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With a name like Blacktail Florist, one would expect roses, tulips and azaleas (no, not the Australian rapper). Rather, instead of wedding bouquets and other floral arrangements, Blacktail is actually a restaurant. I guess the name change where they dropped the "Florist" has eliminated some confusion. Don't think for one moment the flowers have disappeared though... They are still alive and kicking, right beside the edible plant growing in a planter next to our table. And not suprisingly, Costanza was busy eating the foliage next to him...
Since the menu encourages sharing, we got a few items to start including their Duck & Waffles featuring duck liver mousse atop fluffy waffles with candy apple gel, hibiscus and brown butter powder. We found the waffles to be crisp and light while marginally sweet. Sandwiched in between them was a generous portion of duck liver mousse that was creamy while not overly heavy. For us, everything seemed to be in harmony with this dish and we would gladly eat this over and over again. Next up was the Riocotta & Chive Gnudi with cherry tomatoes, Swiss chard stems and kale. The soft nuggets of ricotta pasta were soft and pillowy with nicely brown crispy exterior surfaces. Aromatic and herbaceous, the flavour profile matched well with the slight bitterness of the stems and tartness of the tomatoes.
Onto some larger dishes, we had the bone-in Pemberton Pork Chop with pretzel spatzle, red cabbage puree and pear mostarda. Since the chop was sous-vide first, it was sufficiently tender (although not as succulent as we would've expected) while being completely moist inside. It was barely done with some pink near the bone. We liked the nicely browned spatzle underneath as it was toothsome and buttery. The combination of the sweet mostarda and slightly acidic red cabbage went well with the pork. We had another meat dish in the Yarrow Meadow Duck Breast with cabbage aigre doux, apples and carrot puree. Also sous-vide, the duck was sufficiently tender, but could've been even more so. The skin was nicely rendered being crispy. Countering the sweet chunky apples, the tangy cabbage added the balance to the dish.
Moving on, we had probably our most favourite dish which didn't have any meat in it at all. The Parsley Brown Butter Pappardelle was expertly prepared where the flavours were apparent without being salty (as Parmesan can usually be). The combination of Parmesan cream, kale, mushrooms and shallots created an aromatic and Earthy flavour profile which was enough to make an impact. Despite being a touch soft (as freshly made pasta can be), the pappardelle was tender and soaked up the flavours. Our last savoury item was the 72-hour sous-vide Heritage Angus Short Rib with scalloped potato pave, brussel sprouts, radish and mushroom resin. The meat itself was super tender which practically melted in our mouths. The super powerful mushroom resin packed a punch with an Earthy saltiness. The pave was prepared well where it was soft without losing texture.
For dessert, we shared the After Eight first which consisted of dark chocolate cake, peppermint chocolate mousse, meringue and peppermint gel. As the name suggests, it did really taste like an After Eight chocolate with a noticeable peppermint hit from start to finish. The chocolate cake was soft and moist while being only semi-sweet. Next, we tried the Eggnog Pannacotta with nouget, honeycomb, pear and sugar crumble. We felt the pannacotta was far too watery where it practically dissolved on contact. It was definitely sweet though where the rest of the ingredients only added to the sweetness. If we had to choose, the After Eight was definitely better. After it was all said and done, we were pleased with our meal despite some minor issues. We felt the service was excellent while the portion sizes fair for the price.
The Good:
- Reasonable portions
- Differing flavours at play
- Excellent service
The Bad:
- Some of the sous-vide proteins were expected to be more tender
- Dessert is not their specialty
When one thinks Surrey Central, bubble tea and Taiwanese food don't really come to mind. Not until recently, Bubble 88 was the only choice in the area (if you didn't count T&T and other strictly "bubble tea only" joints). Of course Pearl Castle has now opened up another location adjacent to T&T (more on that a previous post...), hence, providing another option. Yet, let me concentrate on my visit to Bubble 88 with Gamer Girl (and a subsequent re-vist as well).
We started with the Popcorn Chicken which was a decent portion of crispy dark meat nuggets and fried basil. Although the skin was left attached, it was sufficiently rendered that it blended in with the batter. As for that batter, it was as mentioned, crispy and light and moderately salty, but I would've liked to see some more 5 spice. The chicken wasn't exactly juicy, yet it was still tender nonetheless. Naturally, I had the Bubble 88 Beef Noodle featuring tripe, shank and tendon with tomato, Shanghai bak choy and pickled mustard greens. I found the broth to be very mild being easy on the sodium. It was only moderately impactful with a minor beef taste. The noodles were nicely chewy though while the meats were good including the tender shank and soft offal.
