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To be honest, I've been stuck in a rut lately. So much eating and most of it has been mediocre and uninspiring. In fact, it has been so bleh, I've considered taking a hiatus. Well, that was only for a fleeting moment as my latest food adventure brought me right back. It socked me in the face like a white Mercedes stealing my parking spot. Surprising to say the least as this meal started out as innocent curiousity when I checked out Manis Pan-Asian Eatery in the heart of Whalley. I enjoyed my meal so much, I invited Steve and Ned Flanders to join me on a return visit the very next day.
So this post will be an amalgamation of the 2 visits. In both meals, I had the Roti Canai which was seriously (like really seriously) on point. It was flaky and crispy on the outside, while the cooked-through interior was soft, yet chewy. The whole thing wasn't greasy at all, yet still moist. We went for the curry chicken dip and although it was mild-tasting in terms of seasoning, that didn't mean it didn't have impact. Although a bit more salt and thicker consistency would've been nice. There was a noticeable spice level though. We also had the Chicken Satay which featured a good-sized portion of meat. Sporting a nice char and enough marinade, these were smoky and sweet with a touch of spice. The accompanying peanut sauce added even more sweetness.
For the meal I had by myself, the Singaporean Laksa was an explosion of flavours. I will boldly state that this is the best Laksa I've had in the GVRD. Yes, I said it and will stand by it. The broth was aromatic with an initial spiciness which was impactful without being overwhelming. Then the coconut milk came through with a rich silkiness, then finishing off with a pungent seafood hit. All of these worked in harmony without conflict. Next up, I tried the Beef Nasi Lemak (Malaysia rendang beef curry, coconut rice, egg, pickled vegetables, peanuts, anchovy sambal) which was also excellent. The tender and moist chunks of beef were nestled in a combination of flavours which were revealed in layers including ginger, lemongrass, spiciness from the chili and of course coconut milk. The sprinkle of toasted coconut on top only served add yet another aromatic hit.
With Ned and Steve, we sampled some more items including the Pulut Panggang (glutinous rice filled with dried shrimps and spices, and wrapped in banana leaf). Related to the Chinese "jong", this Malay version boasted some bold flavours including the pungent saltiness of the dried shrimp, aromatics of the shallots and spice of the chilis. Now onto an Indonesian dish, we tried the Babi Kechap consisting of pork belly braised in kechap manis (sweet soy) served with seasonal vegetables and coconut rice. We agreed that this was our favourite dish of this visit (better than the Laksa in their opinion). With a melt-in-our-mouths quality, the pork belly was definitely sweet and salty. There was considerable depth where the sauce finished with the tartness of tamarind. At first I thought the sauce was too salty, but combined with the rice, it was just right.
Lastly, we had the Nasi Goreng (Indonesian style fried rice with tomato, onion, egg, Chinese greens, fried shallots and green onion) which was beautifully presented with cute shrimp chips. This one was unlike any other version I've had before as it was pretty heavy with the kechap manis. Hence, it was a deep shade of brown while being sweet and salty (with a touch of purposeful spice). The flavours were heightened due to the good wok heat. Although a minor complaint, I would've liked to see freshly fried shrimp chips as the ones on the plate were hard and not crispy. But really, there wasn't a whole lot of complaining because the food is just plain solid at Manis. Definitely a hidden gem, but I suspect not for long...
The Good:
- Wonderful people, super-friendly
- Just plain good food
- Modern and clean restaurant
The Bad:
- On the pricier side
- Menu is a bit all over the place, but we stuck with the Malay and Indonesian fare
As much as I love to go out to eat, I often cook at home (as mentioned many times). However, when neither option is feasible, I do what many do - take out pizza. At one point, I would just get some Panago and that was that. But somewhere along the way, Panago became a "gourmet" pizza joint and prices just do not seem all that attractive anymore. Hence, I'd much rather hit up one of the many other less known pizza shops. So after picking up my daughter from her art class, I got some pizza and other things from Mr. Pan Pizza & Indian Cuisine.
