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Not to repeat myself once again (but I'll do it anyways), but when people claim that Vancouver has a diverse eats, I would like to disagree. Yes, it is true we have a wealth of Asian cuisine (and very good I might add), however, we aren't very diverse beyond that. In fact, we have a lack of everything else including Latin eats. We do have some Mexican restaurants, where only some of them are even remotely authentic and/or good. All the other Central/South American countries are either poorly or not even represented in the Vancouver food scene.
So when Hilda suggested that Diana and I meet up at the newly opened Polito's Latin Café on the Coquitlam/PoCo border, we were both intrigued and excited. We started off with some Papusas including the Revuelta (with pork, beans, cheese and sweet pepper) and the Queso (with cheese & zucchini). Unlike some versions I've had in the past, these were not heavy nor greasy. They were fairly "light" for a papusa. Naturally, I personally enjoyed the meat version more as there was more inherent robust flavour. Loved the cheese in both as they were not the greasy North American type. These were served with a side of spicy slaw and a mild tomato sauce. There was no doubt that the crunchy and spiced slaw helped elevate the impact of the dish.
Next up, we moved onto some Tacos including Al Pastor, Carne Asada, Pollo and Veggie. These were neatly constructed and appealing in appearance. Sometimes, Tacos don't look so pretty, but these were good. I thought the Pollo (pulled chicken, cilantro, cream & pico de gallo) was the best of the bunch as it was well-seasoned while being sufficiently tender. Although it looked dry, it really wasn't. I found the meats in both the carne asada and al pastor to be on the drier side, but that is pretty much par for the course with these 2 types of meats. They were still good though with nice caramelization and meatiness. The veggie was surprisingly good especially with the addition of caramelized plantain.
Onto the bigger plates, we tried the Bandeja Polito's with well-done chopped rib eye steak, beans, rice topped with a fried egg, maduro fried plantain, guacamole and pico de gallo. With similar elements as a cheesesteak, the meat was crispy and well-seared. Hence, there was a smoky caramelized flavour. This would've went well with a hand-made tortilla (add $1.00). We also had the Mar Y Tierra with a marinated skirt steak topped with grilled prawns. On the side, there was rice, black beans and pico de gallo. The steak itself was not super tender, but I found it sufficient and still tasty.
As for our desserts, we had the Tres Leche and Chocolate Flan. They looked rather ordinary, but man, they were very good. Light and fluffy, the tres leche cake was purposefully sweet (sometimes, this dessert is too sweet). The flan was nicely smokey and caramelized where it sat atop a moist chocolately cake. As you can tell, we enjoyed our meal at Polito's. Sure, some things could've been a bit better, but overall, the food was appealing and definitely a nice break from all the Asian food we eat all the time (yes, #firstworldproblems).
The Good:
- Super friendly people
- Quality food
- Love those desserts
The Bad:
- Meats could be a bit more tender and moist
- Menu could be larger
For the last 5 years or so, the hot pot scene in Vancouver has both expanded and changed significantly. At one point, we found the usual Cantonese-style with mild-tasting broth and the typical meats. However, we have seen an increasing number Szechuan-style hot pot restaurants. Prices have gone up while the soup bases have become spicier. We've also seen more deluxe ingredients such as wagyu beef and various forms of live seafood become the norm. Moreover, when once upon a time where the only condiments available were soy sauce and satay sauce, we now have several options found at self-serve sauce bars. An example of such an establishment is Liushiyou Hot Pot on Kingsway in Burnaby.
The first thing I noticed upon walking into Liuyishou was the enormous and impressive Sauce Bar. In addition to the usual soy, sesame sauce, satay and hot sauces, there were some interesting ones such as preserved bean curd, mushroom paste and spiced vinegar. Atop of the bar was a selection of small appies/snacks and also fruit for dessert. For comparison, most other hot pot joints only offer up a few options that included soy, vinegar, hot sauce and satay sauce.
