MELU Juice & Health Bar

Initially, when I first got the invite to try out the cold-pressed juices, vegan nut mylks and health bars at MELU, I was like "heck no".   But I gave it a few days and came around to accepting that there might be a chance that I might like it.  No, not really.  To be honest, it just happened to fit into my schedule for the day after sampling sandwiches at Hubbub.  However, as Sean and I would soon find out, there was more than meets the eye.  I guess much like Transformers?

A take on a classic was the Frosty the Carrot Cake featuring shredded carrot & coconut, dates, walnuts, cashews, coconut oil, agave nectar, lemon, vanilla, pumpkin spice and Himalayan pink salt.  Although a touch more dense than actual carrot cake, the flavours were unmistakable.  I liked how the sweetness was understated. Next up, we sampled the So Fudin Good consisting of avocado, coconut cream & oil, cocoa, pecans, dates, agave nectar, Himalayan pink salt, strawberry and goji berry topping. I really enjoyed this one as the they were able to emulate a creamy and rich chocolate texture with avocado and dates.  It was mildly sweet while the bitterness of the chocolate came through at the end.  Continuing on with chocolate, we had the Cocoa Banana Split with banana, cashews, walnuts, coconut oil, shredded coconut, dates, cocoa and Himalayan pink salt.  This one was rather mild with a background banana essence.  Texturally, it was creamy and thick.

With big hits of mango, the Mangolicious (mango, walnuts, almonds, cashews, coconut mylk, shredded coconut, dates and agave nectar) was my second favourite.  By virtue of the ingredients, this bar ate sweeter with aromatics provided by the nuts and coconut. Possibly the naturally sweetest bar, the Kind of a Fig Deal was also heavier due to the ingredients (raspberry, figs, coconut oil, pecans, oats, dates and Himalayan pink salt).  As such, this was essentially an amped up fig newton without the outer shell. Since I love cheesecake, I was intrigued with the Lemon Razz with lemon & rind, coconut cream, butter & oil, almonds, dates, agave nectar, Himalayan pink salt, yogurt, raspberry, mint and shredded coconut.  This ate like a creamy cheesecake with the right texture and a good balance between sweet and tanginess.

Moving onto the juices, we sampled 11 of them including the Orange Glow (carrot, apple, pineapple, tomato & ginger), Easy Green (pear, grapefruit, cucumber, kale, celery & parsley) and Winter Wonderland (Winter melon, apple, kale, spinach, celery). Of the 3, I enjoyed the refreshing orange glow with its mild sweetness and subtle gingery hit. I found the easy green cucumber dominant with a light citrus finish while the Winter wonderland was smooth and silky with a background grassiness. 

The next 3 consisted of The Hulk (apple, Romaine lettuce, jicama, lemon, kale, mint & ginger), RADical Detox (cucumber, pear, radish, kale & bell pepper) and Black Magic (activated bamboo charcoal, cayenne, lemon, Himalayan pink salt, agave & pure filtered water).  I found the hulk to have a noticeable vegetable taste accented by mint and a gingery finish.  With an interesting bell pepper flavour, the radical detox was naturally sweet, cool and refreshing.  Interestingly smoky and slightly bitter, the black magic exhibited a light and surprisingly refreshing finish despite the charcoal and cayenne.

Standing out amongst the different shades of green, the red juices consisted of the Berry Beetiful (apple, tomato, beetroot & strawberry) and Grapefruit Heartbeet (pineapple, grapefruit, beetroot, lemon & mint).  I enjoyed the berry beetiful as the layers of sweet apple and strawberry helped temper the tomato juice. The beetroot not only added colour and sweetness, there was the usual Earthiness as well.  Now my personal favourite of the bunch was the grape fruit heartbeet since it was fruity and sweet with a touch of mint.  It tasted like a regular fruit juice where the pineapple added plenty of natural sweetness.

We tried 3 nut mylks next including the Big Fig (activated almonds, figs, raw vanilla bean, agave nectar & Himalayan pink salt), Pink Elephant (activated cashews, strawberry, raw vanilla bean, agave nectar & Himalayan pink salt) and Cocoa Monkey (activated cashews, banana, raw cacao, chia seeds & Himalayan pink salt).  I found the big fig to be nutty and rich with a muted sweetness and vanilla finish.  As for the pink elephant, it drank a lot lighter than its appearance.  I found it rather bland though with a creamy strawberry finish.  My favourite was the cocoa monkey since it was chocolaty and smooth with a light sweetness.  Oh okay, I'll admit it.  I really didn't mind the stuff at MELU despite my general aversion to "healthier" options.  Most of the juices tasted appealing and the health bars were on point.  Only downside is that with such quality ingredients, it comes at a price.

