skip to main |
skip to sidebar
There was something different about Tasting Plates (presented by Vanfoodster) this time around... First, it was not in Vancouver (this wasn't the first time though). In fact, it was on the other side of the Lion's Gate in West Vancouver. Second, the skies opened up pretty good (unlike most other times during Tasting Plates). In actuality, Tasting Plates is daring to go where others haven't. Ironically, I missed the Richmond one (I was away I swear!), now the only one missing is Surrey (c'mon Richard, you know you want to...).
But back to West Van, my angle of attack was to arrive super early (ahead of rush hour traffic). Whipping Girl followed suit and we were on our way as others hadn't even arrived yet. We were served an Antipasto Sampler Plate at Caffe Al Mercato comprised of prosciutto, salami, mortadella, focaccia, meatball, gorgonzola, taleggio, ricotta on crostini and breadstick. Amazingly, the one thing that I really liked was the the light and crispy breadstick. It wasn't as if the other items weren't good though. I thought the meatball was firm without being dry. We also got to sample 2 pastas from Mangia E Bevi at the same location (as they are the same company). The first was a Strozzapretti with white truffle oil, portobello mushrooms and porcini-cream sauce. I thought the
mushrooms were impactful in amping the woodsy-flavour of the cream sauce. Although the truffle oil provided even more Earthiness, it was a touch strong. Since it was served in a chaffing tray, the pasta could be excused for being a bit past al dente. Next was the Gluten-Free Fusilli with ground chicken, artichokes, oven-dried tomatoes and brandy-tomato sauce. Again, the pasta was soft due to the serving method (but understandable). I thought the flavours were bright and tart from the artichokes while the chicken was able to replicate a meatiness more associated with pork.
We moved on next to Truffle House and Cafe where we were served a plate consisting of Truffle Arancini (mushroom risotto ball with Parmesan and truffle aioli), Air Dried Cherry Tomato Pinwheel (with sundried Moroccan olive tapenade) and Chocolate Mousse Cup (with honey almonds and raspberry coulis). Scorching hot and super crispy, the arancini featured firm rice that was effectively salty without being overwhelming. There was a nice hit of truffle and mushroom that lived up to the restaurant's namesake. As for the pinwheel, it was a touch burnt on the bottom, but not enough to adversely affect the flavour profile (it was super nutty though). The puff
pastry was crispy and light while the tapenade and tomato combined for a tart saltiness. The weakest item of the dish was the mousse cup as the consistency was too thin while there was too much overpowering coulis that rendered the chocolate to the background. Onto our next stop at Blue-Eyed Mary's, we were treated to a platter comprised of Corn, Leek and Sausage Chowder, Multi-Grain Crusted Chicken Thigh (with Riesling apricot butter on a bacon cheddar biscuit) and Lemon Basil Tart (with almond sable crust and late summer berries and cassis compote). Loved the chowder as it wasn't too heavy, but was still full of flavour and body thanks to the sweet leeks and corn as well as the meaty sausage. Unfortunately served cold, the chicken thigh was nicely textured with a firm crust. I liked the sweet apricot butter but the cold biscuit made things heavy and clunky. The impactful basil in the lemon curd made for a refreshing tart. A bit too sweet, the compote took away from the curd a bit, but the crust was really good as there was a nuttiness to it.
Our tasting plate at Milestone's was probably one of the worst we've had ever for one of these events. It included Panko- Crusted Crab Cakes (with sriracha slaw and chipotle aioli), Poblano Soup (with creme fraiche and red corn tortilla) and Peanut Butter and Jelly Pot de Crème. We were not sure what the heck they did with the crab cake, but the exterior panko coating was rubbery with the texture like overcooked eggs. That completely negated the fluffy blue crab. This was one bad crab cake. As for the soup, there was an effective spice and some sweetness, but the overuse of salt overwhelmed even the spice. Lastly, the pot de crème had this strange aftertaste where it was too sweet. We would've liked to see some bitterness. Suffice-to-say, we didn't finish the food. Literally running away, we headed over to The Anchor Eatery where we tried 2 juices including the Green Machine (kale, cucumber, celery, parsley and apple) and Honolulu (pineapple, apple, mint and ginger). I liked both of them as they were healthy and refreshing while sporting enough impactful flavours. We also tried their Wheat-Free Vegan Cookie which was chewy and chocolaty where it wasn't too sweet. It resembled a granola bar in texture.
