Big Rock Urban Brewery & Eatery

Ever since spotting Big Rock Urban Brewery and Eatery with my peripheral vision while cruising down 4th Ave, it has been one our planned destinations after hockey.  However, I wanted to save it.  Save it for a time when Emilicious could join us.  You see, she lives within walking distance of the place and I thought it would be a shame if we didn't include her.  Yes, she is that important.  Upon arrival, we were greeted to live music and an open seating plan which sported a simple, almost rustic decor.

As per usual, we decided to split some items.  But before, that, we could've visit a brewery without some bevys right?  So I ordered the Flight consisting of Rossen, Dry Irish Stout, Citra IPA and Red Ale.  I personally enjoyed the red ale the most as it was smooth going down while offering up a full-bodied brew that exhibited background caramel notes.

Moving onto the food, we began with the Wasabi Tuna Tacos atop 2 soft flour tortillas.  The first thing that occurred to me was considerable amount of cabbage.  Despite this, it still ate well with a fresh crunch that was interrupted by the buttery and smoky blackened tuna.  The wasabi was definitely there, but not overwhelming.  Next up was the Lamb & Feta Poutine featuring stout lamb confit, thyme, Okanagen goat cheese and demi glace.  With a considerable amount of silky demi, the thin fries were on the wetter side while being quite dense and potatoey.  The texture seemed more akin to russet potatoes.  As for the lamb, there was a modest portion which was melt-in-my-mouth tender.   

Also on the table was the extremely cheesy BRU Stout Mac n' Cheese.  Each spoonful yielded a gooey mess of stringy cheese that was quite pleasant to the palate.  However, that didn't translate into much impact though.  The dish was lacking salt and sharpness.  Despite this, we still enjoyed the dish as the noodles were toothsome while the jalapenos, balsamic and stout did come through.  Presented off-centre on their tile plates, the Sopressetta and Mushroom Pizza was not bad.  The dominant taste was from the Calabrese salami which offered up a lingering spiciness.  We found the crust to be thin and crunchy with decent amount of char.  It was also properly seasoned.

Bear wasn't feeling particularly well, but decided to join us anyways.  I suggested he get something that would be easy on the stomach such as a salad, but he would have nothing of it.  He went for the Grilled Cheese instead.  It consisted of aged white cheddar, apple, fire-roasted jalapeno and dijon.  This was surprisingly good where the artisan bread was nicely crisped up while the cheese was perfectly melted.  The combination of the sharp cheddar, spicy and tangy jalapenos and sweet apples offered up some complexity.  In the end, the food at BRU was better than expected.  With that being said, further refinement is needed.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Nice space
- Good brews

The Bad:
- A tad pricey given the portion sizes
- Decent eats, but could use further refinement

Sai Woo

Gentrification is a term often used to describe the ever-changing Chinatown in Vancouver.  This is partly due to the  younger generation of Chinese-Canadians that are flocking to Richmond and other little pockets of Chinese stores and restaurants strewn throughout the Lower Mainland.  So as we see condos replacing failed businesses, the demographics are shifting towards young professionals.  Then it is no wonder that many of the new restaurants in the area are either non-Asian or have gone the "modern" route.  Bao Bei was one of the earliest examples of this and now more recently, Sai Woo.

Say what you want about modern Chinese food, it is here to stay whether you like it or not.  Sean and I decided to check out Sai Woo and their lunch menu.  Starting with a few appies, we dug into the Cola Wings first.  These were slow-braised in a sweet and salty cola marinade.   Hence, the wings were full-flavoured bordering on being too salty (especially the skin).  However, the meat basically fell off the bone since it had been cooked down.  Next up were the Pork Shoulder Bao with pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro and hoisin.  We enjoyed how the mantou were served hot and fluffy.  Inside, the pulled pork shoulder was a little on the dry side, but it was adequately sauced with sweet hoisin.  The pickled veggies added a nice acidity.