Gamer Girl had the Tofu and Veggie Hot Plate and it was more or less decent. The adequate amount of sauce was a good mix of savoury and sweet (where it stayed thick until the end). The tofu was medium-firm and was fried just enough so it wasn't tough on the outside. We got an order of the Xiao Long Bao (yes, I know this is a Taiwanese joint) and at first, they were undercooked being raw in the middle. I sent it back for more cooking and it turned out okay with a medium thick dumpling skin. The filling was moist and meaty with a small amount of soup which was sweet and pork tasting. Although we really didn't mind them putting the XLBs back in the steamer, the right thing to do would be a brand new dish.
On my return visit, I tried out the Fried Squid Tentacles which were on point. With thick tentacles with a firm while easy chew and a light crunchy batter, I tried not to eat all of them as I had another dish. I found the batter to be well-seasoned and not greasy at all. For my main, I tried the Sesame Oil Chicken Hot Pot where I opted for a bowl of noodles rather than rice. Consisting of 2 chopped up chicken legs, ginger and enough sesame oil for a box of Nissan instant noodles, there was no absence of flavour. With that said, the broth wasn't salty though. I particularly liked how the chicken was not overcooked, hence being juicy and tender. The noodles were a bit too soft though, as it got even softer when I used the broth.
Of course I can't forget to talk about at least one beverage right (considering the place is called Bubble 88...). The drink is question was the Mango Slush with coconut jelly. This was generally blended smooth, but it was pretty sweet. With the addition of the coconut jelly (and the syrup it is packed in), the drink in my opinion could've used less sugar (I guess I could ask for less). However, my overall experience over these 2 visits were mostly good with above-average eats. I'm still a bit on the fence about the XLBs where they took a partly eaten order and recooked it. Not totally awful, but not really something I've seen very often.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Adequate portions
The Bad:
- Service was okay both times, but a bit sparse and that XLB thing...
- Bubble tea a bit too sweet (but could ask for less sugar though)
Here we go again, whenever I try out the Dim Sum service of a new Chinese restaurant, a follow up post on dinner arrives shortly afterwards. Why the dedication? Well, as many of you know, the Dim Sum chef and dinner chef are generally 2 different people. Hence, both experiences are usually very different. So with Dim Sum out of the way at Van Dragon, we made our way back to try out the dinner service. Remembering back to the ol' Tung Sing Chin, there was a good chance it would be better since hardly anything could be as bad as before (I know it's my Father-in-Law's friend, but the truth is the truth!).
We ended up ordering the set dinner for 4 which began with the Daily Soup which happened to be a broth consisting of chicken feet, pork, burdock root, young fern stems and mushrooms. We found it mildly seasoned with a slight herbal quality to it. With only the broth and no ingredients, my son was tricked into drinking it. LOL... Next up was the Steamed Free-Range Chicken (I guess that is where they got the chicken feet from...). It arrived in an appealing yellow hue with gelatinous skin (and plenty of gelatin underneath). We found the meat well-seasoned and texturally on point with a gelatinous meaty quality. Even the white meat was moist and not chewy at all. The grated ginger condiment was good with only a modest amount of green onion as filler.
Next, we yielded to my son's wishes in ordering the 2 courses of Peking Duck in addition to our set meal. Again, this is as foodie as he gets going for crispy duck skin. This version was indeed crispy with plenty of meat still attached underneath. We found the layer of fat to be acceptable (still had to scrap off some from the breast portion) while the duck meat was moist. A minor criticism would be the colour as it could've been a more richer hue. We loved the crepes though as they were light and airy despite being somewhat thick. Onto the next course, we had the Duck Lettuce Wrap that was a fairly large portion as the layer of fried mung bean noodles was minimal. There was more than enough moist chunks of duck meat mixed in with crunchy veggies which were the beneficiary of proper wok heat. However, they could've diced the veggies a bit larger.
Doused in enough sauce to make a porno look tame, the Lobster with noodles and cream sauce was practically still swimming. Therefore, the noodles were not exactly al dente or that appetizing. The lobster itself was okay though being buttery with a light snap quality. As you can probably ascertain, the sauce was a bit watery and bland as a result. Moving on, we were presented with a plate of Steamed Basa topped with a good amount of minced and salted garlic. Actually, the garlic was loaded not only with salt, but an equal amount of MSG. Hence, the dish was not longing for flavour. In fact, it was probably too salty, yet for myself, I didn't mind it since I love garlic and the fish needed seasoning anyways. It was steamed nicely though being soft and flaky.
