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Normally, I try not to post any revisits if they are too close together. In fact, there are certain places that are so consistent, a year in between posts probably yields similar results. However, with our recent visit to Chambar, it seemed like a good idea to do a post on because their menu had completely changed since our dinner just over a year ago. Another reason would be the increased variety of dishes since Costanza and Elaine were present as well.
We started with their signature dish (albeit in a different broth) with the Congolaise (Mussels & Frites) featuring tomato coconut cream, smoked chili, lime and cilantro. All four of us had a hard time picking out any coconut cream or essence. Either they put very little or completely forgot. Hence, it was more a spicy tomato broth with a background smokiness and tang. The cilantro was pretty impactful with an initial hit. Although served on the side, the frites were pretty much the star of the show with a fluffy crispiness. We got an order of the Daily Bread to compliment the mussels and it was actually a great item in itself. It appeared to be some sort of light rye, cheese and sage bread with a chewy exterior giving way to a firmly soft (yes an oxymoron I know...) cheesy interior. Loved the creamy whipped butter on the side.
Normally, Sardines on toast highlight the robust flavour of the fish. However, the one here was nicely balanced where the tomato relish was both intensely sweet and tangy. The chermoula on top was the proverbial icing on the cake as the brightness of the ginger really cut through the fishiness of the sardines. Probably my favourite appie was the Calamars Farcis featuring veal-stuffed calamari, taro chips and chili aioli. The squid itself was tender and buttery with a balancing chew. It was nicely charred on the outside providing not only a few crispy bits, but also a warming smokiness. Inside, the ground veal was tender and moist with a lingering spiciness. This was further amplified by the chili aioli.
Onto the mains, I went for the Tajine D’aziz À L’agneau or braised lamb shank with honey, figs, cinnamon, cilantro and almond cous-cous. Once the lid was removed off the tagine, an aromatic scent wafted towards me. I could definitely get the cinnamon and smell of lamb. I found the meat to be tender and fatty while spiced with a sweet jus. This was of course from the honey and figs. I could definitely get the cinnamon (there was a stick of it), but it wasn't overwhelming at the same time. I poured all of the cous-cous into the tagine so it could soak all of over the flavour. Viv went for the Pot au Feu de Truite featuring steelhead trout, local beets and Brussels sprouts in a tapioca galangal shisho broth. Sporting crispy skin, the trout itself was flaky and moist. It was mildly seasoned, where it allowed the fragrant broth do the heavy lifting. It exhibited a certain brightness with a robust galangal essence.
Elaine picked out La Pièce De Boeuf (AAA char grilled 8oz beef brochette) and proceeded to ask for it to be prepared medium-well (the horror!). I commend the chef from not wavering from this absurd request as it came out a perfect medium-rare. Ballsy move, but hey, I would've serve this any other way either! Imagine ordering lobster and requesting it to be extra rubbery! Anyways, it was buttery and tender with a crispy char. The chimichurri was bright and flavourful while the sundried tomato jus added another layer of tang and saltiness. Costanza opted for the Thon Provencale (Albacore tuna loin & belly, sea asparagus, rapini, rouille potatoes, chorizo chips, olives and red pepper coulis). I enjoyed the rare, buttery loin as it was nicely seasoned on the outside. However, the belly was a bit mealy from the aggressive frying. It wasn't all that flavourful either.
For dessert, we shared the Citron Cremeux and Coco Panna Cotta. Hidden beneath the tangy and smooth raspberry sorbet and overly dry sponge cake was natural-tasting lemon lemon cream. It was appealingly tart and smooth. Beautifully plated with toasted coconut sorbet, lime puffs, blueberries, black pepper and lime compote, the panna cotta was light and semi-sweet. I could definitely taste the black pepper as well as the sweetness of the blueberries. On the other hand, there needed to be more acidity to bring the dessert to another level. As you can ascertain, this meal at Chambar was solid and carefully prepared. Often, I get asked why Chambar is grouped into the best restaurants in Vancouver - well, this didn't happen by accident.
