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Despite hailing from Vancouver, it is not lost upon me that there are not a whole lot of great bowls of Pho to be found in West LA. My first night here was not supposed to start with a Vietnamese meal. In fact, we were trying to hit up ROC and their supposedly great XLBs, but they closed early for July 4th. Hence, we decided to try Nong La Cafe next door. They were pretty busy and we were only able to snag a table outside, where the lighting was bad and nowhere for my bounce flash to bounce off of... Yes, woe-is-me... #firstworldproblems
With thicker than usual rice noodles (Northern version?), the Phở Đặc Biệt otherwise looked pretty typical. The noodle themselves were chewy while the meats were not as soft as we would've liked. As for the broth, it was quite sweet and had a particularly strong licorice hit from the abundance of star anise. Despite this, no huge complaints about the entire package as it was decent. I went for the Bún Bò Huế and it was mildly spicy with not much lemongrass essence. There was a lack of lai fun noodles where I was left a bit hungry at the end. On the other hand, the noodles were pleasing being slippery with a rebound texture. Sliced a bit thickly, the beef shank was rather chewy.
For the kiddies, they split the Lemongrass Chicken with Fried Egg on Rice. The 2 breast portions were relatively moist while mildly seasoned. I could get a slight sense of lemongrass, but it could've been more apparent. The rice was fluffy and soft while the fried egg was nicely runny. Personally, I would've liked to see dark meat here as it would've been more succulent. Since I was still hungry, I got a Bánh Mì as well. I found the bun to be overly dense albeit crusty. The pate was plentiful and smooth with far too many whole peppercorns. That in turn made it too peppery and a bit hard to eat. Although Nong La did the job in filling our bellies, we weren't sure if we actually liked the food. It wasn't bad per se, but hardly impressive either.
The Good:
- Friendly service
- Clean
- Vietnamese food where there isn't a whole lot of choice
The Bad:
- Something lacking with each dish
- Skimpy with the noodles
Most times, it is so easy to go out for Japanese food. I mean, we can find one (or many more) in any given neighbourhood. This even applies to the 'burbs, even smaller places like Ladner and New West. But when "authentic" and "Japanese-run" are added to the criteria, then the list shrinks considerably. In fact, less than 5% in the entire GVRD fit this description. So when Viv and I felt like some carefully crafted sushi, we took the drive all the way to North Van. No, not the ones littering Lonsdale, rather, we visited Hamaei. This little place is easily missed being tucked behind the McD's just off Westview at Hwy #1.
A few of Viv's co-workers swear by this place and as we arrived late on a weekend, there was still a lineup. Hence, we ending up sitting at the bar with the kiddies (my daughter was mesmerized by the sushi chefs). We started with the Assorted Sashimi consisting of tai, ika, hotate, tako, Atlantic salmon and 2 types of tuna. After our first few pieces, it was pretty obvious the quality of the fish meant the natural flavours and sweetness really came through. Suffice to say, everything had a nice sheen and textures were on point. Next, we had a 4 pieces of Nigiri including tai, salmon, hotate and unagi. By virtue of sitting at the sushi bar, I was pleased to see that no microwave was used to warm up the unagi, rather, they used a toaster oven. Again, everything was good including the nicely textured sushi rice which rode the fine line between chewy and still being moist. It was also properly seasoned.
At Hamaei, they don't do specialty rolls with special sauces and such, so we ended up with the classic Chopped Scallop Roll. As much as I don't mind glizty rolls, going back to the regular means simplicity with not much to hide mistakes. In this case, the roll was well-constructed where it ate without falling apart while not being too firm. Inside, the buttery scallops were accented by the pop of fish roe. One dish we weren't overly impressed with was the Grilled Marinated Black Cod. Despite its beautiful appearance, it was really salty. Even with the addition of lemon, grated daikon and ginger, it could not cut through the salty sting. In terms of texture, it was soft, yet a touch past that it was no longer buttery-flaky.
