Wildebeest

Gosh, I haven't seen Hypno in years...  Funny thing, we used to live within blocks of each other and we still didn't see each other much.  Wait, was this a hint or something?  Whatever the case, he was back in town and wanted to meet up for eats.  After throwing out some ideas, we established the fact that we had to go somewhere that did not feature too much seafood (he doesn't eat seafood).  Hence, my suggestion of Wildebeest was welcomed with open arms.

We started with a few small appies including the Spiced Pork Rinds.  These were served majestically in a metal cup where they ate as good as they looked.  Light, crispy and airy, each bite melted in my mouth after the initial crunch.  There was no absence of seasoning where there was some sweet and salty smokiness going on.  The only thing I would've liked to see was less grease as it could've been drained a bit better.  Next, we tried the Poutine which was the beneficiary of a good amount of cheese curds.  I couldn't tell if they were squeaky or not since they had all melted.  With a sprinkle of black pepper, the gravy was both salty and peppery.  As much as the fries were fresh-cut, I would've preferred them to be crispier (the parts not doused in gravy that is).

Onto some bigger starters, I tried the Roasted Veal Sweetbreads with charred heirloom onions, mission fig purée and spiced walnuts.  I have to say this dish was on point (or should I say on fleek?) as the sweetbreads were expertly prepared.  With a nice seared caramelized exterior which gave way to a tender bite with a rebound, this was as good as sweetbreads can get.  The side of fig puree added an understated sweetness that complimented the onions and walnuts.  Hypno decided on the Spring Beet Salad with shaved cucumber, compressed apple, ricotta salata, beetroot sorbet and miner’s lettuce.  Beautifully plated with equally eye-catching colours, the salad was also good.  The sweet Earthiness of the sorbet stayed within the theme of the dish where the beets themselves echoed the same flavours.

Onto our mains, I went for the Seared Venison with roasted cauliflower purée, grainy mustard spätzle, belgian endive and natural jus.  Prepared a proper medium-rare, this ensured that the lean venison would be succulent and sufficiently tender.  On the outside, there was a flavourful bark from the ample sear which added a smokiness to the meat.  I thought the cauliflower puree was impactful with a natural sweetness.  With a fluffy rebound and a crisp crust, the spätzle was well-executed.  Hypno had the Angus Striploin with roasted fingerling potatoes & cipollini onions, onion purée, smoked salt and hay jus.  As requested, the meat was just past medium-rare where it still maintained a succulence that resulted in a moist and tender chew.  Again, the meat was obviously seasoned where the sweetness of onion emanated from the puree and cipollini onions.

For dessert, we shared the Wildebeest Cheesecake with strawberry sorbet and crumble.  This was a super light and mildly sweet version where the "cheesecake" was akin to whipped cream.  I personally would've preferred something more dense.  on the other hand, the star of the plate was the natural-tasting smooth strawberry sorbet which added a sweet tang.  The light crumble on top added more texture and sweetness.  From the dishes we tried at Wildebeest, we were pretty content.  Portion sizes weren't exactly large, but they were adequate.  Unlike some others have stated, we received really good, unpretentious service.

The Good:
- Well-prepared proteins
- Not deficient in seasoning
- Attentive service

The Bad:
- Portion sizes were modest

One Under

When it comes to late night eats, we often go to the default options such as Asian joints, pubs and fast food restaurants.  Sure, there are a few unique places, but there is no escaping the regular on a consistent basis.  After a few weeks of exploration, we always end up with a bowl of congee.  However, Lionel Hutz had a novel idea for something after our Friday night hockey game - One Under.  In addition to some eats, we could play mini-games and whole golf courses on a simulator (charged by the hour).  Awesome, we could look just as pathetic with a simulator as we are on a real golf course.  Yes, that is me in the picture.  Please be gentle and do not criticize my stance.

From golf to eats, we were presented with the Charcuterie Plate first. There were 4 options for both meats and cheeses on the menu.  Our choices consisted of Taleggio and Grana Padano, 18-month San Danielle prosciutto and bresaola.  Also on the board were warm marinated olives, gherkins, grainy mustard, confit garlic and flat bread.  Not much to comment other than this was a pleasant dish to share. Next up were the baked Rosemary Parmesan Bread Twists basted in garlic thyme confit oil with fresh rosemary and grated Parmesan cheese.  Being served right from the oven, these were warm, soft and well-seasoned.  We liked the char on the outside as it added both texture and nuttiness.