Described as a Beef Salad on the menu, our next dish ate more like a beef carpaccio with pickled mustard greens, watercress, Parmesan and fried shallots.  Thinly-sliced, the beef was melt-in-my-mouth tender and fresh-tasting.  On top, the fried shallots added a nice crunch and aromatics.  As much as the pickled mustard greens were necessary for flavour, there was too much salt content where it overwhelmed the delicate beef.  From this, we moved on to our first main being the Marco Polo Tong Mein. This was a fusion of Cantonese house made egg noodles and broth with a Taiwanese tea egg and pork belly (that can be either Japanese or North American style).  Tender and delicate, the noodles sat in a clean and mildly sweet broth.  The egg was on point as it was completely runny in the middle.  As for the pork belly, it was meaty while still being tender and nicely seared.

Our last item was pretty substantial in the Mapo Tofu Bowl featuring a rich ground pork sauce that was super impactful.  I found that it was purposefully spicy with the tongue-numbing effect of the Szechuan peppercorns.  The pork was moist and plentiful while the tofu was silky, yet maintained its shape even through the cooking process.  I found the rice to be perfectly dry as it soaked up the sauce without becoming mushy.  In the end, Sean and I went in with an open mind and ultimately enjoyed the meal as a whole.  Those attempting to compare places like Sai Woo to traditional Chinese restaurant are doing so with certain expectations.  With Chinatown in transition, these types of establishments are the future.

The Good:
- When not compared to traditional establishments, the food at Sai Woo is good
- Fairly attentive service

The Bad:
- May need to dial down the salt content
- As per usual, will offend those who are traditionalists

Chambar

It's been awhile since I've been back to Chambar.  I guess return visits generally get put on hold as new restaurants take precedent.  Furthermore, with prices on the higher end of the Vancouver restaurant spectrum, repeat visits to Chambar might make my bank account look sad.  But for Viv and I, this was to be the place we would celebrate our anniversary.  I really can't believe she's put up with me all these years.  She's still waiting for the maturity to kick in.  Too bad really because I know it will never come...

Now located several stores up from its original location, Chambar is more spacious and larger, yet still maintains the same ambiance as before.  We began our meal with their famous Moules Frites with the Coquotte option (with white wine, cream, smoked bacon lardons, white onions and spring onion).  As expected, this dish was a winner with plump mussels sitting in an aromatic and impactful broth.  What I liked most was the balance of flavours without a heavy reliance on salt.  Rather, the bacon added the necessary smoky savouriness which went well with the sweet onions and properly cooked down wine.  Served on the side was their frites which were hot and crispy while retaining a soft potato texture inside.  For our second apply, we shared the Tartare de Beouf consisting of espelette,  caramelized morels, mustard greens, spruce aioli, cipollini onion rings and a Parmesan crisp.  We found the beef to be buttery and completely melt-in-our-mouths smooth.  There was a good kick from the espelette as well as a crunch from the greens.  When eaten atop the Parm crisp, the salt content elevated the flavours even more so.

Onto our mains, I had Le Steak du Jours with char grilled BC prime beef, smoked cheddar croquettes, pickles, green beans, pepper jam and chimichurri.  I asked for the rib-eye to be prepared medium-rare and it was flawlessly executed.  Crusted with peppercorns and rosemary, there was an aromatic pepperiness to each bite. Underneath, there was a bright and smooth chimichurri that added just enough herbaceous bite without overwhelming.  On the side, the crispy and relatively light croquettes were aggressively spiked with rosemary while kicked up a notch with the spicy pepper jam.  The green beans were barely done exhibiting a vibrant and sweet crunch.  For Viv, she opted for the Fletan au Tamarin consisting of Haida Gwaii halibut, sea asparagus, sweet peas, mustard greens, spicy tapioca and jalapeño pistou in a tomato tamarind broth.  As much as most of the halibut was flaky and moist, the edges were a bit dry.  We loved the expert preparation of the veggies as they were sweet and fresh.  However, we felt the dish lacked balance as there were too many tart components such as tamarind, tomato, mustard greens and jalapeno.  Therefore, we didn't find anything that stood up to the dominant flavours.

For dessert, we went for something light in the Aerated Cheesecake with graham cracker streusel, fresh and sherry compressed strawberries, strawberry sorbet, lemon, long pepper, and basil.  This was a substantial dessert that was fortunately very easy to eat.  Creamy, extremely cheesy and mildly sweet, the cheesecake was accented by the sweet and tart strawberries.  The sorbet added not only another layer of strawberry, but a contrast in temperature as well. Despite the overly tart halibut dish, Chambar met our expectations with carefully prepared food combined with attentive (while not overly intrusive) service.  Yes, prices are high, but we left happy.

