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Awhile back, I was asked to be one of the judges for the Curry Challenge where I had to visit 11 different restaurant and vote on my favourites. It was a daunting task, eating all that food in a short period of time. But something occurred to me... Yes, I know, it's hard to believe, but I do get the occasional bright idea. So, since half of the restaurants on the list were new to me, I figured it would be a great idea to have a complete meal and do a blog post about them. Talk about killing 2 birds with one stone! Wait, poor birdies... If they were pigeons, at the very least, we could make some roast squab...
Anyways, my first full post was on BLTF on Broadway. Okay, this was a bit of new and old because I had visited the original location on Main before. We started with the Chicken Satay which was well-charred and fairly moist for white meat. It wasn't too spicy, yet did have some background heat. The side of peanut sauce was impactful with a combination of flavours including sweet, salty, spicy and aromatic coconut milk. Something quite interesting Bob's Fish & Chips featuring deep fried fish mixed with lemongrass, Asian water olives, red onion, green papaya, basil and peanuts served with fried rice balls of red curry paste, lime leaf and black sesame seeds. The crispy thin fillets were surprisingly moist and flaky. Vinegary and spicy with a touch of sweetness, the salad mixed in with the fish added all the flavour the dish needed. We found the rice balls to be crunchy while firm and dense inside.
We also got an order of the Pad Thai consisting of fried rice noodles with prawns, smoked tofu, pickled turnip, peanuts, egg, bean sprouts and chives, yet most importantly, tamarind. Hence, the flavours were tart with accenting spice and sweetness. There was definitely good wok heat where the noodles were dry (possibly a bit too dry) and toothsoome. We found the egg overly salty and the prawns were a little overdone. For the kiddies, we got them a plate of Pad Si-Ew with fried rice noodle with gai lan, egg, pork and a liberal dusting of pepper on top. As illustrated in the picture, the dish was appetizing to look at and equally good to eat as well. A combination of good wok heat (hence caramelization), enough soy and pepper made this even more enjoyable than the Pad Thai. Only thing we would've liked to see was less chewy pork and a touch less salt.
For the curry challenge, we sampled their jazzed up version of Green Chicken Curry (and yes, I plagiarized myself so they might sound familiar). Despite its plain description, the dish was constructed very differently than the typical version found in Vancouver. With chicken-stuffed portions of tender fried eggplant topped with hot chili peppers, this was purposefully spicy with the aromatics of coconut milk and saltiness of fish sauce. For curiosity's sake, we got a regular Green Chicken Curry for comparison. Naturally, it wasn't plated as nicely and was remarkably different in taste as well. It wasn't as spicy and was less salty for some reason. It was more aromatic and than impactful. After it was all said and done, we were pleased with our meal at BLTF. We felt the flavours were there, albeit a tad salty.
*Both green curries were comped*
The Good:
- Ample wok heat = development of flavours
- Purposeful spice
The Bad:
- A touch salty
- Don't hate me, but yes, parking sucks
More often than not, the very best food is not found at the largest, most heavily advertised restaurants. The hype, the familiarity and overall safeness of these places often obscure where we really should be eating. Tucked in the corner of the NE corner of 41st and Fraser, Koon Bo is a place that is not really a hidden gem (because they have won awards), but isn't as well-known as it should be. After several great meals in the past, it was about time we revisited the place. Worked out well too as my uncle was back in town and we needed to treat him to a meal.
Now no meal would be complete at Koon Bo without their famed Shredded Chicken Salad. Seemingly something so simple with only shredded chicken, pickled mustard greens, wonton crisps, jellyfish, sesame seeds, sesame oil and hot sauce, it is a dish that begs people to go back for seconds. Although I didn't find the dish outstanding, it was still an enjoyable concoction that included plenty of textures and flavours. There wasn't any shortage of shredded chicken and pickled mustard greens, but it was lacking in jellyfish. Another Koon Bo favourite is their Peking Duck. As evidenced in the picture, the skin arrived in a beautiful rich hue. There was minimal fat underneath the lightly crispy skin. I wasn't a huge fan of the crepes though as they were a bit dense.
