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When I was initially invited to the Vanfoodster Scavenger Food Hunt, it seemed like a slight departure from the usual Tasting Plates. I figured that it would be like some Amazing Race of food, more or less. Whipping Girl and Alvin ended up joining me on this adventure, yet, after an initial clue we had to decipher, it was pretty much just like any Tasting Plates where we would go to several destinations for little bites. Hey, we weren't complaining. Much like hungry hippos, it was another excuse to eat. Besides, it scattered everyone to different destinations which lightened the crowds.
We were lucky enough to be sent to the farthest location first (which meant it was less busy) being Seventeen 89 in the West End. We were served a mini-cone of Hemp Crusted Albacore Tuna. This was a very light and mildly acidic - an easy start of our eating for the afternoon. I'm not really sure if the description of the item was actually what we were served as it appeared to be more of a ceviche. Next, we scampered over to Whipping Girl's favourite - Soirette for a sampling of 2 of their Macarons. In the foreground, we had the Kumquat & Yuzu while in the background, Coconut and Guava. As per usual, their macarons were purposefully flavoured without being too sweet. Textures were on point with a crispy exterior and slightly chewy inside.
Continuing on with sweets, we made the short drive over to Bella Gelateria. We decided to go for a few flavours consisting of Amerena Cherry, Salted Caramel and Hazelnut. All were creamy and smooth with apparent flavours. They were sweet, but not incredibly so. We liked the usual salted caramel, but really didn't mind the hazelnut either as it was very nutty and aromatic. We then made the confusing walk all the way around the new conference centre to find out that De Dutch was right where the shortcut from Jack Poole Plaza was located. Well, we worked off some calories I suppose. There, we were given a choice of either a savoury Pannekoek with cheese and deBakon or one topped with bananas and strawberries. I went for the savoury and it was just like I remembered - a light thin crepe with crispy lean deBakon.
At this point, we headed over to Marquis Wines on Davie. Despite it being bustling with activity, we were able to snag a parking spot (like always, I think Alvin is a lucky charm of some sort). Inside, we were given a quick rundown of their featured Haywire Wines paired with fruit. Seeing how I had just sampled the same wines recently, it was a bit anti-climactic, but then again, I did enjoy their "Bub". Heading back into Yaletown (we did registration at Xoxolat), I parked in the first open spot and made the short walk over to Milestone's. Keeping in spirit with the "scavenger hunt", we were actually asked some skill-testing questions about their menu. I totally ignored that and went straight for the Mini-Breakfast Tostada Bites. Since these were sitting around for a bit, they were cold and the tortilla was a little soft. I bet actual dish would be much better.
Over at The Parlour, they were serving up a really impressive spread of their freshly-made Pizzas. I really couldn't remember all the different varieties, but for the ones I did try, the dough was nicely seasoned and chewy with a good char on crust. The 2 slices in the picture consisted of Roasted Chicken (with Roasted Garlic, Sundried Tomato, Basil, Chili Flake and Mozza) and The Big Prawn (with Pesto, Sun Dried Tomato, Tomato Sauce, Mozza, Parmesan and Lemon). Both were pretty good with big flavours. I liked the prawns as they were cooked just right with a nice snap. Off to something natural and refreshing, we made a stop at Chasers Fresh Juice & Deli where we used their machine to make some fresh Orange Juice. With only oranges in the mix, the juice was naturally sweet and went down easy.
Coming around full-circle, we returned to Xoxolat to sample some of their wares. Everything about the place screamed out high-end chocolate. Indeed it was including the fabulous Sour Cherry & Chilis. I loved the smooth bitter chocolate enhanced by the tart cherries and the background heat from the chilis. Overall, I really didn't get the "scavenger hunt" part of the deal, but that didn't detract from the event. We did like premium spots such as Bella Gelateria, Soirette and Xoxolat, but not really all that impressed with chains such as De Dutch and Milestone's (not because they weren't good, but there was nothing new and interesting).
The Good:
- A few premium stops
- Diverse selection
- All located in Downtown
The Bad:
- Not really a scavenger hunt
- Some less-exciting stops
I can remember the last 2 times I've been to Red Robin during the life of this blog - one in 2009 and the other in 2010. I only blogged about it once and honestly, half-heartedly. No, I'm not trying to be a food snob because I still think the burgers are fine especially for the price. Furthermore, the kiddies seem to love the place much like White Spot. It's just there is not a whole lot of sexiness in posting about the place (like people haven't already eaten here before...). But alas, we actually ate there recently and since I had my camera with me...
