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For the longest time, we would pass by Domineco's on Hastings and wonder how on Earth does it survive when there never appeared to be anyone eating inside. Well, the question was ultimately answered one day when another sushi restaurant took over the place. Just like Lonsdale in North Van, it is become increasingly popular to have a Japanese restaurant on every block (sometimes 2 or 3!). We decided to check the place out with Nikita, Bluebeard, Herbie the Lovebug and Lana Banana one night.
Viv and I decided to try out the Deluxe Assorted Sashimi. Considering it only cost us $19.95, this was a substantial amount of food. It was presented and plated appealingly where the quality of the sashimi was certainly more-than-acceptable. Exhibiting a fresh sheen and appropriate textures, we really didn't have much to complain about. Onto our specialty roll, we had the Kamikaze which was essentially a dynamite roll with spicy tuna, mesclun greens and a whackload of sauce. We found the sushi rice to be chewy while not too dry. It was on the sweeter side though. We weren't that enthused about the amount of spicy mayo, but it was easily shoved aside if needed.
For the kiddies, we got an order of the Assorted Tempura and the Chicken Udon. Light, crispy and easy on the grease, the tempura did the trick. The kids devoured it while we were left with the vegetables. Fried vegetables... They won't even eat that... Whatever the case, the tempura batter stayed crisp all the way to the end. As for the udon, I personally do not like the non-authentic versions filled with random veggies and onions which help muddle up an already non-dashi-like broth. Well, this one was that type and yes, all the above was true. On the other hand, it was a large portion with plenty of slightly soft udon and pieces of chicken. Good for the kids I guess.
To ensure our fullness, we got the Tonkatsu served with a side of rice. As clearly illustrated by the picture, the portion size was pretty good. In terms of execution, it was also good where the exterior was crunchy while the pork was fairly moist and tender. Despite my criticism of the udon, in reality, the restaurant doesn't hide the fact isn't exactly authentic. In fact, there is a separate Korean menu. For this reason, we came back just to try some of it out. However, we had to go back to the Japanese well because my daughter wanted Salmon Sashimi. Despite the enormous portion size for the price, the salmon was an unfortunate recipient of poor knife skills. The slices were uneven and actually quite hard to chew. Despite this, the fish was fresh (as fresh as flash-frozen can get).
Now onto the Korean stuff, we tried the Dolset Bibimbap first. Arriving in a super hot stone bowl, the rice was able to form a fantastic crust where it was crunchy and nutty. There was no shortage of ingredients including hand-diced beef (I like it more than ground beef). We enjoyed this dish very much. Normally, an order of Japchae can set you back close to $20.00 at some Korean restaurants. However, the one here was a very reasonable $10.00, granted with a more modest portion size. In terms of execution, it was pretty good being easy on the grease. The noodles were chewy and not overly sauced while sporting balanced flavours (not too sweet).
Rather than getting another entree, we opted for the appetizer version of the Spicy Chicken. Over-sauced just a tad where the crunchiness of the batter was missing, the overall flavour was quite appealing. There was a good mix of sweet, tangy and spicy that made this cry out for plain rice (we used the scoop from the Japchae). The chicken itself was moist and tender. To round things out, we got the Awesome Roll consisting of a California roll topped with seared salmon and tuna on top. This time around the rice was a bit drier and mild-tasting. The roll itself was pleasant enough, especially for $6.00. From this, you can probably ascertain that Sushi Giwa is generally a pretty good value. Portions are definitely generous for the price. Overall food quality is acceptable while the service is above-average.
The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Well-portioned
- Decent service
The Bad:
- Might offend those looking seeking authentic Japanese
Viv and I are pretty practical when it comes to Valentine's Day. Spending $$$ on outrageously priced flowers, gifts and special menus just doesn't do it for us. Hence, we were content in staying at home, until my mom called asking if we'd like to go to Cindy's Palace for dinner. Sure, why not, we weren't planning anything special anyways. Apparently, this was the only place they could get a reservation as most of the other Chinese restaurants were booked solid. So is this how Chinese families spend their Valentine's Day?