With my son's aversion to the raw stuff, we had to get some other cooked items. Therefore, we ordered an Appetizer Tempura comprised of 2 ebi, zucchini, golden squash and yam. Although the batter was relatively crispy, it was a touch heavy on the ebi. Regarding the ebi, it was meaty, but overcooked where it was a bit chewy. Also, the yam was undercooked where it was still a bit crunchy. We ended with the Nabeyaki Udon (also for the kiddies) with tempura served on the side. This was simple, yet enjoyable with a flavourful dashi broth where the bonito really came through. Overall, we enjoyed our meal at this little gem in North Van. Of course, nothing can ever be perfect and this was the case here. The sushi was really good while the cooked items were so-so. However, for some real sushi, Hamaei is a solid choice not only in North Van, but for all of the GVRD.
The Good:
- Good quality sushi and sashimi
- Carefully prepared
- Friendly service
The Bad:
- Tiny place, prepare to wait
- Cooked items are average
In my opinion, most restaurants fall into a large category smack dab in the middle of awesome and terrible. Hence, it is highly subjective whether people like them or not. For me, the true test of how much I like a restaurant is if I go back shortly afterwards. This was surely the case when we headed over to The Little District after hockey. Previously, I was only able to sample 3 items off their appealing "Southern-inspired" menu and came away loving their deep-fried pickles.
On the topic of Deep-Fried Pickles, I enthusiastically hyped them up to Emilicious, Sweet Tooth and Milhouse. Lionel Hutz, probably being pickled himself, wasn't overly excited to eat them... But for the rest, they were equally impressed as these turned out as good as last time. The firm, crunchy breading spiked with dill clung onto each house-made spear even after our initial bites. Pleasantly tart with only a purposeful amount of saltiness, these were appropriately accented by the spicy mayo. I'll go out on a limb and say these are the best deep-fried pickles in Vancity. Onto another dish I tried last time, Sweet Tooth had the Fish Tacos featuring battered cod and apple slaw topped with Spanish paprika mayo. The cod was flaky and moist while coated with a lightly crispy batter. However, as with before, the amount of radicchio overwhelmed all of the other flavours where there was far too much bitterness.
Emilicious had a hard time deciding what to order, so she ended up sharing 2 items with me (I wasn't complaining!). We started with the 2 piece Chicken and Waffle consisting of Southern fried chicken, country gravy and waffle. Oh man, this was one rich and sinful creation. I've had quite a few chicken and waffles in the past few years, but this one was on point. Beginning with the light and fluffy (a bit crumbly though) waffle, it was bathed in a spicy and full-bodied gravy with bits of sausage. The 2 pieces of fried chicken thigh were succulent and juicy with a crunchy batter that had proper adhesion to the meat. With a drizzle of syrup, this dish had the right flavours and textures. Next up, we tried the Oyster Po' Boy with friets. For $12.00, this was a significant amount of food. Within the soft and slightly crusty bun lay 3 plump large oysters that were cooked just right (juicy and not chewy) with a crunchy breading. The side of friets were lightly crispy and potatoey inside.
Milhouse decided to go for the Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese which we watched being prepared in the kitchen (we sat near it). It reminded me of the movie Chef where copious amounts of butter was used (a good thing!). Hence it turned out crunchy and buttery with ooey gooey cheese strings with each bite. As for the soup, it came in a bowl that was big enough to feed 3 people. Thick and in a bright red hue, the soup ate more like a sauce with little chunks of fresh tomato. It tasted fresh too with a bright acidity evened-off with an appropriate amount of sweetness. Lionel Hutz ended up with the Fourteen Buck Chuck consisting of a steak burger with caramelized onion, mayo, house relish, onion rings, tomato and red onions with cheddar. Although the burger looked menacing, the beef patty was not dense. Rather, it was lightly formed where the meat still had texture, but remained moist. The toasted sesame bun was airy, yet held up to the ingredients.
Lastly, with Sweet Tooth around, we couldn't get out of there without trying the Open-Faced Apple Pie with vanilla ice cream. This was a unique take where the "crust" was essentially fried pastry that was light and crispy. It was topped with an apple compote of sorts that featured a noticeable tartness from lemon juice. I found it too tart, but the sweet ice cream did balance it off. As for the apples, they were too mushy for my tastes. If they were more firm, that would've been better texturally. However, looking beyond the dessert, all of the other dishes were appealing and filling at a reasonable price. The Little District can easily be missed by even locals, so I guess it is a hidden gem of sorts - one worth discovering.
