Sushi Garden (Lougheed)

It is a common occurrence that places such as Sushi Garden and the sort suffer the "foodie hate" due to their value-orientated menu.  Yes, it ain't authentic and yes, it is certainly not the most carefully prepared sushi.  However, what one gets is plenty of food for a low price.  Seeing how we aren't all millionaires (wait, I guess if you own a house in Vancouver, you are one on paper...), we can't be dining at Sushi Hachi everyday.  So with that in mind, we met up with Wolvie and Italian Stallion for some value Japanese. 

We started with the Assorted Sashimi with amaebi, hokkagai, tako, tai, salmon and tuna.  Although a bit thick, the slices of tuna and salmon were actually not bad.  In fact, if one didn't analyze everything with a connoisseurs' palate, it was more than acceptable.  When one visits Sushi Garden, it is almost a given that there will be an order of Spicy Salmon Sashimi on the table (assuming one eats raw fish).  Comprised of bite sized chunks, the salmon was dressed in a mildly spicy and sweet sauce.  Mixed in were crunchy cucumbers and scallions.  As much as it was difficult to taste the actual salmon, it was at the very least soft with a bite.

Next up, we had the Tropical Dynamite Roll with pineapple, mango and salmon to go along with the usual filling of ebi tempura and imitation crab meat.  Although the roll wasn't particularly constructed with care, it did stay together as it was wound tight.  The sushi rice was actually decent in texture albeit a touch dry.  It was rather bland though.  We went with a hot roll next in the Chee-Chi with baked chicken and mozzarella cheese.  Naturally, this ate a bit heavy and wasn't really a "sushi roll".  Rather, it was merely chicken rice and cheese in bite-sized pieces.  At least my son ate this as there was nothing raw inside.

He did enjoy the Assorted Tempura though.  Well at least the ebi, not the veggies (since he hates anything that is not a protein nor carb).  A little on the greasy side, the tempura batter was crunchy and cooked all-the-way-through.  It did start getting a bit soft as it sat for awhile.  That was not a problem for the aggressively fried Chicken Katsu as it featured a firmly crunchy panko coating.  The meat was not as juicy as it could've been, but it was hardly dry either.  Wolvie originally wanted the dinner portion, but ultimately got the appie size (which would've been accompanied by a side of rice).  As we were finishing up, there was a lineup out the door with people anxiously waiting for a table.  This further reinforces the fact that good value matters, especially when eating out can get pretty expensive.

The Good:
- Large portions
- Food is okay for the low price

The Bad:
- A rushed experience
- Food quality can vary

Taste Good Seafood Restaurant

Oh how the mighty have fallen...  We were once a competitive co-rec softball team usually challenging for first place every year.  When it came time for the year-end tourney, we'd make it to the finals on a regular basis.  However, this year, we went 0 for 5 and didn't even keep things close.  A combination of factors led to this, and probably the most important was our advancing age.  Our minds said we could, but our bodies were basically saying, "what the heck?".  So to drown our sorrows, we headed over to nearby Taste Good Seafood Restaurant for a year-end meal of sorts.

Originally, I had asked what were the typical items found in the Assorted Appetizer Platter and we were told jellyfish and honey garlic spareribs.  What we got was Soy Chicken, BBQ Pork and Gwai Fei Gai (Empress Chicken).  We were all a bit dismayed at what was essentially something one would find at a regular Chinese BBQ.  Worse yet, the items were pretty average with fatty, but at the same time chewy pork and stiff soy chicken.  We did like the empress chicken though as it was moist and nicely seasoned with xiaoshing wine.

Much like our meal at Shoom recently, we also got the 2-course Peking Duck.  The first course was the typical crispy duck skin served with crepes, scallions and hoisin.  Crispy and easy on the fat, the duck skin was pretty good.  However, it was also rather bland on its own in need of some seasoning prior to cooking.  As for the crepes, they were too wet and doughy where it was very difficult to pick one up without wrecking it.  Next, we had the Duck Lettuce Wrap which was very good.  The entire dish was subject to enough wok heat where there was caramelization of flavours while the veggies remained crisp.  We also appreciated the ample well-cut cups of lettuce.

Since we needed more veggies in our meal, we went with the Gai Lan with Beef.  This was another well-prepared dish with big crunchy gai lan stalks that were kissed by a really hot wok.  Hence, there was very little moisture on the plate.  The ample slices of beef were tenderized enough, but some pieces were still a bit chewy.  As evidenced by its dark colour, there was plenty of seasoning, especially soy.  Milhouse defaulted to his go-to dish being the Sweet & Sour Pork, which was not bad.  Just right in size, the pieces of pork were relatively moist and tender inside while sporting a light batter.  With a plethora of sauce, there was not crunchy texture left though.  We found the sauce to be pretty balanced.

