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Here I am again at Western Lake... It seems a bit familiar doesn't it? Well, it shouldn't be a surprise since it has been a long-time favourite of mine. Yes, there are those who will point out there is better, but they are not considering the fact that Western Lake arguably puts out the best food for the price. It isn't cheap, but there is no denying that the prices are extremely reasonable for the quantity and quality. Recently, I was invited along with a host of other forms of media for a mid-Autumn Festival Dinner featuring king crab. They didn't have to ask twice...
The classic Peking Duck hit the table first with the usual accompaniments of steamed crepes, hoisin sauce, cucumber and spring onion. Nicely lacquered in a rich shade of red, the fairly rendered skin was crispy and light. Most pieces featured some meat attached which made each wrap more hearty. Served underneath was a bevy of shrimp chips that were freshly fried, hence they weren't stale. Arriving next was the usual 2nd course of Duck Lettuce Wrap. This featured a good ratio of tender duck with crunchy veggies. I liked how it was easy on the grease while mildly seasoned. Some might've found this slightly bland, but with hoisin sauce added to the wrap, everything was good. Although a bit wet, the lettuce was prepped properly in large cups.
It didn't take long for the Steamed King Crab Legs with a plethora of minced garlic and a sprinkle of green onion to arrive. Although seemingly a simple dish, it was prepared expertly. The plump meat was fluffy and juicy with the natural sweetness and slight brininess of king crab. Of course, the amount of garlic on top added plenty of aromatics and a huge dose of bad breath. But I'm sure no one minded that in the least. Our 3rd course from the Peking Duck was the Duck & Bean Sprout Soup. Normally, we would find shiitake mushrooms and dried fish maw here, but due to a dietary restriction of one of the guests, these were omitted. This was very unfortunate because the result was a bland and uninteresting soup. There was plenty of julienned duck as well as crunchy sprouts but the flavours were one-note and texturally wasn't interesting.
Back to the king crab, the body meat was prepared 2-ways with the first being King Crab in Supreme Soy Sauce with rice cake. This was as savoury as it was described and appeared. There was a rich saltiness to it that wasn't overwhelming as there was a regulating sweetness. The rice cakes were chewy and helped soak up the flavours. As for the crab itself, it was fluffy and well-seasoned. The second dish was Spicy King Crab with vermicelli. It was also exactly as described with a noted heat as well as some brininess from the dried shrimp. Again, the crab was fluffy with a mild saltiness and the aforementioned spice. Piled high, the vermicelli was chewy and appealingly dry.
Off to some veggies, we had the Dried Scallops Braised Pea Shoots with enoki mushrooms. Exhibiting proper wok heat, the dish was not subjected to much moisture at the bottom of the plate. Hence, the pea shoots were crunchy while still cooked all-the-way-through. Some remarked that the oyster-based sauce was too salty, but for me at least, it was perfect. The pea shoots themselves were not aggressively seasoned, therefore, the salty brininess of the sauce was needed. One of my favourite dishes that was not king crab was the Beef Tenderloin with deep fried milk. The little chunks of meat were tender and packed with flavour included a balanced salty sweetness giving way to black pepper. Underneath, we found crunchy celery. As for the fried milk, it was tasty, but the crunchy batter could've been thinner.
Another solid offering was the Sauteed and Deep Fried Sole Fillet with broccoli. I personally preferred the sauteed fish since it was buttery and tender. It featured a thin coating of flavourful starch-thickened sauce. It wasn't as if the fried sole wasn't good either. Underneath the crunchy batter, the fish was equally flaky and moist. Even the broccoli was on point being crunchy and vibrant. Onto the 3rd course of King Crab, we had the Egg White Fried Rice with dried scallops (and a bit of crab). The rice was chewy and nutty with enough wok heat. I personally enjoyed the fried dried scallops as it added both texture and aromatics to the rice.