The Good:
- Food you want to order and eat
- Large portions
- Reasonable prices
The Bad:
- Super narrow place with even narrower washrooms
- Health food? Nope
For 6 years, Viv and I lived almost directly across the street from La Terrazza in Yaletown. In fact, we would walk by the place often when we headed into the heart of Downtown or to events at BC Place and Rogers Arena (it was GM Place back then...). But did we ever eat there? Nada. Let's just say that we were partly scared away by the high prices and partly taking it for granted. Yah, it'll always be there, we can eat there anytime... 8 years later and we no longer live nearby, but yes, that meant we finally made it for dinner...
Elaine and Costanza joined us for this long awaited meal on a night that also featured a football game (of the soccer variety) and a concert nearby. The fact we got a free parking spot just steps away was a miracle (or was it my persistent Asian belief that we shouldn't pay to park?). Anyways, we started with a few appies including Calamari e Gamberi (grilled Humboldt squid, crispy baby calamari, Tiger prawns and toasted garlic with a chili lime reduction). The ample amount of baby calamari was tender while crispy on the outside where the batter was well-seasoned. Underneath lay a slice of Humboldt squid which exhibited a spongy tenderness. With a lingering spice and slight acidity, the chili lime reduction complimented the ingredients well. Next up was the Funghi Pizzetta comprised of wild mushrooms, black truffle purée and quattro formaggi sauce. Resembling a cannoli shell, the crust was thin, firmly crispy and light. There was a plethora of tender mushrooms that added to the existing explosion of truffle and cheese.
We added a pasta as well because we couldn't possibly get out of there without trying it. So we decided on the Bucatini with truffled bison meat balls, smoked bacon, asparagus tips alla carbonara. This was a no brainer for us as we wanted something more toothsome and besides, Costanza loves anything carbonara. Our expectations were met with this dish as the bucatini was a firm al dente and it stood up well to the creamy carbonara sauce. In addition, it was sufficiently salty where it provided the necessary flavour without being overwhelming. As for the meatballs, they were meaty with little filler while sporting little nuggets of bison throughout. There was no mistaking the truffle where it might've been a little too strong for the dish. As a side, we added the Polenta Fries which were fantastic in our opinion. Lightly crispy on the outside while creamy and fluffy on the inside, these were everything that I envisioned them to be. I especially enjoyed the proper amount of seasoning including the saltiness of the Parmesan.
Onto our mains, I had the Agnello or oven roasted rack of lamb, crusted in grainy Dijon, roasted potato and vegetable terrine with green mint pea purée. Prepared on the more rare side, the lamb was succulent and tender. It wasn't overly-seasoned where the natural roasted lamb flavour was discernible. I found the pea purée sweet, but was balanced off by the salty demi. I wasn't a huge fan of the potato and vegetable terrine as it wasn't impactful in terms of flavour. As for the texture, the potato was firm while the veggies were soft. Costanza went big with the Costata (wait, that sounds like his nickname...) consisting of a 10 oz. grilled Sterling Silver beef rib eye, buttermilk fried onion rings, roasted mushrooms and green peppercorn sauce. This was a substantial amount of food that even he couldn't finish. He requested for medium-rare and it ended up being more to the medium side. However, that didn't hinder its tenderness. The meat ate really well, especially for a rib-eye. We would've preferred that it wasn't pre-cut though as it lost some of its moisture. In addition to the natural rib-eye flavour, the mushrooms and demi added an woodsy saltiness.
For the ladies, Elaine ended up with the Merluzzo with oven-roasted sable fish panko encrusted, black kale, chive potato cake and white truffle – lemon vinaigrette. Presented high on the plate, it was visually appealing especially with an array of colours. The fish itself was flaky and firm with a crispy crust. We liked how it wasn't aggressively-seasoned so that the fish could stand on its own. Soft, yet with discernible layers, the potato cake was nicely herbed. The chewy kale was hit with a considerable amount of truffle oil, which wasn't really that necessary. Viv opted for the Anatra consisting of pan-seared Fraser Valley duck breast, roasted summer vegetable and goat cheese tart, wild arugula and sherry wine reduction. Sporting a flavourful brine which also ensured its buttery succulence, the duck was a tad salty. The skin was nicely rendered and prepared with an appealing colour. We found the goat cheese tart, mild (not too gamy) and creamy with soft spinach. As for the reduction, it was slightly sweet with a background acidity.