The Good:
- Carefully prepared food
- Attentive service
- Purposeful flavours
The Bad:
- On the pricier side
*Josh Gale is now the Executive Chef and the menu will change*
I'm sure you've heard the term "gentrification" used in describing the current state of affairs in Chinatown. Yes, it is pretty sad to see the place transition from the bustling place of the 80's into more of a hipster hangout. However, Richmond has really taken over the top destination for Chinese eats and shopping. Besides, there are pockets all around Vancouver one can buy their Asian groceries including several T&T's. For me, I believe that one cannot stop what happens organically, so I've tried to visit all of the great places to eat and drink in the area. This food adventure (and drink adventure) finally brought us to Juniper.
To begin, we had to go for what Juniper is best known for - their cocktails. Viv went for the Juniper made with Aviation gin, juniper berries, lemon peel and Fentimans tonic. As expected, this was a super refreshing and light cocktail. There was only a background lemon rind essence while the berries were nice too look at but hardly noticeable. For myself, I had the Gin Grapefruit Mule consisting of Beefeater Gin, grapefruit, lime, ginger beer, Campari and bitters. Again, this was also light and fruity with only slight bite from the ginger. The tart and bitterness of the other ingredients came through, but it was well-balanced.
Onto the food, I was really interested in the Duck Wings that were confit and smoked. Hence, the meat underneath was soft albeit somewhat dry. However, the ample amount of honey sesame sauce spiked with whiskey kept things peppery, sweet and sticky. The smokiness was apparently while not overpowering. The side of tangy and spicy cabbage was impactful enough to stand up to the sweet wings. Next up, we had the Mussels with apple cider, boar bacon, grilled leek, kale and jalapeno buttered bread. The buttery and plump mussels were prepared expertly where each and every one of them were open. Bringy and sweet, the broth had a balancing amount of salt. The side of jalapeno buttered bread was sinfully tasty and we wished there was more of it.
Prepared a perfect medium-rare, the flat iron steak in the Beef & Broccoli was tender in parts while a bit chewy in others. It was mildly meaty with the sweetness and slight tang of the pickled mustard seed on top. The fingerling potatoes were nicely roasted being soft while not mushy. I thought the lobster and oyster mushrooms were on point. Also prepared expertly was the Albacore Tuna which was buttery and soft. I thought it was unevenly seasoned where some had more salt than other pieces. There was the crunch of the puffed wild rice as well as an herbaceous finish. When eaten with the tangy salad, there was a nice brightness to the flavours. I found the squash to be rather bland though. Although we only sampled 2 bevvies at Juniper, we will definitely try more in the future. As for the food, it was pretty good, but the drinks steal the show.
The Good:
- Go for the drinks
- Nice room and atmosphere
The Bad:
- Seating is a bit tight
- Food is not bad, but drinks are the focus
We seen quite a few restaurants open up in the last little while, but many have been poke shops. Now I have nothing against poke because I actually love the stuff. However, there is a little place in Kits that I've had my eye on since it quietly opened in December. The combined effort of Makoto Ono (formerly of PiDGin) and Amanda Cheng (Ming is her Chinese name), Mak N Ming offers up only 2 tasting menus - one small and one large. Viv and I checked this place out in early January for their large tasting menu.
Before we got to the heart of the menu, we were started off with Chef Ono's take on a takoyaki in the Smoked Cheddar Takoyaki (minus the tako). The little ball was crispy with a semi-dense batter which was completely flavoured by the balanced smokiness of the cheddar. On top, the grated Parmesan and salt added a literal shock to the palate that helped elevate the mild-tasting fried ball. Onto our first course, we were served the Kombu Cured Snapper atop a creamy miso tofu sauce. I absolutely loved the buttery texture of the cured snapper as well as a natural sweetness from the sea. Providing a light crunchiness was the fried scales on top and also the julienned wood ear. This was a well-balanced dish that produced clean flavours that worked in harmony.