Our veggie dish of the meal was the Braised Baby Bak Choy with roasted whole garlic cloves, slivered ginger and Virigina ham. Normally, when I prepare this at home, I need to add an obscene amount of salt to make it taste good due to the water content. Well, these tasted well-seasoned, so yes, there was a lot of salt involved (mostly likely helped by the slivered Virginia ham). With that being said, the bak choy was prepared properly though retaining a crunch and its vibrancy. We finished off with the Yeung Chow Fried Rice which was ironically lacking in seasoning. The chewy rice was texturally right as with the shrimp and BBQ Pork. But each bite was rather uneventful. Overall though, we though the food was decent and well-portioned. Definitely a step up from before.
The Good:
- Friendly service, just like our other 2 visits
- Decent dinner service
- Okay portions
The Bad:
- Some seasoning issues, either too salty and/or too bland
Let me tell you a story, as brief as it may be... There once was a restaurant that my in-laws loved, they held it in high esteem, it was above all. Alas, it wasn't really all that delicious, in fact, it was because they were tight with the chef. I kept my mouth shut and opinions only shared with Viv. Besides, when the Mother-in-Law is happy, that means I am happy and the rest of the Universe is at peace. Why tempt fate right? It's as sweet as enjoying your surfing experience on a tablet without constantly pressing the wrong link and/or option because your browser didn't fully load. What? Does this only happen to me?
So this restaurant was initially named Dung Sing Chin, but they soon realized that anything with "dung" in the name, especially an establishment that serves food, is not good news. It became Tung Sing Chin shortly afterwards. Well, the place is now closed which means I no longer have to suffer through another meal there. Replaced by Van Dragon, nothing seems to have changed visually, but we headed there for Dim Sum anyways. We began with the Gwei Fei Bao (Baked Sweet BBQ Pork Buns) which were a fail in our opinion. Loaded with enough raw onions to make us cry, the flavour profile was far too sharp and raw tasting. Hence, even the soft sweet bun and plethora of lean BBQ Pork couldn't save the dish. Onto the Beef Meatballs, these were appreciably better with a light soft bounce texture. Mildly seasoned, there was just enough green onion.
Up next, we had the Dried Scallop & Shrimp with Pea Shoots in Broth at the urging of my daughter. At least one kid eats their greens willingly! This was a fairly generous portion consisting of tender leaves that still retained a light crunch. Although this was a mild-tasting dish, the ample dried scallop and shrimp on top helped add a briny saltiness. Now for my son's request which was a total 180 from the previous dish. Hey, let's not eat our greens, but get some Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls instead. *Shakes head* Well, whatever, at least he actually eats a type of seafood (albeit fried). These were good though being crunchy, yet greasy. The shrimp filling was loose with a meaty texture with plenty of garlic. I think he ate half the dish and no, he didn't touch the pea shoots.
Normally, my son doesn't really partake in our love for rice noodle rolls due to the various unpreferred fillings (but he eats shrimp spring rolls? go figure...). But he was all over the Donut Rice Noodle Roll though. Yes, fried = likey. As shown in the picture, the rice noodle itself was rather thick and a bit dense. However, it wasn't too bad, so no harm, no foul. Inside, the donut was light and very crispy. We also got the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll which looked like they attempted to do some creative plating with the shrimp. Alas, that was not the case as it was the result of a poorly wrapped roll (actually it was completely broken). As for the shrimp, they were lacking a complete snap texture. Instead, they were more buttery and moist. Without the sweetened soy, the shrimp were completely bland. Completing the trifecta, we had the Beef Rice Noodle Roll (not pictured) which sported a much thinner noodle while the beef had a good rebound texture.
Onto the usual Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) and Sui Mai (Pork and Shrimp Dumplings, we got a few of them since we had a large table. Honestly, I could just eat haw gow alone and be happy. Wait, isn't there an ol' skool song about that? ♪ Geem Sa Duy Suzie... ♪ Anyways, we found the haw gow to be rather mild-tasting bordering on bland. The filling consisted of meaty whole shrimp that had a light moist snap texture. We weren't fans of the dumpling skin as it was thick and too wet. As for the Sui Mai, they were not that appealing to look at and in fact, weren't all that great either. Texturally, they were loose and lacked cohesion, hence its broken appearance. Soft, mushy and almost spongy, the pork filling didn't exhibit any rebound. Tastewise, it was mildly seasoned where the natural pork flavour dominated.