I ended up choosing the "Family Special" that included two 3-topping pizzas, Lasagna (or Lizanga as it was appeared on the placard), Garlic Bread, Salad and 2-litre pop for $33.00. By the looks of it, the garlic bread and salad were definitely throw-ins as they were not that great. The bread was not toasted and wasn't very soft nor garlicky. Browning, lifeless and dressing-less, we didn't touch the salad. As for the Pizzas, they were acceptable with a pan-crust that was semi-thick and dense. It wasn't greasy at all and nicely browned on the bottom. There was no lack of cheese nor toppings including plenty of non-fatty bacon, pepperoni and mushrooms on the first pizza. The second featured an equal amount of bacon, ham and pineapple. We found the sauce to be mildly tangy and overly sweet.
The Lasagna was pretty typical of a take-out pizza place, but it didn't lack cheese on top (which was not burnt nor too overcooked). We found lasagna noodles quite soft and not seasoned. Hence, there was lack of depth in terms of flavour. All of it came from the sauce which wasn't too tart, yet very peppery. It wasn't enough to flavour the bland noodles though. To get a taste of the Indian food portion of the menu, I got a Butter Chicken with naan and rice. I asked for medium and it resulted in a spicy butter chicken. Beyond that, there was a significant tomato paste slant to the dish while still creamy enough to balance it out somewhat. The chunks of chicken were large and sufficiently moist and flavourful. This was a pretty decent butter chicken given the venue.
Even the Naan was half-decent being fluffy and chewy at the same time. There was a significant char on the bottom which added a nuttiness and slight smoky flavour. So in the end, the pizza was passable while the one Indian dish we had was pretty good. Given the pricing and the amount of food, we thought it was fair deal. For me at least, I would be more interested in going back to try their Indian food over the pizza and pasta.
The Good:
- Decent Indian food
- Fair pricing
The Bad:
- The garlic bread and salad were terrible
- Pizza and pasta were average
Ah Choobee... Always trying to get me moving in directions that I would rather not. Okay, I'll explain. You see, Choobee, much like the people who believed the Earth was flat, thinks there is a vast wasteland East of Main Street. Hence, she primarily spends her time in either Richmond or the West side of Vancouver. So whenever there is a restaurant decision to be made, Surrey would be equivalent to the end of the Earth. Therefore, I wasn't one bit surprised when she went on and on about L'Opera Patisserie in Richmond. Oh great, get me to go to Richmond again eh? Oh fine, so we did and I ended up picking up a variety of treats.
When asked which box I would like for my dozen of Macarons, I was given the choice of a green or black box. To which replied, I would like the green as the other one reminds me of an early 90's dance group. Then that is where I broke out into song... "Strike it up, this band is gonna play my tune...". Choobee and the girl at the counter began to look at me like I was Randy Quaid. Anyways, the petit macarons were pretty good. The lightly crisp exterior gave way to a soft interior. I would've liked to see it slightly chewier, but it was okay nonetheless. Flavourwise, they were natural-tasting while being only purposefully sweet. The little surprises in the middle only added to the enjoyment. I initially planned on eating one of the 2 Croissants I bought, but my son loved it so much, he took the other half of mine. I don't blame him because it as flaky and crunchy with a light airy and buttery interior. This was a surprisingly good version.
As for the Double-Baked Almond Croissant, it was also quite good except being a bit "flat". The exterior was once again crispy and sweet with plenty of slivered almonds. Inside, it was predictably denser with a controlled sweetness. I thought this was good, but not as good as the butter croissant. I think the one at Thomas Haas is the one to beat. The Opera Cake, being the namesake of the place, lived up to expectations as it was good. The rich and silky dark chocolate on top revealed evenly distributed layers of hazelnut cream and cake which was aromatic, but hardly sweet. The flavours really came through without the intrusion of excess sugar that would have ruined the dessert otherwise.
