Kook Korean BBQ

If you are familiar with the T&T complex on 1st and Renfrew, you will know parking there sucks and even a fist fight might break out over a parking spot.  Beyond that, there are many places to shop and eat (which would explain much of the parking chaos).  Just above T&T on the South side, there has been a Korean restaurant wanting to open up for over a year.  It seemed to be stuck in restaurant opening purgatory and I wasn't holding much hope it would ever come to fruition.  Well it finally has arrived in the form of Kook Korean BBQ.  We recently checked the place out after Sunday morning hockey where I smartly parked on the street.

One of the things that sets Kook apart from all of the other various Korean BBQ joints is their selection of Banchan.  There was such a variety, it completely encircled the grill (however, the sliced garlic and pepper don't count).  Starting with the one to the right of the pepper going counter clockwise, we had the spicy squid, stewed potatoes, bean sprouts, bean curd skin, kimchi radish, broccoli, pickled garlic, seaweed, spicy radish salad, pickled daikon, turnip, garlic scapes and mung bean jelly.  As you can see, the portions were quite small, but then again, one could ask for more.  Nothing out of the ordinary other than the mung bean jelly not be seasoned with anything.  For our BBQ meat choices, we had the Spicy Pork and Chicken on one plate.  Chicken was pretty typical being the leg meat, so it was tender and juicy.  We really enjoyed the spicy pork since it was marinated enough so that there was ample impact and it charred up well.  The meat was tender and cut thick enough that it didn't fall apart on the grill.

We also got the Beef Brisket that was sliced ultra thin which was good and bad at the same time.  Of course the positives of thinly sliced beef is that it will be more tender, easier to eat and quicker to cook.  The big negative here is that it stuck to the grill where more than 30% was lost.  Too bad really because the buttery beef was good when we could get some off the grill.  On that note, they were helping us grill the meat, so the service was pretty attentive in our minds.  To get a taste of the menu, we also got the Japchae that was served on a long plate.  This was actually a decent portion here and the amount of ingredients was substantial (including thin slices of tender beef).  They were able to keep the noodles dry, non-greasy and chewy without it being too clumpy.  Flavours were mildly sweet with a balancing amount of saltiness. 

Just because we felt like getting the greatest hits, we also ordered the Dolset Bibimbap and Gamjatang.  Sizzling and hot enough to create a modest rice crust, the bibimbap had a healthy topping of ingredients (as evidenced in the picture).  Things were prepared properly and textures were subsequently right as well.  As for the gamjatang, the broth had a good kick with the taste of hot pepper complimented by black pepper and perilla.   The three large pork bones sported tender meat that soaked up all of the flavours.  Overall, we were quite satisfied with our meal at Kook.  Prices are fair given the food quality, portion size and location.  I do mention location because there isn't anything nearby like Kook, so it does fill a need.  Personally, I would go back.

The Good:
- Above-average eats
- Lots of Banchan
- Decent service

The Bad:
- Not the best of parking lots (park on the street)
- Some items are pricey, but not out-of-line with similar restaurants

Ricky's Cafe

So this post about Ricky's Cafe fits into the same category as the recent one I did on Swiss Chalet.  I'm no food snob, but there are certain restaurants that are never at the top of my list to visit (especially when there are so many interesting ones at the same price point or even less!).  However, I've heard that some changes have been made and the food has gotten appreciably better (it's all relative right?).  Things are particularly different at the specifically branded "Ricky's Cafe" located at the SOLO District.  So yes, I grabbed the family and decided to give it a shot.

We got the Big Buffalo-Style Wings as an appie with hot and sweet teriyaki sauces on the side.  These did live up to the promise of being big as evidenced in the picture.  Fried up perfectly, the skin was rendered and crispy.  Loved how the meat was still juicy and tender as well.  Other than some Asian places, I find it difficult to find juicy fried wings at chain restaurants (they accomplished it here!).  Nothing much to say about the sauces other than hot was typical and the teriyaki had quite a bit of ginger zing.  For my daughter, she got the Kid's Lasagna, where she proceeded to eat it without letting me take a picture first (hence the messy appearance).  This was pretty standard stuff with soft noodles in a meaty tomato sauce.  There was lots of cheese on top (that you can't see because it had been mixed up).

