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There I was... Looking at the online coupon for Char 631 Steakhouse. Appeared to be a decent deal, but the place didn't look anything like a steakhouse. Located in the Ramada Inn on Lougheed in Coquitlam, it was somewhat close to us... Oh fine, why not? I impulsively bought 2 coupons good for 2 appies, 4 entrees and 2 desserts for $39.00 each. Of note, it was a frustrating exercise to make a reservation as I never got a reply via email as well as no one answering the phone on 3 occasions.
Upon looking at their regular menu, it was rather confusing to me that the place is called a "steakhouse". With over 60% of the menu not consisting of steak, it made us wonder why the place was named as such... Whatever, we started with 2 appies including the Calamari and Spinach & Artichoke Dip. Fried too long and excessively chewy, the calamari was not good. On the other hand, it as seasoned decently though. As for the dip, it was cheesy, but watery at the same time. Taste-wise, it was well-seasoned, but I guess it had something to do with the salty store-bought Doritos as well. We had to ask for more because the amount on the plate wasn't remotely enough for the dip.
For the kiddies, they couldn't get the deal because only 2 coupons per table... Hence, my son went for the Classic Beef Burger with cheddar and bacon. Interestingly, the item we pegged as the least interesting was the best dish of the night. The thick burger patty was relatively moist while well-seasoned. The bacon was prepared correctly, but there was too much spicy aioli for his tastes. Fries were pretty generic being mildly crispy. My daughter ended up stealing my mom's Salmon, so she traded her Braised Lamb Shank. It was a pretty large portion of tender and moist meat. It was spiced with a Malay sauce, but it tasted more like Indian curry. It was somewhat spicy and did have impact. However, since the lamb shank had no inherent seasoning of its own, there was a disconnect between the sauce and the meat.
We had only 3 options for mains, so there were duplicates including 2 orders of Salmon with lemon risotto. As clearly evidenced in the picture, the salmon was cooked far too fast at too high of a temperature (lots of albumin). Subsequently, it was dry and moreover, underseasoned as well. The risotto was nicely tart, but woefully overdone being really mushy. I convinced Viv to try the Cornish Game Hen rather than the salmon and it was marginally better. We liked how the skin was completely rendered and crispy. On the other hand, we didn't enjoy the dry underseasoned meat (especially the white meat). The sauce was actually decently flavourful, but there was too much wine aftertaste.
For myself, I had the Sirloin Steak with chimichurri sauce. It was thin-cut resembling a minute steak. As such, the meat was only medium-rare in spots. It wasn't as if the meat was chewy, but it was not particularly tender either. Interestingly, it was so thin, they couldn't even criss-cross the grill marks. Disturbingly pale, the chimichurri was a bit salty and a touch garlicky ending off with a tang. Even with that, it didn't have much impact. At the very least, the veggies were not overcooked, but then again, some where pretty raw. The mashed potatoes were terrible being pasty and thick.
For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Cake and Strawberry Cheesecake. These too forever to come out. I guess it had something to do with the warm and melty chocolate cake. Yet, unlike a molten lava cake, this ate like a severely undercooked chocolate cookie. It wasn't too sweet though. As for the cheesecake, it was pretty standard, yet serviceable with a definite cream cheesiness. It wasn't overly sweet while the strawberry glaze was just right. So it comes as no surprise we were not particularly impressed with our meal at Char 631, even with the coupons. They are definitely a pretender when it comes to steakhouses, where the Keg would blow it out of the water. Furthermore, our meal took 2.5 hours to complete as they were understaffed in the kitchen and the front-of-the-house.
The Good:
- Friendly people, but under-staffed
- Portions are decent
The Bad:
- Food is sub-par
- Food took too long to come out
Here at last! Granville Island Brewing. The final restaurant participating in the Poutine Challenge. I gotta admit, as much as I enjoy poutine, this was a bit too much. However, it was much less painful than the quest to find the best Water-Boiled Szechuan Fish for the Chinese Restaurant Awards! I don't think my stomach has forgiven me yet... This time around, Grace and Sean joined me in not only trying their poutine, but some brews as well.
Getting right down to things, we tried their Merguez Sausage Poutine which featured fries that were okay, but I would've liked to see the twice-fried variety. I thought the lamb sausage was a nice addition as it added both body and a noticeable spice to the poutine. There was ample cheese curds to go with the aromatic confit gravy. We also ordered a bunch of other items including their Charbroiled BBQ Wings. Featuring the entire wing that was grilled rather than fried, it was a nice departure from the regular. However, there were some really burnt portions while some others the skin wasn't all that rendered. Although the meat itself was juicy and moist, the flavours really didn't penetrate.