Another light, yet still full-bodied dish was the Mushroom Chawanmushi. As simple as it appeared, the complexity and umaminess from the shiitake and maitake mushrooms produced rich Earthy hits to the palate. As if this wasn't enough, the fried enoki on top added a roasted and smoky caramelized essence that was aromatic and rich. Combined with the on point silky egg, this was delicious and allowed the umami from the mushrooms to do the heavy lifting. As tasty as the first 3 items were, the Milk Bun topped with a seaweed crust was killer. The bun itself was soft while not airy. It was lightly sweet and the crispy seaweed crust was somewhat salty and again hit the umami tastebuds. It was good, but when I slathered some of the spicy mayo, the whole thing took off. In addition to the impactful creamy spiciness, the mayo helped heighten all of the existing flavours. I could see why this was served after the snapper and chawanmushi.
From this, we moved onto the Pork Chop topped with black truffle and accompanied by cauliflower 3-ways. I found the 2 pieces of pork to be tender, yet not succulent. The pork itself was mildly seasoned where underneath, the impactful bacon jus took care of the need for saltiness. The truffle, in our opinion, did not add much. However, the pickled cauliflower stems and leaves brightened things up with a noticeable, yet not overwhelming tartness. The best thing on the plate was the creamy and sweet seafoody scallop and cauliflower puree. Served on a separate plate was the firm cauliflower rice made with the florets. It was well-seasoned and on point in texture (not overdone). This was a pleasant dish, but lagged behind the first 4 items in terms of impact.
Everything was fine and dandy as we were presented with the Dungeness Crab Noodle Soup. This, my friends, was absolutely dynamite in terms of depth-of-flavour and execution. Aromatic and intensely-infused with roasted crab shells and miso, the soup hit my taste buds like a well-made bisque. It was sweet and purposefully salty with the taste of the briny crab that included a dollop of crab proteins on top the fluffy crab meat. To make this completely balanced, there was even a background spiciness. Even the house-made noodles were done beautifully as they were firmly al dente where they soaked up a touch of the broth for full effect. Completing the dish were charred leaks that added a smoky brightness and some sorrel.
Up until now, the progression of dishes made absolute sense, but then the Milky Hot Chocolate with pistachio & honey cigar didn't seem to go. The lightly creamy hot chocolate was far too sweet (although the roasted marshmallow was a treat). Was it supposed to counteract the saltiness of the crab noodle? Even if that was the plan, it was too far over to the sweet side of the flavour continuum. On the other hand, the crispy cigar was really good. Inside, the pistachio cream was sweet enough and offered up some tanginess that was a relief from the sweet hot chocolate.
We found the Hibiscus Pear Pavlova was much more appealing with a hibiscus poached pear, coconut brittle and ginger cream. The tender chunks of pear were lightly sweet and floral. With only a modest amount of ginger sharpness, the cream was a nice compliment to the pear while the sweet and aromatic toasted coconut brittle added a shot of sweetness. Surprisingly, the pavolva on top was not overly sweet. Texturally, it was airy and light. At the end, we were further treated to some Petit Fours that included chocolate truffles, grapefruit shiso fruit pate and financier cake. This was a nice finish to an eye-opening meal. On the surface, many of the items appeared to be simple, but the flavours were complex and at most times subtle. We loved the sensible progression of the dishes (except the hot chocolate) where our senses were definitely peaked with aroma and umaminess.
The Good:
- Subtle, yet impactful flavours
- Flavours were built from ingredients, not from overseasoning
- Delightful service
The Bad:
- Milky Hot Chocolate too sweet
- Pork Chop pales in comparison to all the other dishes
- You have the accept the coziness of the room (which isn't a bad thing either)
Posts
Normally, I try not to post any revisits if they are too close together. In fact, there are certain places that are so consistent, a year in between posts probably yields similar results. However, with our recent visit to Chambar, it seemed like a good idea to do a post on because their menu had completely changed since our dinner just over a year ago. Another reason would be the increased variety of dishes since Costanza and Elaine were present as well.