For the kiddies, they went for the reasonably-priced kid's meals going for $6.29 (including drink, meal and dessert). My son went for the Cheeseburger with fries. A pretty basic burger but at the very least, it was not small. Normally, the side of fries are crispier, but this time around, they were a bit soggy and dense. This was plenty enough food for him. My daughter had the Chicken Strips with a side of broccoli. The "clucks" were fried crispy while still somewhat moist inside. Although the broccoli was cooked to a pulp, that was probably the intention for kids.
For myself, I went for the Popcorn Shrimp & Chips. Now for those who don't remember (or weren't born yet), the ol' skool version of this was battered microscopic shrimp served in clumps. They are now full-sized shrimp (that's an oxymoron isn't it?), breaded and fried. I like this one more, but for me it is all about the tartar sauce (creamy with just the right amount of onions and pickles). As with my son's meal, the fries were not very fresh being a bit stale (as in fried awhile ago). Viv ended up with the 5-Alarm Burger. It was saucy and mildly spicy. The burger patty was not dry while not overly juicy either. As a package, the burger was typical Red Robin (being decent).
For some inexplicable reason, we visited the place again within a week. Oh yeah, the kiddies wanted to go there... To change things up a little, I went for 2 of their $5.00 appies including the Fried Zucchini Sticks. Unlike the ones at White Spot, these were not breaded, rather they had a doughy batter with a light crispiness. We were not that enthused with the ranch dressing as it was super salty. We also got the Pretzel Bites with beer cheese dip. Since these were fried, there was a greasy taste to them. But with that being said, they were not bad being chewy on the outside and somewhat soft on the inside. I thought the dip was pretty uneventful considering it had both beer and cheese.
I opted for the Mediterranean Lamb Burger which was loaded with plenty of feta cheese, tzatziki, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and red onion on ciabatta. Again, much like the other burger, the patty wasn't exactly juicy, yet it wasn't dry either. I liked the texture where it was tender while not gritty. It had a mild lamb aroma which naturally went well with the feta and tzatziki. Loved the fresh diced veggies, but they kept falling out of the soft bun. Of note, the fries were much better this time. Viv went for the Crispy Arctic Cod Burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles and tartar sauce. The tempura batter was light and crispy encasing flaky, moist fish. Again, the chunky and zippy tartar sauce did its thing.
As much as I tried to coax the kiddies into ordering something different, they both had the Mac n' Cheese to my chagrin. Hey, it was much better than I imagined as the penne noodles were coated with plenty of cheesey sauce (Velveeta-like) and topped with real cheddar. It could've used a bit more salt though. Included in their meals was an Ice Cream Sundae. Well, it was ice cream with whipped cream, sprinkles and a maraschino cherry on top. Enough said. Yes, Red Robin ain't complex food nor is it meant to be either. Hey, I used to frequent this place when I didn't have adult responsibilities, but now the kiddies rule and I guess it will do until they develop a taste for foie gras...
The Good:
- Inexpensive (well, most dishes)
- It's decent for what it is
- Kid-friendly
The Bad:
- It is what it is, can't compare to the ritzier chain restaurants
- Could rely less on the deep-fryer
Originally, Ginseng and Edubs joined me to try the lunch buffet at Agra Tandoori, but due to the limited selection and overall mediocre experience, I never blogged about it. However, with a Groupon staring me in the face, it was a good enough reason for all of us to return to try the a la carte menu. Ginseng was able to round up 2 more additional eating buddies which mean more food! Despite being only accepted during dinner hours, the owner made an exception for our Groupon.
We started with one order each of the Shrimp Pakora and Fish Pakora. Possibly since they were fried first, the shrimp were not as crunchy as the fish (or hot). Also, due to the shape of the shrimp, more batter had adhered to it. With that being said, they were decent with meaty shrimp that was not overcooked. As for the fish, they were fantastic. Served piping hot, the thin layer of batter was crisp and not greasy. Inside, the fish was moist, flaky and light. Along with the mint and coriander chutney, there were hits of cumin as well.
Onto the mains, we had Chicken Tikka served on a sizzling hot cast iron plate. This modest portion consisted of marinated chicken, onions and peppers. Although the chicken had good colour while benefiting from the extra sizzle, the meat was on the drier side while being very mild in flavour except for some smokiness. As for the Butter Chicken, it was more on the tomato paste side rather than being very creamy. I personally like it creamier. With that being said, it was not lacking in flavour as there was a noted level of heat as well as the usual spices. The chunks of chicken were a it small, but were moist.
Next, we tried that Aloo Gobi which included large pieces of potato and cauliflower. Their textures were more on the firm side while not being hard. Flavours were mild with only the usual ginger and cumin notes coming through. It seemed like the flavours were not completely developed in this dish. We got some Garlic Naan to go with our meal in addition to rice. These had nice charring with some crispy portions, otherwise we would've liked to see even more colour. They were mostly soft and slightly chewy. As for the garlic, it was quite evident.
