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Driving for nearly 2 hours from Portland in torrential rain, our main purpose was to visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory. It either speaks of our dedication or outright lunacy. Whatever the case, the kiddies were relieved to arrive at our destination. Despite being a relatively simple self-tour, they enjoyed watching the assembly line (much like on Food Factory). Funny how we could just watch the cheese move down the conveyor belt over and over again. After some cheese tasting, we were inspired to stay for lunch and for some ice cream afterwards.
Seeing how we were surrounded by cheese, it would be shame that I did not indulge myself in the Centennial Grilled Cheese made with sharp white cheddar and mild cheddar on sourdough bread. This was seared on the flat-top until crunchy with ample cheese oozing out. I found the sharp cheddar to be impactful and flavourful. The side of tater tots were fried until super crispy. Viv had the Pesto Chicken Grilled Cheese and it was definitely cheesy and full of meat. There wasn't much pesto though. She had the Creamy Tomato Soup on the side and it was rather sweet while plenty thick.
My son had the Mac n' Cheese (which was more like penne n' cheese) where it featured toothsome noodles bathed in a creamy sauce. The blend of cheeses were sufficiently flavourful while coating each noodle and then some. This was a fairly large portion for a kid's meal. The side of fries were, well a side of fries. My daughter went for the 2 Mini-Cheeseburgers which were pretty generic. With a somewhat soft and dry bun, the small burger patty wasn't that noticeable. However, the slice of cheddar made things a bit better. Not sure why she chose this over a grilled cheese...
Of course we left room for ice cream, in particular, my daughter who claimed she was full. Hogwash, because she was able to eat a Junior Strawberry Ice Cream in a sugar cone. For myself and Viv, we shared one scoop of Black Cherry and Chocolate each. The ice cream was rich and dense while just sweet enough. Even the sugar-free black cherry was creamy and rich despite the absence of sugar. As much as the food here at the factory cafe was pretty standard and simple, it was good because of the ingredients involved. The ice cream was a treat too. Really, this is what it was all about.
The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Kid-friendly
- Good ice cream
The Bad:
- Don't expect too much
Fresh off a visit to Southern Kitchen whereby our inspiration was Triple D's (despite varying degrees of reliability), we were in search for more (due to my daughter's fascination with the show). With that in our rear view mirror, we headed off to our second Triple D's destination in Frank's Noodle House near Lloyd Center. Well, we did a face plant of epic proportions as we were too late to be seated as a group of 8. Hence, we had to think of a backup plan on the spot. That meant dining at Umi Sushi across the street.
Interestingly, the menu and staff were more indicative of a Korean restaurant than one that serves sushi. So it was no surprise that we were served some Banchan to start. It included stewed potatoes, kimchi, spicy cucumber and wakame salad. We found the kimchi to be a bit too mild (and pale-looking) while the cucumbers could've used more time marinating. The potatoes were texturally fine while being typically sweet. As for our first dish, the Assorted Sashimi was prepared and plated strangely. With atypical slices, the fish itself was fine texturally and taste-wise, but these were some pretty ugly looking sashimi slices.
Next up, the one Korean dish we ordered, was the Dolset Bibimbap. Arriving in a super-hot stone bowl, the rice crust formed successfully. The chewy and not overly soft rice was appealing while topped with a considerable amount of toppings. This was pretty good. However, when we got back to the Japanese food, namely the maki sushi, that was another matter. We found the Spicy Salmon Roll and Ebi Tempura Roll were haphazardly constructed. Upon contact, the rolls disintegrated. Although firm, the rice was not sticky enough, which meant it was wrong texturally and it didn't hold the rolls together.
For the kiddies, we got them the Chicken Udon. It was okay, but the soup tasted more like a savoury chicken soup meant for Chinese noodles rather than a dashi. The good amount of chicken was seared nicely where it exhibited a caramelized flavour. It was sufficiently tender without being juicy. When it was all said and done, we remarked that the place had great potential as a Korean restaurant, but not a Japanese one. So if you come by and stick to the Korean food, it should be a good experience.
