a few dry spots. With only the addition of the roasting juices, the flavours were rich and natural tasting. It was on the saltier side, but it added the necessary flavour.
Viv ended up with the Baked Ravioli with Meat Sauce that came with 2 slices of garlic bread. This was a fairly large portion with soft ravioli in a somewhat mild meat sauce. Although it was pleasant enough to eat, she thought the sauce could've had more tang since everything was a bit one note. She did like the ample amount of nicely baked cheese on top though. In the end, we all agreed that the pizza was the highlight as it was good for its type. The other items were alright, yet a little pricey. So Romana as we know it served its last dinner service last night.
The Good:
- Solid pizza for its type
- Nice family atmosphere
The Bad:
- A bit pricey
Whipping Girl has always been a faithful food companion, through the good eats and the bad ones. She is open to sharing her food and lets me take my pictures without much fanfare. Imagine my joy when she wanted to treat me to La Cigale French Bistro... Apparently, she had an expiring coupon that needed to be used ASAP. Yes, those pesky expiry dates are closer than they appear! So I met her at the restaurant with bells on.
We were started off with their popular fresh Puff Pasty Sticks which would've been warm and probably soft inside. I say this because I was late arriving (due to traffic for the Paul Simon concert) and missed the fresh sticks by 15 minutes. Despite this, they were crispy and light. With an actual appie, we had the Tuna Tartare consisting of albacore, avocado, tomatoes and onion with radish and sprouts on top. We got the natural sweetness of the ingredients and the textural contrast of the croutons, yet the whole thing was lacking in acidity. That would've added more brightness and pop.
I requested that we should keep it easy on the bread for the meal and guess what Whipping Girl ordered? In addition to the aforementioned 2 items (that had bread), she picked out the House-Made Pate served with cornichons & mustard and 1/2 Baguette with Tapenade. Thanks Whipping Girl... The pate was meaty and slightly dense where it was mild-tasting with no particular flavour standing out. I did get a bit of sweetness from the onion though. The baguette was really good though being crusty while airy inside. Of note, the vinaigrette with the salad was nicely balanced (with a good amount of Dijon). The tapenade had a predominant black olive flavour with only the slightest hints of capers and anchovy.
Onto the mains, we had the Braised Beef Short Ribs with peppercorn sauce. The generous portion of short rib had a firm exterior bark which was smoky and salty. On the inside, the meat was sufficiently moist and tender with some gelatinous portions. As for the sauce, it was definitely the beneficiary of heavy cream, wine and only modest amount of peppercorns. With only a minor pepperiness, the whole thing was far too salty. Our second entree was the Vol au Vent de La Mer. I thought the mildly seasoned cream sauce went well with the seafood as it stayed in the background. As for the seafood itself, the shrimp had a nice snap while the salmon & halibut were alright. However, the squid was tough and chewy.
On the side, we added some Frites and they were somewhat crispy while being on the denser side. I found the aioli on the side to be really salty though. Lastly, for dessert, we shared the Monaco Tart which was a decadent combination of firm tart shell with marscapone, chocolate, peanuts and super sweet caramel. Despite being a bit too sweet for my tastes, we both agreed that it was a pretty balanced tart when all the components were eaten with each other. At the end, we were pretty stuffed and had to pack the rest to go. We thought the food was not bad, but could be even better with a few tweaks.
The Good:
- Attentive and friendly service
- Decent portion sizes
- Cozy room
The Bad:
- Some seasoning issues (too salty)
- Pricey
Quick. Where would you go to get take-out Fried Chicken at a moment's notice? KFC? Church's? Lee's? LA Chicken??? A Korean restaurant? Yes, those are the more obvious places and really, not a whole lot of choice. We did have Popeye's at one point and Jollibee is at least a year away from their Canadian stores. So, I finally relented and decided to try an independent place called Chicken & Pizza King. Yah, the outside looks sketch and well, the inside is even sketchier, but everything deserves a chance right?
So to get a good handle on the food, I went for both items in their name starting with a medium Pepperoni & Chicken Pizza. I found the crust to be fairly standard for a take-out joint. It was of a medium thickness while being on the denser, chewier side of the crust continuum. As for the toppings, there was sufficient meat and cheese, but there could've been more tomato sauce as I could barely taste it. Moving onto the Fried Chicken, I liked the thin crispy batter. Delicately seasoned with a hint of spice, I thought it could give the big boys a run for their money. However, the chicken itself was not brined which meant it was rather dry and ordinary tasting on its own.
In addition, I got Fries and Gravy as part of the combo. I didn't mind the fries as they were fried up crispy. As for the gravy, that was horrible. Now I understood why the lady suggested I try the macaroni salad in place of the gravy... Looking more like dirty water, it tasted like salty flour. Not exactly something I would dip my food into, let alone eat it. Hey, I tried to be different and avoid the obvious places for fried chicken and really I shouldn't have. Chalk this up to curiosity gone wrong.
The Good:
- Okay pricing I suppose
- Friendly enough
- Batter is okay
The Bad:
- Chicken is dry and bland
- Gravy should be only used as a glue-substitue
- Pizza is barely average
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