For myself, I went with the Radical Bacon Cheeseburger loaded with a 1/2 lb Angus patty, maple bacon, sharp cheddar crisp, melted sharp cheddar, lettuce, Windset tomato, onion tanglers and mayo.  With all things considered, this was a solid burger.  The meat was charred, yet not dry while the crispy onions added a nice texture and sweetness.  Lots of cheesiness to go around in terms of taste and messiness.  Normally, chain restaurant fries are as exciting as doing taxes, but these Kennebec fries were legit being even par with fresh cut versions elsewhere.  Viv decided to try the Chicken Cheddar BLT stuffed with chicken breast, maple bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheddar on focaccia.  This wasn't very complex but things were prepared properly though.  The chicken breast was moist and not dried out while the bacon was meaty and crispy.

My son didn't do the burger or sandwich thing and decided on the Blackened Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo instead.  The chicken itself wasn't blackened too aggressively, yet still was flavourful and slightly smoky.  As such, the meat was still somewhat moist and completely tender.  Noodles were on the softer side of al dente, but hardly overdone.  Thick and creamy, the alfredo sauce was a bit one-note though.  Interestingly, they were very generous with the loaf of bread, it was almost as big as the pasta.  My dad opted for the 2 pc Beer-Battered Fish & Chips with coleslaw and tartar sauce.  Being made-to-order with hand-dipped into fresh batter, the fish turned out very good.  Moist and flaky with a thin crispy exterior, these were surprisingly good for a chain restaurant.

Lastly, my mom had the lunch special consisting of a half Classic Clubhouse and a Cream of Mushroom Soup.  Similar to Viv's sandwich, this was pretty good with tender slices of real turkey, the same thick crispy bacon and fresh produce.  On the side, the soup was also good being creamy, but not too thick.  It was full of infused mushroom earthiness and didn't rely on salt for impact.  So as you can guess, I didn't mind the food at Ricky's Cafe.  In fact, it gives Whitespot a run for its money and more when it comes to casual family-friendly eats.  Sure, it isn't gourmet and neither will it replace more independent and interesting food options in the GVRD, yet it does provide decent eats for those wanting something familiar and convenient in the neighbourhood.

The Good:
- Surprisingly decent with freshly-made dishes
- A little something for everyone
- Service was good

The Bad:
- There are many other interesting places to eat at that price point
- Free parking is limited, other spaces are not free

Oak & Thorne

Let's be honest here.  As much as Oak & Thorne allows kids in the dining room before 8:00pm, it really is a pub/bar for adults.  You can see that in the clientele and the vibe once you enter the place.  However, that didn't stop us from doing so regardless!  Let's just say there were some things on the menu that the kiddies were very interested in eating.  Although the packed house was predominantly adults, there was a smattering of children  here and there.  I did remarked to my kids that this would be the place they can go hang out with their friends when they grow up...  LOL...

Ah yes, the Mac & Cheese Bites with aged cheddar and American cheese, panko crust and San Marzano tomato sauce  This was one of the dishes they had their eye on and it didnt disappoint.  Beyond the crispy and not overly greasy crust, the tender noodles inside were not too soft.  There was definitely enough cheesiness to go around where it bordered on being salty.  However, the side of tomato sauce helped offset that with a mild tanginess.  We also got a couple of the Scotch Eggs with sage pork sausage, ale infused soft boiled egg, panko breadcrumbs and sweet and sour tomato relish.  Although the egg itself was nicely runny (maybe a bit too runny), the sausage was curiously bland.  It was tender and moist while being a fairly thick layer.  We really didn't like the relish underneath as it was one note and wasn't really appealing.