The Good:
- The one Korean dish we had was good
- Attentive service
- Inexpensive
The Bad:
- Not sure about the Japanese food
For a 7-year old, my daughter watches the Food Network religiously and in particularly Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Yah, she loves Guy Fieri. Say what you want about some of the joints he visits, there are a few gems to be found amongst them. On our drive down to Portland, we decided to stop by Southern Kitchen in Tacoma, partly due to her love of Triple D's and mostly because we wanted to get something we don't normally see much of in Vancouver. On that note, it looked like we weren't the only ones with that idea as we had to wait a bit for our table.
We began the meal with a couple of appies including the Fried Green Tomatoes and Fried Okra. Crunchy in spurts, the fried green tomatoes were tender on the inside. They weren't mushy tho, retaining a soft bite while contrasted by the bits of firm cornmeal. They were on the greasier side though. As for the okra, the exterior batter was crispy while overly thick. We weren't sure if these were made fresh as they seemed stiff and lacking moisture. Inside, the okra retained a bit of firmness while being its slimy self. In the end, this was probably the weakest item we had.
Before our actual meals, we were served Cornmeal Cakes (included with our entrees). Doing their best impression of a fluffy pancake except with the crunch of cornmeal and a noticeable sweetness, my son like them despite being very different than a regular buttermilk pancake. I added some butter, but stayed away from the syrup as they were sweet enough. On the topic of sweet, the Sweet Peach Drink was really sugary and full of flavor. It could've been had with whipped cream on top, but we decided against it. As the ice melted, the drink did become less potent. Yet they could've eased up on the sugar.
Onto the mains, I had the Beef Brisket with Mac n' Cheese and Candied Yams. Well-portioned and fork tender, the brisket was lean and meaty. It was dressed in a fairly sweet and tangy BBQ sauce that helped keep the drier parts moist. The mac n' cheese was spiked with a considerable amount of real cheddar. Hence, it was pretty gooey while not really all that saucy. The dominant flavour was that of the mild cheddar where a bit more salt was needed to liven it up. As for the yams, they were soft and overly sweet like candy. Viv decided to try the Fried Chicken Wings with Mac n' Cheese and Mashed Potatoes. With a firm well-seasoned crunch, the chicken wings were somewhere in between dry and moist. The mashed potatoes were smooth and dressed with a thick peppery gravy.
Girl Smiley went for something similar in the Southern Fried Chicken with Mac n' Cheese and Candied Yams. Although larger than the wings, the chicken thighs were similar in texture being on the drier side. The skin was well rendered though with a firm crunch from the coating. Guy Smiley ended up with the Fried Catfish and it was moist and flaky with a crunchy cornmeal coating. It's trademark muddiness was part of the flavour profile, yet at the same time, it wasn't overpowering. Being boring, he had the same sides as I did, so nothing more to say about them! Alright, I'm not an expert on Southern eats, but I do know what I like and don't like. In general, the food at Southern Kitchen was "okay", but not super-memorable. Maybe I need to travel much farther south next time.
The Good:
- Fairly good portions
- Excellent service
- Depending on what you order, there are some decent eats
The Bad:
- Okay, but not great
- Crazy busy, so a wait will be normal
Prior to our short trip to Portland, my parents wanted to do dinner somewhere nearby. We ended up going with Happy Valley located next to the new Mercedes dealership on Broadway. With a parking lot doubling as a used car dealership, I guess the place fits right in with its neighbours. We arrived just as they opened for dinner service, so we were able to score a pretty nice table. On a side note, the boss lady must be one of the most expressionless people I've come across. However, the male manager was quite pleasant.
Enough of the staff, now onto the food... If you have noticed, we often order the Peking Duck at Chinese restaurants. It is no coincidence since my kids, especially my son, loves the stuff. Go figure, he won't eat many regular things, but he won't say no to crispy skin! In this case, the skin was indeed crispy while the layer of fat was not too thick. We weren't that impressed with the crepes though as they were chewy and doughy. Next up was the second course being the Duck Lettuce Wrap. They didn't skimp out on the meat as the dish was filled with large chunks of duck. Combined with crunchy carrots, celery and water chestnuts atop fried mung bean noodle, there was a nice textural contrast. Although a bit salty, the dish did exhibit good wok heat.