The rice was good, but the Tossed Yee Mein with crab and garlic sauce was money. It sported al dente chewy noodles (generally difficult with this type of noodle) that were completely spiked with the leftover garlic crab protein from the steamed legs. It was briny, sweet and garlicky. For dessert, we were served moon cakes and a Baked Tapioca Pudding with lotus paste and topped with a sweet crust (think pineapple bun). This was fairly sweet, but not overly so as most of it was due to the lotus paste. Texture were good being soft while still holding its shape when cut and picked up. Overall, this was a pretty fulfilling and varied mid-autumn festival dinner featuring king crab. It is available for 6 or 10 people and only until October 8th.
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
- Well-executed dishes
- Good variety
The Bad:
- Soup was plain, but that was due to the unfortunate dietary concerns of a guest
Vancouver needs another bubble tea joint as much as it needs more exotic cars with "N" decals. But they seem to open up regularly and people flock to them like it is still a new thing. To be fair, some of them are pretty good and help up the bubble tea (or boba as they like to say in the States) game here in the Lower Mainland. It has been nice to see the popularization of customizing drinks where one could choose the sugar content as well as the amount of ice. But to me, even at 1/2 sweet, some places are still pretty sugary. At 100% sweet, they are not even drinkable in my personal opinion (re: Wintermelon at Gong Cha). So when I was invited to check out Rad Tea Room by Diana, I was curious to see what they had to offer that was different than the rest of the competition.
Right off the bat, the location threw me for a loop as it resides underground in the Granville Street Skytrain station. Despite this, the room was inviting and well-lit. Before we got to the drinks, we sampled 2 versions of their Waffles. The first came with Matcha Cream and the second was Lavender Chocolate. I thought the light and airy matcha cream was spot on in terms of taste with a strong enough flavour without being overly bitter. It was purposefully sweet as well. The lavender was definitely impactful, but the dark chocolate helped balance it off so it wasn't too floral. I thought the waffles were decent, but a touch dense. Onto the drinks, I tried the Mango Frappe first and it was literally like drinking a mango. This was due to the ample amount of fruity bits of mango as well as the sweet and aromatic taste of the slush itself. I thought it could've been blended even smoother though as there was some icy bits.
Next up, I sampled a trio of teas including the Classic, Oolong Milk Tea and Lavender. Made with black tea, the classic was more robust and rich compared to the milder and more floral notes. Both were more tea-focused in flavour where the milkiness was light and not pronounced. The sweetness level (at default) was very moderate where it allowed the tea flavours to really shine. This would be equal to 30% sugar at most other places in town. Personally, I prefer this kind of milk tea but I can see some who might consider not creamy or sweet enough. It is purely subjective. I do know that I wasn't a fan of the Lavender, not because it wasn't good, it was just too floral for me. This is also a personal preference, so don't take my word for it if you like lavender.
Atop the drink tower we made for an IG pic (of course we did), there was the Wintermelon Tea Cap that was reminiscent of the signature drink at Gong Cha. However, unlike the one at Gong Cha, this was drinkable. It was only purposefully sweet with a caramel finish and I could actually taste the subtle flavour of the wintermelon. I found the one at Gong Cha far too sweet and impossible to finish. Something lighter and fruitier was the Strawberry Tea Mocktail which was fizzy and refreshing. I appreciated that it tasted like strawberries rather than a candied-version. Also, it followed the theme as being mildly sweet (actually not sweet at all). As you can see, I'm biased towards drinks that are naturally flavoured and do not rely on sugar. Hence, for me at least, Rad Tea would be my first choice in Vancity. Only issue is it is nowhere close to me!
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
- Quality tea
- Not watered-down and tastes like it is supposed to
- Not too sweet (even for default)
The Bad:
- Not the most accessible location if you aren't skytraining it
- Some might find it not sweet enough (but you can just add for more sugar)
After our visit to Happy Day Cafe on Kingsway at Joyce, we came away slightly disappointed. It wasn't as if the food was bad per se, but it just wasn't as good as we envisioned and the pricing seemed high. This was a surprise since the original location Happy Date in Richmond was inexpensive and consistently good. Well, we decided to give it another go at Happy Date only to find out they had rebranded to Happy Day Cafe. I guess there will no further confusion since they share the same name now. But what about the food?