As much as their Charcuterie Board consisted of some quality Granville Island products like Oyama salami and soppressata as well as Benton Brothers brie and gouda, the board looked sparse. We did like the sweet bacon jam though, but what was up with the sad looking grapes? All was good with the Island Burger though as it was as tasty as it appeared. Sandwiched in between 2 well-toasted buns, there was a lean meat patty that was charred until crispy on the outside. It wasn't particularly moist, but it wasn't overly dry either. The maple bacon was on point being crispy as well as the onion tangler.
Our last item was the Braised Pork Tacos. We found the flavours a bit too mild despite the salsa and the pickled onion. The meat was also rather dry. With that being said, I didn't mind eating them. Of course we didn't visit a brewery without trying out some bevvies... So... Grace and I combined to get all the choices for their 4 x 5oz Taster Round. Being quite familiar with all the beers on the table, there were no surprises except for the chocolate ale (on the bottom right). Reasonably-priced at $7.00 for 4, it was a good way to try more than one beer to go with our food. About that food... well, it was hit and miss, but the burger was a definitely a winner. That would go well with any of the available brews on tap.
*Poutine was complimentary*
The Good:
- Taster round is a good value
- Burger is solid
The Bad:
- Rest of the eats are hit and miss
*Restaurant is now closed*
If you've been following this blog for awhile, you will know that I often lament at the lack of variety when it comes to cuisine along Scott Road. As much as Indian food rocks, the only other options are chain restaurants and fast food. But a small shift has started with such new spots such as Kung Fu Chef and Chongqing. Rising up from the ashes of Saffron Flavour is something of an anomaly in these parts - a Szechaun restaurant. Wait, isn't Chongqing a Szechaun restaurant too? In theory yes, but not in the traditional sense.
Freshly off the Chinese Restaurant Awards, I briefly considered the water-boiled fish, but quickly realized that I've had nearly 15 of them in the last month. Hence, I went for 3 smaller dishes instead starting with Mouth-Watering Chicken. Yes, I've had this many times lately as well, but thanks to Emily, I'm slightly addicted to it. This one was pretty solid with tender pieces of chicken that had nicely gelatinzed skin. The chicken itself wasn't inherently super flavourful, but the sauce made up for it. It wasn't really all that spicy, but there was tonnes of kick and deep flavours from the spices including hits of cumin and ginger. Next, I tried the Garlic Sliced Pork Belly. In terms of overall taste, this dish had it. There were big chunks of fresh garlic with soy and vinegar that was appetizing. However, the belly itself was too thick and the fat was not gelatized. Rather, it had a lard-like texture.
Lastly, I went for some Xiao Long Bao (despite the place not being Shanghainese). They were decent as regular dumplings, but as expected, not great XLBs. There was really no soup to be found, but the pork was flavourful and moist with a rebound texture. Although the dumpling skin wasn't overly thick, the bottom was overdone being wet and soggy. Now these 3 dishes were not even close to scratching the surface of the menu, so I returned on another day. I only went for 2 items this time around, going for the Szechaun Meat Salad to start. Consisting of tender beef, tendon and tripe, this was all meat with only some cilantro on top (the type of salad I like!). This was impactful with big hits of saltiness, a touch of sweet and definitely tongue-numbing spice.
For my main, I had the Spicy Pork with Garlic Stems. This was a fairly large portion with tender slices of somewhat fatty pork. I liked how there was plenty of meat texture left. The garlic stems were plentiful and prepared properly. They were vibrant green and crunchy while cooked all-the-way-through. The only flaw with the dish was the lack of spice as promised. In fact, the dish was bordering on bland. On my 3rd visit, I decided on their Cumin Lamb lunch special. As much as the lamb was tender and fatty, there wasn't much of it to be found. Rather, the dish was mostly onions and peppers. Now that actually made everything taste better with a sightly spicy savouriness to go with the ample cumin. In actuality, the dish tasted more like curry than cumin (although there is cumin in many curries).
I also got the Szechuan Beef Noodles which looked pretty legit when it hit the table. However, the soup base was not very spicy nor flavourful despite the dark hue. Even the hot peppers on top didn't help. The noodles themselves were greasy and a touch soft. I did like the texture of the beef as it melted in my mouth. Unfortunately, the beef was very bland. From all these dishes I tried, it clearly demonstated that Chuanyue is a legit Szechuan restaurant in a place you would least expect to find one. There are some consistency issues though as I ordered the mouth-watering chicken again and it was dry and bland. But whatever the case, at least there is an authentic Szechuan option on Scott Road.
The Good:
- Authentic Szechuan cuisine
- Decent eats
The Bad:
- A tad pricey
- Some consistency issues
Based on its name, one would assume BBQ Nation, located in Newton, serves up Southern BBQ and associated eats. Upon closer inspection, it keeps basically the same menu as its predecessor, Barcelo's. For those who are not familiar, Barcelo's most closely resembles Nando's serving up Peri Peri Chicken and the sort. Well, I guess so does BBQ Nation. To check it out, I visited the place with Chill and Zamboni Guy.