Continuing with the dumplings, we also tried the Scallop & Shrimp Dumplings which arrived in their typical threesome (no, there is no sexual connotation here!). Similarly to the haw gow, the shrimp filling was not particularly flavourful. Texturally, there was some snap, but not that apparent. The dumpling skin could've been thinner, but at least it wasn't wet. Although a bit small, the scallop on top was okay being buttery soft. Curiously, with a thinner skin, the Shrimp & Chive Dumplings not surprisingly featured the same characteristics as the other 2 shrimp-based dumplings. As shown in the picture, the thinner skin did suffer breakage though. With the addition of chives, the shrimp filling did benefit with an injection of flavour, but it still wasn't overly impactful. Its texture did not deviate from the rest having only a modest snap.
Heading off to my favourite part of Dim Sum, we got a few dishes of offal. The first one was the Steamed Five Spiced Beef Tripe. In an attractive shade of rich brown topped with red and green peppers, the tripe was chewy with a soft finish. We felt there needed to much more seasoning as the gaminess of the tripe dominated the flavour profile (and a better rinse too). Next, we couldn't figure out why they called the next dish Braised Beef Tendon in Brown Sauce. Uh... what the heck is brown sauce? Is it the same as the one found in the spice aisle under Clubhouse sauces? Well, we concluded it was a mix of soy, oyster sauce, sugar and some chili flakes (among other ingredients). Hence the flavours were familiar, impactful and a touch spicy. As for the tendon itself, it was a bit too soft where it lacked any form of chew.
Continuing on with the stuff my son would never eat, we had the Phoenix Talons next (Chicken Claws with Satay Sauce). Although not exactly plump, the chicken feet were not bad. With intact skin that was fairly moist while not overcooked, it soaked up enough of the satay sauce where we could really taste it. Underneath the skin, the cartilage was soft and easily eaten. With the Steamed Pork Spareribs with Pumpkin, it appeared that they really liked to garnish their dishes with red and green peppers... Just sayin'. Anyways, this was a large portion of chewy ribs exhibiting the desired rebound texture. Each piece was meaty with some fat, however, we felt they were a bit too large (clumsy to eat). There was no absence of garlic and salty black bean goodness where the seasoning penetrated the meat.
Not topped with any peppers of any kind, the Bean Curd Warp with Oyster Sauce was not warped in any manner (they really need to get someone to proof read the menu). We were hoping to be transported to another dimension! Beyond that disappointment, we found this dish to be mediocre with an overly soft filling. We did like that it was mildly seasoned with more sweetness than saltiness. The bean curd skin itself was only lightly chewy where it trended towards soft and moist instead. One dish we did enjoy was the Pan Fried Radish Cake with Spicy XO Sauce. These were actually deep fried then wok tossed in XO sauce after-the-fact. Each cube was lightly crispy, yet quite greasy. Inside, they were soft with the unmistakable taste of daikon. There was sufficient XO sauce as these were pretty spicy.
For the kiddies, we determined that a couple of filler dishes would ensure they get their fill. Encased in bamboo leaves, the Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice) contained a 50-50 split in terms of ground pork filling and sticky rice. Therefore, the rice was quite moist, yet still glutinous. This also meant that each bite was meaty with plenty of flavour from the starch-thickened sauce. We felt that the Chicken & Chinese Sausage Rice Hot Pot looked better than it ate. There was a substantial amount of chicken on top of the chewy rice (which was a bit too dry). However, the chicken was far too dry where the white meat was too chewy. They used free-range chicken here and that probably explained the texture though. Yet, that wasn't the only problem as the chicken was also far too salty.
Moving into the homestretch, we tried the Stuffed Eggplant with Dace Shrimp Puree. We found the fried eggplant to be a bit soft, yet it wasn't overly mushy. The mousse filling was firm enough to exhibit an appealing rebound texture. Its natural sweetness was aided by a good amount of seasoning. Good thing too as the black bean sauce was really bland. Lastly, we miraculously finished with the Egg Tarts. Actually, we just ordered them last (why we don't do this more often is beyond me). These featured relatively flaky shells that were a touch doughy on the bottom. The egg custard was not overly sweet where it was silky and light. Now after all this amount of food, could we determine if this was better than its predecessor? Well, we did come back for Dim Sum a second time with my in-laws and no, the Dim Sum wasn't better or worse than before. However, we did notice an improvement in service though. Now we only have to see if there are any differences in the dinner service (which will be posted tomorrow!).
The Good:
- Friendly service for a Chinese restaurant
- Passable Dim Sum
The Bad:
- Well, it's just passable Dim Sum
- Nice they have a parking lot, too bad no one knows how to park in it
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