Due to my daughter's love of macarons, I had to get the Princesse Malibu which featured 2 large macaron shells filled with vanilla bean custard, blackberries, peaches and almonds. To literally top it off, there was a lemon macaron on top. Of course this was difficult to eat, but my daughter happily ate it. I wrestled a bit away from her and it was a good combination of fruit, smooth custard and different textures. Well, I gotta admit I was impressed with the selection I brought home from L'Opera. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a whole lot, but these sweets were well-constructed and on point.
The Good:
- Carefully crafted
- Nice people
- Textures on point
The Bad:
- Pricey
- Not a particularly big place to eat in
How the heck did we end up in Surrey and dining at Sushi Zen? Yes, really, how did this happen? Hey, not that it was weird or something, but we really had no reason to travel so far for some lunch. Well, call it another epic fail on my part as we were actually trying to visit Malaysia Hut and they were randomly closed when they should've been open. Note to self - call the restaurant first to make sure... Oh whatever, I love eating in Surrey anyways...
For some odd reason, I hadn't eaten Takoyaki in quite some time, even though I've been to many Japanese restaurants and Izakayas. Well, my love for balls, specifically octopus balls, influenced my dish selection. These were pretty good being served hot and fluffy. They were sauced just enough with tonkatsu sauce and sweet mayo topped by a good helping of bonito flakes. I tried to offer them to the kids, but they were mesmerized by the curling bonito flakes and decided to pass. Next, we had something that I usually avoid as much as #3 Road on a Saturday afternoon - the Philadelphia Roll. For me, cream cheese doesn't do well with sushi, but my daughter happens to love cream cheese as well as smoked salmon. I gave the roll a try and the first thing that struck me was the immense flavour emanating from the sushi rice. It was sweet, vinegary and strangely mildly salty. As much as that was wrong, I somehow didn't mind it because the texture of the rice was bang on being chewy while not too wet nor dry.
Naturally, for my son, we ordered the Prawn Tempura because he will eat almost anything fried ("almost"). These were plated nicely where each prawn was buttery and cold-water crunchy. They were cooked just enough with a thin layer of tempura batter. I wouldn't say it was super crispy, but it wasn't soggy either. I thought that there was probably a touch too much seasoning though. Our next specialty roll was the Las Vegas Roll which was impressively large. Inside, there was a massive amount of yam tempura which made the roll quite heavy. The tuna and salmon were a bit lost in the mass of yam as well as the amount sweet chili. They could've eased up on the sauce. It ate okay though as there were many textures and flavours at play.
Also for the kiddies, we got an order of the Chicken Don. When it arrived, it was obvious they didn't skimp on the chicken as we couldn't even see the rice. The chicken was aggressively torched which showed in the extensive charring on the top. That afforded a significant smokiness that actually went well with the rice and teriyaki sauce as it added depth of flavour. The chicken itself was sufficiently moist with somewhat fatty skin attached. I thought the rice was also on point with a chewy consistency aided by noticeable seasoning. Lastly, we had the Assorted Sashimi that featured Atlantic salmon, tuna, tako, hotate, hokkigai and mackerel. Nothing was amiss as the fish had a nice sheen and fresh taste. However, the pieces of tuna were not defrosted enough where it was hard and really cold. Despite being a backup plan of sorts, Sushi Zen did the trick for a reasonable price. Naturally, it wasn't super authentic, as well as some over-reliance on sauce. But it is okay for the neighbourhood.
The Good:
- Fairly large portions
- Reasonably-priced
- Nice staff
The Bad:
- Too much sauce
- Somewhat too much seasoning as well
Finding late night eats in Vancouver, specifically in Downtown, is not really a difficult task. However, as we move out further into the burbs, it gets a bit more complicated. After another late night league game on Friday (when has 11:45pm become an acceptable "prime time" slot???), we wanted to stay East of Boundary. Hence, we ended up at Jang Mo Jib on Kingsway in Burnaby. Occupying an old location of Knight & Day, the place wasn't exactly at the top of our list, but there weren't a whole lot of options at 1:30am that didn't involve a drive-thru.