Looking over the menu, there were many options of chicken in terms of pieces, sides and heat level. However, the best deal for 2 people was the Half-Chicken Meal with a side and beverage. Hence, Chill and Zamboni Guy split that and added another side and drink. They asked for mild spiciness which was actually quite hot. Depending on the piece of chicken, the reviews were mixed. Chill thought the leg meat was decently tender with a good amount of spice. Yet, Zamboni Guy's white meat was not particularly succulent nor flavourful. For myself, I had something different in the BBQ Burger with fries. I really can't be too nice with this as the burger resembled something from a cafeteria. The frozen patty was decently charred yet completely forgettable. Ditto for the frozen fries. You'd find a better burger at any fast-food joint.
To give the place another chance, I returned to try the Tandoori Chicken meal. Since it featured a chicken leg, the meat was sufficiently tender albeit not juicy. The flavours were pretty decent with definite spiciness and tang. Again, much like the chicken from the previous visit, it didn't come close to Nando's or Barcelo's in terms of execution. With all being said, the owner and staff are super-friendly and genuinely seem interested in proving a good experience. If that is the case, they should look into producing chicken that is juicy while offering up sides that are more freshly-made than frozen.
The Good:
- Genuinely friendly owner and staff
- Some of the specials are reasonably-priced
The Bad:
- Food doesn't stand out, very generic
- Expensive
Posts
There I was... Looking at the online coupon for Char 631 Steakhouse. Appeared to be a decent deal, but the place didn't look anything like a steakhouse. Located in the Ramada Inn on Lougheed in Coquitlam, it was somewhat close to us... Oh fine, why not? I impulsively bought 2 coupons good for 2 appies, 4 entrees and 2 desserts for $39.00 each. Of note, it was a frustrating exercise to make a reservation as I never got a reply via email as well as no one answering the phone on 3 occasions.
Upon looking at their regular menu, it was rather confusing to me that the place is called a "steakhouse". With over 60% of the menu not consisting of steak, it made us wonder why the place was named as such... Whatever, we started with 2 appies including the Calamari and Spinach & Artichoke Dip. Fried too long and excessively chewy, the calamari was not good. On the other hand, it as seasoned decently though. As for the dip, it was cheesy, but watery at the same time. Taste-wise, it was well-seasoned, but I guess it had something to do with the salty store-bought Doritos as well. We had to ask for more because the amount on the plate wasn't remotely enough for the dip.
For the kiddies, they couldn't get the deal because only 2 coupons per table... Hence, my son went for the Classic Beef Burger with cheddar and bacon. Interestingly, the item we pegged as the least interesting was the best dish of the night. The thick burger patty was relatively moist while well-seasoned. The bacon was prepared correctly, but there was too much spicy aioli for his tastes. Fries were pretty generic being mildly crispy. My daughter ended up stealing my mom's Salmon, so she traded her Braised Lamb Shank. It was a pretty large portion of tender and moist meat. It was spiced with a Malay sauce, but it tasted more like Indian curry. It was somewhat spicy and did have impact. However, since the lamb shank had no inherent seasoning of its own, there was a disconnect between the sauce and the meat.
We had only 3 options for mains, so there were duplicates including 2 orders of Salmon with lemon risotto. As clearly evidenced in the picture, the salmon was cooked far too fast at too high of a temperature (lots of albumin). Subsequently, it was dry and moreover, underseasoned as well. The risotto was nicely tart, but woefully overdone being really mushy. I convinced Viv to try the Cornish Game Hen rather than the salmon and it was marginally better. We liked how the skin was completely rendered and crispy. On the other hand, we didn't enjoy the dry underseasoned meat (especially the white meat). The sauce was actually decently flavourful, but there was too much wine aftertaste.
For myself, I had the Sirloin Steak with chimichurri sauce. It was thin-cut resembling a minute steak. As such, the meat was only medium-rare in spots. It wasn't as if the meat was chewy, but it was not particularly tender either. Interestingly, it was so thin, they couldn't even criss-cross the grill marks. Disturbingly pale, the chimichurri was a bit salty and a touch garlicky ending off with a tang. Even with that, it didn't have much impact. At the very least, the veggies were not overcooked, but then again, some where pretty raw. The mashed potatoes were terrible being pasty and thick.
For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Cake and Strawberry Cheesecake. These too forever to come out. I guess it had something to do with the warm and melty chocolate cake. Yet, unlike a molten lava cake, this ate like a severely undercooked chocolate cookie. It wasn't too sweet though. As for the cheesecake, it was pretty standard, yet serviceable with a definite cream cheesiness. It wasn't overly sweet while the strawberry glaze was just right. So it comes as no surprise we were not particularly impressed with our meal at Char 631, even with the coupons. They are definitely a pretender when it comes to steakhouses, where the Keg would blow it out of the water. Furthermore, our meal took 2.5 hours to complete as they were understaffed in the kitchen and the front-of-the-house.