Onto the second course of the Peking Duck, we had the Duck Lettuce Wrap. By the looks of the picture, the portion size was pretty large. With plenty of wok heat, the caramelization of flavours was present as well as a good dose of seasoning. The diced veggies were still crunchy while the finely minced duck was plentiful and moist. We also liked the neatly trimmed lettuce cups which weren't dripping with water. We had another favourite at Koon Bo being the Deep Fried Stuffed Bean Curd with Honey Garlic Pork Chops. The pork chops were crunchy on the outside and mostly moist and tender on the inside with barely enough honey garlic to coat each piece. I've had this dish before and I like the pork chop portion, but I've never understood the draw of the fried bean curd. It's crunchy, but the mix of mushroom, veggies and shrimp end up as a mushy mess in my opinion.
Based on our server's suggestion, we tried the Wintermelon with Dried Scallops and Shiitake Mushrooms. Doused in a good amount of watered-down and subsequently thickened oyster-flavoured sauce, the entire dish was actually quite mild. The majority of the Earthy flavours emanated from the scallops and shiitake. Underneath, the wintermelon was soft while not mushy. We enjoyed this dish, but it was hardly memorable. Next up was the Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp. This was a well-executed dish where the egg was silky and soft while not being overly greasy. Despite being small, the shrimp exhibited a cold-water snap. Overall, the dish was a too heavy on the salt though.
With great anticipation, the Lobster atop Stir-Fried Sticky Rice arrived in a large bamboo steamer. This version could give the one served at Ho Yuen Kee and Old Buddies a run for their money. They didn't skimp on the rice nor lobster (but then again, we paid by the pound with that big sucker). We found the rice chewy, but at the same time, it was moistened by the lobster sauce. The lobster itself was cooked just right retaining a bounciness accented by its natural juices. Onto some veggies, we had the Pea Shoots with Bean Curd Skin and Mushrooms. This was another massive dish with tender pea shoots that were still crunchy and vibrant. The flavours were very mild bordering on bland. The ample amount of bean curd skin was excellent being soft with a slight chew. We also enjoyed the plethora of enoki and shiitake mushrooms.
We ended off the meal with the Seafood Tofu Hot Pot and the Fried Fish with Creamed Corn Sauce. Burning hot and sizzling, the hot pot featured properly cooked seafood except for the rubbery shrimp. We liked the squid though as it was tender with some bite. The big pieces of fried tofu were silky with an appealingly fried exterior. To ensure that the fried fish didn't become soggy, we asked for the sauce to be served separately. Hence, the fish was crunchy, but it was pretty dry due to the thinness of the fillets. We found the sauce to be rather runny and more salty than sweet. Once again, Koon Bo offered up a better-than-average meal featuring large portions. However, the place is super cramped which means comfort is kept to a minimum. Also, the prices are definitely on the higher end, especially for this class of restaurant.
The Good:
- Generally good eats
- Their signature dishes are exactly that
- Large portions
The Bad:
- Pricey
- Uncomfortable seating
- Good, but not great
For all the things that my son refuses to eat, there is one that he craves and asks for specifically. No, it's not mac n' cheese nor grilled cheese sandwiches (although he does have a preference for them...). Rather, he truly enjoys Korean BBQ. Great, expensive tastes since Korean food can be pretty pricey. That was essentially the case time around as we hit up Toe Dam located near H-Mart and amongst many other Korean restaurants. It was funny how the kids kept thinking it was called "toe jam".
Anyways, everything hit the table at the same time and in the bustle, I didn't notice that we only received 4 small plates of Banchan including sprouts, seaweed, kimchi and potato. I wished that there was more variety and more in portion size (but then again, we could've asked for more). We liked the kimchi as it was crunchy and had a bright tart spiciness that wasn't heavy. As for the BBQ, we started with the Pork Belly which sported a good meat-to-fat ratio. After being crisped up on the grill as well as caramelization, these were predictably tasty where the kids gobbled them up. For us, we did the ol' lettuce wrap with garlic and soy bean paste.
We also got an order of the marinated Short Ribs which were thick and succulent. They were well-seasoned exhibiting the classic sweetness. If you were wondering about the scissors, they were necessary to cut up the meat once we finished grilling it whole on the BBQ. For the kiddies, we got an order of the always expensive Japchae (which baffles us as we prepare it at home at a fraction of the cost). We liked it as it was very garlicky and not overly soft nor wet. There was no shortage of ingredients including big pieces of tender shaved beef. There was also a noticeable sesame oil essence which was appetizing.