Milhouse and I decided to begin with the Hae Mool Soon Doo Boo (Spicy Seafood Soft Tofu Stew) that arrived bubbling hot. We ask for medium spicy and it was more or less so. The tofu was silky while the amount of seafood was pretty minimal. Yet, in terms of total ingredients, there was much more of it than broth, which we liked. As for the broth it was, as mentioned, slightly spicy with a balanced amount of saltiness. For myself, I had the Jzol Myun or Korean extra chewy cold noodle with vegetables and boiled egg, served with hot chilli paste on the side. The noodles were indeed toothsome while the toppings were fresh and crisp. Naturally, the overall flavour depended on how much gochujang was added (I used alot!).
Milhouse ended up with something that was somewhat similar in taste to the tofu soup in the Dda Ro Gook Bahb (beef stew, radish, green onion and vegetable in spicy hot beef broth served with rice). Of course it wasn't exactly the same, but it was equally spicy while saltier. That was fine though as it was to go with plain rice anyways. He wasn't particularly happy with the beef as it was quite chewy. Lionel Hutz decided on something milder with the Gahl Bee Tahng or beef short rib meat with sweet potato noodle and egg swirl in clear beef broth served with rice. Usually, this is served with salt so one could adjust the flavour. However, it was not needed here as it was plenty salty on its own. Again, the beef could've been more tender.
Naturally, we were served some Banchan to go along with our dishes. These included kimchi, sprouts, stewed potatoes and spicy radish. These were okay, but not really all that tasty. The sprouts and potatoes were rather bland while the kimchi was okay, but could've been spicier. Not surprisingly, we returned a month later due to another late game and the potatoes were actually too hard. This time around, Milhouse decided to go for the Dolsot Bibimbap (assorted preserved vegetables, beef, sautéed Kimchi, onions and fried egg served on rice in a hot stone bowl, served with homemade hot chilli paste on the side). This came sizzling hot where the chewy rice was able to form a crust. We thought that a completely raw egg would've been better than the sunny side as provided.
I went big and had the Jap Che (stir-fry sweet potato noodle with assorted vegetables and beef cooked in a house special marinade sauce). I thought that there was far too much slivered onion in the mix and indeed it was. We figured there was almost a small onion used for the dish. On the positive side, the noodles were toothsome and well-seasoned. Maybe a bit too salty though with plenty of sesame oil. I would've liked to see more beef though. Groundskeeper Willy opted for the Go Dung Uh Goo Wee or grilled Norwegian mackerel which was surprisingly good despite the fishy aroma. It was flaky and completely crispy on the outside. It was nicely seasoned where it didn't interfere with natural flavours.
Lastly, Lionel Hutz had the Goon Mahn Doo (pan-fried Korean style beef and pork mix dumplings served with house special soy sauce) which were beautifully crispy. They were properly fried until golden brown. He found the filling to be pretty average though being loose and a touch gritty. Overall, we were okay with the food on both visits. Interestingly, I remember going to the original Jang Mo Jib on Kingsway across from Dai Tung. I swear it was better back then or maybe I'm imagining things? Whatever the case, JMJ did the trick, especially when we really didn't have a whole lot of other choices.
The Good:
- Open real late
- Okay pricing for the smaller items
- Acceptable food given the circumstances
The Bad:
- Service is a bit sparse, even for late-night
- Food is okay for late-night, but there is better during regular hours
On our way to Chill's house for his annual hockey pool (yes, this was several months ago), Costanza, Vandelay and I decided to grab some quick eats along the way. Along the way meant we would have to meet up in Richmond... during rush hour... Nice, this is what we do for food??? Well, Costanza was smart because he wasn't driving. Wait, why did he make me drive??? Either he is a complete jerk or the smartest person of the bunch. To make it real quick, we stopped by Tai Hing Congee & Noodle House near Richmond Centre.