Simple and focused, the menu offers up mainly pizzas in addition to some basic appies.  Therefore, we got 3 pizzas starting with the Roasted Mushroom + Kale with confit garlic, taleggio and parmesan.  Being a pizza bianca, it was almost like a thin flat bread with a smattering of toppings as there was no sauce.  Hence, it ate a bit dry especially with the dry ingredients.  I do like kale personally, so it was quite nice to have some crispy bits on top.  With mild hits of fresh basil and a mild San Marzano tomato sauce, the Magherita was okay with a thin and crispy crust.  There wasn't a whole lot of leoparding which meant there was a lack of smokiness.

The best pizza of the bunch was the Spicy Sausage + Soppressata with tomato, provolone, arugula and fresh oregano.  It was spicy as described.  Furthermore, the addition of more substantial ingredients made the pizza more hearty and flavourful. Although these pizzas wouldn't strike fear into the top Neapolitan-style joints in town, they were respectable and held their own.  Not bad for eats to go with a game of virtual golf and some beverages.

The Good:
- Decent pizzas given the venue
- Friendly service
- Something different

The Bad:
- Factoring in the golf, a visit can be pretty pricey
- Limited menu
- A bit difficult to eat finger food and golf too

Cinara

For pure convenience, we often refer back to the hotel restaurant when it comes to dining with the entire family.  Hey, why not?  Generally, they are pretty comfortable and predictable complete with a kid's menu.  Despite major improvements within the hotel restaurant genre in the past few years, we finally decided to put an end to being bound to these establishments.  For my mom's birthday, we were to dine at Cinara and the kids would have to eat whatever was on the menu. With Lucais Syme (La Quercia and La Pentola) and his wife, Gillian Book in charge, we would at the very least have a high probability of a good meal.

Normally, restaurant bread is as exciting as  a Superstore lineup, but I ended up taking a picture of it because it was a menu item.  Yes, it has become increasingly common for restaurants to charge for Bread & Butter, but I don't really mind it.  Sometimes, bread goes to waste especially if it is complimentary.  For those who actually want it, they can order it.  This one was crusty on the outside while soft inside.  Loved the salted whipped butter on the side. Our favourite appie of the bunch was the Chicken Liver Parfait with pickled veggies and crostinis.  The smooth and rich parfait was texturally on point (or should I say on fleek?) spreading firmly onto each crostini.  Once past the crunch, the parfait melted in my mouth with a balanced sweetness thanks to the sprinkle of salt.  It finished off with the essence of brandy.

Next, the White Anchovy with butter, pickles and herbs was a close second to the chicken liver parfait.  The ample amount of anchovy was nicely counteracted by the highly acidic pickled radish and cucumber.  The flavours were completely alive and bright which impacted our tastebuds with every bite.  I could've eaten 10 of these if I didn't order other dishes.  Dressed with mint, parsley, dill and candied pumpkin seeds, the Beets sat atop thick Greek yogurt.  Thick-cut, still firm while tender throughout, the beets were lightly sweet and Earthy.  The herbs were not intrusive while the crunchy and sweet pumpkin seeds added a wonderful contrast.  Thick and creamy, the yogurt underneath added a slight tartness and creaminess to the dish.

Onto some more starters, we shared the Mixed Salumi Plate consisting of prosciutto, fennel sausage and spicy salami.  I enjoyed the selection as it was freshly sliced and naturally went well with the bread and butter.  The prosciutto was buttery and salty, which I paired with the pickled veggies from the other plates. Our last item of the seemingly endless starters was the Vitello Tonnato (thin slices of veal with tuna mayo).  Tender, moist and sliced with the just right amount of thickness, the veal was the beneficiary from a smooth and appealingly fishy mayonnaise.  The sprinkle of capers added the necessary saltiness to liven up the mild flavours

Moving onto the bigger plates, my daughter was completely horrified that we ordered the Orecchetti with rabbit ragu and Parmesan.  She flatly refused to even give the dish a try due to her love of bunnies.  I think I almost made her cry when I shoved a bunch in her face.  I'm such a bad father...  Anyways, the rest of us enjoyed the toothsome pasta and of course the moist rabbit.  Flavours were mildly sweet with only the slight saltiness from the Parm standing out.  So the kids bypassed the orecchetti and happily ate the Paccheri with tomato and prosciutto soffritto ragu instead.  These large pasta tubes were nicely al dente and sauced with an impactful ragu which had a rich meat essence.  There was purposeful saltiness as well as a smooth acidity.

Onto some meat items, we tried the Roast Lamb Leg with polenta, cipollini onions, balsamic and arugula pesto.  Although the lamb was far from being tough, it wasn't particularly tender either.  Some of the sinewy parts were not that pleasant.  With that being said, the pesto added some brightness to the dish while the polenta was creamy and well-seasoned. Sporting a beautiful sear, the Branzino was flaky and moist.  It was accompanied by marinated asparagus, black pearl barley and red wine sauce.  Although red wine is not normally a great pair with fish, it worked here as the acidity and depth were balanced.  Although the fish itself was mildly seasoned, the combination of sauce and marinated asparagus made up for it.

