Doolami Re-visited

*Permenantly Closed*

For me, revisits to any establishment within a few months of a blog post is as rare as a house being sold in Vancouver for the asking price.  Now, there is precedent for this.  There are times I return because I would like to try more items after my initial visit and/or it was a terrible experience and I get invited back.  However, the most ideal situation is that the place is so awesome, I just can't wait to go back.  This was the case with Doolami as not only did I visit the place twice within a week, I was invited back a month later as part of a tasting hosted by Tina.

When we were all seated and ready to go, the desserts practically covered our table even before we had a chance to dig in (and the incessant picture-taking).  So on the table were Glutinous Rice Balls with peanuts and & sesame seeds, House Special Grass Jelly and Black Sesame & Walnut Paste.  Of the bunch, I liked the rice balls the best possibly due to their simplicity compared to the rest.  Soft, almost fluffy and lightly chewy, the rice balls were not overly sweet.  The aromatics from the peanuts and sesame were appealing. 

We then moved onto their wonderful Shaved Ice series beginning with Strawberry and Mango respectively.  I will gladly go out on a limb and say that Doolami has the best shaved ice in town, period.  They make everything in house and do not use any additives (other than fruit).  Fluffy, light, a bit creamy and only purposefully sweet, the ice in all of the variations were on point. Even though the best strawberries are still over a month away, these were decent albeit on the tangier side (of course they were imported though).  As for the mango, they get their supply from Australia, so they are always fresh, never frozen.  Much like the last time I was here, these were good 

Continuing on with the shaved ice, we moved onto the Papaya.  Personally, I'm not a huge fan of ripe papaya as I don't prefer the aromatic pungency.  Let's just say I like the balanced tartness and sweetness of mango more.  With that being said, they did a good job with the ice as there was a muted sweetness that wasn't too "papaya"-tasting if that makes any sense.  Now all of the shaved ice paled in comparison to the Golden Dragon Fruit.  Normally, dragon fruit has the impact of boiled water, but this variety was mouthwatering sweet, bright and refreshing.  At $20.00 per order, this was pure luxury, yet at the same time, well-worth it.

Of course we couldn't have a menu-tasting without sampling their CRA-award winning Mango Sago (which I voted for!).  This had a good consistency where it was just the right viscosity.  It was smooth with a certain airiness while being mildly sweet, natural and fresh-tasting.  Big chunks of fresh mango, tapioca pearls and grapefruit added body and more flavour to the already delicious dessert.  Smelling it before it hit the table, the Durian Sago Cream was even more creamy with purposeful sweetness.  Naturally, it was pungent, but not so much that it was overwhelming.  The deep flavours of the durian really came through though.

As much as the aforementioned desserts are killer, I feel that their natural Ice Cream (with no additives whatsoever) are the real draw at Doolami.  Staying with Durian, we had the ice cream version and it was rich, light and airy with the pungent sweetness associated with the fruit.  Since there don't employ stabilizers, the ice cream melted pretty quickly, so picture-taking had to be quick!  This was exemplified by the Matcha as it was melting faster than the Wicked Witch of the West.  I loved the immediate hit of green tea that gave way to a touch of sweetness, then ended with a mild bitterness that lingered on my tongue.  Again, this was super creamy and light.

Okay, the last one we tried was the Blueberry Lavender, which I had on my last visit (it's the picture from then too...).  I personally detest lavender but they didn't overdo it here so I could actually taste blueberries (which is sometimes hard to do). So far I haven't mentioned the waffle cone bowl and I really should because it was a treat in itself.  Crunchy and easy on the sugar, who doesn't like a bowl they can eat?  In the end, I have to profess that my thoughts are completely biased.  Not because it was a complimentary tasting, rather, it was due to my love for the place.  Quality and commitment in crafting naturally-flavoured desserts ensures that I will be coming back on my own dime.