*All juices and health bar samples were complimentary*

The Good:
- Most of the cold-pressed juices actually tasted appealing
- The health bars taste and eat sinfully

The Bad:
- With quality ingredients, it comes at a price
- Location is hidden

The Marquis

Finding inexpensive and decent eats in generally swank areas is a pretty difficult feat, much like encountering someone who would like to let you merge during rush hour.  I swear by turning on your signal light, it just encourages the person to tailgate the person in front of them more so!  I digress...  So we did stop by The Marquis on Granville at 10th for some appies and drinks one late evening after hockey to discover reasonable pricing and hopefully decent eats as well?  Maybe someone would let me merge sometime too?  Not...

We shared a bunch of things including the Nachos with beef and extra cheese.  Piping hot and crunchy, the tortilla chips were layered with cheese, meaty beef and diced tomatoes.  At first, we couldn't find the extra cheese, but they were hidden in the nooks and crannies of the dish.  The large portion of sour cream, guacamole and salsa was a surprise as most places cheap out.  With that being said, the dips were a bit bland.  Next, we had an order of the Fries which were not very crispy.  For being oil-blanched and double-fried, these were more like roast potatoes rather than fries.  They were okay for what they were, but hardly fries.

Although the Tuna Bites featured a very thin layer of tempura batter while being barely cooked, they were not universally loved at the table.  It had mostly to do with the obscene amount of sweet chili sauce on the outside.  It compromised the batter as well as completely overwhelming the delicate tuna.  The dish would've done fine without it as there was a cilantro dip on the side already.  As impressive as the Perogies looked with caramelized onions an bacon on top, the flavours were not impactful.  With that being said, the perogies themselves featured a thin and tender skin with a smooth and cheesy filling.

For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Decadence and Cheesecake.  Both were pretty good with the cheesecake being smooth, creamy and not too dense.  It wasn't overly sweet where the aroma and flavour of baked cream cheese really came through.  The thin crust also allowed the cream cheese to shine.  As for the chocolate cake, it was moist and semi-sweet.  The ganache in the middle provided an extra hit of chocolate and creaminess.  Overall, with the appies and desserts we had, the food was definitely serviceable and reasonably-priced.  Nothing really stood out, but we weren't opposed for a return visit after a late game of hockey.

The Good:
- Lively vibe
- Inexpensive

The Bad:
- Rather cramped seating
- Place is pretty warm even with A/C 

Tri-Bull Noodle

Ever since Gordo suffered his injury, we were not only down a man on our hockey team, we were down one in our eating crew.  Consider the fact that many of the regulars do not play the Spring season, it leaves only Milhouse and myself to look for eats after the game.  So gone are the grandiose plans for visiting a place with a large menu or an Asian restaurant that requires sharing of many plates.  Hence, we didn't travel very far and checked out the newly-opened Tri-Bull Noodle located in the former Hot Luck.

We ended up ordering a couple of bevvies including a Milk Tea for myself and a Vancouver Sunset for Milhouse.  Normally, I'm not a huge fan of milk tea, but I thought this was one had a good balance of milkiness and natural tea flavour.  It wasn't overly sweet where I could taste the ingredients.  Milhouse thought his drink was refreshing and light as well as easy on the sugar.  In terms of eats, we shared the Crispy Salty Peppery Chicken to start.  These were rather large in size which helped ensure there was juicy and moist chicken to be had.  However, the exterior was not crispy at all.  Although well-salted with a touch of spice, we didn't notice any other distinguishing flavours.

I got one more appie in the Marinated Platter consisting of beef shank, tripe and marinated tofu.  This was fairly standard, but good at the same time.  I found the shank to be tender and gelatinized with some hits of 5-spice.  The tripe was toothsome while still cooked enough to be tender to chew.  Firm and well-seasoned, the tofu was sliced thin.  As for my soup noodle, I went for their signature House Special Beef Noodle and although the intent of the broth was to be clear and clean, it was far too mild for my tastes.  I could barely detect any meat flavour or salt for all that mattered.  On the positive side, the noodles were al dente while the thin strips of meat melted in my mouth.