Appearing rather yellow, the Fried Squid with chilis and garlic were more crispy than they appeared.  Textually, the squid was tender while maintaining a natural chew.  They were wok tossed in a good amount of garlic, chilis, onion and tomato to go along with ample salt and white pepper.  Hence, there was no absence of impact.  At first, the Cashew Chicken looked a little odd when it arrived.  Ah yes, they forgot the cashews.  Even after they added it on top, the entire dish was not very aromatic due to the lack of wok heat and appearance of too much moisture.  That also meant there was a lack of flavour from the caramelization of the seasoning.

Of course Boss Woman couldn't participate in a Chinese meal without the Prawns and Scrambled Eggs, so yes, we got that too.  It was a fairly large plate of silky eggs that were also a tad wet.  They didn't overdo it with the seasoning which meant we could taste the prawns and eggs.  Large and sporting a meaty crunch, the ample amount of prawns added their own flavour to the dish as well.  Lastly, we shared the Vermicelli with Chicken in Soup.  Originally, it was supposed to be a Wor Mein, but they ran out of wonton noodles and decided to make it with vermicelli without asking us first.  It was rather average with chewy noodles, but pretty weak soup (not in salt), but in depth.  Overall, we thought the food was decent, but considering the price point, Shoom would be a better option.

The Good:
- Decent service
- Decent eats
- Okay portions

The Bad:
- A little pricey

Thumbs Up Hot Pot

Normally, dining on Chinese Hot Pot in the middle of August might not be the best idea even if there is A/C.  That reminds me of the time we did that at Costanza's house where there was no A/C.  Let's just say his house doubled as a sauna while we were scratching our heads as to why we would try to pull off such a stunt.  Well, it was lucky for us this time around because it was cloudy and really not all that warm.  It was after our first 3 games of our annual softball tourney and we decided to try out Thumbs Up Hot Pot (where So Hot So Pot used to be).

By virtue of being an a la carte establishment, we were intrigued to see if it would cost us more or less than an AYCE joint.  Furthermore, we wanted to see if the quality of the ingredients would be better as well.  One thing that did take us by surprise was their "build your own" Sauce Bar that boasted over 26 items.  I decided on a combination of mustard greens, chili sauce, vinegar, soy, sesame oil, sesame seeds and satay sauce.  As for our broth, we went for a straight-up Pork Rib Soup that featured wolfberries, tomato, pork bones, dates and melon.  It was rather subtle without an over-reliance on salt and MSG.  I actually enjoyed eating the soft pork meat from the bones.

For our eats, we got a plate each of the Meats (Beef, Pork and Lamb) and the Meatballs (Beef, Pork and Cuttlefish).  Although the amount of thinly sliced meats didn't look like a whole lot, it was sufficient for us.  It really put into perspective how much we over order and subsequently over eat at AYCE hot pot joints.  In terms of quality, it was definitely there with buttery beef and lamb while the pork was equally tender.  The freshly made meatballs were on point as well where the beef was meaty while still tender and bouncy.  The pork was soft and nicely seasoned with some green onion.  Exhibiting the classic rebound texture, the cuttlefish meatballs were also good.

Onto various items, we had Fish Slices, Wontons, Pork Dumplings, Woodear Mushrooms, Fried Gluten, Fresh Noodles, Bean Curd Sheets, Quail Eggs, Spinach and Watercress.  Nothing was amiss with any of the items, but we did think the dumplings could've been meatier as there was more vegetable than pork.  We enjoyed cooking the noodles last in the broth and they were appealingly chewy (since we didn't overcook them).  At the end of the meal, the cost per person came out to under $30.00 including tax and tip.  Compared to the $34.00 we paid at an AYCE place down the street earlier in the year, it was indeed cheaper.  Sure, we could've ordered more food, but it was really enough for us.

The Good:
- Comprehensive sauce bar
- Decent quality of ingredients
- Fairly friendly service

The Bad:
- Although friendly, it was hard to find a server
- Even though we had enough food, if you don't watch what you order, the cost can get out-of-hand

Victoria Chinese Restaurant

It's been a long 2 years since Victoria Chinese Restaurant last opened its doors... until now.  After a kitchen fire damaged much of the restaurant and part of the adjacent Hyatt Regency, it took awhile to do the renovations.  Well, it took even longer to get all the paperwork and insurance in order which led up to this point.  Since my parents are regulars at the place, they were kept up-to-date which meant we were able to hit it for Dim Sum only a few days after re-opening.