Lastly, we had the Tofu Soup which was full of ingredients including silky tofu, shrimp, kimchi and raw egg. This was very thick and somewhat spicy. In reality, it was more of a stew (in general that is) than a soup as it was hearty with more ingredients than actual broth. Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Toe Dam despite ringing up a bill over $80.00 for 2 adults and 2 young kids. But that shouldn't be a surprise as eating at a Korean restaurant (in particular authentic ones) can be often a wallet-emptying experience.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Okay service in relation to other Korean restaurants
The Bad:
- Pricey
- Service was okay, but hurried as expected
There I went again, buying up another online coupon. What the heck? Am I becoming more like my parents? I am really channeling my inner-Chinese ain't I? What's next, hording the straws and napkins from McD's? OMG, I have some of that in my car!!! Aiya! I'd better stop nagging the kids then, or I'll totally morph! Anyways, this time around, I bought my coupon from Travelzoo, rather than Groupon, Living Social or Social Living. Considering my past experiences, Travelzoo seems to offer better quality restaurants than the rest and my experiences have been consistently better (no, I wasn't paid to say that).
So this time was P2B Bistro & Bar in the Renaissance Hotel in Downtown. As part of the deal, we got to order an appie each. I opted for the Lasqueti Island Honey Mussels with chorizo sausage, honey ale, tomato and artisan baguette. We found the mussels to be plump and naturally sweet. There was definitely a white wine essence which was accented by the ample and spicy chorizo. The only minor issue was the significant salt content. Viv went for the Grilled Asparagus Salad with Dungeness crab, arugula, frisée and warm bacon pepper vinaigrette. Yes, this was a salad, but it fairly entertaining to the palate. With a mildly acidic vinaigrette aided by the slight saltiness of the bacon, it didn't overwhelm the rest of the ingredients. The veggies remained crispy while the crab could've been fluffier.
My parents ended up with the Dungeness Crab Cakes with chili lime aioli and the Black Tiger Prawn Fitters with kaffir lime, lemon grass and nuoc mam dipping sauce. Smallish in size, the crab cakes were soft and actually a bit wet. On the other hand, the exterior was lightly crisp and nicely browned. There was very little filler as most of the filling was crab, hence the flavours were sweet with enough seasoning. The spicy aioli was a nice compliment to the sweetness. We universally didn't like the fritters as they were truly a fried mess of things. Hence, the prawns got completely lost. When we did find a pieces it was good though with a meaty snap. The fritters were crunchy, but once past the exterior, the whole thing was just too doughy. Even the impactful sweet and spicy dip couldn't do anything to lighten things up.
Onto our mains, my dad had the Seared Arctic Char atop a potato & chorizo hash, romesco sauce and with a Dungeness crab and avocado salad. We found the char to be mostly moist (except for the belly portion because it is thinner, which is understandable) with a beautifully crisp skin. The flavours were indeed mild, however, that was the responsibility of the salty hash and romesco. Much like the crab cake, the crab in the salad was a bit wet, but it was pleasant enough with the smooth avocado. For Viv, she also went for fish with the Pan-Fried Sable Fish with potato & chorizo hash, salsa verde, mussels and romesco sauce. Other than the addition of salsa verde and mussels, the flavours were very similar to the previous dish. As for the fattier fish, it was flaky and buttery with crisp skin.
For myself and my mom, we didn't even look at the fish entrees and went straight for the meat. I chose the Rib Eye Steak with blistered tomatoes, fries, herb garlic butter and watercress salad. I asked for medium-rare and it was closer to rare, which I had no issue with. It was sufficiently tender for a rib-eye where the natural meat flavour was amped by the impactful herb butter. The side of Parmesan fries were pretty tasty, but texturally, I would've liked the fresh-cut variety more. Tart and refreshing, the salad and tomatoes helped lighten the dish. My mom went for the usual in the Roasted Rack of Lamb with whipped goat cheese & yukon potato, cauliflower puree, chimichurri and crispy Brussels sprouts. The lamb was as moist and succulent as it appeared where most of the flavour was thanks to the sticky demi-glace and herbaceous chimichurri. My mom really liked the cauliflower puree as it was smooth and lightly seasoned.