We planned for Temper Pastry to be our last stop as it was effectively our dessert course. We each chose a different item which included a Double-Baked Almond Croissant and a mini-Chocolate Ice Bar. With a lightly crisp exterior and a buttery sweet filling, the croissant was satisfying and purposefully sweet. We loved the ice cream bar as it was only semi-sweet with a slightly bitter finish. The ice cream was light and creamy. I was also able to sample one of their chocolates and it had a nice silkiness while finishing off semi-sweet and a touch bitter. Overall, this was a nice gastronomical introduction to West Van and in particular, places that I've never heard before. Again, I appreciate events such as these that dare to go to places not many would think of. Naturally due to the restaurants willing to participate, the distance between them made it a driving tour (but they were on the same street though).
*All food and beverages were comped*
The Good:
- Again, somewhere different
- Not walkable, but on the same street
- Unique spots (except for Milestone's)
The Bad:
- Some distance between restaurants
- Inclusion of Milestone's this time was a bust
On our drive from Monterey to L.A., my initial plan was to take the Coast Highway all-the-way-down. Think of it, the breath-taking scenery of the glistening ocean with the sea breeze in our faces. Wait, think of it - 2 bored-out-of-their-mind kiddies complaining about being hungry and the incessant cries of "are we there yet?". Yes, that was enough to change my mind and we proceeded to head down the 101 pronto. Of course we did have to stop for lunch and that happened to be at the Firestone Grill in San Luis Obispo.
This counter-service joint was packed to the brim as we arrived with a lineup well out-the-door. As we moved closer and closer to the till, it was pretty apparent why - inexpensive and large portions. That was pretty evident with the basket of Chicken Strips with a side of Fries. Being a grazer, my daughter had as much of chance at finishing that amount of food as Ben Affleck could pass as a superhero. The strips were good though with moist white meat encased in a crunchy batter. The skinny fries were also crispy and surprisingly light for a fried item. My son had the Kid's Cheeseburger and it could easily pass for a regular one. The beef patty was large and not too dry with a good smoky char. The thick slice of cheese didn't hurt matters either.
For myself, I had the Pork Rib Meal with garlic bread and salad. The 7 meaty ribs were tender while not exactly fall-off-the-bone. There was a smoky char on the outside while the BBQ sauce was definitely sweeter than tangy. This was a whole lot of meat for $13.89. Viv ended up with the Tri-Tip Steak Sandwich which featured enough meat for another. Lean and easy-to-chew, the meat was doused in just enough sauce that didn't hide the natural flavours. This was a very filling and satisfying. As you can see, the food at Firestone Grill is neither complicated nor inventive. Rather, the food is straight-forward and well-prepared in large portions at a reasonable price - perfect for families and those needing to grab a bite.
The Good:
- Large portions
- Inexpensive
- Decent eats
The Bad:
- Due to being so busy - continual lineups and wait for food
- Seating can be a little hard to find
Originally, we were going to do a one-day trip over to the Monterrey Aquarium from Fremont. However, driving there and back seemed like a complete waste of time (and waste of gas). So we changed things up a bit and decided to leave the Bay Area one day early and stay overnight in Salinas instead. That meant we would be looking for eats in the Monterey area. Of course, in touristy spots, food can be quite mediocre and overly expensive. With a little bit of research ahead of time, it looked like the family-friendly Hula's might offer up something interesting for a reasonable price.
We started off with an order of the Jamaican Johnny Cakes that resembled a moist hybrid banana cake-corn bread with a crispy caramelized exterior. They weren't overly sweet nor banana tasting, so we surmised that they used plantain. I liked them a lot (said a la Jim Carey) as they were a study in texture. We also had the Island Style Poke (raw ahi, soy sauce, sesame oil, avocado, onion and sesame seeds) which actually showed up last. They were great about it though, taking it off the bill and apologizing. It was worth waiting for as the tuna was fresh and texturally on point. There was a good balance of flavours including enough sesame, soy and acidity (with the squeeze of lemon).