The Good:
- Food prepared with care
- Attentive service
- Nice vibe

The Bad:
- Expensive

Colony Main Street

At times, I enjoy the peace and quiet of an empty restaurant, especially when in conversation with friends.  However, I don't mind the energetic vibe of the nightlife on the weekends.  Yes, I'm no longer in my 20's, but that doesn't mean I need to suddenly go for the early bird liver n' onions special either.  With that clearly not in my mind (the early bird special that is, but I do like liver...), I suggested we check out Colony on Main after Friday night hockey. Yup, as I expected, the ambiance was indeed lively, but at the very least, we could hear each other.

Despite Lionel Hutz doing his best impersonation of a hermit (as in not sharing), Milhouse, Sweet Tooth and I gladly split a few things including the Beer Battered Pickles with lemon dill yogurt dip.  Although we all agreed the ones at the Little District are better, these held their own.  The firm crunch of the breading was not greasy at all and it stayed adhered to each spear to the very last bite.  Inside, the pickle was fairly salty and tart which was offset by the creamy and mild yogurt.  Without hesitation, Milhouse went for the Arancini as he exclaimed that, "I want those balls!".  Filled with a fairly soft risotto and plenty of cheese, these sported a lightly crisp exterior.  The San Marzano tomato sauce and pesto oil added only minor hits of acidty and herbaceousness.  Our only wish was that they were served hotter temperature-wise.

Picking something from the flatbread section, we went for the Fig and Boursin with date paste, caramelized onions, smoked mozzarella, Boursin, mission figs and truffle arugula.  Despite the listed ingredients, the dominant taste was sweetness.  Somehow, the date paste, onions and figs were overwhelming which hid the smokiness of the cheese and even the truffle oil.  With that being said, we did like the crust as it was crunchy despite being on the denser side.  Our last share plate was the BBQ Onion Ring Burger consisting of a 7oz beef patty, BBQ sauce, crisp onion rings, pickles, lettuce, tomato and Parmesan aioli on a brioche bun.  We found the loose patty to be pretty dried out.  It was well-charred and full of natural meat flavour though.  Compounding the problem was the dry brioche bun. I would've liked to see more BBQ sauce as it would've added the necessary moisture.  On the side, we opted for the Stadium Fries with lemon pepper and sticky garlic chunks.  These were pretty good being crisp and living up to the menu description with loads of flavour.

Okay, Lionel Hutz didn't want to share, but ultimately he offered some of his Nachos with house made corn tortillas, smoked mozzarella, corn, black beans, pickled jalapeno & banana pepper, salsa verde, salsa roja and sour cream.  He added a side of pulled chicken as well.  We enjoyed the house made tortilla chips as they were fresh and crunchy with an appealing firmness.  There was no absence of melted cheese, but the other ingredients were sparse.  Both accompanying sauces were somewhat watery and too mild for our tastes. Judging from the items we tried, the food was definitely hit and miss.  There is potential here, if they can work out some of the details.

The Good:
- Energenic vibe
- Okay pricing
- Decent service

The Bad:
- Hit and miss food
- Portions aren't small, but not very big either

Big Smoke Burger

On Thursday, Big Smoke Burger kicked off their first Vancouver location with free burgers, fries and drink.  Suffice to say, almost everyone showed up (as early at 9:30am) and a Peach Arch-type lineup formed.  I briefly considered dropping by, but I really had better things to do then stand in line.  So I decided to pay them a visit a few days later after the lunch rush.  With limited seating, but with what seemed like a small army in the kitchen, the food was being pumped out within reasonable time.

Viv decided to try the 6-ounce Bacon Cheeseburger with a side of fries and drink. As you can clearly see with the cross-section of her burger, the thick patty was still a bit pink.  That meant the meat was moist with a tender chew.  It was subjected to a nice char which afforded a grilled smokiness to go with the smoked Canadian cheddar.  Keeping everything in was the soft and almost moist bun.  The side of fresh-cut fries were crunchy and a touch too firm.  Yet at the same time, they were still pretty good.  We decided to try out the Garlic Rosemary Dip and it was a good decision.  With an initial hit of aromatic rosemary giving way to garlic, this helped add moisture to the firm fries.