For dessert, we shared La Creazione and Torta D'Amore. Wrapped in phyllo, the mascarpone cheesecake was soft, while not particularly creamy. It was plenty cheesy with a moderate amount of sweetness. The phyllo was nicely crisp as a textural contrast. The Amarena cherries and strawberry coulis added some fruity sweetness as well as a touch of acidity. Universally, we preferred the Torta D'Amore more (warm decadent chocolate cake, lava-like centre and vanilla bean gelato) as it was decadent and nicely executed. As much as lava-type chocolate cakes are pretty standard (see the movie Chef), this was enjoyable nonetheless. It was rich, sweet, chocolaty and dense (in a good way) with a molten centre. The gelato helped cool things off nicely. Well, this meal was a long time coming... It was much better than anticipated with generally pleasant food in relatively large portion sizes. Yes, the prices are still quite high, but at the very least, we bought a coupon that helped things out.
The Good:
- Decent portion sizes
- Pleasant food
- Attentive service
The Bad:
- High pricing
- A little aggressive with the truffle oil
There was a time where Earl's was the butt of many of my jokes. I remember that once I had visited the Robson location and had a steak that was accompanied by 5, count'em 5 button mushrooms. For the money I paid, the food was decent, but hardly a good value. When Cactus Club upped the ante with the hiring of Rob Feenie as a "food concept architect", it left similar chain restaurants in the dust. Finally, Earl's has gotten with the times and hired some heavy hitters of their own with Chefs Dawn Doucette, David Wong, Hamid Salimian, Jeff McInnis and Tina Fineza helping to create new and innovative dishes. I was invited to sample their new fall menu at either the Langley or Yaletown location. I chose Langley because partly I love the burbs and also the fact Chef Hamid would be attending (the guy is a rock-star IMO).
Prior to the eats, we were able to sample all of their Craft Sodas including (left-to-right) Elderflower, Ginger Beer, Passion Fruit, Lemongrass Orange Blossom and Raspberry Lime Leaf. Since these were made in-house with locally-made syrups, the sweetness level was kept to a minimum. Hence, they were refreshing and drank more like a non-alcoholic spritzer with an added flavour. I particularly liked the Passion Fruit as it reminded me of Koala Springs (now that's going way back!). With witty taglines stenciled on top, the Clover Club No. 4 drank nicely with a combination of Smirnoff vodka, raspberry cordial, cranberry juice, egg whites and lemongrass syrup. With all the sugary ingredients, this was quite sweet with the finish of lemongrass. With a pine cone and mint on top and served in a camping cup, the Cabin Fever (Crown Royal, Taylor Fladgate Port, ginger syrup, pineapple juice and Moondog Bitters) was a lot lighter than it sounded (especially being double). Watch out, you can get easily drunk on this one...
Food-wise, we were started off with the Lobster & Prawn Roll served in a butter-toasted brioche square. Suffice to say, it was indeed buttery and appealingly crispy on the outside while soft and airy on the inside. The mix of lobster, prawn, capers, parsley and lemon aioli was not too heavy. Hence, the lobster and prawn were highlighted rather than hidden with just the right amount of acidity and salt. Next up was their take on BBQ Pork Buns that looked like a hybrid between a Taiwanese pork belly bun and a Cantonese BBQ pork bun. Inside the soft mantou, there was a mix of shredded slow-cooked pork, hoisin hot sauce, cilantro, roasted peanuts and scallions. I found the whole mixture to be a bit too sweet with only a touch of heat. Other than that, it was pretty good as the pork was super soft while the peanuts added crunch.
Arriving a long and massive plate, the Mediterranean Calamari was as anti-Earl's (the former version) as something could get. First of all, for $13.00, this was enough food to share with 4 people as an appy. Second, it was presented in a unique manner with cucumber, Spanish olives, peppers, tomatoes, radish, basil and Greek citrus yogurt rather than just plain with tzatziki. Although the squid was super tender and moist, the batter was a bit thick where it became a touch cumbersome. I liked the yogurt, but the rest of the ingredients looked nice but sorta just sat there without a whole lot of impact. Onto my favourite dish of the night, we tried the Crispy Thai Prawns served in a bowl with napa cabbage, lime, Thai basil, mint, cilantro paint, sweet + sour glaze, Serrano peppers and roasted peanuts. When mixed together, there was a veritable flavour explosion that hit me with a vengeance. There was a little of everything from the acidity of the lime, heat from the serrano peppers and sweet and sour from the glaze in addition to the herbs. The prawns themselves were cold-water crunchy with a light tempura batter.