For our mains, I went for Duke's Luau Pork Plate with slow roasted pulled pork, soy glaze, pineapple, rice and slaw. Normally, I get disappointed with anything billed as "luau". Even the one I had in Hawaii was dry and tasteless. Not here though as the pork was moist and almost fluffy. The glaze was just the right balance between sweet, salty and zing. Even the coleslaw was on point with a solid crunch and the zippiness from pickled ginger. Viv ended up with the Ahi Tuna Sandwich. Although it was cooked more than I would've liked (being almost fully cooked through), the sammie was solid. It featured the same wonderful coleslaw to go with the thick piece of tuna.
My son went for the Kalbi Chicken Sticks with the side of rice from Viv's plate. Sadly, these were terrible. The white meat was obliterated being super dry and stringy. The excessive char on the outside only served to create a hard bark that was inedible. We really should've sent these back. The one positive was the tasty marinade as it was not overly sweet. My daughter, doing her own thing again, had the boring Mac n' Cheese which totally went with the Hawaiian theme... Although not particularly cheesy, it was sufficiently creamy with firm macaroni noodles. Making up for the lack of cheese was the ample amount of seasoning (mostly salt and butter).
We ended our meal with the Pot Brownie. Okay, before you look up the number to child and family services, this was served in a flower pot (no weed). It was served piping hot, moist and very chocolaty without being too sweet. The fudge, on the other hand, was very sweet. This was a large portion that made us quite content and mellow (again, no weed!). Overall, we found the food at Hula's to be decent and definitely kid-friendly (skewers withstanding). Best of all, the service was over and beyond what we expected.
The Good:
- Generally decent eats
- Great service
- Kid-Friendly
The Bad:
- A little bit pricey
- The proteins we had (chicken and tuna) were overcooked
Having just left Fremont on our way to Monterey, the words "I'm hungry" was said in unison from the back seat. For the love of... Then why did they not eat enough food before we left??? Fine. We would have to stop for food. With no real plan, we reached into the altered sched to find the only thing nearby was The Counter in San Jose. Located in the swank shopping district, this location of The Counter is part of a chain that serves up gourmet burgers offering up options for customizing your own.
We were pressed for time so I didn't bother choosing my own toppings and went for the 1/3rd pound Counter Burger consisting of hormone + antibiotic free beef, sharp provolone, crispy onion strings, lettuce blend, sautéed mushrooms, ripened red tomato and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette on a brioche bun. The first thing I noticed after an initial bite was the meatiness of the medium-rare patty. It was firm, yet not dry exhibiting a whole lot of beef flavor and appealing texture. The crispy onions added both crunch and flavor. I thought the toasted brioche was firm enough to stand up to the ingredients while not being overly dry. Viv decided to try the Southwestern Burger in a Bowl that was essentially a salad topped by a 1/3rd pound patty. It included hormone + antibiotic free beef, lettuce blend, tillamook cheddar, fresh jalapeños, roasted corn, black bean salsa, roasted green chiles and scallions with creamy Caesar. This was a spicy concoction with the burst of sweetness from the roasted corn. Definitely a low-carb option.
For the kiddies, my son had the Mini Cheeseburgers with shoestring fries. The thin fries were appealingly crispy while not completely devoid of potatoness. They were well-salted and good on their own. As for his cheeseburgers, the meat was again, not overdone and he dusted them off quickly. Going down her own road (like she often does), my daughter had the Grilled Cheese and Ham with skinny fries. Not particularly seared long enough on the flattop, the bread was naturally a touch soft, but there was lots of ham and cheese. It didn't help improve the texture, however, it did make the sandwich hearty. From the items we tried at The Counter, the food was decent and generally enjoyable. I wouldn't classify anything as ground-breaking, but the many options allow people to customize their meal.
The Good:
- Lots of options
- Low carb, gluten free salad option
- Decent eats
The Bad:
- A little pricey
Continuing on with the "let's not be typical and eat Chinese food" quest, I thought hard about where we were going to eat after my Uncle wanted to treat us back for the meal at Boiling Crab. Suddenly it occurred to me - let's do BBQ! So off we headed over to Sam's BBQ in San Jose for some finger lickin' eats. It was nice to be at a place where it was casual and fun, especially with the impending 5 courses of meat. Such a change from the 10 courses of Chinese food. Yah, #firstworldproblems...
