Win Win Chinese Buffet

*Restaurant is permanently closed*

It's pretty clear that the Chinese buffet doesn't really fly in the GVRD.  Sure, there are a few here and there, but one would really have to look for them.  Ultimately, most do not last long because most people know where to get the good stuff.  So it was to my complete surprise that Win Win Chinese Buffet opened up in the former location of Saturday's Fish n' Chips (and before that ABC Country Restaurant).  For the low price of $8.99 for adults, one could help themselves to AYCE North American Chinese food.

Now don't get overly excited (well, I'm sure many are actually turned-off, but that's another story) because the selection could only be described as very modest. Essentially, as clearly seen in the picture, WYSIWYG. But really, $8.99 usually buys you a 4-item combo at places such as Manchu Wok.  So, the pricing fits with the selection.  And about that selection, on one side, there was Plain Rice, Fried Rice, Fried Shanghai Noodles, Chow Mein, Spring Rolls, Sweet n' Sour Pork, Chicken Balls, Fried Chicken.  The other side consisted of Broccoli Beef, Mixed Veggies, Green Beans, Shrimp Chips and 2 more veggie stir-fries.  Soup consisted of Hot n' Sour and Consume.

I tried most of the items and the Fried Chicken stood out.  It was very much like Church's, yet the brine was a bit strong as the chicken was pretty salty.  However, that also meant it was pretty moist as well.  The Green Beans were vibrant and crisp while the Broccoli Beef was disappointing with soft broccoli and chewy meat.  I wasn't a huge fan of the Chicken Balls because there was too much greasy batter.  The Sweet and Sour Pork was okay though, but the sauce was somewhat clumpy.  Oh, and I would avoid the Hot n' Sour Soup because it was more like thickened water with peas and tofu.  In reality, Win Win exists to fill your belly if you do not mind mediocre food at a low price.

The Good:
- Cheap
- Friendly enough people
- Spacious

The Bad:
- Limited selection
- Food is meh

Sushi Wara

Oh, lookie here, another Brown's Social House!  I hope you realize I say this in jest...  Yes, Brown's has invaded North Delta and opened up shop on Scott Road near 64th.  Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the place (but maybe I need to do another visit to make sure).  Hidden behind the grand opening is a Japanese restaurant occupying an unfortunate location.  Sushi Wara is its name and trying their food is definitely my game.  I decided to make a couple of visits so that I could sample a proper variety of food.

When I first laid eyes on the Appetizer Sashimi, the portion size jolted me much like the off-key performance of Tegan & Sara at the Heritage Classic.  The slices of tuna, salmon and hamachi were huge.  I tried the tuna first and it was pretty darn cold and still somewhat frozen.  No matter, as it was not mushy while having a certain vibrancy.  That could be said about the salmon as well, but the hamachi was the star as the texture was buttery and taste was sweet.  The shocking size of the Awesome Roll (everything is awesome?) made me doubt I could finish the food that I ordered.  Consisting of a California roll with seared salmon on the outside garnished with fried yam, it was well-constructed.  I found the rice to be on the sweeter side and somewhat dry.  However, with all of the ingredients, that didn't really matter.  I particularly liked that they didn't over-sauce everything.

I also had the Appetizer Tempura and again, the size would rival some full-orders.  Although the batter was on the thicker side, each piece remained crunchy until the bite. I liked how there was minimal grease despite the abundance of batter.  The ebi was really meaty and had a slight snap. I returned a few weeks later for another visit where I decided to try the Ebi Mayo (one of my favourite Japanese dishes).  With breading more like one found on fried cocktail shrimp, these were crunchy and minimal on the grease.  The ebi itself had a buttery snap.  I didn't mind the breading, but personally, I prefer the regular crispy batter.  It came with both spicy mayo and sweet chili sauce.  I only used the mayo and it had a nice balance with just enough spice.

I also tried their Oyako Don which was the beneficiary of a whack load of chicken.  Moreover, the pieces of chicken were really large and buttery moist.  Underneath, the rice was chewy and stood up to the moisture.  The flavours were out-of-balance though as it was far too sweet.  Other than that, it was an enjoyable dish.  For the dishes I tried, the food at Sushi Wara was decent.  Sure, it was not completely authentic, but that didn't bother me much.  I found the service to be really attentive where the staff really made an effort.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Really eager staff
- Lots of light (I don't like dark restaurants)

The Bad:
- On the pricier side
- A bit hard to find

Brunch @ Earl's Kitchen & Bar

To be frank, I have a love hate relationship with Earl's.  In its infancy, I would frequent the place and be pretty pleased with the food.  However, as the prices climbed, my interest waned.  I've been back a few times in the past year and the food has been fine, but it was mostly the same.  Yet, it looks like change is in the works and with the addition of brunch, there might be a little love to be found somewhere.  I was invited along with Diana and Caroline to sample this new menu at the North Vancouver location.