Upon entering the place, I was so glad to see the absence of the blinking Vegas-style lights. Onto the food, we started with their ever-popular Pan-Fried Pork Buns served with a side of red rice vinegar.  Fried up crispy and brown on the bottom while sporting a soft and light shell, the rest of the bun was soft and fluffy.  Inside, the pork filling was juicy (but no juice) with balanced flavours including a hint of ginger.  Next, the Black Bean Spareribs were acceptably salty and garlicky.  Most of the pieces were either actual rib portions or completely meat.  The rib portions exhibited the classic rebound texture, however, the meat only pieces were rather chewy.

Moving on, we had the Dim Sum standards being the Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) and Sui Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumplings).  Constructed with a fairly thin and appealingly elastic dumpling skin, the haw gow were on point.  Inside, the whole shrimp filling was buttery with a moist snap finish.  They were sweet and savoury with a hint of sesame oil.  Equally good, the sui mai consisted of almost a equal ratio of pork and shrimp.  The chunks of moist pork were more meaty than bouncy while the shrimp emulated the same properties as the haw gow.  With bits of shiitake as well as being properly seasoned, the dumpling was flavourful.

For the kiddies, we got them the same stuff as always including the BBQ Pork Buns.  Although a bit small in size, the quality made up for it.  Soft and fluffy, the bun was steamed just right without being dry nor too wet.  Inside, the BBQ pork filling was meaty with very little fat.  As for the glaze, it wasn't overly sweet.  Served on a plate rather than a steamer, the Mini-Lo Mei Gai were pretty good.  The glutinous rice was actually rather firm and slightly dry, but the ample amount of sliced pork filling and starch-thickened sauce helped achieve the right texture.  Since, the pork was in slices instead of being ground, the whole thing ate a bit meatier.

Also for the kiddies was the Donut Rice Noodle Roll that was served plain without green onions and dried shrimp.  That was actually a relief as the kiddies like it without the aforementioned ingredients.  Buttery soft while a touch thick, the rice noodle lacked some elasticity.  The donut itself was a bit dense, yet still crispy.  Continuing on the same theme, we had the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll which featured what was more like prawns.  With 3 of them gracing each roll, there wasn't much to dislike here especially since they were well-seasoned and ate with a meaty snap.  Moreover, the rice noodle was more firm and elastic than the previous dish.

Onto something a bit lighter and somewhat healthier, we had the Blanched Fatty Beef with Spinach (I did say somewhat healthier...).  As much as the beef was well-marbled, it was cooked a tad too long where it was no longer buttery.  Underneath, the spinach was cooked just enough where it didn't become a mushy mess.  In fact, the stalks were still a bit crunchy, which is the perfect texture for cooked spinach in my opinion.  Another "lighter" item was the Steamed Fish with soy sauce.  Consisting of basa fillets which were soft and somewhat flaky, this was a pretty straightforward dish that was seasoned with sweetened soy.  I thought they could've diluted it a bit more since the fish was already marinated.

To ensure we'd be full at the end of the meal, we ordered the Seafood Yee Mein Hot Pot.  This was chock full of tender strands of noodles mixed with a bevy of scallops, shrimp, fish and squid.  The seafood was more or less done right where nothing was overcooked.  Unlike the version we've had in the past, this one was much lighter with the soy which meant more subtle flavours.  Lastly, the Beef Meatballs were right on with the light bounce texture while not being rubbery.  There was still a touch of natural meatiness left in the soft processed meatball.  There was enough green onion and seasoning to taste, but ultimately it went better with the side of Worcestershire sauce. So after 2 years away, it was nice to see that the Dim Sum service was still solid like it has always been.

The Good:
- Above average Dim Sum
- Fairly spacious and comfortable dining room

The Bad:
- On the pricier side

That Place 4 Pizza & Pasta

After a failed attempt trying to dine at That Place out in Maillardville, I did what I always do - never give up, never surrender (yes I love Galaxy Quest).  So we made it out there on Pizza Thursdays where all of their small pizzas are only $7.99.  We knew this was going to be an enjoyable meal for the kiddies as they never say no to pizza and pasta (that meant we could eat in peace too without complaining about beef tongue and fish heads at the table). With the grandparents present, we were able to sample more than a couple of dishes too.

We started out with an order of their Focaccia Bread (served with EVOO and balsamic) and a large Caesar Salad.  Made from the same dough as the whole wheat pizza crust, the focaccia was fairly soft and fluffy inside while sporting a slightly thin and chewy exterior.  Loved that we were actually able to dip the bread into the vinegar (usually just get a bunch of EVOO and never get to the vinegar) as there was enough of it.  As for the salad, the romaine hearts were fresh and crisp.  Despite being aggressively dressed, the salad didn't feel heavy or taste salty.  There was a nice balance of flavours including a good hit of Parm.

