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For those unfamiliar with Ocean Wise, it is a program developed here in BC that promotes the use of sustainable seafood in restaurants. It has been nice to see many of the best establishments in town get on board. However and not surprisingly, Asian restaurants have been slow to adopt it and in fact, only one exists (which is Floata). However, Maji Restaurant in Richmond has recently signed on, hopefully triggering a trend for Chinese restaurants. To celebrate this, they hosted a dinner along with the Chinese Restaurant Awards featuring Ocean-Wise ingredients.
This was an ambitious menu which featured 16 plates of food starting off with the Chinese Yam & Chicken Soup. It was sweet and lightly peppery (white pepper) with a silkiness from the gelatin. I enjoyed that there didn't seem to be a significant amount of seasoning involved so we got the natural chicken flavour and sweetness. Even the pieces of chicken meat were super tender and completely edible. The whole Grilled Scallops with garlic butter was a real treat as it was both a texturally and taste-pleasing dish. First of all, the scallops were soft and had a sweet rebound texture. Second, the garlic buttery was aromatic and complimented the lightly briny and sweet scallops.
Onto the neatly-plated Five Flavour Mussel Salad, we found large Kiwi mussels served cold. This was key as these type of mussels can become rubbery if cooked too long. These were still fairly moist with a appealing chewiness. There was a good mix of spicy, gingery, sweet and salty notes that didn't prevent the natural brininess of the mussel. Continuing with shellfish, we has the Deep-Fried Oysters. This was one of my favourite items as the firmly crunchy batter had an aromaticness from the 5-spice, salt and pepper. As for the oyster itself, it was tender and sweet with a natural brininess. On the side was a salty and sweet chili sauce.
I'm normally not a fan of Grilled Mackerel, so I'm not the best judge of the dish. I can say that the fish was beautifully prepared though. It featured blistered skin that was aromatic and the grilling helped activate the fish oils. There was the requisite robust fishiness that is associated with mackerel, but with a squeeze of the lemon wedge, it really helped balance the flavours. Somehow, the Pan-Fried Salmon seemed a bit too plain for my tastes. It was missing vital seasoning that would've brought the dish alive. Rather, it pretty much tasted like salmon without anything on it. Furthermore, I thought it was cooked too long where it was no longer buttery.
On the other hand, the Grilled Salmon with House Special Sweet Sauce was appreciably better in terms of execution and overall impact. First of all, the salmon itself was cooked just enough where it was flaky and moist. Second, the caramelized flavours helped bring out the natural sweetness of the salmon as well as completely seasoning the fish. Back to the molluscs, we were served the Basil Clams. This was money as the clams were buttery and plump. They were cooked just enough and the natural flavours really came through. However, there was plenty of seasoning including the aromatic basil to help put the dish over the top.
Talking about over-the-top, we were presented with the Dongpo Pork next. It featured the classic braised pork belly dressed in a rich sauce. Of note, the Taiwanese version is generally not as fatty and soft as the Shanghainese dish. That was evident here where the meat was on the leaner side while the fat was still buttery and sinful. The sauce was not too salty where it didn't masked the natural pork flavour. Another robust and flavourful dish was the Pan-Fried Black Pepper Beef. By the name alone, it was assumed that we would be experiencing pepper rich flavours and this dish delivered. As for the beef, it was in large pieces and completely tender.
As for our carbs, we had a dish that I've personally tried 3 times already being the Taiwanese-Style Stir Fried Noodles. Consistency-wise, I have to say that they were more or less the same as before. It was a large portion of moist, yet chewy noodles with mild seasoning. Lots of ingredients including still vibrant veggies. Aromatic and exhibiting proper wok heat, the Sesame Oil Pork Fried Rice was quite good. It was too bad that we were so full already because I could've had a few bowls. The rice was chewy and nutty while still moist and they didn't overdo it with the seasoning allowing the sesame oil to come through.
As if this wasn't enough to eat already, we were presented with 2 tofu dishes. The first was Pan-Fried Tofu with onions and carrots served in an iron skillet. This was a straight-forward dish with deep-fried silky tofu that remained intact despite its soft texture. Flavours were balanced between sweet and salty where the starch-thickened sauce was not excessive. Next was the Seafood Tofu Hot Pot sporting shrimp, fish and clams seasoned with basil, soy and chili peppers. Similar to the last dish, there was just enough sauce that clung onto each piece of on point seafood. Another straight-forward dish that was well-executed.