We started with the Granola & Yogurt Parfait consisting of flax seeds, rolled oats, dried cranberries, sultanas, toasted almonds and pecans, fresh berries and thick Greek yogurt.  This was a simple, yet effective light day-starter.  I liked the mild sweetness (where there was a side of honey, if you wanted more sugar) and the light crunch that went well with the thick plain yogurt.  Next up was the Eggs Benny with Virginia ham, Hollandaise atop grilled sourdough accompanied by fried smash potatoes. I loved the potatoes as they were creamy soft with a super crispy exterior.  As you can see in the picture, the poached eggs were nicely runny while there was no shortage of ham.  At first, I was concerned with the saltiness of the Virginia ham, but it wasn't overwhelming.  However, the sourdough was too strong for the dish as it masked the light lemony Hollandaise.

Onto our next dish, we had the Eggs Florentine with Parmesan cream sauce, spinach, mushrooms, polenta and grilled sourdough.  This was my favourite as it combined the creaminess of the polenta with the earthiness of the crimini and oyster mushrooms as well as the saltiness of the Parm.  Despite the addition of runny poached eggs, the dish didn't feel heavy.  I found the crunchy sourdough to be the appropriate side as it added texture and a jolt of flavour to the otherwise mild concoction.  Lastly, we tried the Sourdough French Toast with Chantilly cream, berry purree, pure maple syrup and whipped butter.  Everything about this plate was bang on except for the choice of bread.  I thought the strong sourdough competed with the other flavours and ultimately didn't work.  As you can probably ascertain, we were pleasantly surprised at Earl's brunch offerings.  However, the overuse of sourdough may have compromised the overall enjoyment.

*All food and drinks excluding gratuities were comped*

The Good:
- Props for being a bit different with their own spin on dishes
- The fried smashed potatoes are really good

The Bad:
- Overuse of sourdough compromised flavours

Bistro Peekaboo

Some parts of the lower mainland get no attention in culinary terms.  Generally, it would be the 'burbs and specifically, the little enclaves such as Tsawwassen.  With such a relatively isolated community (separated from everywhere else by a bunch of farms), the restaurants  mainly serve the locals. But for me, that just means I need to make the effort to go out there.  And that reason this time was to meet up with Bubbly, who calls Tsawwassen her home. We met up at a lil' place called Bistro Peekaboo.

Normally, I do not take pictures of Miso Soup since it is much like complimentary bread - it's only there by default.  However, I quite enjoyed this one because it wasn't super salty.  Rather, there was a depth and richness to it which was further enhanced by seaweed and purposeful cubes of tofu.  Next, I got the Sashimi portion of my bento box.  The slices of tuna and salmon were of smaller in size, but not lacking in quality.  There was a fresh sheen and fresh smell (as much as frozen can get).  Textures were on point as well as the natural sweetness.

Onto the box itself, there was the usual sides in addition to Tempura, Chicken Katsu and California Roll.  I found the tempura to be crispy and light with a touch of grease.  The ebi was buttery with some snap.  As for the katsu, it was crunchy while still moist inside.  The light drizzle of sauce ensured it stayed crispy and being light in flavour.  The California roll was decent with chewy, sticky rice.  It was rather bland though.  Bubbly had a similar meal except with Beef Teriyaki.  This was also well-executed with moist and tender beef with just enough sauce.  Although the prices are on the higher side, it was somewhat of a surprise that I would find a Japanese-run restaurant (preparing good eats) tucked away in one of the many strip malls in Tsawwassen.

The Good:
- Carefully prepared eats
- Really friendly people

The Bad:
- Expensive
- Hard to find

Brown's Social House (North Burnaby)

Whenever the words "Brown's Social House" are muttered, I usually shiver in disapproval.  Hey, compared to the other popular chain restaurants in town, Brown's is not usually at the top of the list.  My initial visit was not particularly impressive, but given that was 5 years ago, I decided it was time to give them another chance.  So after a crushing loss (a la Canuck-style) in our Friday night league game, the hockey team paid a late-night visit to the Brentwood Brown's.

I started with the Biltmore Pizza consisting of pesto, feta, shrimp, sundried tomato and jalapeno white sauce.  With large jumbo shrimp and a generous drizzle of pesto, the pizza looked appetizing.  And it really was since the flavours were abundant and pronounced.  There were big hits of garlic and spiciness that went well with the crunchy shrimp. However, it was on the saltier side and the crust was far too doughy (in need of more colour too).  Next, I had the Crispy Halibut Street Tacos with a side of gaucamole.  These were not bad featuring moist halibut with a very crunchy batter.  I would've personally liked less batter, but that would be nitpicking.  In terms of texture, I thought the tacos were on point, but the accompanying pico de gallo was a bit one-dimensional (being mildly tangy).  Moreover, the gaucamole could've used more acidity.