For myself, I went for their signature Big Smoke Burger with horseradish mayo, caramelized onions, smoked cheddar, tomato and lettuce.  The dominant flavours were the ample sweet onions and the bite from the mayo.  These 2 combined with the impactful smoked cheddar created layers of flavour.  I also added a Poutine on the side where the mild-tasting gravy helped soften up the fries.  In this case, this worked as the fries stood up to the wet ingredients including the cheese curds.  Overall, we enjoyed out burgers at Big Smoke because the meat was not overdone while the smokiness added big flavours.  In terms of price point, it was definitely not cheap as my combo cost $14.00.  But then again, one must pay for quality and the pricing is not too far from Fatburger and 5 Guys.

The Good:
- Patty cooked just enough
- Appealing smoky flavour
- Fresh ingredients

The Bad:
- Not cheap
- Fries a bit too firm

Sun Sui Wah

By default, Sun Sui Wah has been one of the premier Chinese restaurants for a very long time.  This was true even when they were located at their original location where Golden Harvest now occupies.  However, as time has passed, newer and better restaurants have arrived on the scene.  The question now is whether Sun Sui Wah has kept up with the competition.  As of our last dinner visit, that answer would be very contentious.  With that in mind, we decided to check out their Dim Sum service since the last time we went was back in 2011.  Begrudgingly, we invited my mother-in-law to join us on this food adventure.

Right off the bat, the Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) arrived pretty quickly.  They were tightly made with an appealing skin that was chewy while not too thick.  On the other hand, the shrimp filling was subpar.  It consisted of smaller shrimp that didn't exhibit much snap.  Rather, it was meaty and bordering on bland.  As for the Sui Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumplings), they looked appealing, but unfortunately there was far too many chunks of fat that were chewy.  This destroyed the otherwise decent dumplings where the pork had a rebound texture.  In terms of seasoning, there was a good balance of savoury and sweet.

We weren't going to forget about the kiddies, so we got their favourite being the Garlic Shrimp Spring Rolls.  These were served piping hot and firmly crunchy.  With the right oil temperature and/or proper oil-drainage, the grease factor was low.  However, much like the haw gow, the shrimp filling was disappointing.  It lacked a buttery snap where it exhibited a firmer texture.  It did taste good though with enough garlic.  Also on the table was their second favourite dim sum item, Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice).  This was decent with plenty of filling consisting of moist pork with just enough starch-thickened sauce to flavour the sticky rice.  As such, the rice was on the wetter side though.

My son made sure to remind me to order the Donut Rice Noodle Roll as he could easily devour the whole thing himself.  Well, this was an adventure in frustration because he doesn't like the green onions in the rice noodle.  That meant I was picking it out while not being able to eat my own food.  Other than that, the rice noodle itself was quite nice with a soft texture while not being mushy.  The donut itself was too dense though and not crunchy at all.  Continuing with the disappointing shrimp, the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll would've been good if it weren't for the firm shrimp that didn't exhibit a cold-water snap.  My guess is the shrimp was not rinsed enough and/or it may have been overcooked.

My MIL (behaving up to this point) insisted on 2 dishes including the Black Pepper Beef Short Ribs and the Steamed Pumpkin Pudding.  With pieces of taro propping up the ribs, the dish looked quite large.  In reality, the portion of short ribs was generous.  I liked how they didn't over-marinate the meat so it was still chewy and meaty.  It was had a mild peppery hit to go with the ample salt content.  I wasn't a huge fan of the pumpkin pudding because it was far too sweet.  That was unfortunate as the texture of the pudding was smooth while not runny.  Furthermore, the pumpkin was appealingly soft where it wasn't overly so.  It was also sweet which added to the already sweet pudding.

