We were started off with the Grilled Cheese Chicken Waffle with BBQ sauce, cheddar, mixed greens, avocado herbal mayo & microgreens. So this was their take on chicken and waffles where they added cheese and coated the fried chicken in sauce. In that respect, there was more flavour going on rather than dousing it in syrup. The waffle itself was soft with a bit of crispiness on the outside. Chicken was moist and the sauce was tangy and sweet. Best to be eaten in one bite with all of the elements together.
We were presented next with beautiful Chor Muang Flower Dumplings filled with 2 x Chicken, 2 x Pork and 1 x Veggie seasoned filling with peanut, sweet radish, onion & cilantro. Due to the similarities in flavour, it was mostly just a textural thing with the different proteins. However, I enjoyed the vegetarian one the most where the filling was more harmonious rather than having some meat interrupt the crunch of the radish and sweetness of the palm sugar combined with the peanuts.
Onto something on the sweeter side, we had the Menagerie French Toast Brulée with pandan leaf custard & bacon bread, peach cream stuffed French toast with banana brulée, topped with coconut caramel sauce & syrup. I liked how they didn't just make a standard French toast and went for it, especially incorporating Thai flavours. The toast itself was soft and moist while seared evenly. Lots of sweetness from the cream, custard, syrup and brulée. Ate like a dessert and not that we were complaining...
Another mash-up was the Bechamel Taro Nachos with marinated tamarind prawns with avocado bechamel sauce served over fresh taro chips and mozzarella. First of all, I love taro chips, so these crispy lattice versions were great on their own. Well, these were topped with the aforementioned bechamel sauce as well as little nuggets of tangy prawns and cheese. I think if there was some heat (spiciness), these would've been over the top.
One of the nicest-looking dishes was the Seared Mango Tuna with ginger marinated seared ahi tuna, served with fried taro strips, green mango salsa and avocado. Yes, this ate as good as it appeared with tender rare tuna with a slightly crispy cornmeal crust. The ginger did come through with brightness and the mangoes provided a nice crunch. This was the entree version and more than enough for a meal.
Back to the sweets, we had the Soufflé Pancake with fresh fruit, topped with crème brûlée sauce. With this dish, one pancake (the top one) was perfect and could rival many of the other ones in town. The one on the bottom was a bit flatter and less fluffy. So maybe this was just bad luck. Anyways, as said, the top one was airy and light. The sauce was sweet and had the richness of burnt sugar.
Moving back to appetizers, we tried the Ballerina Wings that were boneless and fried with tamarind-palm sugar sauce & tropical fruit salsa. Being boneless, this made eating the wings much easier. It also highlighted the crispy exterior even more so. Inside, the meat was juicy and tender while the skin was semi-rendered. Loved the sweet tang from the sauce as well as the extra sweetness from the mango.
Another dinner item we had was the Massaman Lamb Shank with hand mashed pomme purée, tamarind, carrot and broccoli. So this was essentially a lamb curry and since they used the shank, it featured tender gelatinous meat. The massaman curry was nutty and sweet which went well with the creamy potatoes. Veggies were prepared properly being firm yet cooked all-the-way-through.
If you noticed 3 beautiful drinks in the background, they were part of the Rainbow Sangria Flight. These were actually very light tasting and suitable for those who don't like strong drinks. Onto the desserts, we were served 4 including the Mango Pannacotta Cheesecake with strawberry and raspberry. This was my favourite because I like fruity desserts and also cheesecake. This was a whole lot lighter but had the flavour of cheesecake. Next was the Coconut Crème Brûlée made with coconut milk, palm sugar, egg and pandan leaf. This featured a firmer custard that was aromatic and on the sweeter side. Then we had the Poached Pear in red wine with crème Anglaise. The pear itself was tender and full of wine flavour. For me, it was a bit strong, but the crème Anglaise did help balance that off a bit. Lastly, the Banoffee Crumble featured layers of banana, strawberry, cookie and cream crumble. This ate like a parfait in some sense except with the egg custard. But there was plenty of creaminess to go with fruit and crunch. This was the sweetest dessert of the bunch. So there you have it, a comprehensive look at Food by Fanta. There is nothing quite like it in Langley and really, is there a Thai fusion brunch spot in Vancouver in general? Definitely interesting and worth checking out.
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
Much like many other cuisine, Japanese can be good value and also be super expensive. It all comes down to quality and preparation. Places like Sushi Garden are accessible to most people and offers up everyday sushi that does the job. However, for those looking for something more special, these include Tetsu, Masayoshi, Tojo's, Maumi, Stem, Yuwa and Miku/Minami. I've been to them all, but I've been meaning to try Sushi Jin for quite some time. Fortunately I made it in before they raised the price of their Omakase by $50.00
Yes, their Omakase is a wallet burning $250.00 now, but with the cost of food and operations skyrocketing, it was only is a matter of time we see increases across the board (if it hasn't happened already). So to start things off, we were served Steamed Live Abalone (including the innards). Preparation was simple and was only accompanied by some freshly grated wasabi and salt. The natural flavours and sweetness was on display as well as the classic abalone texture.