Moving along, the next dish to arrive was the Dungeness Crab & Vermicelli Hot Pot. For a set price item, the crab itself was of a decent size and fresh. The meat was fluffy and sweet while the vermicelli benefited from enough seasoning. An impressive aspect of the dish was the properly moistened vermicelli was not soaked in broth or sauce. This way, it remained chewy and didn't disintegrate. For our one veggie item, we got the Gai Lan with beef (yes, this is the best way to eat veggies...). As shown in the picture, the gai lan was vibrant and cooked just enough so that it was still crunchy. As for the beef, it was generally tender, but some pieces were a touch chewy. Moreover, the dish was on the saltier side though.
Although a bit cliched, we got an order of the Sweet & Sour Pork. Despite its relation to Americanized Chinese food, we love the dish and this one here was decent. In large chunks, the pork was freshly fried where the exterior was crispy while the inside was juicy. There was just enough sauce to coat each piece, but flavourwise, it was rather sweet with very little tang. Sporting large meaty prawns rather than shrimp, the Yeung Chow Fried Rice was also quite good. The rice was dry and nutty while the abundance of ingredients including the aforementioned prawns added to the body of the dish. Unlike the previous dishes, more salt would've helped.
For dessert we were treated to an order of the Baked Tapioca Pudding. The best part of it was the sweet crispy topping, but that was about it. The rest of it was stiff and too dense. Furthermore, the dessert could've used more time in the oven as it was only warm rather than hot. Other than that, the other dishes were pretty darn solid (albeit salty) and well-portioned. Service was not bad except for the constantly frowning boss-lady.
The Good:
- Solid eats
- Fair portions
- Okay pricing considering everything
The Bad:
- Heavy on the salt
- Avoid the boss-lady
Here we go again, another popular Japanese chain setting up shop in Canada. This time, it is Pepper Lunch with its sizzling hot iron plate and signature pepper rice for your DIY enjoyment. I was intrigued and was expecting to visit the place once it opened. Well, that wasn't necessary as an impromptu tasting (with the help of Sean) was arranged by the owner since I was not at any of the preview events. Also thanks to Sean for the frontage pic, I forgot to take one!
After we settled in, I was persuaded to try their coffee (I was a bit apprehensive). Well, it was pretty smooth and aromatic. It wasn't particularly strong tasting though. As for the food, we were started off with the Salmon Pepper Rice. Even after fully cooking the salmon, it was still moist. The seared crispy bits were a nice contrast to the rest of the soft ingredients. Naturally, there was a generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper which had a strong impact on the dish. To finish the mix of ingredients, 2 different sauces were provided - sweet honey brown and garlic soy. For this application, I found the sweet honey brown a better fit with the delicate salmon.
Next up, we were presented with the Black Pepper Rice with sliced Angus beef and egg. The doneness of the beef was truly dependent on our own preferences. After tossing it around in the super hot plate, we could place the beef atop the rice to stop the cooking process. Then after a short delay, we mixed all of the ingredients together including the egg yolk. With this dish, the garlic soy seemed to go a bit better (but this is subjective). I found this concoction to be more filling due to the tender slices of beef and nuggets of cooked egg. Of note, this particular franchise sources their proteins locally which are higher in quality than the ones used in Asia.
Moving onto some meatier items, we tried the Wagyu Hamburger Steak served with pepper butter, black pepper and onion sauce. Nicely seared where it formed a caramelized and crispy crust, the hamburger steak was moist and flavourful from the included condiments, especially the sweet and salty onion sauce. Lastly, we tried the Ribeye Steak with mash potatoes and veggies. To illustrate the intense heat of the iron plate, this completely raw steak was cooked and seared by the residual heat. We prepared the Angus steak medium-rare and it was appreciably tender. Thanks to the dusting of black pepper and pepper butter, there was no absence of aroma and taste either. Overall, I enjoyed the food at Pepper Lunch and thought the quality was definitely there. As much as the prices were on the higher side, they do reflect the material costs.