Milhouse went for the Tomato Beef Noodle Soup and there was more impact than the one I had.  Mind you, it was all relative since mine didn't have much flavour to begin with.  With that being said, the tomato was definitely there is a light sweet manner.  I would've preferred more tang and salt though.  The chunks of fatty beef were super moist while the noodles were on point.  In the end, I guess the ol' adage that food is subjective rings true.  For us, the food was decent, but the broths are far too mild and lacking impact for our tastes.

The Good:
- Drinks are okay
- Spacious dining space

The Bad:
- Bland broth
- Inattentive service

The Boathouse (Kitsilano)

For whatever reason, I've never actually blogged about The Boathouse despite the 7 locations in the GVRD.  Sure, I've been there as part of a food tour in Port Moody a few years ago, but that doesn't count as an actual sit-down meal (and separate blog post).  I remember going there a long time ago and have very vague memories of the place.  Armed with an invite to try their new Summer menu, Sean added me to be his plus one for a visit to the Kitsilano location.  With a stunning new building overlooking the water, we were blessed with a million dollar view even before we took one bite of the food.

About that food, we started with the Ceviche served in a large glass consisting of prawns, pacific cod, scallops, pico de gallo, citrus juice and grilled pineapple on a bed of shredded lettuce served with house-fried corn flour tortillas chips. At first, we were concerned with the mild acidity, but there was a method to the serving vessel.  With the lemon and lime juices settling on the bottom, it prevented the seafood from overcooking.  Hence, the textures were on point with buttery prawns & scallops and tender fish.  The other flavours were subtle as well including the sweet pineapple, pungent cilantro and the bite from the red onions.

Moving onto the mains, we started with the Grilled Seafood Skewers that included fire grilled salmon, scallops and prawns in a teriyaki glaze topped by grilled pineapple salsa.  With all 3 items (that cook differently) on the same skewer, it led to mixed results.  The prawn and scallop were pretty much on point, but as for the salmon, it was fully cooked.  It was still good though being flaky and naturally sweet, but I personally would've preferred an underdone centre.  The teriyaki sauce wasn't too potent, which allowed the seafood to shine while the pineapple added a pleasant sweetness.  Next, we had the BBQ Steak & Shrimp Skewer Combo.  We found both skewers to be prepared expertly (as they were not mixed).  The shrimp ate with a buttery snap while being inherently sweet and a touch smoky.  As for the steak, it was nicely crusted and charred which ensured a flavourful bark.  The meat was prepared medium-rare and the inside was succulent and tender.

Continuing on, we tried the 16 oz T-Bone Steak with a smoky dry rub and shallot wine butter.  This was a well-prepared medium rare steak that featured an appealing char and light crust on the outside.  Combined with the aromatic shallot butter, the steak was not longing for flavour.  However, I could still taste the natural meat juices through all the layers of seasoning.  Although the fries were starch-coated (I normally do not like this), I kept eating them as they were lightly crispy with a smooth potato interior.  Our last main was the slow-roasted Baby Back Ribs with chipotle bacon BBQ sauce.  Aggressively sauced while not overly sweet, I could taste a light smokiness to go with the noticeable spicy finish.  The meat fell off the bone while still retaining a bite.  The side of mac n' cheese was really creamy and cheesy with a slight sharpness.

For dessert, we shared the Strawberry Ice Cream Pie with a gluten-free nut crust.  As simple as this may have been, it ate pleasantly.  The ice cream was creamy and smooth, yet still firm.  There was a natural strawberry taste without the overuse of sugar.  The light drizzle of honey did add the necessary sweetness.  This was a nice and light way to finish off the gluttony.  We came away rather impressed with the Summer menu where nearly every item was on point and well-portioned.  Combined with a killer view, there was not much to complain about the meal (and not because it was complimentary either...).

*All food was complimentary excluding gratuities*

The Good:
- Well-portioned eats
- Mostly on point execution
- Killer location and view

The Bad:
- Overall a bit pricey, but not so much considering the location
- Salmon could've been a bit more rare

Shoom Restaurant

Whenever someone takes over a failed restaurant, there are possible expenses such as renovations, new menus, equipment, staff and a name change (and new signage).  However, there are times something gets lost when the name doesn't actually change and/or is only slightly changed.  We have the perfect example with Golden Pizza and Sandwiches in Whalley where they actually serve Vietnamese food.  Or how about Mega Ill that replaced Mega Grill on Kingsway.  Now we have Shoom in the former location of Dhoom.  I would've never guessed a place named shoom would be serving up Chinese food.