One dish we regretted ordering was the Deep Fried Chicken Knees.  We were aghast when it hit the table.  It was in a deep shade of brown that was unappealing.  Furthermore, we could smell the oil even before we took a bite.  Now when I did take a bite, it was hard and tasted like old oil.  This was officially the worst version of this dish I've ever had.  To give them credit, they took it back and cancelled the dish from our bill.  Another disappointing item was the Sparerib and Pork Patty Hot Pot Rice.  There was actually nothing wrong with the rice as it was chewy and nutty.  Moreover, the minced pork patty was moist and flavourful.  But the spareribs were terrible.  Cut into oversized chunks, the pork was not tenderized properly where it was chewy and dry.

We continued down the road of disappointment with the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet).  These featured broken skin and undercooked cartilage.  Therefore, the whole thing was tough to eat as nothing slid off easily.  Underneath, the cartilage and tendons were hard and stayed adhered to the bone.  One minor positive was that the dish was garlicky with a touch of spice.  To get some greens into our meal, we had the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic.  Despite being greasy, the dish featured tender pea shoots that retained an appealing crunch.  There was plenty of garlic and the high wok heat ensured there wasn't a whole lot of moisture.

For me, I just had to get some offal and that we did in the Steamed Bible Tripe with ginger and scallions.  This was fairly straightforward and well-executed.  The tripe was tender while retaining a bite.  An ample amount of ginger helped add some kick to the mild flavours.  Not to be outdone, we also got the Honeycomb Tripe and Tendon as well.  I found the tendon to be on point where it was soft, yet not mushy.  The tripe was also soft while retaining some chew.  However, the whole plate was pretty gamy due to the tripe.  It could've been rinsed better and/or seasoned more aggressively.

For dessert, we smartly ordered the Egg Tarts after the fact (which ensured they didn't show up as an appetizer).  As such, we were able to eat them warm which helped highlight the flaky and buttery shell. In the middle, the egg custard was silky trending more towards the firm side.  It was just sweet enough without being overwhelming.  This was a decent end to a relatively unimpressive Dim Sum service, especially for the price point.  I'm not sure if Sun Sui Wah is resting on its laurels or what, but they'd better step it up in order to compete with the many better Dim Sum joints in town.

The Good:
- Spacious dining space
- Decent service

The Bad:
- Average Dim Sum
- Expensive

Bino's

Ah yes, I remember a time when I ate at Bino's...  Wait, do I really remember?  That was a heck of a long time ago!  But really, who can forget the classic round windows and horrific early 80's decor?  I'm sure the food wasn't that great, yet being a youngster, I'm pretty sure I didn't care.  With that in mind, I decided to drag my kids out to the last remaining location as well as a very skeptical Costanza and Elaine.  They weren't really impressed with my decision and how could I disagree???

I'm pretty sure the signage out in front was misleading except for the free parking because they are not open 24 hours and I wouldn't dare try a pancake there. On the flip side (is that punny?), we fed the kids their Cheeseburger special because one could get 2 for $10.99.  It was pretty much a basic frozen patty burger with a side of Sysco/GFS fries.  Nothing much to say about it other than it was edible and dirt cheap.  Costanza went for something similar in the Patty Melt and really, it was same thing with 2 slices of grilled white bread rather than a bun.  Much like the burger, the patty was not too dry (so somewhat of a positive).  The side of onion rings were the frozen variety as well.

For myself, I wanted something with a mystery all-purpose brown sauce.  Call it the Knight & Day effect...  So I had the Veal Cutlet with the aforementioned sauce with mashed potatoes and veggies.  The veal was pan fried until crispy while the meat was a bit dry.  The sauce was thick, floury and salty.  Mashed potatoes sucked, however, the veggies were surprisingly vibrant and not completely overdone.  Didn't understand the tomato and lettuce garnish though.  Viv and Elaine both had the Clubhouse because they thought it would be safe.  They were right.  It was pretty standard with plenty of deli turkey meat, crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato.  As you can see, the 80's called and wanted their diner food back.  Yet, it was completely edible, if not pretty much all frozen stuff.  I'm sure the prices will draw some people in still despite the completely worn carpet and ripped up vinyl booth seating.

The Good:
- Crazy cheap
- As much as it's not food I would eat, it's edible

The Bad:
- Place is worn and dirty
- Food is basic and not for food snobs