When it came down to ordering, our server (who was actually nice) tried to up sell us on everything to the point where it was becoming uncomfortable and awkward. We had to refuse a 3.5 lb lobster 4 times and their 2-course fish special 3 times, to our annoyance. We ended up starting with the Fish Maw and Crab Meat Soup. Although there was plenty of fish maw, there was an absence of crab. We found the soup base to be lacking depth where it just tasted salty without any defining flavours. It did have a nice silky consistency though, but the fish maw was lower quality and therefore a bit on the crunchy side. As always, we got the Peking Duck served in 2 courses. We requested that they carve the duck with some meat left on the skin. The layer of fat was moderate while the skin itself was not all that crispy. On the other hand, the duck meat was succulent and well-seasoned.
Next, we were served the Lobster atop a blend of sticky and long-grain rice. This dish was executed quite well with a plethora of chewy rice. With sweet corn niblets nestled within and the lobster juices seeping in, the rice was a tasty treat. As for the lobster itself, it was fried just enough where the meat was still buttery with a meaty rebound. It was tossed in a starch-thickened consume sauce that was a touch salty (but okay since it was flavouring the rice anyways). For the second course of the Peking Duck, we had the Duck Lettuce Wrap. Hacked up into far-too-small lettuce cups that were still soaking wet, it was a bit difficult to eat where the filling fell out and got diluted by the excess water. The filling itself wasn't bad where there was a good amount of moist duck meat with crunchy celery and carrots.
Onto some veggies, we had the Stir-Fried Fish Filets with celery and snow peas. This was a fairly greasy dish where the reflection from the oil was blinding. It ate quite greasy too as our lips were no longer chapped afterwards. With that being said, the fish was nicely oil-blanched where it was flaky and moist. The veggies were vibrant and crunchy, albeit pretty salty. Lastly, we had the Broccoli with Egg Whites and Scallops. Again, the dish was greasy and fairly salty. On the plus side, the egg white were fluffy and appealing while the scallops were plump and cooked just enough. Although appearing like a garnish, the broccoli was actually good being crunchy and vibrant. For a packed house, we found the food pretty acceptable albeit salty and greasy. Not sure about the service though, it wasn't bad per se, but rather pushy and awkward.
The Good:
- Decent value
- Fairly comfortable seating
The Bad:
- On the salty and greasy side
- Awkward service
Dives, you know, those places that don't look particularly enticing? Also, it generally tests your bladder control since visiting the washroom is not an option, unless you want to go on a diet (as in lose your appetite). Well, Joyce Jiaozi would fit that description to a T. One thing they do have going for them are low prices and pretty good portions. After reading up all the glowing comments about the place, I decided to try it out with the family. Oh and about the washroom, better hold it or go visit the Tim's up the street...
We began with the Boiled Pork with Garlic Sauce which was plated in a home-style fashion. The slices of pork belly were fatty while the meat itself was on the drier side. Although there was a decent amount of diced garlic evident, the flavour wasn't overly strong. In fact, the sauce itself could've been saltier. Next, we had the Beef & Noodle in Soup (which was supposed to be hot). We found the broth to be actually quite light with only a minor meatiness and a background spice. The noodles were plentiful and toothsome while the meat was dry and far from succulent.
Onto some dumplings, we tried the Xiao Long Bao. Okay, I'll give them a pass on this one as they do not specialize in Shanghainese cuisine. With that in mind, the XLBs were okay as a steamed dumpling. While the skin was on the thicker side, it wasn't particularly chewy. Inside, the filling was moist and meaty, yet without any soup nor any of the usual seasoning including hits of ginger nor shaoxing wine. On the other hand, the Boiled Shrimp & Pork Dumplings were pretty good, especially for the price ($6.59). Tender with a slight chew, the dumplings were juicy and well-seasoned. I thought the mix of pork, shrimp and green onion was just right as the flavours were balanced.