According to Apu, after hockey one day, the place serves up large plates of well-made Cantonese food.  We took his advice and made the trek out there after Monday softball.  Once done with our some complimentary daily soup, we had the first course of the Peking Duck.  Plated atop shrimp chips on a large wood plate, the pieces of duck skin were light, crispy and easy on the fat.  The dark roasted red hue was appealing as well.  We liked how they included a good amount of soft thin crepes as there was enough every piece of duck skin.  Next, we were presented with the Scrambled Eggs with Shrimp.  Everyone marveled at the portion size and probably got too excited for a plate of eggs.  However, it was really good with barely cooked eggs that were fluffy, silky and well-seasoned. Nestled within were big butterflied shrimp that were meaty with a firm snap.

When the Sweet & Sour Pork arrived, we were not only amazed at the portion size, but also with the strips of meat.  You see, many places use fatty cuts of meat such as the pork butt or shoulder.  But in this case, the pieces were all meat with very little fat.  It seemed like they either used the loin or actual pork chop.  Furthermore, the meat was tenderized just enough that it resembled pork cheek with a buttery rebound texture.  As for the sauce (which was just enough that it clung onto each piece), it was more sweet than sour.  Not resembling the picture on the menu at all, the Curry Beef consisted of more green and red bell peppers than actual meat.  Despite this, the dish was still large and there was more than enough tender slices of beef to go around.  The curry itself was creamy with noticeable heat.

Up next was the Duck Lettuce Wrap, which was the second course of the Peking Duck.  We were impressed with that there was more duck than veggies.  Moreover, the large chunks of duck were still moist and not dried out.  The dish as a whole was subject to good wok heat where the ingredients were dry, not overcooked and well-seasoned.  On the other hand we didn't like how the lettuce was cut as the pieces were far too small to wrap anything substantial.  Our last dish was the Gai Lan with Seafood including scallops, shrimp and squid.  The seafood was stir-fried expertly where the squid had a nice rebound and appealing chewiness while the shrimp exhibited a meaty snap.  Unfortunately, the large gai lan stalks were overcooked and no longer crunchy. 

On another visit with the grandparents, we had exactly the same dishes except the curry, where we substituted it with the Lobster on Fried Rice (yah, some substitution!). This 3lb beauty was fried up beautifully where it was succulent and sweet with only the right amount of batter.  The rice underneath was dry and chewy where it could've benefited from more sauce.  We noticed that all of the other dishes were slightly smaller in portion size, but still mostly on point.  Once again, the gai lan was overcooked. Despite this, the rest of the food was completely on point and tasty.  As much as the prices are on the higher side, the quality and quantity completely justify it.

The Good:
- Well-prepared eats
- Quality ingredients
- Large portions

The Bad:
- A bit pricey

Chef Tony

To say we have a good selection of Dim Sum in Vancouver is understating the obvious.  However, with so many great places, it becomes increasingly difficult to find "the best".  In fact, it gets even more complicated when you factor in price point, portion size and quality.  For some, the actual ambiance and level of service helps determine their favourite.  According to many, Chef Tony produces some of the best Dim Sum in town and seeing how it is one of the few places I haven't visited, we braved the lineup (even with a reservation).

Situated in the former location of Hon's in Richmond, the post-modern dining space didn't offer much area for tables as half of the restaurant consisted of VIP rooms.  As for the food, we started with the Black Truffle, Pork & Shrimp Dumplings that we could smell even a few tables away.  Both the pork and shrimp maintained a buttery rebound texture as the dumpling itself was rather juicy.  Of course the dominant flavour was the super woodsy black truffle (possibly too much though).  Continuing with truffle, specifically truffle oil, the Shrimp Dumplings were also mildly Earthy.  I thought it was only mildly overwhelming as I could still taste the sweetness of the buttery shrimp.  The dumpling skin was expertly made being translucent with the right thickness and appealingly chewy.

Next up was the Meat & Fried Garlic on Crystal Noodles which was a fairly large portion.  Although the noodles were a bit clumpy and stuck together (as they can be), when mixed with the sauce, all was well.  Ultimately, the noodles were cooked properly being appealingly chewy.  As for the sauce, it was meaty and rich with the aromatics from the fried garlic.  To keep things a touch healthier, we had the Braised Assorted Mushrooms with Baby Bak Choy in abalone sauce.  Due to the high water content of all of the ingredients, there was significant pool of water underneath.  Despite that, the salty and briny sauce kept things flavoured.  Cooked just enough, the mushrooms retained a firm bite.