Our actual final dish was the Spicy Deep-Fried Chicken which was more sweet than spicy (although it did have a mild kick). The skin was fairly rendered and crisp while the boneless leg was tender and juicy. This went well with the fried rice as it was rather flavourful. So there you go, another tasty meal at Maji, this time featuring many of their Ocean-Wise dishes. I personally love their regular menu, so a combination of any of the new dishes with old items will yield a great meal.
*All food was complimentary*
The Good:
- Getting on board with the Ocean Wise program
- Solid eats
- Well-priced
The Bad:
- That parking lot...
- Pan-Fried Salmon needed a bit more salt
Okay, I admit it. During this trip, I've been guilty of playing tourist and have been to some less-than-stellar places to eat due to it. However, I don't make any apologies as it is my trip and really, I can do whatever I want! But it is true that the visit to Carnegie (now closed) yielded predictably sub-par results for far too much money. Also, in Montreal, we've been to Dunn's and Schwartz's which are both popular with the tourists. So on our last day before returning home, Viv and I decided to trek all-the-way-out to Snowdon Deli, which is more of a local eatery.
Some have argued that it is the place for smoked meat, even better than Schwartz's, Lester's and Rueben's. Well, we were going to be the judges of that starting with the hot Smoked Meat Sandwich. I asked for medium and it was tender, fatty and aromatic. I found that it was soft, but still retained a meatiness while being not overly salted or peppery. For me, this was better than any smoked meat I've had so far. As part of my combo, I also had a bowl of Matzo Ball Soup which was also very good. The chicken soup portion was pretty typical, but I enjoyed how it was not overseasoned where I could taste actual chicken. However, the best part was the matzo ball as it was fluffy and soft with a springiness. It was so good, I had to get another just for my son.
Of course he couldn't subsist on soup alone, so he got the Hot Beef Brisket with gravy and a side of fries. Okay, I hate to compare, especially since Carnegie is in NYC and Snowdon is in Montreal (and this one was hot as opposed to cold), but this was far superior. The meat was moist (due to the salty onion gravy) and melt-in-his-mouth tender. He loved every bite, which were few because he completely devoured. The side of fries was absolutely massive where it was practically falling off the plate. These were on point being crispy while still retaining some tender potato texture inside. We got an order of Latkas as well which were served with sour cream and apple sauce. As much as I enjoyed the golden brown crispiness of the outside, they were a bit denser than what I generally enjoy.
Viv ended up sharing a Smoked Turkey Sandwich with our daughter and although it wasn't the sexiest thing to order, it was solid. The meat was sliced thin being slightly smoky, tender and lightly salty. There was enough of it to achieve balance with the medium-firm rye. I ended up getting one last item with the Full Strip of Karnatzel. For those who are unfamiliar, this dried beef sausage is as much of a Jewish deli experience as smoked meat. I found this one to be really good with an appealing firmness and packed with enough flavour to warrant the slices of rye. There was a light pepperiness and definite saltiness that was on point. As much as everything food is subjective, for me at least, Snowdon was my best deli experience of the trip by a long shot. Totally worth the trip out there.
The Good:
- Not that touristy
- Solid eats
- Well-priced
The Bad:
- Service gets very sparse as it gets busier
- Need to make a trip out there if you are a tourist
After dining on Cantonese food the night before, we decided to deviate from the "must eats" in Montreal as found on the internet and from various recommendations. Yes, as much as it is a good thing to follow a framework of sorts when dining in a particular city, sometimes we just have to eat something we want. That would mean that it may never be on the radar for a visitor nor would it be hyped-up either. We went for Italian at Artigiani Pizzeria Ristorante as the kiddies love it as much as Chinese food.
Due to a sudden and heavy rainstorm, we ended up being soaked head-to-toe despite only walking a block and a half from Mont Royal Station. Since we were in dire need of anything green in colour, we shared the Insalata con Pere e Formaggio consisting of mesclun greens, pears, Grand Padano cheese shavings, walnuts and honey. This substantial salad was a nice mix of sweet, salty, tangy and umaminess (from the cheese). I particularly liked the ripeness of the pears as they were soft and sweet. Costanza's 2 boys both went for the Semplice pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. This featured a thin and crispy crust that had a decent amount of leoparding. The abundance of fresh basil was aromatic and impactful.
