Icy Bar

I can honestly say that desserts are never my first choice when it comes to eats.  Heck, I'd rather order a bunch of appies just to pick at over interesting conversations.  In fact, just toss me a bag of Doritos for my after-dinner snack in lieu of anything sweet.  Sure, I don't mind the occasional cheesecake, ice cream or gelato, but it's just not my thing.  So when the next ChineseBites event was scheduled at Icy Bar, which is a dedicated dessert spot, I went in with tempered enthusiasm.

Well, I guess they wanted us to try everything as the desserts came out fast and furious.  We were all able to sample a bevy first and I decided to go for a Lychee Slush.   Made with blended whole lychees, the drink was thick in a fruity manner rather than being icy.  I asked for it to be only 1/4 sweet and it was just right.  Hence, rather than sipping on sugar, I was getting the full lychee essence.  In actuality, I chose lychee because Joyce had ordered my first choice being the Mango Slush.  It definitely tasted like mango while being creamy smooth.  I liked how it was not too sweet where the flavours didn't taste artificial.  I was also able to try the Taro Slush and it was pretty sweet and a bit pasty (but taro can be that way).

Onto the desserts, we shared the Traditional 8 Mix Icy with an array of toppings including red bean, green bean, basil seed, mochi (3 types), chendol, almond jelly, fresh mango, grass jelly, peanuts and vanilla ice cream.  The other mix icy included lychee, strawberry, mango, pineapple, watermelon, rainbow jelly, popping pearls and green tea ice cream. Obviously, this was a shared dessert as it was big enough to feed our table of 6 and then some.  With homemade mochi and fresh fruit, there was not much to complain about these big bowls of dessert. 

Next, we tried their Pancakes (more like crepes) filled with fresh whipping cream and fruit (such as strawberry, mango, durian and taro).  These featured a soft and tender crepe with lightly sweet and airy whipped cream.  The fresh piece of fruit (and taro) was enough to add the expected flavour.  For some reason, the strawberry ate a bit messy and wet.  I thought the mango was the best of the bunch.  Aromatic and slightly sweet, the Black Rice with Coconut Milk was something a bit different from all the fruit desserts so far.  Texturally, the rice was appealingly chewy while the consistency of the dessert was not too thick.

Taking a break from the sweets, we went for something savoury in the Tea Eggs.  These featured the classic cracked shell appearance (although it could've been done with more care) where the braising liquid penetrated all-the-way to the yolk.  Hence, there was a rich anise and tea flavour.  Naturally, the yolk was completely done with the expected ring and firm texture.  Back to the desserts, we had the Chocolate Honey Toast topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce.  I found each cube of toast to be lightly crispy while kissed with just enough sugar.  I felt there was a restrained amount of chocolate sauce which ensure the dessert wouldn't be crazy sweet.

Served in jars, the Plant Pudding was served in 5 different flavours including original, durian, mango, oreo and tiramisu.  Not sure why they were named as such because it was more like a parfait than pudding with cream, filling and crumb/cookie.  These were pleasant enough being creamy and lightly sweet (except for the Oreo), but nothing particularly memorable.  Back to toast, we had the Red Bean Green Tea Ice Cream on Thick Toast.  Normally, red bean anything can be pretty sweet and heavy.  This was the case here where the red bean was enough to flavour all the toast with a sugary firmness.  The crunchy toast held up well to the wet ingredients.

Our last dessert, we were served Tofu Pudding with a selection of toppings that included strawberries, grass jelly, chendol, mochi, red bean, watermelon, mango, basil seed and coconut jelly.  Normally, one would order the tofu with their selected toppings without the benefit of building it themselves. Even though I piled on the toppings, the dessert wasn't sweet and it was a nice way to end off tasting.  I went away truly impressed with all the different offerings at Icy Bar and also the care put into each dessert.  Of course, I preferred some items more than others (particularly the Mix Icy and Tofu).

*All desserts, beverages and gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Huge selection of desserts
- Reasonably-priced
- Most items were not crazy sweet

The Bad:
- Ice was a bit gritty and hard

Anny's Dairy Bar

There I was, sitting at work with a growling stomach.  No, that is not that unusual and in fact, it is a pretty regular occurrence.  Anyways, I turned my attention in figuring what to do for lunch.  I quickly sent JuJu a text and we agreed to meet at Anny's Dairy Bar in New West.  No, I didn't suddenly morph into Mijune and attempt to eat only desserts for lunch, rather Anny's serves up authentic poutine and smoked meat sammies in addition to steamies and hamburgers.