*All food and beverages were comped*
The Good:
- Ingredients are of good quality
- Fun with your food
- Tasty sauces
The Bad:
- Can get a bit messy and you will smell like the food after
When Chewy Junior opened up shop in Gastown, it came on the heels of Beta5's ever-popular cream puffs. Upon closer inspection, Chewy Junior is not a copy-cat, rather, they have been a popular treat since 2007 internationally. Furthermore, although they look extremely similar, Chewy Junior employs a mochi-pastry hybrid shell. Hence, the name is only fitting where the overall texture is quite a bit chewier. Since I am a big fan of the Beta5 version, there was no doubt I had to see what its closest rival was offering up.
I ended up with a dozen cream puffs covering all 9 of their available flavours. It wasn't cheap where it rivaled the price of Beta5. The first thing I noticed was the trademark texture where the outside was slightly crispy while the rest of it was chewy. The first 3 we tried were the Strawberry Cheese, Blueberry Cheese and Neapolitan. With only mild hits of cream cheese with a touch of glazed fruit, these were not overly sweet. In fact, the custard filling wasn't too sweet either. Personally, that was ideal, but for some, it might be on the milder side. Even the Neapolitan, with the top completely covered in chocolate was pretty easy on the sugar. One thing that I didn't like was the consistency of the filling. It was quite runny and it splattered all-over-the-place with each bite.
The next trio was simply very chocolatey including the Chocolate Oreo Crunch, Chocolate Zebra and Double Chocolate Crunch. With each filled with a chocolate custard, there was no mistaking the predominant flavour. Yet, they continued the trend of being mildly sweet. I normally do not like overly chocolatey treats, but these were not bad. Onto the last 3, we had the Chocolate Almond Crunch, Almond Sweetheart and Matcha Nippon. Okay, for some reason or another, these were sweeter (except for the chocolate almond). Possibly the use of white chocolate might've been the culprit. Overall, I liked how they were mildly sweet. However, I wasn't a huge fan of the runny custard nor the chewier exterior. As much as many of us would like to compare it to Beta5, they are not really the same. With that being said, I do like Beta5 more.
The Good:
- Not overly sweet flavours
- An alternative to gourmet donuts
The Bad:
- Custard too runny
- Pricey
With the proliferation of coffee shops and cafes littering the whole of the GVRD, it is often difficult to find something different. Even if we ignore the big boys like Starbucks and Blenz (in addition to many other chains), there is still a jungle of shops to wade through. So how does a lil' new and understated cafe on Renfrew set itself apart? Why not serve hand-made pies made with local, natural and mostly organic ingredients along with Elysian coffee? Oh and on top of that, throw in a few with some Asian influences.
Upon closer inspection, Renfrew Cafe is co-owned by Tyler Russell, formerly of Cafe For Contemporary Art. In fact, co-owner Shun Taguchi is from Caffe Artigiano. So maybe this lil' place has some solid roots... Anyways, I was invited to try a few of their creations along with a Cappuccino. Nicely prepared and presented, this was smooth and aromatic. For my first Pie, I tried the Matcha Mochi Anko Pie with a flaky and light pastry crust dusted with matcha and confectioners sugar. Inside, there was a pillowy soft layer of mochi which enveloped a semi-sweet red bean filling. I felt the flavours were quite balanced where I got a bit of bitterness offset with just the right amount of sweetness.
Next, I had the good ol' Classic Appie Pie which featured a much softer crust due to the amount of moisture. However, the edges were still flaky and light. Inside, the large chunks of apple were tender while not mushy. They were tart with only the slightest amount of sweetness while accented by a purposeful amount of cinnamon. Doing things backwards, I sampled the Beef and Kimchi Pie last. Flatter and larger, the pie crust was crisper and a touch more dense. Inside, the beef was sufficiently tender while mixed with an equal amount of slightly crunchy kimchi. I personally would've liked to see more spice and more salt in this as it was on the milder side. Overall, I was quite intrigued by their pies. I liked them and wanted to try more, but alas, being there by myself, I could not pull off a Mijune. That means I have to return for some more...
*All food and beverage were comped*
The Good:
- Unique and generally appealing pies
- Yes, I was invited, but the people are friendly (in a natural manner)
The Bad:
- A bit on the expensive side
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