For myself, I wanted to try the Squash Risotto with saffron and Parmesan (and not because I wanted a vegetarian dish either).  Rather, risotto is often a good measure since it is tricky to execute.  It was more or less done right here with chewy arborio rice within a cheesy and creamy sauce (except it may have been just a touch too wet). For dessert, we shared two items including the Chocolate Hazelnut Tart with chocolate ice cream.  As rich as the tart appeared, it was actually surprisingly fluffy.  Yes, that is probably the wrong description as the filling was semi-sweet and smooth (rather than fluffy, but it was not heavy either).  The crunchy hazelnuts on top added a nice aroma and textural contrast.

Our final item was the Apple Strudel with Chantilly cream.  With a light, yet flaky and crisp exterior, the strudel was also easy on the sugar.  Inside, there were plump pieces of apple that could've been a touch more tart.  Nestled within, the sweet raisins added a nice burst of flavour in almost every bite.  All-in-all, we enjoyed a good meal complete with great service in a relaxed environment.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Understated elegance
- Great service

The Bad:
- Smallish portions
- A little tight for big groups

Strike (Richmond)

Out of nowhere, a new Taiwanese restaurant named Strike opened up nearly 2 years ago in Kitsilano.  Interesting location, but really, not much competition.  Back then, I sampled their wares via a ChineseBites tasting.  Then shortly afterwards, another location replaced the defunct Chiffon restaurant.  I was out-of-town when there was a tasting at this location, but I vowed to visit it one day.  Over a year later, I still hadn't been to the place.  Well, with an invite for a tasting, I finally got to see if it measured up to the original restaurant.

We began our meal with the ever-popular Deep Fried Chicken Nuggets with fried basil and dusted with 5-spice.  These were fairly large which helped keep the meat moist and juicy.  With a firm crunch, the coating was well-seasoned and properly drained (as it wasn't greasy).  Loved the ample fried basil as well.  Onto something green, we had the Shredded Beef with Water Spinach in Taiwanese satay sauce.  Usually, with this type of vegetable, if there is not enough wok heat, the dish tends to get very watery.  As clearly shown in the picture, this was not the case here as there was only a minimal amount of moisture on the plate.  The ong choy itself featured crunchy hollow stalks which were amply seasoned with a background spice.  Hidden within, the slices of beef were properly tenderized.

Next up was the Spicy Pork Intestine Hot Pot with pickled mustard greens & pork blood.  Although the portion size looked puny at first, the metal bowl was deceptively deep.  Hence, there was quite a lot of fatty intestine to go along with the crunch of the mustard greens.  The dish was sweet with a background spice.  It was a tad greasy though.  Of course we couldn't get out of there without sampling the Chicken with 3-Spice Sauce served sizzling in a cast iron pan.  Loaded with ginger and a minimal amount of sauce, the dish was flavourful with Strike's twist of a touch of spiciness.  As much as this dish was tasty, the chicken itself was a little dry from the deep-fry and could've benefited from more sauce.

Onto more veggies, we were served the Sautéed Taiwanese A Choy.  Similar to Romaine lettuce, yet with firmer leaves, the a choy was barely cooked.  It retained a sweet crunch that was amply accented by a plethora of garlic.  This dish was definitely the beneficiary of good wok heat as there was very little moisture left on the plate.  Moving on, we next had the Sweet & Sour Fish Fillets with green and red peppers, onion and pineapple.  This was a well-executed dish with moist and flaky fillets that were battered just enough.  Moreover, there was just enough sauce to coat each piece without drowning the dish.  As for the flavour, the sauce had a noticeable acidity to go with the ample sweetness.

So far, we had veggies and meat, but no carbs.  But that all changed with the Braised Pork Rice with marinated egg, pickled mustard greens, pork fluff and cilantro.  The bowl featured chewy (and not too wet) rice topped with tender braised pork belly.  Thick, sweet and displaying layers of flavour (including the veritable 5-spice), the pork belly melted-in-my-mouth and easily flavoured the white rice.  Similar to the chicken nuggets, the Deep Fried Squid Tentacles featured a firm crispy batter hit with the usual 5-spice.  Also not very greasy, the firm crunch revealed tentacles that exhibited a snap-type rebound and appealing chewiness.