For my son, he originally chose the ravioli, but that was before he noticed that there was something evil in the ingredients (it was spinach...). So he had the Gnocchi al Pomodoro instead. He quickly gobbled it up and it was no wonder as the sauce was thick and rich, yet not overly acidic. There was a certain mildness that allowed the natural sweetness as well as the fresh basil to come through. The gnocchi was texturally on point being tender with a nice rebound. For my daughter, she chose the Tagliatelle al Funghi Trifolati which was also very good. Firmly al dente, the pasta was tossed with a mix of wild mushrooms and just enough truffle oil so it wasn't overpowering. The dish was flavourful and Earthy.
For the adults, we shared 2 pizzas including the Pancetta with red onion. Due to the liberal amount of light tomato sauce, the middle of the pizza crust was soft and wet. Despite this, the pizza itself fine with tender slices of pancetta and pungent red onion. I would've liked to see more saltiness to counteract the amount of moisture though. For Viv and I, the Artigiani pizza was better as the crust remained crisp and chewy throughout. On top, there was a substantial amount of meat including capicollo, sopressatta and Italian sausage. This surprisingly didn't soften the crust, but it added plenty of body and flavour (including a salty zestiness).
We also got 2 more pastas starting with the Rotini con Spinacci e Salsiccia. This sported a little past al dente rotini laced with garlic, white wine, spinach and sausage. Hence, there was no shortage of different flavours that were aromatic and only lightly salty. I found the big chunks of meaty sausage quite appealing where it helped add a robust angle to an otherwise light-tasting pasta. Lastly, we had the Spaghetti con Gamberi e Rucola that boasted large meaty prawns (which were beautifully prepared). Interestingly, the dish didn't eat as flavourful as it appeared. Despite the addition of arugula and white wine, I found that there was little in the way of distinguishing flavours.
The Good:
- Above average eats
- Attentive service
- Understated classiness
The Bad:
- Food came out a bit slow, but that was fine, we weren't in a rush
Generally, "the best" of anything is really subjective, especially when it comes to food. So when the poutine at La Banquise was dubbed "the best" by Travel & Leisure Magazine in 2009, the moniker stuck. I'm sure there are those who will argue against it, but for me, I had to see for myself. However, with kiddies in tow, we were not going to visit the place late at night nor intoxicated. Hence, we went for lunch instead. Lame? Yes. But we really had no choice!
So getting straight to the goods, we decided to get La Mart sporting hot dog wieners, bacon and mushroom as well as the standard fresh-cut fries, gravy and legit cheese curds. If one was looking for all of the right attributes for a good poutine, this one had it. The fries were good, albeit not crispy enough for us, and the gravy was thick and flavourful (although a touch salty). Furthermore, there was a good amount of squeaky cheese curds where half were melted (which was a good thing). Was it the best I've ever had? Actually not, but it was good nonetheless.
For my main, I decided to give the Sheppard's Pie a go and it was definitely unique. It was a whole lot spicier than I imagined and there was a considerable amount of whole rings of onion which made things a bit pungent. The ground beef was tender and moist though while bathed in flavourful gravy. I found the mashed potatoes to be a bit watery though. Unfortunately, the dish was fairly cold in the centre. Costanza went for the Breaded Chicken Burger and it was totally forgettable. Consisting of a frozen patty that was deep fried aggressively, this ate worse than something we would make at home. The picture to the right is actually the kid's cheeseburger (because the chicken burger didn't look all that good).
Elaine decided on the Banquise Burger with mushrooms, fried onions, Swiss cheese, spicy sauce and the usual produce. Compared to the chicken burger, this one was much better with a meaty hand-formed patty which was flavourful and well-seared. Add in all of the other ingredients and this was a tasty concoction. Viv chose the Chicken Club Sandwich that sported big chunks of chicken breast, bacon, lettuce and tomato on whole wheat. Although we appreciated the big chunks of breast meat, it was dry and chewy. The bacon was crispy though, so that was a positive, but the dry chicken made the sandwich hard to eat. Overall, we thought the food at La Banquise to be average at best. The poutine was good though and satisfied our cravings. Not the best in our opinion though.
The Good:
- Solid poutine
- Inexpensive
- Open 24 hours
The Bad:
- Average to below-average eats
- So-so service
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For those unfamiliar with Ocean Wise, it is a program developed here in BC that promotes the use of sustainable seafood in restaurants. It has been nice to see many of the best establishments in town get on board. However and not surprisingly, Asian restaurants have been slow to adopt it and in fact, only one exists (which is Floata). However, Maji Restaurant in Richmond has recently signed on, hopefully triggering a trend for Chinese restaurants. To celebrate this, they hosted a dinner along with the Chinese Restaurant Awards featuring Ocean-Wise ingredients.