Emilicious and Gadget Girl shared 2 items beginning with the Tahitian Tuna Salad with lemongrass crusted albacore tuna, wasabi mayo and cilantro ginger vinaigrette.  Of note, the picture represents only half-an-order since they split the salad.  They thought it was decent since there was an array of textures from the lettuce to the wonton crisps.  The vinaigrette had a nice acidity while the mayo worked with the nicely rare tuna.  They also shared the #28 Dragon Bowl consisting of teriyaki chicken, coconut rice, veggies, red cabbage and spicy yogurt.  I was able to try this dish and it was more ingredients than rice.  As such, there was no absence of textures and flavours.  However, that also meant there was a bit too much flavour as it was quite sweet and saucy.  With that being said, the rice was not wet while the chicken was sufficiently moist.

Lionel Hutz had the obligatory burger with the Hickory Burger with smoked bacon, cheddar and BBQ sauce.  He thought the patty retained enough moisture to escape being dry.  Furthermore, the ingredient and sauce helped matters.  On the other hand, the bun got a bit wet due to this where it could've benefited from more toasting.  He remarked that the flavours were mild and it could've used more smokiness.  Milhouse continued the theme with the Almost Famous Blackened Fish Burger consisting of Pacific halibut, crisp coleslaw and chef's dressing.  The fish itself was thick and cooked just right being flaky and moist.  However, he didn't really get any of the flavours associated with blackened fish.  Rather, he remarked it was bland where even the coleslaw and dressing didn't add much impact.

Gordo and Sweet Tooth decided to share a Crispy Calamari before dessert.  I found this to be somewhat inconsistent as parts were crunchy while other pieces were a little soft.  As for the squid itself, it on the chewier side.  It was only mildly seasoned which worked since there was dipping sauce anyways.  I wasn't really impressed with the marinara sauce as it didn't go in my opinion, but the Cajun tartar sauce was not bad as it was creamy with a touch of spice.  They ended up with both the House Made Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Pecan Pie for dessert.  As much as the filling was tart and creamy, the crust on the key lime pie was far too thick.  Hence it was not easy to eat nor was it balanced with the amount of filling.  The chocolate pecan pie was not bad as the baked crust was thin and firm.  The filling was on the sweeter side and I would've liked to see even more chocolate.

And since no one ordered any of the Hand Cut Double Cooked Fries, I had to get a side of it.  These were decent as they were crispy while still potatoey inside.  They had the classic fresh cut feel to them.  Overall, this visit to Brown's was better than the last time for me personally.  Yet, that isn't really saying a lot.  The food has some redeeming qualities, but almost everything had a deficiency of some sort. Hence, that is where it lags behind the others such as Cactus Club and Earl's, especially when their prices are almost the same as well as the theme and decor.

The Good:
- Service we got was pretty solid
- Fun, lively atmosphere

The Bad:
- Kinda pricey
- Food is okay, but behind the rest of the competition

Upstairs @ Campagnolo

"Have you heard of the Dirty Burger?", queried Sean.  "No", I replied.  "Okay, have you been to Upstairs @ Campagnolo???", asked Sean.  "Uh...  No...", as I gave a perplexed look.  Yes, I was more confused than a Corolla in a traffic circle.  I guess I've been a little out-of-touch lately, but to be fair, I'm busy with other things...  Like watching the Canucks.  Wait, they're not in the playoffs.  Okay, then I have lots of time to catch up then!  Anyways, I ended up meeting up with Sean to check out this mysterious place atop Campagnolo.

Arriving at opening, we got the pick of the limited amount of tables.  Of course we snagged one of the only window seats as the rest of the place was pretty dark.  In addition to the full Campagnolo menu, a few exclusive items were available.  Being a bar, we started with some beers and an order of the 18-Month Dry Aged Ham served with bread. The fatty ham had a soft prosciutto quality to it while being much less salty.  For some of the thicker slices, there was a bit of effort to chew while the thinner ones were buttery and went well with our beverages.

Next up was one of their daily features being the Fried Chicken Skin drizzled with honey, house-made hot sauce and garnished with blue cheese.  Rather than some of the other versions that only feature a very light dusting of flour, these were full-on battered with a crunchy coating.  Hence, there was more body, seasoning and texture.  The hot sauce had a real kick that amped up in stages while the honey and blue cheese helped bring it back down.  We shared a side of their Kennebec Fries which were in an attractive shade of deep fried.  I particularly liked how they were still very much potatoey inside while the outside was easy on the greasy and crispy.