For the kiddies, we got the usual Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice) and BBQ Pork Buns.  Unlike the other dishes so far, the lo mei gai was a pretty standard interpretation with salted duck yolk, Chinese sausage, ground pork and shiitake mushroom.  With all these ingredients, the sticky rice was not longing for flavour.  Texturally, the rice was on the drier side, aided by the addition of wild rice.  Although BBQ pork buns are generally not very exciting, these ones were pretty good.  I particularly enjoyed the lack of radioactive red food colouring and the overuse of sugar.  Hence, there was more of a savouriness with a background deep sweetness.  There was ample filling that was lean while the actual bun was fluffy and soft.

Since my daughter was a bit under the weather, we got some Chinese soul food - the Seafood Congee.  Yes, a picture of congee is as exciting as waiting in the Chef Tony lineup, but there was shrimp and fish to be found within the silky and semi-thick broth (that stayed thick until the last spoonful).  In addition to the well-seasoned flaky fish and meaty shrimp, the congee itself was subject to enough salt and msg.  Of course we needed to add a side of Salty Donut to go with the congee right?  Well not really, my son just wanted it and he ate practically all of it without any congee.  In actuality, it needed the congee as it was fried until it was more of a crisp than a donut.


Onto something quite unique, we sampled the Bitter Melon and Shredded Chicken Rice Noodle Roll.  Presented in a lively shade of green, the rice noodle was soft while still retaining its elasticity.  We enjoyed that the bitterness was restrained so that it didn't overwhelm the chicken.  Mildly seasoned and sweet, the tender strips of chicken were held in place by a light starch-thickened glaze.  Another interesting item with an equally interesting name was the Flaky Almond Meat Loaf Sticks (???).  Okay...  Anyways, these were fried up masterfully where they were brown and nutty while not burnt.  The crunchy slivered almonds gave way to a filling resembling that of the sui mai.  Hence, this was a contrast of crunchy with tender and bouncy.

Continuing on, we moved into the offal portion of the meal with the Steamed Bible Tripe with scallions and ginger.  As you can see in the picture, they didn't go easy on the greens which meant there was no gamy flavour (also from being properly rinsed).  Rather, the flavours reflected the visuals including the usual salt and white pepper.  Although the buttery tripe was tender and easy to chew, I would've liked to see more of a rebound texture.  On the other hand, the Chicken Feet in Vinegar and Pepper exhibited plenty of rebound.  The gelatinized skin was appealingly bouncy while spiced with a slight tartness and plenty of heat from the Szechuan peppercorns.  Viv thought that the dish was missing the sweet element that would've brought balance.

Back to the regular, we had 2 classic Dim Sum offerings in the Ground Beef Ball and Pork Spareribs with Taro in Black Bean Sauce.  Buttery soft with only the slightest amount of bouncy meat texture, the beef meatballs were nicely seasoned by the balanced amount of cilantro.  With the lack of other distinguishing flavours, there was a certain natural meatiness to the dish that was brightened up by the cilantro and watercress underneath.  As for the spareribs, they were mildly salty (due to the black beans) while sporting some spice intermittently from the slices of jalapeno.  Texturally, the ribs were tenderized enough so that they were not chewy while still retaining a meatiness.

We thought our meal would end off with the Baked Egg White and Cream Buns, but there was one last dish afterwards.  As for the buns, they were obviously made with care as the texture of the dough was light and airy.  Furthermore, the buns ate much less sweet than they appeared (including the custard cream).  One thing we would've liked to see was a silkier cream as it was quite lumpy.  So our last dish was the Steamed Taro Pudding which featured large chunks of soft, crumbly taro situated in a firm pudding.  We liked this dish but didn't love it.  This was partly due to the heaviness of the actual pudding.  Flavours were good though including the dried scallop on top.  Overall, we were quite impressed with the Dim Sum service due to the quality of the food as well as the attentive service.  Sure, the place is expensive, but dare I agree that it is the best Dim Sum in the GVRD?

The Good:
- Carefully prepared dishes
- Excellent service (for a Chinese restaurant)
- Flavours are more complex than most other Chinese restaurants

The Bad:
- Pricey
- Long lineup (even with a rez)
- Not that many seats that are not VIP