For myself, I had to get the Deep Fried Pickles with sea salted fries, horseradish aioli and chipotle mayo.  I thought these were on point since the breading on the outside was crunchy, not greasy and the right thickness.  It didn't overwhelm the pickle while at the same time was robust enough to stand up to it too.  I wasn't expecting fries to come with it, but they were good being crispy and thin.  Of the 2 dips, I thought the chipotle mayo was the better match with a creamy spiciness.  My daughter wasn't particularly hungry so she settled for the Cream of Mushroom Soup.  This consisted of Roasted forest mushrooms, vegetable broth, filone croutons, olive oil, scallion and fresh thyme.  It was definitely woodsy and full of mushroom flavour.  However, the soup itself was a bit thin.  If it had been thicker and creamier, we agreed it would've been spot on.

For myself, I went for the Loaded Burger sporting Hand pressed patty, American cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, sautéed mushrooms, an over easy egg, secret burger sauce, iceberg lettuce, tomato, red onion, ketchup and pickles on a potato bun.  I really enjoyed this burger as the components were all quite good.  Bacon was crispy, patty was charred and fairly moist while the egg was messily runny.  The whole thing didn't really stay together and I needed like 6 napkins.  Viv went for something lighter in the Fish Tacos featuring beer battered Canadian cod, cabbage, pickled red onions, jalapeños, cilantro, chipotle mayo, fire roasted salsa, guacamole and house made tortilla chips.  Loved the fish as they were large in size and the batter was crunchy.  It was thick in spots though.  We didn't like the salsa as it was thin and one note.

My son had the Spaghetti and Meatballs with slow cooked house made meatballs, San Marzano tomato sauce, herbed ricotta, Grana Padano and fresh basil.  We found the pasta to be al dente which was a positive.  However, that ended there as there was not enough sauce to properly lubricate the spaghetti as it got clumpy.  Moreover, there wasn't enough inherent flavour from the sauce to create any discernible flavours.  Lastly, the meatballs were dry and hard.  So the food was pretty hit and miss at Oak & Thorne, but as a whole, decent considering it is a bar/club.  If you pick the right dishes, the experience could be a good one.

The Good:
- Nice vibe, is a club after hours
- Some good dishes

The Bad:
- Somewhat hit and miss
- Upstairs is unnecessarily dark

Bobii Frutii

I've said it before and I'll say it again, when a marketplace gets saturated with a product, one must do something different to stand out.  This would be completely true with bubble tea.  There are so many choices for bubble tea in the GVRD, it is gets a bit repetitive and frankly monotonous.  I swear some places survive on location alone and the fact they are the only game in their immediate area.  Others do so on their good name.  Bobii Frutii is a new spot in Richmond that does have following internationally but is relatively low-key with its opening back in October 2018.  Location-wise, they are tucked in a corner off #3 Road in the same plaza as Boiling Point.  Their main selling point is their instagrammable drinks that sport vibrant colours as well as quality ingredients that are not artificial in any way.

I was recently invited to try several of their drinks including 2 of their pancakes as well.  Possibly their most beautiful one has to be the Mermaid's Tears featuring mango, lemon, honey, milk and butterfly pea coloured bobii.  This was refreshing and almost floral with a semi-sweet hit of mango and the tang of lemon.  I would say this was rather mild-tasting compared to the visuals, but at the same time, it was far from being bland.  Again, loved the colours and the natural butterfly pea colouring didn't introduce any bad aftertaste.  As for the Souffle Pancakes, they were quite good.  Unlike the one I had at Dazzling Cafe (they were underdone with wet batter), these were cooked all-the-way-through without being dense.  As much as the chocolate ganache looked sweet, it really wasn't.

With the requisite matcha offering, we tried the Uji Snow which was also nicely layered with matcha, milk and original bobii.  I found this to be delicate with the milk bringing down the bitter aftertaste of the matcha.  Hence, this was more subtle than anything, especially with its mild sweetness.  Some might find it too light, but for me, it was perfect.  Pandora Treasures was also a beautifully coloured drink consisting of lemon and honey with both butterfly pea bobii and original bobii.  This had a unique flavour that was also slightly floral.  The lemon was very noticeable but tempered by the honey.  Again, the drink was restrained in terms of the sweetness, but again, it wasn't flavourless either.  The bobii were nicely texture being chewy with plenty of give.  With chocolate au lait and butterfly pea bobbi, Dare to Dream was like a deluxe version of chocolate milk.  Of course this was more chocolatey and less sweet (more dark chocolate notes).  