Onto the Dirty Burger, it looked actually quite clean and simple.  Consisting of a house-made 45-day dry-aged beef patty fried with onions topped by lettuce, tomato, pickle, American cheese and secret sauce (looks like mayo, ketchup, mustard and paprika and seasonings), it is the reincarnation of the one served at Refuel.  All of this was served on a butter-fried bun.  You know how most burgers are a study in how moist and soft everything is?  Well, this one was an exercise in crispy and crunchy, including the patty.  The sinfully butter-soaked bun (known as a Scotch Bap) was super crunchy and nutty tasting.  That gave way to crisp lettuce, crunchy pickles and a patty that had a noticeably charred exterior.  The one thing that really came through was the purposeful amount of onions.  Definitely an interesting and different burger.  Other than a few small bar snack items, this was essentially the whole menu which is a reflection of the place - simple and to the point.

The Good:
- Simple with no useless frills
- If Campagnolo is busy, you can get the full menu here

The Bad:
- Health food this is not, far from it
- Limited seating which means it will get pretty full like downstairs

Sabatino's Trattoria & Bar

*Restaurant is closed*

Invites to any tastings outside the city of Vancouver proper can be a bit dicey.  First, there is the travel aspect where gas ain't exactly cheap.  Second, to get someone to actually join me for such a food adventure can be challenging.  Before I can even get the words "Surrey or Langely" out of my mouth, the phone line goes dead or I get don't get a text reply.  Where's the love for the 'burbs???  Fortunately, Sexy Mexi was all game since she actually lives out there.  With new ownership and chef, we visited Sabatino's for a South Surrey tasting.

Arriving at the table first was an amuse bouche (Gamberi Napoli) which was a tiger prawn flambeed in Pernod with garlic, grape tomato, onion and basil.  The prawn exhibited a meaty, buttery snap with some chew.  For the amount of ingredients, the flavours were surprisingly muted as I could only get hints of basil and garlic.  This probably could've done with more salt and a touch of acidity.  Next up was the Barbabietola Arrosto consisting of roasted beets, goat cheese, roasted walnuts and spinach with dill vinaigrette.  For me, I really got the goat cheese in every bite.  The beets were tender and sweet while the dressing was a bit too greasy.  I know this might be nit-picking, but the plating could've been neater on this one.

Moving onto the pastas, we got sample sizes of the Spaghetti Carbonara and Ravioli Aragosta.  Comprised of prosciutto, free-run egg yolk and Grana Padano, the carbonara was not lacking in flavour.  In fact, with so much crispy prosciutto, it was bordering on salty.  As much as the sauce enveloped each strand of spaghetti, there could've been more of it as it took on elements of greasiness rather than creamy.  In a complete contrast, the ravioli consisting of lobster and crab in a tomato basilico was fresh, tart and acidic.  In fact, the plethora of firm onions helped masked the flavours of the delicate crab and lobster.  The ravioli itself was pretty good with soft (while not overdone) pasta encasing a fluffy, sweet centre.

With the mains, Sexy Mexi and I shared both the Brasato al Valpolicella and Duo d'Anatra.  For the brasato or Two Rivers beef short rib with red wine jus, it was masterfully braised.  The meat was gelatinous, moist and melted in my mouth.  It had a natural meaty flavour accented by the fat, but as much as I could sense the Chianti braising liquid, there was a lack of seasoning.  As for the mash and veggies, they were on point.  Despite the light colour, the duck leg confit was prepared nicely.  Underneath the crisp skin was fall-off-the-bone moist duck meat.  As for the pan-roasted duck breast, the skin could've been rendered more, yet the meat itself was sufficiently tender.  It was accompanied by a cherry demi glace which was not as sweet as it looked.

For dessert, I sampled the Tiramisu first and it was light & fluffy.  It was only semi-sweet with a mild coffee taste.  In fact, I got much more chocolate than coffee.  Next, the Frangelico & Chocolate Cheesecake was rich and smooth.  Without a complete reliance on sugar, there was huge flavour from the Frangelico (hazelnut liquor) without a huge alcoholic aftertaste.  The biscotto crust was crumbly and nice compliment to the dense cake.  Overall, the meal had its hit and misses.  The mains and dessert were pretty good while the pastas could've used some tweaks.  Furthermore, some of the seasoning could've also been more aggressive.

*All food, drinks and gratuities were comped*

The Good:
- Proteins done nicely
- The cocktails we had were good
- Spacious dining space

The Bad:
- Some seasoning issues
- Some flavours out-of-balance