For the kiddies, my son had the Cheeseburger and fries. Despite his love for burgers, he was not happy with this one. From the dense and hard bread to the completely obliterated half beef patty, this was a fail, even for a kid's meal. Other than the vibrant lettuce and tomato, the burger itself was hard to bite into and chew. The side of generic fries didn't help either. They were quite crispy though. On the other hand, my daughter's Buttery Linguine with grilled ciabatta was good. These noodles were still al dente and tossed enough so that they were not clumpy. Of course the ample butter didn't hurt while the amount of salt was just right. She gobbled this up quickly in all its entirety. Normally, she struggles to finish a whole dish, but she didn't have a problem here (in addition to poaching some of Viv's fish and dessert).
On the topic of dessert, we shared a couple including the Chocolate X Three consisting of fresh cherry chocolate mouse, chocolate berry cup and blueberry chocolate bark. As simple as this dessert appeared, it was decent with airy semi-sweet mousse and slightly bitter and sweet bark that had a firm snap and melted in a fairly silky manner. The second dessert was the House-Baked White Chocolate Cheesecake with blueberry compote and bourbon caramel sauce. We found the cheesecake to be smooth and rich with a firm Oreo crust. it wasn't too sweet while the bourbon was not overwhelming. Interestingly, we originally went into the dinner with low expectations since it was a relatively low-key hotel restaurant. Other than a few duds, the meal as a whole was decent complete with exceptional service.
The Good:
- Above average eats
- Exceptional service
- Nice, low-key dining space
The Bad:
- Despite above-average eats, there are many restaurants in Downtown offering great food at the same price point or lower
Another year and yes another Dine Out Vancouver. Say what you want about the event, there is no denying its popularity among many diners. For the longest time, I had my doubts and certain beliefs about it, but in recent years, they have tried to change it up with a variety of participants, special events and collaboration with associated businesses. Again, one's experience is highly dependent on the restaurant and menus offered. Much like last year, I was invited to attend the media preview where we would be shuttled to 3 different restaurants to check out their DOV offerings.
We all met up at Chambar where we were divided into our selected groups and headed to our first destination - Shirakawa in Gastown. Here, we were treated to 3 of their dishes that are included in their 5-course Dine Out menu for $38.00. First up was the Spicy Albacore Tuna Sashimi served with toast. Although predominantly sweet, there was enough discernible impact from the other flavours to make this a good dish. It was mildly spicy with a sesame essence. The tuna itself was buttery soft which meant the not-crispy-enough toast would've been better off being crostinis. Next up, we sampled the Shirakawa Maki consisting of Snake River Wagyu beef atop sushi rice with a truffle onsen tamago. Beautifully plated, this dish was more eye-candy than being practical to eat. Nothing wrong with the well-marbled melt-in-our-mouths beef nor was the sushi rice out-of-sorts. It was when we tried to dip it into the egg when things went awry - things just fell apart.
Lastly, we tried the Salmon Nanban (Tempura-battered wild Sockeye salmon with house tartar sauce on a bed of aonori roasted potatoes). This was a pleasing dish where the salmon was moist and flaky while encased in a lightly crispy shell. Once again, on the sweeter side, the tartar was creamy with a touch of je ne sais quoi quality to it. Crispy, light and fluffy, the little nuggets of potato were also satisfying. From Gastown, we hastily made our way to Diva at the Met. As we were being seated, we noticed the long table with all the little tags for the options offered in their Dine Out menu. After we took pictures of the full-sized dishes, we got to sample all of them including the fantastic Roasted Parsnip & Vanilla Bean Soup with apple compote, raisin croutons and crispy pork belly. This was rich, smooth, yet not heavy. The aromatic soup was nicely accented by the sweetness of the compote and croutons as well as the crunch from the pork belly.
Next up, we tried the Caramelized Beets & Goat Cheese Salad with candied hazelnuts and pomegranate & guava dressing. There really isn't much to say about the greens other than they were fresh and vibrant. As for the beets, they were tender while still firm. I did like the crunch of the hazelnuts as it provided the necessary texture. What brought it all together was the dressing as it was sweet, aromatic and acidic. Hiding underneath a bed of baby arugula, the AAA hand-cut Angus Beef Carpaccio (with truffle vinaigrette, capers and shaved grana padano cheese) was meaty while completely tender despite being rather thickly sliced. Flavourwise, it was strangely super-salty which made it hard to eat more than a few bites. As a result, the rest of the ingredients didn't have much of an impact.