Fortunately for us, we were able to make a reservation since we were a large party. Funny that when we got there, a lady was sitting at our table and refused to budge. She wondered why we needed 2 tables. Um... 8 people cannot fit into one table! Anyways... Before the carnivore feast was about to begin, the Steak Fries made their appearance. These were thick, crunchy yet lacking in potatoness. My kids seemed to like them, so what do I know? Next up was a generous portion of Hush Puppies. These had a firm crunch from the cornmeal which I personally liked. Inside, it was dense, yet not heavy as it was moist. The side of honey butter helped soften things up even more so (as well as adding an aromatic sweetness).
I gave the Beef Ribs a sample and they were meaty with a "steak-like" texture. So it wasn't exactly falling off the bone (it's smoked so it shouldn't be), but that didn't mean it was difficult to eat either. It exhibited a nice even smoke ring that gave the meat depth of flavor. The BBQ sauce was a nice mix including enough smoke and sweetness. As for the Baby Back Ribs, they were ginormous with lots of meat that didn't suffer much shrinkage from smoking. Again, this type of BBQ would not yield fall-off-the-bone ribs necessarily since they marinate and the smoke it from raw (then put on the BBQ). Unlike being par-boiled (that would make BBQ purists cry), these ribs were meaty and full of natural flavour including the smoke and sweet BBQ sauce.
Moving on, we also got a pound of the Smoked Brisket which also had a flavorful smoke ring as well. Due to the cut (at the end of the brisket), the meat was on the drier side. With that being said, it wasn't chewy as the meat had tenderized from the 14 hours of smoking. It did have a nice bark that added a richness to the meat. I wasn't a huge fan of the BBQ Pork though as it was not exactly that tender. As you can see in the picture, it wasn't dry per se and indeed it wasn't lean either. But possibly due to the thickness of the meat, the center portion was chewy and a little bland. Again, there was a nice exterior bark and smoke ring. If I ate those pieces alone, it was okay.
Last meat option was 1/2 Sam's Salsa Chicken. Sporting a beautiful deep brown smoked exterior, the skin was completely rendered. Although no one would ever claim the meat was juicy, it wasn't too dry either. Even the breast meat was completely edible without chewy parts. Flavorwise, it was of course smoky, but I didn't get a whole lot of salsa though. For our sides, we had Potato Salad, Garlic Bread, Coleslaw and Chili Beans. The potato salad was the typical mashed potato-type with onions, celery and mustard. Coleslaw was good with a fresh crunch and zip. The chili beans were more like baked beans with some spice. Overall, the stuff at Sam's was decent and generally a good value. No one should be longing for any meat after a meal here. One word of caution to those who like chain restaurant BBQ food, you won't find it at Sam's. They smoke everything from raw where it retains its natural flavors and takes on a rich smoke. No parboiled stuff here.
The Good:
- Well-priced
- You won't leave hungry
- Casual, relaxed atmosphere
The Bad:
- Due to the cooking method, the meats will not fall-off-the-bone (if you want that style...)
- Pretty darn busy (good for them)
Early on, I already knew this vacation was not going to be a culinary expedition. Hey, with all the kid-friendly attractions that were planned, not many gourmet eats could be found nearby. Furthermore, with Viv trying to eek out the most possible benefit from our CityPass, we were guaranteed to dine on mediocre food. But wait. There was a glimmer of hope when I spotted that Coqueta lay only steps from Exploratorium. The James Beard Award winner for Best New Restaurant and with Michael Chiarello's team at the helm, it looked as if we were finally going to escape the dreaded mac n' cheese trap.
So I finally got my way, but were the kids going to eat the food? Being a tapas joint, at the very least, there would be some variety. Viv and I started with a few Pintxos (bite-size skewers offered tableside) including the Heuvos de Codorniz (quail's egg, pickled mustard seed and serrano ham), House-Cured Boquerones (white anchovies, olives, pearl onions and guindilla peppers) and I really liked the quail's egg since it wasn't overdone, hence it was creamy and buttery. Little bursts of acidity combined with the salty ham ensured that flavor was not an issue. As for the anchovies, they were predictably salty and tart while the peppers added a spicy finish. Any fears of my daughter not eating anything was quickly ended with the Croquetas de Pollo consisting of chicharrón-crusted chicken and English peas with cured cara-cara orange. These were hot and crispy with tender chunks of chicken. The creaminess inside was broken up by the sweet pop of the peas.