We arrived just as breakfast was ending and lunch was starting. As such, we ordered both! For the breaky, we got the Minced Beef Congee with a side of Donut Rice Noodle Roll. The congee was certainly thick and remained that way until the last spoonful. It was mildly seasoned where it wasn't too "restaurant" tasting. There was just enough tender nuggets of beef for effect, but I would've liked a bit more. As for the donut rice noodle roll, it was pretty good. The salty donut was crispy and fairly airy while not overly greasy. On the outside, the rice noodle roll was fairly thin and showed good elasticity while being soft.
We also got a few lunch items including the classic Spaghetti Bolognaise which was also quite good. It featured noodles that were between soft and al dente (which is pretty good for HK-style restaurant standards). On top, there was a rich meat sauce that wasn't too starchy and actually quite cheesy. There was a decent amount of tender beef bathed in a savoury and sweet sauce. I thought the Pork Chop Rice to be the better of the two as it featured a good amount of tender and lean pork chop. I would've liked it to be crispier, but the amount of sauce probably had something to do with it. It was tangy and slightly sweet where there was enough of it for the rice.
Much like our visit to the Kingsway location, we armed ourselves with a bevy of loaded Pineapple Buns. Although these didn't challenge Lido nor AAA for the best in town, they were respectable nonetheless with a soft, but slightly dry bun. Inside, the egg, meats and cheese helped moisten thing sup as well as providing a salty balance to the sweet topping. The last dish at the table was the Creamy Ham Spaghetti which was pretty textbook. It featured a mild-tasting starch-thickened milky sauce atop relatively chewy noodles. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Chinese starchy cream sauces, so I enjoyed the meat sauce more. In the end, this visit to the Richmond location of Happy Day yielded better results than the Kingsway location. Is it just luck or is the Richmond one better?
The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Good eats
- Diverse menu (including Cantonese dinner items)
The Bad:
- Needs a reno
- Service is a bit hurried
- Stupid parking lot
There are some things that are best shared with friends. If we are talking about food, that would include tapas, Izakaya eats and Dim Sum. That is why I have never gone for Dim Sum by myself. This may have something to do with my insecurity about eating alone as well. 😒
Therefore, if I do not find anyone to eat with, I'll skip the Dim Sum. Fortunately, Grace was available this time for my food adventure and we went somewhere nearby in Phoenix Garden.
Despite her protests that I was ordering too much food, I went ahead with 12 dishes. Hey, what's Dim Sum without variety? First dish that hit the table was the XO Daikon Pudding Cake. These were fried lightly crispy while being soft and fluffy inside. I thought they were seasoned well on their own, but the toss in XO sauce added spice and brininess. Another specialty dish we ordered was the Deep Fried Chicken Knees. I enjoyed the balanced amount of saltiness and spice, but the actual texture was too crunchy. This was a result of an aggressive deep-fry, but more due to the small size of the pieces.
Sporting a semi-thick and slightly doughy skin, the Haw Gow at first didn't seem that appealing. In reality, the dumpling skin wasn't that great, but the filling made up for it. First, it was large, being 1/2 size bigger than most and second, the texture was on point. The mostly whole shrimp filling exhibited a buttery snap while being sweet and naturally-flavoured. There was a good amount of sesame oil as well. Equally large, if not bigger, the Siu Mai were a bit pale, but ultimately ate well. I found the pork to be more like a mousse than having a meaty texture, but there was a good rebound to it. There was an equal amount of sweet snap-textured shrimp which added some more sweetness.