Our last 2 dishes were our favourites. The Lamb Tikka Masala was full of flavour and spice. This one had depth of flavour (the beneficiary of the lamb meat and fats) where it had body and a decent level of heat. The lamb itself was really tender with that classic gelatinous fatty texture. Lastly, we had the Fish Curry which was chock full of moist and flaky fish. Flavours were on point as there was a good mix of ginger, cumin, coriander and spice. Overall, we were pretty satisfied with our meal. In addition, the service we received was attentive and friendly. Agra Tandoori does the job for Indian food in Burnaby (as it isn't the hotbed of this type of cuisine), but I'd skip the buffet and do a la carte instead.
The Good:
- Friendly service
- Overall decent eats
The Bad:
- Buffet lacks variety
- Even though we asked for spicy, it could've been more so
Costanza wanted to meet up for Chinese food in Burnaby, but really, there is not as much choice as one would think. I went through the usual suspects and concluded that we needed to try something new. Suddenly, it occurred to me that the evil Po King had left town (now in Richmond) and had been replaced by a more welcoming restaurant named New Starlet. I've been here for Dim Sum and the food was decent (if not pricey) while the service would make Po King just a fading nightmare.
We started with the Daily Soup consisting of fish, fatty pork and watercress. The soup was boiled long enough to develop depth of flavour, but naturally, it was aided with seasoning. The flavours were clean and not an incredible amount of MSG was used. On a separate plate, there was a considerable amount of ingredients that we didn't even get to eat as there was enough food to come. The first course of the Peking Duck arrived next and it was carved table side. They left quite a bit of the meat on each piece of crispy skin which made each wrap more substantial. I thought the duck was decently prepared, but some pieces did have a noticeable amount of fat. As for the crepes, they were thin and slightly chewy, but not dry.
Next, the second course, being the Duck Lettuce Wrap was wedged onto the Lazy Susan. They expedited our dishes really fast and we couldn't keep up. There was good wok heat as evidenced by its appearance (with the help of dark soy as well) and taste. There was good caramelization while the ingredients were not wet nor greasy. The meat was relatively moist while the veggies were crisp. They did a terrible job with the lettuce though as some pieces were unusable. Since we got the special meal, it included a live Lobster, which we asked for it be prepared with a cream sauce and the addition of noodles. It was of a decent size where it was fried nicely as the meat was still succulent and had a good bounce. We noticed that the cream sauce was rather bland, but it was partly our fault as we asked for no onions (which would've added some sweetness and aromatics). As for the noodles, they were too soft.
Next, we were presented with a Roasted Squab which was a bit pale in colour. Hence, the skin was not really all that crispy nor rendered. However, the meat was still moist and mostly tender. We would've liked to see more seasoning and/or brine as the meat was rather mild in flavour. The head didn't go to waste as we played a game of hot potato with it at the table. Nice to see the adults were being a positive influence on the kids... With what was probably our favourite dish of the meal, the Fisherman's Tofu Hot Pot looked simple, but the flavours were hardly so. Hidden beneath the 4 big pan-fried pieces of silky tofu was a bevy of crab, scallops, shrimp, fish, dried shrimp and dried scallops. Hence, there was wealth of flavours that were both salty and a taste of the sea. This went well with our next dish which was the Yeung Chow Fried Rice.
The Yeung Chow Fried Rice looked to be missing some wok heat and it was indeed that. Hence, the rice was a bit soft rather than chewy and nutty. Also, there was a general lack of seasoning which made the rice plain and not savoury. Therefore, we needed the intense sauce from the tofu hot pot. We did like the big crunchy shrimp though as it added nice texture. Our last dish was the Sauteed Gai Lan served in a hot pot. We were not a big fan of this dish as the gai lan were hacked up into little pieces which made each piece too soft. Furthermore, the whole thing was coated in grease which made it both hard to pick up and unappealing. However, the flavours were good as there seemed to be some fried bits that were pungent (salted fish?). Overall, the meal was acceptable with a few highlights. However, we found the pricing to be rather high.
The Good:
- Shockingly attentive and eager service
- Clean and classy decor
- Lots of parking at the back
The Bad:
- Expensive
- A bit inconsistent with seasoning
I'm sure you are familiar with my usual yammering about Pho Tam being the "best" Pho in the GVRD. Naturally, food preferences are subjective and really, it might not be the best for some people. Nearly 5 years since my last blog post about the place (I've been there many times since), I thought it would be a good idea to see if Pho Tam is still the best. Gathering up the troops including Big D, Slick, JuJu and Red Light, we set out to not only have a great meal, but to visit the Hockey Shop as well (hey, we all play hockey!).