She didn't have any reservations about the Salmon Ahumado (smoked salmon, queso fresco and truffle honey) either. With the combination of the sweet honey with the saltiness of the salmon, there was a harmony of flavors which was accented by the woodsy truffles and smooth herbed cheese. Moreover, the crispy bread added the necessary textural contrast. Finally, my son decided to join us in eating with our next dish. The Patatas Bravas (freshly dug crispy new potatoes lightly smoked and served with bravas salsa and garlic aioli) were addictive with its crispy outside and soft fluffy interior. These were purposefully salty with a nice accent of garlic. We found the salsa to be a nice balance between tart and spicy. However, we preferred the potatoes on their own.
Onto some meat, we had the Albondigas a la Feria (grilled duck and pork meatballs with tart cherry and tempranillo salsa and crispy shallots. These were pleasing to the eye and even better to the palate. With a deep brown sear on the exterior, the meatballs were juicy and tender. With that being said, the meat still maintained its natural texture in the process. Just seasoned enough, is also exhibited natural meat flavours which was nicely complimented by the tart and spicy salsa as well as the aromatic shallots. We also got the Setas al Ajillo (wild and cultivated mushrooms with garlic, chili and sherry) to satisfy our veggie quotient and for our daughter, who loves mushrooms. These exhibited a wonderful fire-roasting that caramelized the flavors as well as adding a sweet smokiness. With the aforementioned ingredients, it was evident in the flavor profile as we got tart, spicy and garlic butter.
Our last tapas item before dessert was the Deep Fried Pancake of shrimp and chickpea flour with saffron aioli, pea sprouts, scallions and charred lemon. This was our least favorite dish as the pancake was overly greasy while the shrimp wasn't particularly appealing as it was rubbery. The pancake itself was crunchy though with a aromatic saffron aioli. The charred lemon did help cut through the oil though. We finished things off with something my son would devour almost by himself - Churro with chocolate sauce and berry powder. These mini-churros were crunchy and light sweetened not only by the sugar, but by the mild chocolate. I liked the fruitiness of the powder, but my son wouldn't touch it. Despite the last savory dish, the selection we sampled was carefully prepared and generally enjoyable. Worth a look-see if in the area.
The Good:
- Wonderful location
- Carefully prepared tapas
- Attentive service
The Bad:
- Pricey (but consider the location and the name behind it)
- Good, but not great
Seeing how my aunt and uncle were so gracious enough to let Viv and I stay at their place while in the Bay Area, we thought that treating them to a meal was in order. But where? No, I was not going back to Mayflower, despite his love for the place. This time, I really wanted something different. Okay, they like seafood... and aren't afraid to eat with their hands... Bingo! The Boiling Crab! Ever since my meal at Crawdaddy, I wanted to check out the "more well-known" spot in San Jose.
Before we got to the seafood, we started with an order of their Yam Fries. Yes, I know yam fries are as exciting as a late-night infommercial (do people watch those anymore? GLH anyone?), but these were good. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They weren't overly greasy either. The kiddies didn't partake in the seafood feast, so we got them a basket of Chicken Strips and Fries. Well, remember what I said about the late-night infommercial? Basically, these did the job with large pieces that featured moist white meat coated with a crunchy batter. The fries were equally crunchy too.
For the boil, we got Crawfish, Clams, Mussels, Shrimp, Corn, Potatoes and Sausage (in the Whole Sha-Bang Sauce in mild). For good measure, we added a whole crab and lobster. We felt that the clams and mussels were money as they were plump and properly cooked. There was definitely enough meat to fill each shell, where the whole sha-bang sauce clung onto each piece. It was still spicy (even though we asked for mild) and full of garlic which was accented nicely by the limes with salt & pepper. The frozen white shrimp were pretty typical while the crawfish could've been more fresh as some were mushy. The crab was on point with fluffy meat. The lobster was a tad overcooked where it started to become rubbery. I liked the meaty sausage as there was just enough fat and spice. The medium-sized potatoes were done right while the corn could've used less time. If I had to compare, The Boiling Crab has offered up the best seafood boil that I have tried. The combination of fresh seafood and flavorful sauce made me wanting for more.
The Good:
- Fun eating
- Whole ShaBang spicy and impactful
- We got fresh seafood (even the crab and lobster)
The Bad:
- Will never be a "cheap" meal
- Very messy, if you don't like that
Posts