One of the fruitiest drinks was the Don't Want to Grow Up with strawberry and mango slush sporting milk and yogurt.  It was a fairly smooth blend with a touch of iciness.  Flavours were definitely there but not sickingly sweet.  By virtue of the yogurt, the drink had a certain tangy creaminess.  One of my favourites was the Grapefruit Oolong Tea made with fresh juice.  This was the perfect balance between tea and juice in my opinion.  Usually, fruity drinks often taste like juice but the tea gets completely lost.  Not in this case as the oolong really came through, especially at the end.  However, it wasn't so strong that the grapefruit juice wasn't impactful.  In fact, it tasted quite strong.  The sweetness was completely dialed in as the tartness of the grapefruit was not overpowering and at the same time, the drink wasn't syrupy.  The last drink of this trio was a plain Oolong Tea with bobbi without milk. Good tea flavour that was definitely there but not bitter.  Much like the other drinks, there was sweetness, but moderate.  Overall, I was impressed with the drinks at Bobii Frutii.  Normally, I have to ask for less sugar at most bubble tea spots because the default is very sweet.  I didn't have to do this here and in fact, the flavours spoke for themselves.  Yes, the drinks were pretty to look at too.

*All drinks and food were complimentary*

The Good:
- Totally IGable drinks
- No artificial colours or ingredients
- Not too sweet

The Bad:
- Sizes are on the smaller side, but enough
- Hate the parking lot, good luck finding a space

Kitcho Izakaya

I'm sure it hasn't been lost upon most people that the price of eating out has gotten pretty expensive in the past decade.  Yes, inflation is a real thing and the operational costs of restaurants are only getting higher (wait til the minimum wage gets up to $15.00...).  However, that isn't the only reason for the higher prices either.  There has been an increased appetite for higher-end pricing for all types of food including the traditionally more moderately-priced Asian cuisine.  Sure, you can attribute it due to influx of wealthier immigrants, but there has also been a shift towards more refined experiences for all types of food.  This is most apparent in Richmond where we find expensive everything including my most recent visit to Com Vietnamese and Haidilao.  Now we can also add Kitcho Izakaya to the list.

I recently visited the place prior to my visit to Bobii with Emily, Nora and Joyce.  We each started off with probably the best dish of the night being the Uni Chawanmushi. Although the chawanmushi was small in size, that didn't stop them from topping it with a large piece of fresh uni.  I found the egg to be fluffy and mildly-seasoned with minimal excess moisture.  Hidden within, there was a tender piece of chicken, mushroom and a large meaty shrimp (oxymoron I know...).  After this, we ordered a bunch of items, but the server seemed more interested in helping another table and actually left halfway into our ordering.  That probably explains why some of our Nigiri was messed up where they left a few items out.  The stuff that actually showed up was Salmon, Bluefin Tuna, Amaebi, Hamachi and Foie Gras.  Can't say anything bad about the fish quality because it was excellent.  The knife skills for some of them could've been better though.

We took our chances on the aburi sushi where we got both the Salmon and Ebi Oshi.  Sporting 7 pieces each, these definitely looked the part with an attractive char and generally appetizing appearance.  One bite and yes, these were pretty legit with chewy sushi rice topped with buttery shrimp and equally buttery salmon.  On top of that, we found a creamy mayo that was nicely caramelized.  The salmon featured the classic thinly sliced jalapeno while the ebi had a dollop of impactful pesto.  Just to sample a bit of everything, we got the Assorted Sashimi featuring hokkigai, hamachi, salmon and tuna.  This was fairly straightforward with the same fresh and texturally on point fish as the nigiri.  Although the buttery hamachi was good, I felt they sliced it far too thin.  This wasn't merely about value, but the thin slice didn't eat particularly well as a result.

One of the more surprising dishes was the Mentaiko Tofu.  That wasn't something I would've ordered, but thanks to Joyce, we each got a really tasty bite.  It featured a fried tofu square topped with a mentaiko that was creamy and rich.  It was briny and sweet which went well with the crispy tofu.  In my opinion, the key to this dish was the amount of mentaiko on top as it was enough to completely flavour the blank canvas.  Off to some robata, we had the Ton Toro that was sliced thin and dressed with grated daikon, green onions and yuzu ponzu.  The tender slices featured the usual buttery bouncy texture that was slightly smoky.  Tangy, sweet and salty, the dressing was enough to ensure this was a tasty dish.