Onto some offal, we had the Steamed Bible Tripe with ginger and green onion. I found the starch-thickened sauce to be somewhat goopy, but tasty nonetheless. It was not overly salty and did exhibit a gingery brightness. As for the texture of the tripe, it was a bit spongy but it didn't kill the dish. I would've liked it to be a touch more chewy. Topped with colourful bits of red and green pepper, the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet) were pretty good. Grace thought the peppers didn't add anything positive to the dish (other than colour) because there was a raw flavour. Texturally, the chicken feet were plump with soft cartilage. The skin remained intact and was not overly soft nor chewy.
Topped with the same undercooked peppers, the Steamed Black Bean Spareribs didn't suffer as much raw flavour as the chicken feet. Suffering the same fate as the tripe, the sauce was goopy adhering to each piece in clumps. However, it didn't taste bad though as it was garlicky and not over-salted. We found the spareribs to be mainly meat and rib pieces. They were tender with a nice rebound. Something that caught us off-guard was the Bean Curd Skin Rolls as they were really pale. It appeared to us that they were either not deep fried or not deep fried enough. Hence, the texture was rather soft and lacking the usual robust quality. Inside, the filling was bouncy with a good mix of pork and shrimp as well as bamboo shoots.
Onto some carbs, we had the larger version of the Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves). Personally, I prefer this version as the rice seems to always be more moist than the mini ones. This was evident here as well as the equal amount of ground pork filling. The flavours were on the milder side though. Normally, we wouldn't even consider ordering Xiao Long Bao at a Cantonese Dim Sum service, but it was on special (always looking for a deal). They were slightly better than the typical thick-skinned no soup versions, yet at the same time, it would not give any real XLBs much of a challenge. At least it was cheap.
For our Rice Noodle Roll, we chose the usual shrimp version. In actuality, I liked the BBQ pork the best, but something in my head keeps telling me the shrimp is worth more... LOL... Well, this one was pretty good with a medium-thick noodle that had good elasticity while being soft. Inside, the whole shrimp were meaty with a light snap. It was mildly seasoned, but then again, there was sweetened soy sauce to deal with that. Crunchy while easy on the grease, the Deep Fried Taro Dumplings could've used a bit more mashed taro in spots since it created air pockets (as evidenced in the picture). No matter, the filling was moist with tender pork which balanced well with the crunchy exterior. After this visit, we returned shortly after and tried most of the same dishes with a few extra. Although some items could use improvement, it was pretty consistent overall.
The Good:
- If you take into account the specials, pricing is fair
- Fairly diverse menu
- Decent eats
The Bad:
- Some items could use further refinement
- Service is hit and miss
Every time we visit Simon Sushi with Bluebeard and Nikita, we always make a promise that we will go next door to the Fat Cow Oyster Bar for dinner one day. Okay, seeing how we first ate at Simon Sushi in 2009, that meant we've been aiming to try the Fat Cow for 9 years (well, the fat cow opened after that, but you get the point). It's not like Bluebeard and Nikita haven't hit up the place before, so it was only Viv and I who have been gun shy. So finally, after all these years, we met up for an early dinner before heading over to Colossus for a movie.
Since the place is an oyster bar, we started with a few Oysters on the half-shell (4 kushi and 4 fanny bay). These were served with a classic mignonette and a lime horseradish condiment. All of the oysters were shucked expertly where no shell fragments were visible nor found during eating. We found the kushis to be buttery and briny while the Fanny Bays were even better with a noted sweetness and intense brininess. Some complimentary mini Corn Muffins hit the table along with honey butter and a spicy relish. I found the muffins to be rather sweet while fairly moist. With the butter and relish, these were pretty tasty.
Off to the main dishes, Viv had the Steelhead which was sous-vide, so it was incredibly moist and barely cooked-through. It was mild-tasting though while sauced with a lemon beurre blanc. The fava bean risotto on the bottom was rather clumpy, yet cheesy and not overdone. Bluebeard had the FCOB Burger with a 6oz Cache Creek patty, horseradish aioli, onion jam and Butter Lettuce. It was prepared a beautiful medium. Hence it was juicy and succulent while still nicely charred. The soft bun held everything together. The fries on the side were house-cut and lightly crispy with plenty of potatoness.