This was an ambitious menu which featured 16 plates of food starting off with the Chinese Yam & Chicken Soup. It was sweet and lightly peppery (white pepper) with a silkiness from the gelatin. I enjoyed that there didn't seem to be a significant amount of seasoning involved so we got the natural chicken flavour and sweetness. Even the pieces of chicken meat were super tender and completely edible. The whole Grilled Scallops with garlic butter was a real treat as it was both a texturally and taste-pleasing dish. First of all, the scallops were soft and had a sweet rebound texture. Second, the garlic buttery was aromatic and complimented the lightly briny and sweet scallops.
Onto the neatly-plated Five Flavour Mussel Salad, we found large Kiwi mussels served cold. This was key as these type of mussels can become rubbery if cooked too long. These were still fairly moist with a appealing chewiness. There was a good mix of spicy, gingery, sweet and salty notes that didn't prevent the natural brininess of the mussel. Continuing with shellfish, we has the Deep-Fried Oysters. This was one of my favourite items as the firmly crunchy batter had an aromaticness from the 5-spice, salt and pepper. As for the oyster itself, it was tender and sweet with a natural brininess. On the side was a salty and sweet chili sauce.
I'm normally not a fan of Grilled Mackerel, so I'm not the best judge of the dish. I can say that the fish was beautifully prepared though. It featured blistered skin that was aromatic and the grilling helped activate the fish oils. There was the requisite robust fishiness that is associated with mackerel, but with a squeeze of the lemon wedge, it really helped balance the flavours. Somehow, the Pan-Fried Salmon seemed a bit too plain for my tastes. It was missing vital seasoning that would've brought the dish alive. Rather, it pretty much tasted like salmon without anything on it. Furthermore, I thought it was cooked too long where it was no longer buttery.
On the other hand, the Grilled Salmon with House Special Sweet Sauce was appreciably better in terms of execution and overall impact. First of all, the salmon itself was cooked just enough where it was flaky and moist. Second, the caramelized flavours helped bring out the natural sweetness of the salmon as well as completely seasoning the fish. Back to the molluscs, we were served the Basil Clams. This was money as the clams were buttery and plump. They were cooked just enough and the natural flavours really came through. However, there was plenty of seasoning including the aromatic basil to help put the dish over the top.
Talking about over-the-top, we were presented with the Dongpo Pork next. It featured the classic braised pork belly dressed in a rich sauce. Of note, the Taiwanese version is generally not as fatty and soft as the Shanghainese dish. That was evident here where the meat was on the leaner side while the fat was still buttery and sinful. The sauce was not too salty where it didn't masked the natural pork flavour. Another robust and flavourful dish was the Pan-Fried Black Pepper Beef. By the name alone, it was assumed that we would be experiencing pepper rich flavours and this dish delivered. As for the beef, it was in large pieces and completely tender.
As for our carbs, we had a dish that I've personally tried 3 times already being the Taiwanese-Style Stir Fried Noodles. Consistency-wise, I have to say that they were more or less the same as before. It was a large portion of moist, yet chewy noodles with mild seasoning. Lots of ingredients including still vibrant veggies. Aromatic and exhibiting proper wok heat, the Sesame Oil Pork Fried Rice was quite good. It was too bad that we were so full already because I could've had a few bowls. The rice was chewy and nutty while still moist and they didn't overdo it with the seasoning allowing the sesame oil to come through.
As if this wasn't enough to eat already, we were presented with 2 tofu dishes. The first was Pan-Fried Tofu with onions and carrots served in an iron skillet. This was a straight-forward dish with deep-fried silky tofu that remained intact despite its soft texture. Flavours were balanced between sweet and salty where the starch-thickened sauce was not excessive. Next was the Seafood Tofu Hot Pot sporting shrimp, fish and clams seasoned with basil, soy and chili peppers. Similar to the last dish, there was just enough sauce that clung onto each piece of on point seafood. Another straight-forward dish that was well-executed.
Our actual final dish was the Spicy Deep-Fried Chicken which was more sweet than spicy (although it did have a mild kick). The skin was fairly rendered and crisp while the boneless leg was tender and juicy. This went well with the fried rice as it was rather flavourful. So there you go, another tasty meal at Maji, this time featuring many of their Ocean-Wise dishes. I personally love their regular menu, so a combination of any of the new dishes with old items will yield a great meal.