Staying with robata, we also got the Beef Mushroom featuring a thin layer of beef wrapped around enoki.  Again, there was more than enough charring to create a caramelized smoky flavour.  As much as the thin slice of beef was cooked thoroughly, it was still tender with crispy bits.  Inside, the enoki was cooked just enough where it retained a bite and exhibited its classic earthy notes.  As much as Beef Short Ribs can be a standard on many grill menus, the one here was a highlight.  Sure, it could've used a bit more char, but the flavours were still caramelized.  Best thing about the ribs was that they weren't overmarinated so there was still a fatty beef taste.  Maintaining a meaty texture, these were buttery tender.

The Soft Shelled Crab was not our last dish, but I decided to put it at the end (wanted to keep the robata stuff together).  Not trying to repeat myself, but this was also executed properly.  Beyond the light crispy batter, the crab was moist, briny and sweet.  It was served with a ponzu dipping sauce.  So in the end, we all agreed the food at Kitcho was pretty darn solid with little to complain about.  However, there are a couple of serious caveats to this.  First, the pricing is far too high in our opinion, especially given its location (not in Downtown).  Second, the service was not up to the level of their pricing either.  We were rather confused and appalled that our server left halfway through our ordering to attend to a more "affluent" table (they ordered more expensive stuff).  Hence, our order was messed up as a result.  Not acceptable at any level of restaurant.

The Good:
- Well executed food
- Lots of options
- Restaurant looks the part

The Bad:
- Unnecessarily expensive
- Unacceptable service  
- Parking lot is a horror show

75 West

I'm sure you've heard me go on and on about hotel restaurants on this blog for the past 10 years.  At first, many existed as a means to provide a standard and safe menu for the weary traveller.  Hey, appeal to the lowest common denominator and most people will go away fairly satisfied, if not being rather boring doing so.  However, as we've seen in the past decade, there has been a shift towards being more appealing in terms of decor and food choices.  In fact, there are risks being taken, offering up a wide spectrum of eats such as The Victor in the Parq Hotel.  Part of the same hotel chain, the Vancouver Airport Marriott has updated their long-standing restaurant, The American Grille, into 75 West that promises more excitement for travellers and locals alike.  Jacqueline and I were recently invited to see and taste theses changes.

The first thing we noticed was the modern decor that brightened up the room.  Secondly, they added many more menu items that focuses on sharing plates.  As such, we started with some of them including the Pork Belly Adobo.  There wasn't anything bad to say about the pork belly as it was meaty with just enough fat to add the classic fatty luxuriousness to the dish.  While moist inside, the outside was crispy and the crackling was akin to Chinese roast pork.  This was all lightened up by the tangy and sweet adobo sauce drizzled on top.  Something a bit more conventional was the half Back Ribs conveniently cut up for sharing.  These were the typical par-cooked grill finished version, but with that, they were done right.  They were meaty, tender and almost juicy with a tangy and sweet BBQ sauce slathered on top.

It was suggested we try the Fried Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts and boy that was a good call.  Sure, many different places offer this item on their menu, but this one was a bit different since it was liberally coated in parmesan.  Hence, this was nutty and salty without the need for anything else, but it did come with spicy mayo.  Although fried until crispy, the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts were still firm with a bite.  Beyond the saltiness of the parm, there was truffle oil and garlic to provide layers of flavour.  Back to the classics, we had the Prawns sauteed in garlic, paprika, lemon juice and EVOO.  Similar to the Spanish tapas version, the prawns were meaty with a snap while sporting a noted smokiness from the paprika.  Lots of garlic as well as enough salt meant this was impactful.