Starting February 26th to March 2nd, Liuyishou celebrates Hot Pot Week by offering up a Chinese New Year's special menu presented by Vancouver Gourmet Tours. This deal includes specialty hotpot soup base, sauce bar with 20+ options, unlimited appetizer dishes and fresh fruit. A selection of 20+ choices of hotpot ingredients including: premium meats & seafood, handmade meatballs, chongqing specialty food, vegetable platter, mixed mushroom platter, handmade noodles or golden mantou buns, Chongqing classic dessert and Red Truck Craft Beer (Greater Vancouver locations only) or non-alcoholic specialty beverage. All this can be had for $68 for 2 people and $120 for 4 (plus Eventbrite fees). The spicy butter cow and Wagyu beef (rectangle plate) are an extra charge.
I was invited along with others to sample this special meal and it didn't disappoint. First off, the spicy half of the hot pot was nicely balanced with an aromatic heat. It wasn't "burn-your-tongue" hot but I'm personally not a fan of that anyways. As for the non-spicy broth, it was flavourful without being salty. One of the best items was the Hand-Made Shrimp Paste. Buttery, bouncy and sweet, this was head and shoulders above the frozen type and one of the best fresh meatballs I've had in awhile. Another highlight was the House Special Green Bean Starch Noodles. They didn't look like much on the plate, but once cooked through (took awhile), they were slippery and chewy with an appealing mouth-feel. Not to be outdone, the Marbled Beef was tender, buttery and extra-tasty when cooked in the spicy broth. With the aromatic fat coating each slice of beef, it was indeed a sinful treat. All-in-all, a pretty good introduction to Liuyishou and with the special menu, you could get to try it for a reasonable price as well.
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
- Big sauce bar
- Quality ingredients
- Flavourful broth
The Bad:
- Can be pricier than the AYCE options (but the quality is better too)
I've said it over and over again, the burbs do not get any love when it comes to good eats. Not don't get me wrong, there are some gems to be found and of course there are plenty of chain restaurants around, but in general, the most trendy destination restaurants reside in Vancouver (specifically Downtown). However, things are slowly changing as we see many of the same clientele who once called Vancouver their home moving out to the burbs. Count me as one of them since I used to live in Yaletown and now I'm nowhere near the action as I once was. So when I found out that Bin 941 opened up a location in Coquitlam called Bin 100, I had to check it out.
We actually came for lunch prior to watching Star Wars: The Last Jedi with the kiddies. We began with the Chacuterie sporting grilled pork chorizo, duck terrine with grand marnier, Argentinian salami, marinated bocconcini, olives, mustard, pickles and grilled focaccia. This was pretty straightforward, yet tasty nonetheless. The bread was fantastic being soft with a nice drizzle of chorizo and basil oil. The duck terrine was meaty and aromatic while the fatty chorizo was slightly spicy and smoky. Next up was their signature mountain of shoe-string Pomme Frites drizzled with balsamic glaze and served with a side of truffle tyme aioli. Akin to Hickory Sticks but of course way better, these were crispy, well-seasoned and the beneficiary of the sweet sticky and slightly tart balsamic.
Onto our veggie dish of the meal (although the pomme frites could've been considered that too...), we had the golden fried Cauliflower with zatar, pomegranate molasses and pine nuts. Naturally with the zatar, the dish had a Middle-Eastern flavour to it where there was a touch of spice to go with an equal amount of acidity and sweetness. Loved how the cauliflower was fully-cooked without losing its crunch and bite. Neatly plated with spiced chicharones, we had the Scallops and Pork Belly with apple glaze atop scallion sour cream. Both proteins were on point where the scallops were buttery with a nice sear while the fatty pork belly was soft and required very little effort to break down. With the apple glaze, there was definitely some sweetness to go with the tang from the sour cream.
One of my favourites was the Beef Wellington featuring AAA tenderloin in a mushroom and red pepper crust wrapped in phyllo. Underneath, there was a confit garlic mash surrounded by a marsala jus. Tender and well-seasoned, the tenderloin was a beautiful medium-rare. On the outside, the phyllo was crispy and stayed so despite the moisture. Not merely a side, the mash was smooth and garlicky. Bringing it all together was the jus that was meaty and full-of-depth. Our last dish was the Honey Glazed Duck with potato goat cheese hash and marsala cherry jus. This was our least favourite as the duck was a bit dry and overdone. Furthermore, the skin was not crispy nor rendered enough. The jus was fantastic though having a rich sweetness and a background tang. As you can see, the food at Bin 100 was not far from the original Bin 941. This is fantastic news to people who want some legit tapas, but didn't want to travel into Downtown.