We started with their signature dish (albeit in a different broth) with the Congolaise (Mussels & Frites) featuring tomato coconut cream, smoked chili, lime and cilantro. All four of us had a hard time picking out any coconut cream or essence. Either they put very little or completely forgot. Hence, it was more a spicy tomato broth with a background smokiness and tang. The cilantro was pretty impactful with an initial hit. Although served on the side, the frites were pretty much the star of the show with a fluffy crispiness. We got an order of the Daily Bread to compliment the mussels and it was actually a great item in itself. It appeared to be some sort of light rye, cheese and sage bread with a chewy exterior giving way to a firmly soft (yes an oxymoron I know...) cheesy interior. Loved the creamy whipped butter on the side.
Normally, Sardines on toast highlight the robust flavour of the fish. However, the one here was nicely balanced where the tomato relish was both intensely sweet and tangy. The chermoula on top was the proverbial icing on the cake as the brightness of the ginger really cut through the fishiness of the sardines. Probably my favourite appie was the Calamars Farcis featuring veal-stuffed calamari, taro chips and chili aioli. The squid itself was tender and buttery with a balancing chew. It was nicely charred on the outside providing not only a few crispy bits, but also a warming smokiness. Inside, the ground veal was tender and moist with a lingering spiciness. This was further amplified by the chili aioli.
Onto the mains, I went for the Tajine D’aziz À L’agneau or braised lamb shank with honey, figs, cinnamon, cilantro and almond cous-cous. Once the lid was removed off the tagine, an aromatic scent wafted towards me. I could definitely get the cinnamon and smell of lamb. I found the meat to be tender and fatty while spiced with a sweet jus. This was of course from the honey and figs. I could definitely get the cinnamon (there was a stick of it), but it wasn't overwhelming at the same time. I poured all of the cous-cous into the tagine so it could soak all of over the flavour. Viv went for the Pot au Feu de Truite featuring steelhead trout, local beets and Brussels sprouts in a tapioca galangal shisho broth. Sporting crispy skin, the trout itself was flaky and moist. It was mildly seasoned, where it allowed the fragrant broth do the heavy lifting. It exhibited a certain brightness with a robust galangal essence.
Elaine picked out La Pièce De Boeuf (AAA char grilled 8oz beef brochette) and proceeded to ask for it to be prepared medium-well (the horror!). I commend the chef from not wavering from this absurd request as it came out a perfect medium-rare. Ballsy move, but hey, I would've serve this any other way either! Imagine ordering lobster and requesting it to be extra rubbery! Anyways, it was buttery and tender with a crispy char. The chimichurri was bright and flavourful while the sundried tomato jus added another layer of tang and saltiness. Costanza opted for the Thon Provencale (Albacore tuna loin & belly, sea asparagus, rapini, rouille potatoes, chorizo chips, olives and red pepper coulis). I enjoyed the rare, buttery loin as it was nicely seasoned on the outside. However, the belly was a bit mealy from the aggressive frying. It wasn't all that flavourful either.
For dessert, we shared the Citron Cremeux and Coco Panna Cotta. Hidden beneath the tangy and smooth raspberry sorbet and overly dry sponge cake was natural-tasting lemon lemon cream. It was appealingly tart and smooth. Beautifully plated with toasted coconut sorbet, lime puffs, blueberries, black pepper and lime compote, the panna cotta was light and semi-sweet. I could definitely taste the black pepper as well as the sweetness of the blueberries. On the other hand, there needed to be more acidity to bring the dessert to another level. As you can ascertain, this meal at Chambar was solid and carefully prepared. Often, I get asked why Chambar is grouped into the best restaurants in Vancouver - well, this didn't happen by accident.
