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It is no secret I'm a big fan of the Aburi Restaurants Canada with their high-end Japanese in both Miku and Minanmi. Despite the premium pricing, the combination of style, unique dishes and careful execution justify it (in my opinion). Recently opened, Gyoza Bar + Ramen is their new venture out on Pender in Downtown. It was only natural that I gathered the troops for this food adventure including Gyoza King (who is our resident expert on the dumpling).
The first item to arrive was the BC Wild Salmon Ceviche with Thai Chilis, jalapeno soy and celery. There was no denying the quality of the salmon as it exhibited a buttery firm texture while sporting a noticeable natural sweetness. However, the promise of spice was really more of a sputter as it really wasn't impactful. We understood that it shouldn't overwhelm the delicate salmon, but this wasn't even close. Next was the Aburi Pork Char Sui with sous-vide egg and crostinis. If the last dish wasn't lively, then this one just flat-lined. With diced up semi-firm and dry pork topped with a silky egg, this dish was left wanting for any hit of flavour. Even with the squeeze of lime, there wasn't much to bring this to life.
Onto their signature dish being the Teppan Gyoza, we got both the small and large size. Both should've been super crispy and mind-blowing due to the pictures and description on the menu. However, someone should've told the kitchen... These arrived looking very much like any other gyoza. Yes, there was little nuggets of crispiness here and there, but it didn't deliver on the promise and it certainly didn't look like the picture. As for the good news, the dumpling skin was thin, tender and appealing (although it was overdone though). As for the filling, it was meaty with a good mix of cabbage. I particularly liked dipping them into the Spicy Garlic Soy as it added a good kick.
We also sampled their specialty gyoza including the Miso Short Rib with feta, pickled peppers, zucchini and jalapeno soy glaze. Again sporting that thin delicate wrapper, this was actually better in texture than the teppan gyoza. Inside, it was filled with moist short rib that was only mildly seasoned. As much as I liked this, the filling was a bit one-note in texture. Second, we tried the Chili Shrimp and Pickled Daikon with soy marinated ikura and wasabi chimichurri. It resembled a Chinese dumpling where the bits of shrimp were cold-water crunchy and sweet. But overall, there wasn't a whole lot of flavour. I guess that was forgivable since shrimp is delicate, yet there wasn't even the spice as promised.
Whipping Girl and I decided to go for their Tomato-Saffron Seafood Ramen with mussels, clams, scallop, prawn, chicken and char siu. The initial sip of the soup yielded a strong aromatic saffron taste that hit our tastebuds like a Mack truck. Then it gave way to the tang of the tomato, but unfortunately ended extremely salty. We did like the seafood as it was properly prepared and not overcooked. We weren't big fans of the yellow noodle as it was overly firm and lacked cohesion with the broth - it kinda just sat in the broth disconnected from the dish. Milhouse went for the Free Range Chicken Broth with Awase Triple Miso, chicken char siu and tamago. There was no mistaking the chicken essence in the broth. Furthermore, the miso added a savoury sharpness to the broth that wasn't overly salty, but it ultimately did end off that way. Remarkably, the slices of chicken were succulent and tender.
Gyoza King was not only here for the gyozas, but also for the Free Range Chicken Broth with Mediterranean Salt. It helped highlight the rich chicken flavour more without the distraction of the miso. However, it also meant it was pretty salty from start to finish. As for the chicken, it was exactly like the other version. Bear had the Pork Tonkotsu Broth which was the least salty of the bunch. That didn't mean there wasn't any flavour though as it was porky, although not silky. The char siu wasn't exactly chewy, but it wasn't melt-in-his mouth tender either. He thought it was a decent attempt. Now that brings up a dilemma though. For the prices they charge ($17.00 for the Saffron Broth), is decent or "good" enough? For quite a few of us, the answer was no.
The Good:
- Despite the overwhelmingly negative reviews, the food is actually decent
- Service was attentive
- Nice vibe
The Bad:
- Expensive
- Food is decent, but the prices are not
With a name like Stake, one could only assume one of 2 things - either it is Dracula's worst nightmare or it is a play on words regarding grilled beef. Well, in reality, neither is true these days, especially after the re-branding of the Boulevard Casino, now known as the Hard Rock Casino. Granted, I never had the urge to visit the place before receiving a recent invitation. Why? Well, the reviews were horrible and humbly confirmed by new Executive Chef Matthew Richmond (formerly of the Westin Grand). Yup, those reviews were bang on as the food was not very good. Now with the backing of the Hard Rock, there has been a revamp and a commitment to sourcing out local ingredients.
With that in mind, Miss Y and myself headed out to nearby Coquitlam (yes, we live in the burbs) to check the place out. We began with the Beet Trio featuring candy cane, red and golden beets, blueberry goat cheese mousse, pea greens, walnut wafer and golden beet dressing. At first, the blue goat cheese threw me off due to its strange colour. But it tasted a whole lot better than it looked with a light salty creaminess and the subtle sweetness of the blueberries. The beets were lightly pickled which provided a zing in addition to its inherent Earthiness. Interestingly, the walnut wafer was not just a garnish as it was lightly crispy, nutty and savoury. Next up was Stake's Signature Smoked Crispy Pork Belly with green pea puree, butter braised white aspargus, tomato confit and apple bourbon jus. The Sakura pork belly exhibited a light smoke while the crackling was nicely rendered and crispy. There was a natural pork flavour with only a light brine. The meat itself was succulent while not exactly melt-in-my-mouth since most of the fat was rendered. I found the asparagus to be tender while still firm while the tomato to be plump and tart.