The Good:
- Downtown eats in a strip mall in Coquitlam
- Solid eats
- Spacious seating
The Bad:
- Can get pricey if you order alot
- Doesn't have that Downtown vibe (possibly due to be in the old Bread Garden location)
The liquid nitrogen ice cream game in Vancity is limited to only a few establishments. I've been to most of them and I would say that all do a pretty decent job with each putting their own spin on it (sorry for the pun). However, to not be dismissed as merely a fad, things need to evolve and again, one must stand out to succeed. So when I was invited for a tasting at 77K Freeze, I was intrigued by their liqueur-infused creations as well as the option to pick a base, custom ingredients and most ground-breaking of all, the ability to control the sweetness.
We were treated to 3 of their signature flavours including the Uji Matcha and PnP (Passion Fruit & Pineapple). Sporting its usual attractive green hue, the matcha was balanced being completely discernible without excessive bitterness. Furthermore, the sweetness level was rather conservative (default for all the flavours) while the texture was smooth and creamy. As for the PnP, it was a bit sweeter due to the nature of the fruity ingredients. It almost tasted like a pina colada with aromatics and tang. Our last non-alcoholic treat was the Blue Lavender made with a yogurt base. It was firm, sweet, tangy and floral. I'm usually not a huge fan of lavender, but they exercised restraint here and it was not overly strong.
Moving onto the adult desserts, my favourite was the Evil Orange Cacao which emulated a Terry's chocolate orange except with the addition of liqueur. There was a good amount of chocolate that wasn't overly sweet. Possibly due to the orange, there was a background floral quality which was also quite appealing. I also liked the fact they added just the right amount of liqueur to give it some oomph without being too strong. Remarkably lighter, the Kiss Champagne, with moonshine, blue curacao & tequila, was rather refreshing. Again, the liqueur essence was balanced where the mild sweetness made it a dangerous dessert (if it were an alcoholic drink).
Our final Dark Matters treat was Captain Jack featuring spiced rum, mango, raspberry & liqueur. I found this one to be creamy, yet firm with the liqueur announcing itself mildly but finishing off strongly. There was a sweet and fruity slant while the pop rocks on top added both texture and some pizazz. In general, I thought 77K Freeze does a good job in incorporating liqueur into their frozen desserts to make them appealing rather than for shock value. In fact, I enjoyed all of the items we were served mostly due to the mild sugar content. I'm not a huge fan of sweets and these were in my wheelhouse.
*All desserts and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
- Fully custom from sugar-level to base
- Liqueur-infused desserts work
- Not over-the-top
The Bad:
- Since liqueur doesn't freeze well, the desserts melt fast (so eat it fast instead of taking a gazillion pictures of it! LOL)
Yes, I chuckled a bit when I first heard about Kung Fu Fish. The name can easily be mistaken for something found at a mall food court serving up North American Chinese fare. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, with over 51 locations worldwide, they served up grilled deep-water fish that comes with a kick (get it? kick???). They already have 2 stores in the Toronto area and the first one to venture in the British Columbia is of course located in Richmond, specifically Aberdeen Centre. I was invited along with Diana for a small ChineseBites dinner to give the place a try where we had all of the available fish options.
Prior to that, we started with some appies including the Kungfu Peanuts. Initially, I wasn't super excited to order this but in reality, they were pretty tasty. Freshly fried and then wok-tossed with red chilis, green onion, salt and Szechuan peppercorns, the peanuts exhibited a progressive heat. There was a roasted aroma that gave way to some spice and finally a touch of numbing from the peppercorns. Loved the warm crunch of the nuts as the temperature activated the flavours. Next, the Bobo Chicken turned out to be a familiar dish in the mouth-watering chicken. Despite the visuals, it was not that spicy. Rather, there was an aromatic nuttiness accented by a small amount of heat. The free-range chicken was tender and gelatinized including the skin.