We also got a couple of items for the kiddies including the Deep Fried Salt Pepper Chicken. Different in appearance and texture to the Taiwanese version, these were still lightly crispy while dusted with white pepper. Inside, the meat was moist and tender. For $6.99, the Deep Fried Pork Chop with Rice was a pretty impressive portion. It featured scrambled eggs & tomato atop of the rice as well. This was actually pretty good with fluffy eggs and slightly tart tomatoes which gave life to the plain rice. The pork chop was prepared nicely where it was moist and easy to chew. Best of all, the exterior was lightly crisp while seasoned similarly as the chicken.
For my mom and myself, we had to try the Cumin Lamb. This was a decent portion considering there was barely any filler (onions). The lamb itself was sliced thin while really tender and slightly fatty. There was no mistaking the cumin (lots of whole seeds) as well as a touch of lingering spice. This was a fairly wet version which could've been subjected to better wok heat. Lastly, we tried the Stir-Fried Eggplant that looked pretty appetizing. In fact, it was the beneficiary of the aforementioned wok heat as well as a good amount of ground pork. However, they were too heavy handed with the salt as that is all we could taste. There was a substantial amount of grease on the bottom of the plate as well. Overall, the food at Joyce Jiaozi was decent, especially for the price. Since it is a family operation, the service was defaultish rather than actual service.
The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Serviceable eats especially for the price
The Bad:
- Service exists only because it has to
- Place needs a cleaning
After my initial visit to Maji, it didn't seem like I was going to return anytime soon. Well, famous last words, because I had to go back due to an SD card failure (lost all my pictures!). So after my 2nd visit, I thought the food was solid, but again, wasn't planning on returning in the foreseeable future. Again, I had to eat my own words as I met up with Joyce, Chloe and Jesse to try their 3-cup chicken for the CRA. In addition to that, we decided to order as many weird dishes as possible just for the shock value. Interestingly, we weren't phased by any of the food, so I guess we are weird?
To starting things off, we had the Crispy Chicken Skin with pepper, salt, garlic and chilis. Sometimes, fried chicken skin can turn out to be a disaster as it does not "crunch-up" like pork cracklings. Well, there was no problem here as they were crunchy throughout and well-seasoned. I particularly liked how they didn't feel greasy nor fatty despite we were eating fried skin. Next up, we had the Deep Fried Pork Intestines. As expected, there was a level of gaminess and pungency to this dish. For myself, I enjoy that particular flavour and it was definitely evident here. The pieces were slightly crisp on the outside while the inside was fatty and soft with a touch of chewiness.
Moving on, we had the Five Flavour Squid with Taiwanese 5 spice, shredded ginger and pickled cucumber. Of all the dishes we had, this was rather surprising as we didn't peg it as a potential favourite. Well, for me at least, it was the best dish of the meal. Each piece of squid was chewy with a rebound texture that was easy to eat. Doused in a fragrant and well-balanced sauce including the unmistakable hit of 5 spice, this was addictive. Next, we tried the Pan-Fried Oyster that arrived bubbling in a cast iron pan. Due to their similar texture, the tofu and oyster were hard to tell apart, especially drenched in a considerable amount of well-seasoned black bean sauce. Not a bad dish, but a bit boring.
Now onto the dish we were actually here for - the San-Pei Chicken (or 3 cup chicken). This was a pretty good version with succulent pieces of chicken that were bathed in just enough sauce. The flavours were pretty balanced where it could've used a bit more zing. With that, we headed off to another "normal" item being the Taiwanese Stir-Fried Noodle. Having ordered this dish twice in the past, I knew this was more of a filler dish than anything else. Hey, not saying it wasn't good, but compared to the rest, this was ho-hum. Similar to the other visits, the noodles were soft with some chew while the flavours were pretty mild.
Back to the strange, we shared the Pork Kidney which looked almost like a soup. It really wasn't a soup, but ate like one (sounds like a Chunky Soup ad...). I found the pieces of kidney to be cooked just enough where the texture didn't tighten up. It was still moist with a subtle snap. As for the broth, it was sweet and naturally gamy from the kidney. Lastly, we had the Deep Fried Century Egg tossed with minced garlic, chili and green onion. Since I personally love century egg (darn, why wasn't I on Fear Factor?), this was a good dish in my books. It was aromatic and flavourful from the toasted garlic and chilis. Based on the dishes ordered on this 3rd visit, I've gained an appreciation for Maji as they seem to nail almost everything at a reasonable price.