Sticking with the usual, we went for the combos which included a choice of large noodle soup and either a Spring Roll or Salad Roll. As seen in the picture, the spring roll was constructed with a rice wrapper (bonus points for them) which was fried until super crispy. The filling was meaty and not over-processed. It had a good mix of fish sauce, carrots, onions and wood ear mushrooms. As for the salad roll, it consisted of rice noodles, pork, sprouts, lettuce and meaty shrimp. The rice wrapper was soft while still chewy. However, I found the pork a touch too dry. Also, the dipping sauce was a bit too much on the hoisin side.
Onto the main event, JuJu and I shared 3 items starting with the Pho Dac Biet. There was a good amount of meats including tender brisket, moist rare steak, meatballs, tendon and tripe. The broth was solid as usual with a nice balance of sweetness to go with the natural meat flavours. This time around, I found it less strong as before and it was harder to pick out the individual flavours. Next, we had the Bun Bo Hue, where it was lacking pork knuckle and blood. With that being said, the broth was pretty good though. It was purposefully spicy with mild hints of lemongrass. Unfortunately, the noodles were too soft and broke apart easily. Again, the meats were plentiful and on point.
Lastly, we had the Lemongrass Chicken and Short Ribs on Rice. This was a generous portion of chewy rice topped with fatty and tender short rib. It had a nice char and was well-seasoned. The chicken also sported a char but the meat was quite firm and lacking moisture. It was nicely marinated though as it had a noticeable lemongrass hit. So what's the verdict? Well, Pho Tam is still a solid place for Pho, but I believe (with all of the other places I've visited in the last 5 years) that the competition has closed the gap considerably. In fact, subjectively-speaking, some people will think other places may have the best Pho in town.
The Good:
- Large portions
- Solid eats
The Bad:
- The competition has caught up IMO
- Parking lot insufficient, but you can park at Safeway and get half of your parking validated
Too much of a good thing would be the best way to describe my participation as a judge for the #MacChallenge YVR. I think I'll refrain from any mac n' cheese for the foreseeable future (unless it's tasty... sorry, can't help myself). There was one pleasant by-product from the whole exercise though. On my final visit for some mac n' cheese, it brought me to Kessel & March. Since it was around dinner time and I had Sean, Adrian & Jeremy with me, we decided to have an actual meal (this was after trying 2 other mac n' cheese entries earlier).
The first plate was the Chicken Liver Pate with orange marmalade and homemade toast. Smooth and creamy while purposefully sweet with hints of brandy, the pate was expertly prepared. As much as the pate was very good, believe it or not, the one thing that was the veritable icing on the cake was the wonderful toast. Crunchy and fresh, it was the ideal accompaniment. Next, we had the Farmhouse Terrine with mustard and gherkins. The pork terrine was meaty with just enough fat. It was mild tasting where it could've used a bit more salt. However, the sweet onions added the necessary counterbalance to the peppery notes. The dollop of mustard was more than for show as it was spicy and impactful.
We then had a dish I originally sampled during the East Village Tasting Plates - Sardines on Toast. Seemingly a simple dish, it would prove to be my favourite and it was no different this time around. With thick filets of sardine, salad cream, celery and radish on crunchy homemade toast, there were big flavours and textures at play. The fish oils along with a balanced amount of sweet and saltiness, it was a party in my mouth. With even more toast (we didn't mind), we had the Mussels with fennel, chorizo and tomato in a white wine sauce. The large buttery honey mussels were bathed in a sweet and spicy broth. The wine had been cooked down nicely where there was some bite from the tomatoes.
For me, I had to order the Lamb Sirloin with crispy polenta and rapini. The meat itself was a beautiful medium rare (closer to rare, which I personally prefer) where it was meaty with a slight chew. The green "sauce" on top was a good balance of herbs, acidity and salt. It added a brightness which livened up the dish. The crispy slab of polenta was more than bystander where it was a study in contrasting textures. It was not too soft either where it still had a bit of firmness. Lastly, we shared some Lemon Tarts. Unlike many other versions I've had, this one featured a crumbly tart shell. The lemon curd was more tart than sweet (which is my personal preference). It was really creamy and an overall nice dessert. This was ultimately an enjoyable meal that left me thinking about my next visit. With a simple, focused menu, Kessel & March succeeds in offering up carefully prepared eats at a reasonable price.
The Good:
- Small, quaint place with friendly owners
- Carefully prepared food
- Reasonable pricing
The Bad:
- It is indeed small, large groups may be a challenge
- Limited menu for those who want variety
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