Then we had a trio of dishes including the Garlic Grilled Scallops, Garlic Grilled Prawns and Garlic Grilled Eggplant. Yes, there was a theme here and when they put garlic into the menu description, they weren't messing around. Let's just say one should bring mouthwash. In terms of texture, the scallops were buttery with a nice rebound while the prawns were unexpectedly tender and buttery. I was expecting more chew, but I enjoyed the sweet delicate prawns. The eggplant was also tender and very soft. It was completely covered in garlic. Our last small dish was the Kung Fu Sausage which was sliced razor thin. These were meaty and fairly lean with a caramelized sweetness and considerable spiciness.
Onto the main event, I tackled the Madam Halibut in Szechuan peppercorn soup base with lobster ball, glass noodles, sprouts and squid rings. For $59.90, we got 5 slices of halibut that was slightly over 2lbs in total. Personally, that is a reasonable price for the amount of fish. Of course, the additional ingredients were a surcharge of $3.99 for non-meat items and $4.99 for meat items. The fish was soft and flaky with slightly crispy skin. It wasn't as spicy as it appeared, but there was definitely a kick from the peppercorns. This portion could easily feed 3-4 people dependent on how many appies are ordered.
Next, I sampled some of the Professor Swai (Basa) in pickled cabbage soup base with fish balls, quail eggs, imitation crab stick, rice cake and lotus root. This was the least costly being only $39.90 for 3 large fillets. Say what you want about Basa, but this was prepared expertly being soft, flaky and almost buttery. Since Basa can be lacking in flavour, the pickled cabbage was a good match since it added a salty sourness. I was pretty impressed with the infusion of flavours where it penetrated not only the fish, but the other ingredients as well including the rice cake.
The last option was our absolute favourite being the Top Secret Sea Cod in Chopped Chili soup base with bean curd skin, konjak, luncheon meat and fish tofu. There was 6 slices of fish that equated to over 2lbs. This was the priciest at $89.90, but seeing how it was black cod and being the tastiest, it was worth it. The butteriness of the fish really came through with a robust flavour that stood up well to the soup base. It wasn't spicy though. Instead it was well-balanced with a certain umaminess. Overall, I enjoyed the offerings from Kung Fu Fish and although the pricing is on the higher side, it can feed many people. Starting tomorrow on Feb 7th to the 12th, they are offering a Free Signature Fish Pot (up to $70.00 and with a group of 4) at both lunch and dinner to the first 8 tables. Otherwise, everyone else can enjoy 10% off.
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
- On point execution
- Large portions
- Impactful and balanced flavours
The Bad:
- Even though the portion size does justify the price, some might be scared off at the initial sticker shock
- Personally, I thought the prices were fair, but maybe one free ingredient would've been nice
Driving home one day, I was waiting at the corner of Kingsway and Griffiths. I immediately noticed that Kenzo Japanese Noodle House had closed. Now it wasn't really a surprise to me as my previous experience there was pretty mediocre. In its place, we now find DooBoo Korean BBQ. I was anxious to try the place out and when the kiddies wanted to eat Korean, it was as if the visit was meant to be. So after an afternoon of sweets with Mijune, I met up with them and Viv at DooBoo. Mind you, I waited a good 30 minutes for them as driving up Canada Way during rush hour is as fun as having your nose hairs pulled out...
We were started off with the usual Banchan consisting of kimchi, pickled turnip and fish cake. As typical as Banchan is to a Korean meal, the addition of fish cake was a nice treat (compared to bean sprouts, although we wished there was stewed potato though). The star was the kimchi as it was appealing in colour and impactful in flavour. There was a noted spiciness that had depth. I liked how it wasn't just sour cabbage (like many other places prepare it). Seriously bubbling hot, the Kimchi Seafood Stew was the beneficiary of the same delicious kimchi. Hence, it was rich and spicy with just enough tang. There was also a noted brininess as well.