We got the Fisherman's Congee first consisting of julienned fish cake, pork rinds, dried squid, peanuts and lettuce. The broth was sufficiently thick and moderately seasoned. It remained thick until the last spoonful, but we were thinking there was some thickening agent involved. As shown in the picture, there was enough ingredients where every spoonful had something. I wasn't a huge fan of the wontons in the Wonton Noodle since they were small and featured chewy dry pork. The small amount of shrimp was cold-water crunchy though. But that wasn't enough to save them. I guess it is a personal bias of mine as I am more fond of the modern wontons where there is more shrimp. As for the noodles, they were a touch soft and eggy, but okay nonetheless. The soup was also quite light with only minor hints of salt.
We also got the Lo Mein with Brisket (Dry Noodles) that featured a good amount of sufficiently moist and fatty beef. Taste-wise, we found the brisket to be lightly seasoned while the noodles were indeed dry and chewy. On the side, we had some plain Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls and Gai Lan with oyster sauce. The rolls were bordering between soft and stiff. Hence, they were not overly dense nor buttery as a result. In the end, they did the trick. We liked the gai lan as the stalks remained crunchy while the colour was a vibrant dark green. They cooked this just right. As you can ascertain, the food at Tai Hing is neither complex nor sexy. But it does do the job at very reasonable prices in a typical mom n' pop fashion.
The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Food is okay for what it is
The Bad:
- Ol' skool eats, don't expect refinement
- Really small tables
To say that the ski season has been an utter disaster would be an understatement of epic proportions much like saying the Seahawks gave away the Superbowl. So what we are left with are bare and rocky mountain peaks in our supposed "Winter" (I guess Al Gore was onto something...). But there is one way to get some frosty peaks in Vancouver - at the newly opened Soft Peaks in Gastown. No, that doesn't solve the crappy ski season, but at the very least, one can drown their sorrows in premium soft-serve made with organic Avalon milk.
I ended up visiting the place 2 times with the first being comped and the second on my own dime (hey, kinda hard to write a blog post with only 2 items...). On our first go-around, we tried the Mudslide and Sunrise in California, both in the large size. Topped with Tim Tam flakes and chocolate syrup (and on the bottom as well), the Mudslide was chocolaty in a milky sweet manner. Now the sweetness didn't actually come from the soft serve. In fact, it was bordering on bland. But that is the beauty of Soft Peaks. With already a bevy of sweet ingredients, there is no need for an overly sweet ice cream. About that soft serve, it was creamy, rich and had a fairly dense consistency. With a sweet and sour yuzu marmalade, the Sunrise was "lighter" in a tangy sweet manner. The marmalade was pretty sweet, but again, the neutral-tasting soft-serve did not add to the sugar content.
Returning the very next day, we encountered a lineup that went down the block. This is an example of successful social media. After 45 minutes, we received our order of their signature item being the Honeycomb Peak and the Asian-inspired Green Forest, both in small. Simply accented by a large piece of local honeycomb and drizzled with honey, the Honeycomb Peak allowed the soft-serve to shine on its own with only a touch of sweetness. However, the honeycomb was super sweet and sticky (since it was chilled by the ice cream). The Green Forest consisted of sweet red bean, condensed milk and organic matcha powder. Naturally, it had some elements of a Chinese "hong dau sa", where it was pretty sweet due to the condensed milk. There was some aromatics from the matcha powder, but the condensed milk did overwhelm everything.
I returned once again with Sean to try the Salty Himalayan in both versions - chocolate and caramel. Since the salt was sprinkled on top, the initial bites were pretty strong. Interestingly, we thought that the salt worked better with the chocolate rather than the caramel (Sean takes credit for this one). So, after these 3 visits, it is pretty to clear to me that their soft-serve is on point in terms of texture and taste (not too sweet). As for the toppings, they are purely subjective. The only thing that gives me pause is the price as it ain't cheap. But one must consider they are located in Downtown and are using organic Avalon milk and other quality ingredients.
*2 of the 6 items were comped*
The Good:
- Not-too-sweet rich and creamy soft-serve
- They kept it simple with the ingredients, which is a good thing
- Friendly staff
The Bad:
- Pricey (but consider the location and cost of the ingredients)
- No customization, yet that would slow down the already long line
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