We also shared the Fried Calamari with roasted red pepper ricotta dip.  If you can believe it or not, even since our visit to nearby Kefi, my son has decided to eat fried squid.  Maybe he has hope yet as a foodie...  But for now, we will take every little step as a success.  The dish itself was a bit meager portion-wise, but it was well-prepared though.  Each piece was tender with a slight chew left.  The batter was crispy albeit a touch greasy.  We loved the accompanying dip as it was thick, flavourful and didn't overwhelm the calamari.

Moving onto the main dishes, we shared 3 pastas including the Fettuccine Fumato with smoked duck, sweet corn and wild mushrooms, in a creamy alfredo sauce with a drizzle of truffle oil.  I liked how the pasta was al dente and just barely coated with sauce.  As such, it didn't eat as heavy as it sounded.  The flavours were quite subtle though which wasn't necessarily a bad thing as truffle oil can often be overwhelming.  There was just enough woodsiness to go with the corn and the smokiness of the duck.  However, the dish could've used more duck.  Next, we had the Spaghetti Amalfi with shrimp and scallops in a rose sauce.  We universally thought this was the best of the 3 due to the ample balanced sauce that was both a little bit tart while ending off with a smooth creaminess.  The pasta remained toothsome despite the sauce. We found the scallops to be a bit overdone though.

For myself I always tend to order the Linguine all Vongole whenever we go for pasta and this was no exception.  Much like the first pasta, there was just enough tomato and wine sauce to coat each strand.  Although there was ample baby clams strewn throughout the dish, I would've liked to see even more salty brininess (more clam juice?).  Ultimately, that didn't make or break the dish as I enjoyed the light tomato sauce.  The first of our 2 pizzas was the That Pizza featuring a hand-stretched whole wheat crust topped with prawns, brie, mushrooms, olives and pesto.  I liked how the crust was crunchy throughout while chewy inside.  It held up well to the wet ingredients.  With a wine finish, the salty olives did not overwhelm the other subtle ingredients including the buttery prawns and aromatic pesto.

For the kiddies, we got them the Five-O with prosciutto cotto, pepperoni, Calabrese sausage and bacon.  This thing was completely overloaded with toppings which meant it ate pretty hearty.  Furthermore, there was an array of meaty flavours including salty, spicy, smoky and slightly tart.  As you can imagine, we weren't able to finish the amount of food we ordered.  Since it was pizza Thursdays, our bill was quite reasonable.  I think we might just return to That Place and take advantage of their Pasta Tuesdays as well.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Friendly service
- Pasta Tuesdays and Pizza Thursdays ($7.99)

The Bad:
- This might be picky, but I didn't like the half-dark and half very bright (near the windows) dining room
- Pastas could use a touch more salt

Pho Maxima

It's almost a given that we revert back to Asian, in particular, something soupy upon our return from any vacation away from Vancouver.  Normally our MO would be to hit up the nearest wonton noodle joint for some Chinese comfort food, however, we did Vietnamese this time around.  Since our route took us across the Alex Fraser and subsequently the Queensborough, we stopped at Pho Maxima where the food would be steaming hot, perfect for a warm Summer day (much like they do in Vietnam right?).

Viv went for the standard with the large Pho Dac Biet that was a generous portion with chewy (and not clumpy) noodles.  Our immediate reaction to the broth was akin to eating a salted duck egg - as in "woah" that was powerful.  They weren't shy with the salt and MSG which meant that the noodles were pretty much seasoned as they were (soaking up the broth).  Sure, it was flavourful, but at least for me, it was too much.  Moving past that, the ample meat were sliced thin and generally tender.  For myself, I had the Bun Bo Hue which was pretty aromatic from the shrimp paste, lemongrass and shallots.  The broth as a whole was pretty clean with only a background spiciness.  There were fewer noodles (slippery lai fun in this case) here than Viv's bowl, but the meats were still ample.

For the kiddies, we got them their favourite in the BBQ Chicken & Fried Egg on Rice.  We felt this was a pretty decent version with chewy rice topped with a large piece of grilled chicken.  There was only a modest amount of char, but the chicken itself was well-marinated with definite hits of lemongrass, fish sauce and sugar.  It was sufficiently tender where the kids gobbled it up quickly.  To round the meal out, we got a Combo A consisting one each of a Spring Roll, Salad Roll and Grilled Chicken Skewer atop vermicelli.  A bit loose and only slightly crispy, the spring roll tasted good with the sweetness of onions and the saltiness of fish sauce.  We found the salad roll to be pretty decent albeit loosely wrapped (and missing basil).  Consisting of the same chicken as the previous dish, the skewer was also good. As always, the comfort of soup noodles hit the spot after days of burgers and such.  I felt this revisit to Pho Maxima was appreciably better than previous.

The Good:
- Friendly ladies
- Decent eats

The Bad:
- Food comes out real slow
- Pho broth a bit over-seasoned