Nikita and I ended up sharing the Louisiana Seafood Boil consisting of lobster, dungeness crab, clams, mussels, wild prawns, potatoes, chorizo, corn and spices. I thought the clams and plump mussels were on point while the limited amount of prawns were a touch overdone. The same could be said about the lobster, but the fluffy crab was just right. The potatoes were a little firm, but the corn was sweet and prepared perfectly. I found the broth to be sweet and briny with the taste of herbs and spiciness from the seasoning. I thought this was reasonably-priced at $42.00pp. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at the food quality and overall experience at the Fat Cow, especially out in Walnut Grove.
The Good:
- Above average eats
- Okay pricing for what you get
- Friendly service
The Bad:
- Some minor issues with the doneness of the seafood
Way back in 2009, Bluebeard and I went to the local sushi joint near Colossus called Simon Sushi. I remember it was rather lonely being the sole tenant of a new commercial complex. It was decent, albeit being takeout, it wasn't the true restaurant experience. We have made a few subsequent visits for takeout since (even after the ownership change). Finally, we decided to actually eat at the place partly because all of the kiddies were old enough to enjoy the experience. Even though it is no longer on its own little island with Fat Cow being located next door, the proposed multistory building is still not built (since 2009).
We ended up starting with the Assorted Tempura featuring a few rarer items such as asparagus and green bean, to go with the usual sweet potato and golden squash. Although the batter was rather aggressive and somewhat thick, the tempura ate well with a crunchy exterior. It was not too greasy and didn't soften as it sat on the plate. The veggies were cooked nicely while the ebi was cold-water buttery. I wasn't intending on ordering the Sweet and Spicy Chicken, but Bluebeard wanted to try it out (usually he can't have it since Nikita has a gluten-allergy). It was so-so in my books as the chicken was a bit small in size and a bit dry. The sauce was more sweet than spicy. Moreover, there was too much of it.
As a filler of sorts, I got the Chicken Yakisoba which arrived in a sizzling teppan. It was pretty saucy and greasy though which was both positive and negative. I liked how it wasn't clumpy and that there was plenty of sweet tanginess. However, it ate very wet and negated some of the caramelization as a result. The noodles were al dente though and the chicken was somewhere between dry and moist. My son is all about the Nigiri these days and decided on tomago, unagi, smoked salmon, Atlantic salmon and tuna. They were a bit on the smaller side but at least the ratio of rice was spot on. The rice itself was nicely chewy if not a touch too moist. The fish on top was decent, yet the tuna was a touch too soft. We would've liked to see a bigger piece of unagi as well.
We decided on the Deluxe Assorted Sashimi and it was a little disappointing in size for the price. If you look closely at the picture, compare the sauce plate to the plate of sushi. So it wasn't as big as it appeared. I get it that quantity is often a poor judge of quality when it comes to sashimi (see Samurai Sushi). However, even with the decent quality of the fish, it just didn't seem to be enough. In fact, I left pretty hungry as a result. Whatever the case, the sashimi was still good though. Overall, Simon Sushi did what it has always done for us - provide predictable eats with a friendly touch. Definitely more of a neighbourhood joint rather than something one needs to make a special trip out to.
The Good:
- Friendly people
- Respectable sushi and sashimi
The Bad:
- Portion sizes are on the smaller side
- Prices are a little high for this type of restaurant
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Here I am again at Western Lake... It seems a bit familiar doesn't it? Well, it shouldn't be a surprise since it has been a long-time favourite of mine. Yes, there are those who will point out there is better, but they are not considering the fact that Western Lake arguably puts out the best food for the price. It isn't cheap, but there is no denying that the prices are extremely reasonable for the quantity and quality. Recently, I was invited along with a host of other forms of media for a mid-Autumn Festival Dinner featuring king crab. They didn't have to ask twice...