*All desserts were complimentary*

The Good:
- All natural and fresh ingredients
- Not heavy-handed with the sugar
- Textures are spot on

The Bad:
- For this quality, you will need to visit and ATM        

Feast Dining: The Neighbourhood Table

As much as I try to make it out to West Van for eats, it never really happens that often.  Consider it partly due to distance and the fact there are not many spots I am dying to try either.  So with that attitude, it wasn't surprising that Emily and I went in with no expectations when we were invited for a meal at Feast Dining.  Despite being located in sleepy Dundarave, there was no parking in front of Feast.  I had to park further down the street.  No real issue other than it was pouring and I forgot my umbrella.  Emily had her birdcage umbrella, but was unwilling to share with me...  LOL...

Anyways, while we were perusing the menu, Emily kept bugging me to order the Avocado & Beet Fries.  I merely brushed her off thinking she was crazy...  Well, I was proven wrong as the dish was a fantastic.  The light tempura was crispy and not overly greasy.  Inside, the beets were tender and sweet while the ripe avocado surprisingly held up well to the deep-fry.  Combined with the herbed goat cheese and roasted pumpkin seeds, there was this cooling creaminess to go with a nutty firmness.  The flavours were complete with the sweet and tangy sauce.  At first, we were concerned with the amount of artichoke aioli atop the Smoked Beef Carpaccio.  Our worries were abated since the meaty slices of smoky beef held up well to the aioli.  The addition of fried capers added a pleasant amount of salt and tanginess as well as a crunch to each bite.

We had originally ordered a 3rd appie in the mussels, but they ran out.  So as a substitute, we had the Pablano & Crab Dip.  Well, I'm sure their mussels are good, yet it turns out that the dip was very good.  Chock full of fluffy crab chunks, marscapone and pablanos, the whole thing was rich, creamy and a bit spicy.  The fry bread on the side served as a crispy and chewy vessel for the dip.  It was a bit on the greasier side though.  For that, I preferred the crunchy tortilla chips over the bread.  Before I talk about the entrees, we had ordered 3 sides including the Parmesan Fries with aioli.  These house-cut fries were lightly crispy with plenty of potato goodness left inside.  There was no mistaking the nutty and salty parmesan as it was aggressively mixed with the fries.

The most decadent of the 3 sides was definitely the Black Truffle Mac & Cheese.  After a few spoonfuls, it was pretty evident that they didn't skimp on the black truffle as we could eyeball and taste it.  In addition, the whole thing was rich and cheesy with a mild sharpness.  The noodles stood up well to the moisture by being still firm while the crunchy topping added some texture.  From a heavy and rich, we headed off to some Sauteed Kale and Chickpeas.  Simply salted and sauteed with diced onion, the kale was vibrant and crisp with a bite.  The chickpeas were a bit soft, but okay.  This was a fine side except for the overuse of salt.  It would've been fine with half the amount.

Onto the mains, we weren't going to order the FFC (Feast Fried Chicken), but according to a friend on Facebook (they saw my check-in), I really had to order it.  Turns out it was a good call because it was well-executed.  From the uniformly crispy well-seasoned and rendered skin (drizzled with honey) to the fairly moist meat (especially for free-run chicken), there was not much to dislike about the dish.  Even the whipped potatoes were on point being well-seasoned and creamy.  Although the gravy was a bit runny, it was flavourful in a non-salty manner.  Our other entree was the 16 oz. Ribeye with frites and wedge salad.  Although the steak itself didn't look like much, it was prepared a perfect medium-rare and well-seasoned.  Combined with the quality of the meat, it ate buttery and tender.

For dessert, dug into the Lemon Curd first.  This was attractively plated in a jar on top of slate tile (much like the other dishes).  Beyond the light whipped cream, the lemon curd was smooth, also light and mildly sweet.  The tartness was evident but not overwhelming.  The crust at the bottom was quite good too being firm and crumbly.  We ended things off with the Donuts dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with 2 dips (chocolate and caramel).  Light and fluffy inside, the exterior was a touch too dark and crunchy.  However, this is subjective because I'm sure some like it crunchy.  I much preferred the chocolate rather than the caramel, but for Emily, it was the opposite.  The desserts were a fine end to a really good meal.  Things were executed well while the flavours were on point too.

*All food and beverages excluding gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Well-executed eats
- Things just tasted good
- Warm, homey atmosphere

The Bad:
- A little pricey, but it is West Van