With that in mind, we wanted all of it and that we did.  JuJu ordered the 7-oz Smoked Meat Sandwich served with fresh-cut fries.  Sandwiched between 2 soft slices of light rye bread, the thinly shaved smoked meat was buttery and soft with a balanced saltiness.  I personally prefer the meatier texture of Dunn's and Estrella's, but this one was decent nonetheless.  As for the side of fries, they were thick, crispy and plenty fried.  For myself, I had the Big James Deluxe Burger loaded with a home-made patty, cheese and bacon.  I enjoyed the crumbly and moist beef patty that was further enhanced by crispy lean bacon and a soft airy bun.

For my side, I upgraded to a Small Poutine complete with authentic packet gravy and large cheese curds.  With the same good fries and topped with enough gravy to coat each one, there was plenty of silky saltiness.  The large cheese curds were buttery soft with a slight squeak.  I also got a Steamie with the works including pickled cabbage, onions and relish.  As much as this little hot dog only cost me $1.25, it was fulfilling.  I particularly enjoyed the soft steamed bun which lovingly wrapped around the juicy wiener and other ingredients.

Of course, I couldn't leave without getting one of their famous Maple Twist cones made with Island Farms milk.  Yes, believe the hype as the soft serve was creamy, light and surprisingly not overwhelmingly sweet despite the addition of maple syrup. I originally only wanted to finish half, but I practically at the whole thing.  All-in-all, this little place in New West served up some decent eats at a reasonable price.  Also, I never thought I'd love a maple twist cone so much either.

The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Decent eats
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Not a whole lot of seating
- Fries were okay, but could've been crispier

reLISH Gourmet Burgers (Commercial)

I guess the old adage that "when it rains, it pours" applies to the Vancouver food scene, especially when it comes to trends.  We've seen it with ramen where at one point, there seemed to be a new spot opening up every week.  Now it seems the gourmet burger craze has picked up steam once again with some new players in town.  One of them is reLISH Gourment Burgers, hailing from the Maritimes.  With 3 opening up in succession, I guess it has gone from craze to invasion.  The first location to open its doors for business is the one on Commerical Drive.  Sean and I were invited to see what they are all about.

Of course to get a baseline of sorts, we had to go for their basic burger being the Simpleton made with a 5 oz 100% Certified Angus Beef patty, lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic mayo and relish.  As the name implies, this was not a fancy burger by any stretch of the imagination.  Everything was pretty typical including the meaty patty that was neither dry nor juicy.  The bun was good and held things in while the garlic mayo was creamy and flavourful.  The one thing that set this burger apart was the beet relish.  Unlike regular red pickle relish, this one was less sweet while adding a bit of Earthiness.  

This was further enhanced by the Big Texas with the addition of smokey whiskey BBQ sauce, crispy onion frites, pepper jack cheese and crispy bacon.  As much as there was a lot going on in terms of textures and flavours, the whole thing was actually subtle. Even with the large amount of crispy onions, it wasn't overwhelming.  Neither was the BBQ sauce.  In fact I personally could've used more of it.  Interestingly, the bacon and cheese were in the background while the relish was noticeable.

As much as we were hesitant, they convinced us to try the turkey patty in the Jersey City (fried field mushrooms, pickled peppers, pancetta and provolone cheese). Turns out it was a good idea as the patty was actually more moist than the beef.  The secret was the addition of pork product in the patty.  Unlike the previous 2 burgers, this one had big flavours including the acidic heat of the peppers, crispy saltiness of the pancetta and buttery woodiness of the mushrooms.

Our final item was the Peppercorn Poutine with a red-wine based gravy that was silky and more complex than the usual packet version.  Although the fries were not fresh-cut, they were still crispy and quite starchy.  They held up to the moisture while the ample amount of cheese curds were still intact.  However, there wasn't any squeakiness.  All-in-all, the burgers were pretty solid and that relish really did tie it all together.  Prices are in-line with other similar establishments out there serving gourmet burgers.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Relish is definitely different and less sweet
- Decent eats

The Bad:
- Wished that the fries were fresh-cut

MELU Juice & Health Bar

*Location is closed*

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

*Restaurant is closed*

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)

*Restaurant is closed*

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