Moving on, we were presented with the Pacific Halibut with King oyster mushrooms, braised in abalone sauce, preserved olive, green beans, eggplant and wilted pea greens. Although the flaky halibut sported a golden sear, the fish itself was overdone, hence being dry. The fish was not seasoned very much, but that didn't matter as the rest of the dish featured far too much sodium. The preserved olives were extremely salty and took over the dish. We did enjoy the mushrooms though as they were plump and infused with a good amount of aromatic and salty abalone sauce. Onto a vegetarian option, we were served the Pan-Seared Truffle Polenta with leek fondue, ratatouille, thyme glazed portabella and garlic cream. Believe it or not, this was one of my favourite dishes of the night. Well, the fact that I personally love polenta didn't hurt either. However, it was beautifully seared with a golden brown crispy exterior that yielded a fluffy and appealingly salty Parmesan spiked interior. The ratatouille underneath was vibrant and fresh.
Finally, we made it to the red meat dish being the 6 oz. Seared Beef Tenderloin with Golden Ears Emmental fondant potato, glazed beets, crisp leek, truffle foam and jus. As illustrated in the picture, the tenderloin was prepared a beautiful medium-rare sporting a well-seared exterior. Suffice to say, the meat was buttery soft while accented by the red wine jus. As for the foam, I didn't notice much truffle or impact. The tender potatoes were spiked with cheesiness by the slightly browned Emmental. For dessert, we had the Chocolate Marquise with Irish cream Anglaise, chocolate pearls and raspberry coulis. This was a creamy and rich concoction which was purposefully sweet with plenty chocolaty goodness. I would've liked to see more bitterness at the end, but it was good nonetheless. Overall, we enjoyed our meal despite the halibut course. Considering the prices are at or below higher-end chain restaurants (ie. Cactus Club and Milestone's), Stake offers up another choice in the Coquitlam area.
*All food, beverages and gratuities were comped*
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Well-priced
- Tastefully appointed decor
The Bad:
- Somehow, the exterior doesn't look all that inviting
- Halibut dish was overcooked and overseasoned
It is by no coincidence that I have only one post for the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows area. I'm just not around there very much other than going to the Laity Pumpkin Patch or playing golf at Golden Ears. Hence, my eating adventures stop right before the Pitt River Bridge. However, I recently received an invite to try Kisoji Japanese Kitchen near Lougheed at Harris Road. Really, it wasn't for the complimentary food anyways because the gas kinda negated it. Rather, I was really curious to see how they fared all-the-way-out-there.
To help Viv and I put a dent into the menu, we included the ever-so-present Whipping Girl. We started with the Maguro Tataki Salad featuring seared tuna, wild greens, taro chips and house vinaigrette. We found the tuna to be prepared just right with a thin sear on the outside. The fish itself was firm while soft to chew. Tangy and purposefully acidic, the vinaigrette complimented but did not overwhelm. Despite being thin and crispy, the taro chips could've been smaller as they were clunky to eat with the rest of the ingredients. Next up was the Ebi Mayo served in a cup. The batter was a bit thick, yet at the same time, it wasn't heavy. It reminded us of Chinese fried shrimp (which wasn't a bad thing, just an observation). The shrimp itself was meaty with a slight snap while offering up a natural sweetness. On top, there was a slightly spicy, tangy and sweet mayo.
Onto something familiar but presented in their own way was the Salmon Oshi. Featuring pressed sushi with seared salmon and wasabi mayo on top, this was somewhat similar to the one found at Miku but not. I found the pressed sushi rice to be a touch too firm while mildly seasoned. The salmon on top was buttery and sweet while nicely accented by the wasabi mayo and lime. There was a creaminess to the mayo where the wasabi was ever-so-slight while the lime added a nice acidity. Next up was the Stuffed Mushrooms featuring shiitake and diced prawns fried in tempura batter served with ginger tempura sauce. This featured plenty of shiitake flavour and sweetness from the prawns. We found the filling to be a bit stiff though. The exterior was lightly crunchy and not greasy. The dip was essential as the stuffed mushrooms didn't inherently have a whole lot of seasoning.
Moving along, we had the Jack Cha Han served in hot stone bowl with salmon, shiitake mushroom, egg, pickled cucumber and fried rice. After I mixed all of the ingredients together, I pressed the rice to the sides so that it would form a crust. That it did where it was crunchy and nutty. The rice itself was chewy and flavourful in a savoury (while not salty) manner. Adding a lively crunch and tang, the pickles were the impactful ingredient. Surprisingly, the chunks of salmon retained some moisture and wasn't dry. Majestically plated in a box, the Assorted Chef's Selection Sashimi consisted of Atlantic Salmon, Albacore Tuna, Tako, Tai, Mackerel, Hamachi, Sockeye Salmon, Hokkigai and Ebi. This was an attractive selection that was as fresh as flash frozen can be. No issues here other than the overly chewy Tako.
Our last dish was the Momiji Maki consisting of chopped scallop, asparagus and fish roe with flame-seared assorted fish on top. Again, the sushi rice was on the firmer side and considerably chewy. We found the thick slices of fish on top to be buttery and smoky. The garlic mayo truly made an impact aromatically and taste-wise. At this point, we were pretty full and completely satisfied with our meal. It was a nice surprise to see this level of execution, especially out in Pitt Meadows. This restaurant could easily be in Vancouver and fit right in.
*All food was comped excluding gratuities*
The Good:
- Impressive eats, especially out in Pitt Meadows
- Clean, modern minimalistic decor
- Reasonably-priced
The Bad:
- Sushi rice was a tad firm
- Place is somewhat hidden from the street
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
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