Whenever there is Lobster Mac n' Cheese is on the menu, I order it.  So that we did and it was a fairly large portion.  It wasn't apparent at first glance that hidden underneath the noodles were big chunks of bouncy lobster.   I found the noodles to be fairly al dente considering the amount of sauce on the bottom.  There was a cheesy creaminess from the aged cheddar, gruyere and mozzarella, but a bit more sharpness would've put this over-the-top.  Interestingly, we decided to combine our order of Meatballs with the mac n' cheese and it was the perfect combination!  The tangy herbed chunky tomato sauce added the brightness and zip that brought the mac n' cheese alive.  That also meant it was a great compliment to the meatballs as well.  About those meatballs, the texture was definitely meaty and lean with little filler.

Something you'd normally find on a Japanese Izakaya menu shows up on the 75 West Menu under the share plates - Blackened Halibut Collars.  A bit gutsy and a little out there, but I applaud them for doing so.  For me, I'm well-versed with fish collars and this was done right.  Smoky and crisped up on the outside, the tender halibut was cooked just right.  There was a nice rebound texture as well as the natural sweetness of the fish.  A very simple dish prepared in a quasi-Japanese style.  Instead of going for their full-sized version, we got the Lamb Chops (essentially 1/2 a rack of lamb) with dukkah and chimichurri.  We asked for the lamb to be prepared medium and it arrived as such.  Hence, it was tender and moist without being too rare.  The combination of nutty dukkah and brightness of the chimichurri provided all of the necessary flavour.

Our last two small plates consisted of the West Coast Chowder and Truffle Fries.  At first, I was a bit disappointed that the bowl of chowder was fairly modest in size (a little deceiving though as the bowl was decently deep).  However, one spoonful and I quickly understood why it wasn't bigger - the darn thing was super creamy!  This was a good thing though since it was smooth and rich while being mildly briny and sweet.  It was chock full of seafood including big chunks of tender fish.  Now the side of truffle fries were actually something we ordered along with the Big D Burger since we couldn't have a burger without fries right?  As for the fries themselves, they were pretty standard fare.  They were crunchy and truffly with an aggressive dusting of parmesan.  So there wasn't any absence of impact even without the side of truffle mayo.

So I mentioned the Big D Burger in the previous passage...  Well here it is in all its glory!  This monstrosity sported a 2lb house made AAA beef patty, tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, bacon, jalapeno, jack cheese, roasted garlic mayo and red relish topped with onion rings.  Pictures don't do this justice as the diameter was as big as a dinner plate.  Now shock factor is one thing, but how did it eat?  Well, I'm happy to report that it was actually pretty good!  Although the meat patty was cooked all-the-way-through, it wasn't overly dry.  With all of the ingredients combined, it ate like a fully-loaded burger, but just bigger (yes we had to divide it into quarters).  Onto something lighter, the Seafood Hot Pot consisted of prawns, halibut, salmon, mussels and clams in an orange tomato fennel broth.  Aromatic and only a bit rich, the broth ate well with a tang and sweetness.  There wasn't as much brininess as I would've expected, but the ample well-prepared seafood made up for that.  Loved dipping the bread into the broth.

For our meat main dish, we selected the 10 oz. AAA Rib Eye with roasted wild mushrooms, baby tomatoes, roasted garlic mash and red wine jus. It was prepared medium rare where it was very tender while still meaty (sometimes, I find rib eye hit and miss in terms of texture, but this was excellent).  For dessert, we had 3 items including Apple Strudel, Chocolate Decadence Cake and Xango Cheesecake.   Remarkably better than their previous version, the apple strudel was full of sweet raisins and apples.  It was nice spiced and encased in crispy phyllo.  Not too sweet and rich with chocolate, the decadence cake was flourless and had layers of ganache with raspberry coulis on top.  My favourite of the bunch was the cream cheese-stuffed fried tortilla with caramel sauce.  Unique and actually not heavy, I got my cheesecake fix without feeling like I ate a brick.  Beyond this visit, I've been to the American Grille quite a few times in the past for dinner, lunch and some tastings.  I always found the food acceptable for a hotel restaurant.  It is nice to see that they have elevated the menu to include more choices while including some favourites.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Well-executed proteins
- Lots of choices on the new menu
- Reno'd dining space

The Bad:
- Consistent with hotel restaurant pricing
- I feel they can take even more risks with the share menu