The classic Peking Duck hit the table first with the usual accompaniments of steamed crepes, hoisin sauce, cucumber and spring onion. Nicely lacquered in a rich shade of red, the fairly rendered skin was crispy and light. Most pieces featured some meat attached which made each wrap more hearty. Served underneath was a bevy of shrimp chips that were freshly fried, hence they weren't stale. Arriving next was the usual 2nd course of Duck Lettuce Wrap. This featured a good ratio of tender duck with crunchy veggies. I liked how it was easy on the grease while mildly seasoned. Some might've found this slightly bland, but with hoisin sauce added to the wrap, everything was good. Although a bit wet, the lettuce was prepped properly in large cups.
It didn't take long for the Steamed King Crab Legs with a plethora of minced garlic and a sprinkle of green onion to arrive. Although seemingly a simple dish, it was prepared expertly. The plump meat was fluffy and juicy with the natural sweetness and slight brininess of king crab. Of course, the amount of garlic on top added plenty of aromatics and a huge dose of bad breath. But I'm sure no one minded that in the least. Our 3rd course from the Peking Duck was the Duck & Bean Sprout Soup. Normally, we would find shiitake mushrooms and dried fish maw here, but due to a dietary restriction of one of the guests, these were omitted. This was very unfortunate because the result was a bland and uninteresting soup. There was plenty of julienned duck as well as crunchy sprouts but the flavours were one-note and texturally wasn't interesting.
Back to the king crab, the body meat was prepared 2-ways with the first being King Crab in Supreme Soy Sauce with rice cake. This was as savoury as it was described and appeared. There was a rich saltiness to it that wasn't overwhelming as there was a regulating sweetness. The rice cakes were chewy and helped soak up the flavours. As for the crab itself, it was fluffy and well-seasoned. The second dish was Spicy King Crab with vermicelli. It was also exactly as described with a noted heat as well as some brininess from the dried shrimp. Again, the crab was fluffy with a mild saltiness and the aforementioned spice. Piled high, the vermicelli was chewy and appealingly dry.
Off to some veggies, we had the Dried Scallops Braised Pea Shoots with enoki mushrooms. Exhibiting proper wok heat, the dish was not subjected to much moisture at the bottom of the plate. Hence, the pea shoots were crunchy while still cooked all-the-way-through. Some remarked that the oyster-based sauce was too salty, but for me at least, it was perfect. The pea shoots themselves were not aggressively seasoned, therefore, the salty brininess of the sauce was needed. One of my favourite dishes that was not king crab was the Beef Tenderloin with deep fried milk. The little chunks of meat were tender and packed with flavour included a balanced salty sweetness giving way to black pepper. Underneath, we found crunchy celery. As for the fried milk, it was tasty, but the crunchy batter could've been thinner.
Another solid offering was the Sauteed and Deep Fried Sole Fillet with broccoli. I personally preferred the sauteed fish since it was buttery and tender. It featured a thin coating of flavourful starch-thickened sauce. It wasn't as if the fried sole wasn't good either. Underneath the crunchy batter, the fish was equally flaky and moist. Even the broccoli was on point being crunchy and vibrant. Onto the 3rd course of King Crab, we had the Egg White Fried Rice with dried scallops (and a bit of crab). The rice was chewy and nutty with enough wok heat. I personally enjoyed the fried dried scallops as it added both texture and aromatics to the rice.
The rice was good, but the Tossed Yee Mein with crab and garlic sauce was money. It sported al dente chewy noodles (generally difficult with this type of noodle) that were completely spiked with the leftover garlic crab protein from the steamed legs. It was briny, sweet and garlicky. For dessert, we were served moon cakes and a Baked Tapioca Pudding with lotus paste and topped with a sweet crust (think pineapple bun). This was fairly sweet, but not overly so as most of it was due to the lotus paste. Texture were good being soft while still holding its shape when cut and picked up. Overall, this was a pretty fulfilling and varied mid-autumn festival dinner featuring king crab. It is available for 6 or 10 people and only until October 8th.