Onto the stuff we were really here for (the kiddies love it), we had both the Beef Bulgogi and Chicken Bulgolgi. Both arrived sizzling on a hot cast iron plate lined with white onion to prevent sticking and overcooking. We thought the meat was on point being tender and still moist. Although the beef featured too many smaller bits, it was balanced between sweet and savoury while exhibiting a seared smokiness. The chicken was a bit less caramelized, but was still good. These did not include a rice, but it was necessary. That brought the price of each dish to $15.00 + $2.00 = $17.00. A bit steep, but it was tasty nonetheless.
Lastly, we had the Dolset Bibimbap with the usual ingredients, however, we would've liked to see a raw egg here rather than the sunny side up version (since we had a hot stone bowl to cook it with). Despite this, the rice ate really well being chewy and not mushy. The dolset was hot enough to create a wonderful nutty crust. The same delicious beef bulgogi helped add a sweet savouriness to the rice. Compared to the previous restaurant that resided here, DooBoo is an improvement. Pretty solid Korean eats with surprisingly good service.
The Good:
- Solid eats
- Nice people
- Available parking
The Bad:
- Not uncommon to Korean restaurants, prices are not cheap
It's quite interesting that whenever we see a new Mexican restaurant open up in Vancouver, there seems to be a certain level of excitement. I guess it is mostly due to the lack of Mexican food options in Vancouver in general. Now don't get me wrong, there are many more Mexican restaurants than we had 20 years ago (when it was mostly Pepitas and Las Margaritas), but to find a good one is another issue. One of the newer spots is Fayuca located in Yaletown. Unlike many of the more casual spots in town, Fayuca boasts more refined dishes inspired by North Pacific Mexican cuisine.
We began with a few smaller plates including the seemingly simple Guacamole with crispy sunchokes, toasted pumpkin seeds and Macedonian feta. Well, it was pretty simple, but executed nicely being smooth and creamy with the crunch from the sunchokes and pumpkin seeds. We loved the house-fried tortillas on the side as they were firmly crunchy and complimented the guacamole well. One thing we would've liked was more lime juice as there was a lack of acidity. Next up, the Enfrijolada was rather impactful from the smoked fish machaca as it was meaty, briny and of course smoky. It was encased in a thin and tender corn tortilla and smothered in an Earthy and flavourful black bean sauce. The dish was completed by pickled onions (nice acidity and crunch) and soft boiled egg.
Appealingly stacked in a bowl, the Grilled Endives were nicely charred until smoky and caramelized. They still retained a bright crunch and a pleasant bitterness. Underneath, we found a mildly spicy and sweet roast red pepper puree that was complimented by the garlic anchovy butter. There was enough seasoning to be impactful while not drowning the endives in too many robust flavours. They were able to maintain the freshness and crunch of the endive. Our favourite small dish was the Oxtail Fideo Pasta with pine nut picada and aioli. Caressed in a silky and nicely thickened sauce by the picada, the pasta was tender and flavourful. There was tang, sweetness, slight spice and plenty of savouriness. The tender and fatty pieces of oxtail added a robust umaminess.
Onto some of the larger items, we had the Braised Beef Cheek with house-made gnocchi, broccolini and Mexican gremolata. When it hit the table, we were taken aback how big the beef cheek was. Definitely worth the $25.00. Even more so as it was prepared beautifully being fork tender and gelatinous. It was full of depth from the braising liquid as it penetrated throughout. Golden brown, the gnocchi were aromatic, buttery and tender with a bite. Even the broccolini was on point being crunchy and well-seasoned. Equally delicious, the Grilled Flank Steak was prepared a perfect medium-rare. It was tender, meaty and fully seasoned. When wrapped in a tortilla, it added a chewy and aromatic essence as they were made in-house with beef tallow. On the side, we found a tender quarter of slow-roasted purple cabbage and underneath, charred leek.