Onto the Oven Roasted Salmon, it was accompanied by grilled corn, olive oil marinated fennel salad, baby new potatoes and jalapeno cilantro puree. With a beautiful crispy skin, the salmon itself was moist and flaky. It was only mildly seasoned with some salt where the fish itself could stand out. That meant the rest of the ingredients were not overbearing including the mild puree that only provided a light sweet heat. Presented in an avant-garde fashion (possibly plating gone wild...), the BBQ Back Ribs were melt-in-my-mouth tender with a touch of fat. The BBQ sauce was sweet and tangy that could've used a bit more smoke. I loved the crispy potatoes as opposed to the potato salad found on the regular menu offering.
Our one meatless dish was the Thai Vegetable Bowl that featured a bed of quinoa topped with snap peas, cauliflower, eggplant, gai lan, peanuts and crispy onions in a coconut and lemongrass broth. This was as aromatic as it sounded with the definite taste of coconut milk and the sharpness of lemongrass. However, I thought that a touch more salt was needed to bring the rest of the flavours alive. As for the veggies, they were still vibrant and crisp. For dessert, we were served a trio including Chocolate Hazelnut Bar, Warm Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding and Pumpkin Pie. I thought the bar was rich and smooth with a nice hint of bitterness at the end. The flavours were amped by both the salted caramel and maldon salt on top. As with any sticky toffee pudding, this one was sweet. However, it wasn't sickingly so. It was soft, rich and had depth of flavour with a hint of smokiness. As much as I do not prefer pumpkin pie, I liked this one as the pumpkin puree was nicely spiced and easy on the sugar. The Chantilly cream was creamy and light. As you can see, Earl's is making a concerted effort to up their game against places like Cactus Club and Milestone's. Although chain restaurant dining has never been my first choice, it is nice to see that the portion sizes, creativity and overall execution is moving in the right direction here.
*All food, drinks and gratuities were comped*
The Good:
- Portion sizes are fair for the price
- Mirroring the competition, Earl's is trying to be more innovative
- Some bold new flavours
The Bad:
- Trying to balance innovation with pleasing the traditional customer leads to sometimes muted risk-taking
Typically, I get many restaurant suggestions from friends, readers and those posing as readers (yes, I get those too...). It's not often I get an outright tip from Sherman. Wait, am I talking to myself in the mirror again? No, I haven't lost it or I am referring to myself in the 3rd person, rather, a friend of mine named Sherman told me about this mom n' pop Japanese restaurant tucked away in a strip mall off Columbia in New West. Wasting no time, I enlisted the help of fine New West resident Big D to help with this food adventure.
We began with Deluxe Charaishi Don that was neatly arranged. We found the fish to have a nice sheen and fresh smell. There wasn't anything out-of-sorts. Although the rice started off a bit moist, within a few minutes, it was the right chewy texture. It was mildly seasoned. For our specialty roll, we decided against getting anything based on a California Roll, hence, we had the Fire Dragon Roll comprised of spicy tuna topped with BBQ unagi. With an attractive sear, the ample amount of unagi was buttery soft, sweet and smoky. Inside, the large chunks of tuna were only mildly spicy. We found the sushi rice to be firm while chewy and lightly seasoned.
We then moved onto some more familiar maki sushi consisting of a Chopped Scallop Roll and Negitoro. As evidenced in the pictures, little buttery nuggets of scallop were bursting out from the roll as there was only a thin layer of rice. Hence, the roll ate well and tasted sweet on its own. On the topic of taste, the negitoro was also flavourful without the aid of soy. There was a nice balance between the tuna and scallions. Lastly, the Assorted Tempura was crispy and light while not greasy. The veggies were the right thickness and doneness while the ebi were meaty with a light snap. Overall, from the dishes we sampled, Ikoi could be classified as a hidden gem. With all the available Japanese restaurants in town, it is hard to find one that serves up authentic food that is both high in quality and decent in portion size.
The Good:
- Carefully made food
- Friendly people
- Reasonably-priced
The Bad:
- Limited menu of sorts
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