Our last dish was directly a result of my oohing and aahing for the intestine hot pot.  Yes, the Deep Fried Pork Intestines showed up and really, I had to eat it all because no one else wanted to.  Not sure why because they were appealing in colour and texture.  They were pretty plump with a soft, fatty interior.  A touch chewy and gamy, this is what pork intestines are all about.  Much like my first visit to Strike in Vancouver, the meal here at Strike Richmond was solid.  Dishes were mostly on point and the recipient of good wok heat and/or properly heated oil for deep frying.

*All food and beverages including gratuities were comped*

The Good:
- Well executed proteins
- Not lacking seasoning

The Bad:
- A little slow on the beverages, but then again, we had 16 orders

Samurai Sushi House

As much as most of us know the difference between good and bad when it comes to products, services and food, there is something we all know as "the threshold".  Yes, there is a point where crappy becomes acceptable due to price and overall value.  I'm still not convinced at those dollar store batteries and light bulbs tough...  I think one would get more out of hand cranked flashlight.  So despite the questionable sushi found at Samurai, the portion sizes still bring the people in as evidenced by the usual lineup out the door.  As much as we would like to criticize the food quality, it does hit that threshold much like Anton's and Stepho's.

With that in mind, I was not that picky about my eats as I was driving back from Richmond after an intense hockey game.  Hence, I stopped by Samurai for some takeout.  Trying to cut back the amount of rice that was inevitably going to grace the meal, I decided on an order of the Deluxe Assorted Sashimi.  When I opened up the box, the slices of fish weren't as big as I expected.  This was actually a great development in my opinion because bigger and thicker slices do not necessarily translate to good eating (think texture).  You wouldn't want a thick piece of carpaccio right? So nothing was amiss and in fact, the Hamachi was quite good being buttery and fresh-tasting (as flash frozen can get).  

Now onto the rolls (which Samurai is more known for).  I got both the BC Roll and Alaska Roll.  Unlike previous visits, I was pleasantly surprised that the layer of sushi rice wasn't overbearing.  With that being said, the rice was not very good being soft and gummy with little flavour.  Sure, these rolls were large, but eating them was not very practical as they fell apart easily.  The next set of rolls (SSSR & Golden Roll) featured smoked salmon on top (my daughter loves smoked salmon).  Honestly, these had to of been some of the most poorly constructed rolls I've ever had.  With an overabundance of rice and practically falling apart before I even touched them, these barely fit the criteria of value.  Sure, both rolls combined for less than $9.00, but if I didn't enjoy eating them, would it still be considered a good value?  After this re-visit, I'm not really sure anymore.

The Good:
- Cheap
- Large portions
- Fast service

The Bad:
- Not particularly well-made rolls
- Rice sucks

Blast N2 The Past 50's Diner

The hidden gem.  You know, that restaurant no one seems to know about?  Much akin to a finding that sub-$1,000,000 house in Vancouver, these secret places are often hard to find and/or are located in less-than-desirable areas.  Well, let me tell you about a diner that is not only hidden, the outside doesn't do the inside justice.  Welcome to Blast N2 The Past 50's Diner on 95A Ave in North Delta, where you only wouldn't know it's there, you might not even want to go inside.  But rest assured, you will not only be treated to retro decor and great people, you will find surprisingly good food too.

That's what Hot Mama and I found out when we hit up the place for lunch.  As you can clearly see, my Harley Burger with fresh-cut fries looked legit with 2 hand-made patties with cheese, fried egg, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and red onion.  Bursting with natural juices, the burger patties were well-seasoned and meaty.  The lightly toasted bun was crispy and airy where it held as much of the fillings in as possible.  Not greasy while delicately crisp, the fresh-cut fries were on point.  This was a good plate of food for $10.99.  Hot Mama ended up with the Turkey Clubhouse on whole wheat.  As simple as a clubhouse can be, this one was constructed nicely with plenty of real turkey, crisp lean bacon and fresh produce.

On another visit with Devo, there was nothing on the menu that could convince him to eat anything but the Bacon Poutine.  You see, he can probably subsist on that alone if it were up to him. This was a really well-executed poutine with the same great fries that were fried a touch longer so they could stand up to the gravy (which was not overly salty).  There was loads of legit cheese curds as well as meaty bacon.  For myself, I had the Horn Dog (insert joke here) consisting of a foot long wiener wrapped in bacon with cheddar, mustard and relish.  Unfortunately, the fatty piece of bacon was not rendered enough.  Personally, I would've either preferred crispy bacon bits or deep fry the sucker instead.  This came with the same awesome side of fries.  As you can clearly see, the food here is not complex.  But at the same time, it is generally well-made and surprisingly good.

The Good:
- House-made burger and fries made an impression
- Inexpensive
- Large portions

The Bad:
- Location is somewhat awkward and hidden