Our last 2 savoury dishes consisted of the Duck Breast and Caguamanta (Pacific Northwest Mexican Seafood Stew). As evidenced in the picture, the duck breast was very rare. For me, it wasn't a huge issue, but the rest of the table weren't big fans of it. Despite this, the duck was tender and slightly gamy with a well-rendered crispy well-seasoned skin. It rested on Brussels sprout pipian, green beans, fried kale and chili oil. The veggies were on the softer side while the pipian was mild and almost creamy. Served with the stew was a side of grilled bread, onions, cilantro and lime. Within the stew, we found tender grilled Humboldt squid, guajillo and tomato. The stew exhibited body and spice while being aromatic with the taste of the sea. I would've liked to see more ingredients as it was more of a soup than a stew.
For dessert, we shared the flourless Chocolate Cake topped with light chocolate mousse and salted malt caramel. This was a rich and purposefully sweet cake that was not as dense as I expected. There was a pleasant bitterness accented by the smoky and sweet caramel. The addition of black sesame seeds on top added both texture and aroma. On the side, there was a nice yogurt crema. So normally, I would say something like the food was decent and blah-blah-blah. However, the food was far better than decent where I would gladly come back for more. Thankfully, there is a restaurant in Vancouver that serves up Mexican-inspired cuisine that doesn't involve a taco or burrito.
The Good:
- Nothing else to describe it other than "delicious"
- Attentive service
- Size of proteins were generous
The Bad:
- Duck was far too rare
- Stew could've used more ingredients
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Not to repeat myself once again (but I'll do it anyways), but when people claim that Vancouver has a diverse eats, I would like to disagree. Yes, it is true we have a wealth of Asian cuisine (and very good I might add), however, we aren't very diverse beyond that. In fact, we have a lack of everything else including Latin eats. We do have some Mexican restaurants, where only some of them are even remotely authentic and/or good. All the other Central/South American countries are either poorly or not even represented in the Vancouver food scene.
So when Hilda suggested that Diana and I meet up at the newly opened Polito's Latin Café on the Coquitlam/PoCo border, we were both intrigued and excited. We started off with some Papusas including the Revuelta (with pork, beans, cheese and sweet pepper) and the Queso (with cheese & zucchini). Unlike some versions I've had in the past, these were not heavy nor greasy. They were fairly "light" for a papusa. Naturally, I personally enjoyed the meat version more as there was more inherent robust flavour. Loved the cheese in both as they were not the greasy North American type. These were served with a side of spicy slaw and a mild tomato sauce. There was no doubt that the crunchy and spiced slaw helped elevate the impact of the dish.
Next up, we moved onto some Tacos including Al Pastor, Carne Asada, Pollo and Veggie. These were neatly constructed and appealing in appearance. Sometimes, Tacos don't look so pretty, but these were good. I thought the Pollo (pulled chicken, cilantro, cream & pico de gallo) was the best of the bunch as it was well-seasoned while being sufficiently tender. Although it looked dry, it really wasn't. I found the meats in both the carne asada and al pastor to be on the drier side, but that is pretty much par for the course with these 2 types of meats. They were still good though with nice caramelization and meatiness. The veggie was surprisingly good especially with the addition of caramelized plantain.
Onto the bigger plates, we tried the Bandeja Polito's with well-done chopped rib eye steak, beans, rice topped with a fried egg, maduro fried plantain, guacamole and pico de gallo. With similar elements as a cheesesteak, the meat was crispy and well-seared. Hence, there was a smoky caramelized flavour. This would've went well with a hand-made tortilla (add $1.00). We also had the Mar Y Tierra with a marinated skirt steak topped with grilled prawns. On the side, there was rice, black beans and pico de gallo. The steak itself was not super tender, but I found it sufficient and still tasty.
As for our desserts, we had the Tres Leche and Chocolate Flan. They looked rather ordinary, but man, they were very good. Light and fluffy, the tres leche cake was purposefully sweet (sometimes, this dessert is too sweet). The flan was nicely smokey and caramelized where it sat atop a moist chocolately cake. As you can tell, we enjoyed our meal at Polito's. Sure, some things could've been a bit better, but overall, the food was appealing and definitely a nice break from all the Asian food we eat all the time (yes, #firstworldproblems).