The Good:
- Extensive menu
- Generally consistently good across the board
- Open late
The Bad:
- Service a bit indifferent
- Ah the parking...
Oh wow... Here we are again at Lin Chinese Cuisine... For me, this is a fairly big deal because I didn't expect to return so soon after my last visit. As the years went by, we have felt that Lin has continued a downward spiral from really good food to slightly below average. However, due to the Chinese Restaurant Awards, I had to come back in hopes of comparing their beef roll and smoked tea duck against the others. Hence, I rounded up the family including the grandparents for lunch.
We began with the Hot & Sour Soup which consisted of a decent amount of ingredients including a healthy amount of crunchy wood-ear mushrooms. Since we requested it to be light on the spice, it was mild with a conservative hit of vinegar. With the help of the ample ingredients and just the right amount of starch, the soup had a silky and thick consistency. Next up was the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic. This was like a carbon-copy of the last time we were here. Good consistency I suppose, but really, it was as greasy as we remembered. Despite this, it was cooked properly with tender leaves that still had a light crunch. There was definitely a nice garlic hit to go along with the ample seasoning.
We then moved onto their "best in town" Xiao Long Bao as seen on the Food Network (Bob Blumer's show to be exact). Since many of the heavy hitters in town did not participate in the "best XLB" show, the results were flawed. In reality, we find the XLBs here to be "okay", but hardly the best in town. The skin could've been more thin while there could've been more soup as well. It was sweet with a mild shaoxing wine finish. The meat was moist and juicy though. Onto a dish that my son actually enjoys, we had the Shanghai Stir-Fried Rice Cake. Heavy on the dark soy, the dish exhibited a rich stir-fried and caramelized hue. Hence, there was a certain smokiness in addition to the inherent salty kick from the soy. The slices of rice cake were appealingly chewy.
Up next, we had one of the dishes we were specifically here for - the Beef Pancake Roll. Constructed with a green onion pancake, there was a nice aroma from the lightly browned exterior. However, the pancake itself was a bit chewy and doughy. Inside, the beef was lightly seasoned with a mild five-spice finish. There wasn't too much hoisin which meant that the roll stayed more on the savoury side. Presented in a relatively large bowl, the Dan Dan Noodles was an equally large portion. We found this version to be much more savoury than aromatic and nutty. With a considerable amount of meat, this was a hearty concoction that could've benefited from more toothsome noodles. With all that being said, we still enjoyed it for what it was.
For the kiddies, we got an order of the Pulled Roti with curry sauce. Yah, Lin won't pass for a Malaysian restaurant, yet they don't try to be either, so it wasn't much of a surprise the roti was their own style. Hence, the exterior was more akin to fry bread and the inside was doughy with an undercooked texture. But that didn't stop the kiddies from devouring it. The accompanying curry sauce was not very good as it was starch-thickened powder and water. Our other CRA dish was the Tea-Smoked Duck (which I've had in our last visit). We have to hand it to them as it was almost exactly the same. That meant the duck itself was moist and just smoky enough. However, the skin was pretty fatty while the not crispy enough. It probably has to do with the type of duck they use rather than the cooking process.
Lastly, we had the Meat-Stuffed Pastry at the insistence of my mom. Well, she must've had a premonition because this was the best dish of the meal. With a light and soft bun on the outside that was nicely crisped up, it only served to hold in the super juicy meat filling. Normally, the meat can be really greasy, but not in this case. So... Did this revisit to Lin change my mind about the place? Yes and No. I would say that the food isn't as nearly as good as I remembered 5 years ago, but not as bad as my last visit. So I guess a visit to Lin is truly dependent on what you order.
The Good:
- Depending on what you order, some dishes can be good
- Fairly large menu
The Bad:
- Service can be hit and miss
- Food can be hit and miss
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