Moving onto the mains, the Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut looked promising with tomato lemon caper relish, ricotta gnocchi, wilted spinach and basil oil. Ultimately, the fish was overdone where it was dry and a bit hard to eat. However, the tomato relish was very nice being bright, acidic and fresh. It helped add some life into the dish as the gnocchi was pretty dense and heavy as well. Moving onto the Grilled Cornish Game Hen, I found the meat to be moist and succulent. However, it was partly because I chose the dark meat. Someone else remarked that the white meat was a little dry. It was served with red rice, pearl barley, harissa, honey glazed heirloom carrots and blood orange reduction. With a spice rub, I liked that the hen had enough savoury spice to stand on its own. However, the harissa added another layer of smoky spiciness (mild though). The red rice with barley was quite nice as it had an al dente bite which was accented nicely by the ample harissa.
The vegetarian option for the menu was the Wild Mushroom & Ricotta Cannelloni with mushroom consumme. At first, I wasn't overly anxious in trying it (due to my love of meat). However, it turned out to be probably my favourite of the 3 entrees. Encased in al dente fresh pasta, the mushroom/ricotta mixture was moist and woodsy. That was further amped up in terms of Earthiness by the wonderful consomme that featured a "meatiness" from the concentrated mushroom flavour. For dessert, I tried the Stilton Cheesecake first. It was plated along with berries as well as a rhubarb compote and port sauce. Fluffy and firmly cheesy, the cheesecake was not as sharp-tasting as I thought it would be. However, it did still taste really cheesy while easy on the sugar. I liked the port sauce as it brought the sweetness level down another notch with a tartness.
The cheesecake was good, but the next dessert was a real crowd-pleaser. Interestingly plated, the Tiramisu with star anise anglais featured soaked lady fingers totally encased in a light marscapone cream. If there was a perfect texture and flavour combination, this was as close as I've seen it. It was purposefully sweet (as in, not very sweet) with only enough essence of coffee. With this firmly stuck in our minds, we moved onto our 3rd restaurant which was a complete departure from Diva at the Met. Traveling all the way down to the South end of The Drive, we ended up at Cafe Kathmandu. There, we were immediately served a Nepali Appetizer Set consisting of turmeric infused potato salad, roasted soy beans, dry rolled rice and salad. The star of the place was the crunchy soy beans as they were spiked with a salty garlicky spiciness. Also crispy and strangely addictive, the dry rolled rice could easily be a snack on its own.
Onto more appetizers, we sampled the Sea Momo in both pork and vegetarian versions. These XLB-looking dumplings were served in a soup of tomato, sesame, cilantro, lemon and mild spices. I found the soup (more like a sauce) was effective in offering up big hits of cilantro and the necessary acidity. As for the dumplings, the skin was thin and toothsome. Inside, the pork filling was loose and crumbly, yet moist at the same time. Flavours were mild with ginger, onion and coriander being easily recognized. Appearing like a work of art, the Chatamari (single side pan baked rice and lentil bread, topped with egg, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, ginger garlic and mild spices) benefited from the 3 sauces on the side. With a firm crust topped with a runny egg, there wasn't a whole lot of flavours going on other than the toppings. But with a dash of the hot sauce, the whole thing came alive with a spiciness that didn't overwhelm.
For entrees, we were served 3 including the Goat Curry (pictured), Peas & Potato and Cauliflower Chicken. I particularly enjoyed the goat curry with daikon due to the developed rich flavours from the fat. The meat itself was tender and moist while only a bit gamy. I didn't find the curry particularly spicy, but it did have depth. Finally, our 2 desserts consisted of Noodle Pudding (granulated rice cooked in almond milk and brown sugar with touch of saffron). Both were mildly sweet with a touch of aromatics, especially from the saffron. Texturally, I thought the rice version was a bit thicker. As you can see, we were treated to a diverse array of eats from 3 very different restaurants representing different price points. There are many more to choose from starting on January 16th until February 1st.
*All food and gratuities were complimentary*
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