Somewhat of a palate cleanser, the Asari no Sumashijiru was so simple and delicate. It consisted of a broth with scallop, squid and clam. The flavours were subtle exhibiting the natural sweetness of the seafood. It was clean and straightforward where the textures were buttery with a bite.
Onto the nigiri course, we had the Shima-Aji which had a fresh snap yet was still buttery in texture. It was clean, bright and sweet. Underneath, the rice was chewy while soft at the same time (it was on point). Next, we had the Kanpachi which was buttery and soft. It was sweet with an appealing fishiness. The green onion was bright and offered a good punch. Oh we were so spoiled by the Bluefin as it had a clean taste and was fatty in texture. It was aged for 2 weeks, hence there was a definite seafoodiness to it (but it was delicious). Lightly torched, the Tsubugai (Whelk) was smoky and garnished by a bit of wasabi. It was lightly chewy with a crunch and natural sweetness.
Viv and I visited the place before watching a movie at Brentwood VIP theatres (this was when the weather was better...). We started with the Green Papaya Salad with shredded green papaya, green beans, tomatoes, roasted peanuts, fresh chili, plum sugar and lime dressing. This was really good, especially the elevated spice level. It helped balance the sweetness and tang. Things were fresh and the crunch was satisfying.
Next we had the excellent Spicy Eggplant with fresh chili and garlic, bell peppers, onions and Thai basil. There was good wok hei where the high heat caramelized the ingredients without making them soggy (while cooking them through). Lots of natural sweetness (and added sweetness from the palm sugar) to go with the seasoning and noticeable heat. This was texturally on point and went well with the coconut rice.
Also going well with the rice was the Chicken Green Curry with green curry paste, coconut milk, bell peppers, eggplant and Thai basil. Again, this was another solid dish with a rich curry that had layers of flavour including that impactful level of spice. I also got the fermented shrimp flavour at the end. The chicken was well portioned and tender (for white meat) and the peppers were still vibrant.
Another food truck that I tried for the first time was Melt City Grilled Cheese. When I asked which one I should try, they suggest the Meat City Melt featuring handmade meatballs with marinara, pineapple and jalapeño jack cheese on sourdough topped with shaved parmesan. This was a beast with so much going on. Loved the amount of melted cheese as it had impact in terms of flavour and texture. The meatballs were indeed meaty, but tender. Bread choice was perfect with a crunchy exterior and chewy interior. Not sure about the pineapple, but overall the sandwich was on point.
*All food was complimentary for this post except the bisque*
The Good:
- Diverse lineup of food trucks
- Lots of space and outside for those who are not comfortable dining in at this time
The Bad:
- Limited tables and seating
I decided to order the Kashk Badmejan consisting of mashed grilled eggplant, whey sauce (kashk), sauteed onions, garlic and mint served with Avishan’s bread. This was pretty tasty with delicate eggplant that was flavoured by the tangy whey. There was also the sweetness of the sauteed onions as well as the fried ones on top. There was a background smokiness to the dip and nuttiness from the walnuts. Loved the soft bread that came with the dip.
For myself, I went big with the Shishlik or grilled whole rack of lamb served with rice, grilled tomato and salad. I gotta say this was prepared really well. The lamb was medium rare being super moist and tender. Furthermore, they were well-seasoned with enough salt, acidity and aromatics. Even though the picture doesn't really show it, there was some char that added smokiness and depth of flavour.
Nikita one-upped Viv and got the Bakhtiari sporting not only the chicken kebab, but also a lamb tenderloin kebab as well. Due to the leanness of the lamb, it wasn't as moist as the other cuts of lamb we had. She remarked that the shank or my rack of lamb would've been a better choice. Despite this, the bulk of the food was prepared well and delicious. The people there are also nice and inviting. Definitely an option in that part of Langley.
The Good:
Grand in size, the Quiche featured sweet potato and feta on whole wheat laminated pastry. This was very light, eggy and airy. For some, I could see that it wouldn't be firm enough, but for me, it was good. It was easy to eat and the texture was consistent throughout. Naturally, it was sweet due to the ingredients with a touch of cheesiness. Loved the pastry as it was flaky and crispy, even on the bottom.
Hands down, the best savoury item was the Grilled Cheese. Now it wasn't prepared in the classic manner where the bread was slathered in butter and cooked in a pan or flattop. Rather, it was toasted house made sourdough sandwiching aged white cheddar and spicy tomato jam. This meant the bread was soft, warm and slightly chewy. Inside, the cheese was sharp and that tomato jam had a kick as well as sweet tang. Delicious!
A surprising item was the Veggie Sandwich featuring sourdough focaccia, roasted sweet potatoes and red peppers, caramelized onion feta spread and fresh dill. If you know me, I love my meat, but hey, this sammie was packed full of flavour and texture. There was considerable sweetness to the sandwich accented by the cheese and dill. Loved the focaccia as it was crispy in parts, soft and slightly chewy in others.
One of the most visually-appealing items in the display case was the Breakfast Sandwich consisting of bread made with brioche dough with spinach, cheddar and onion. Inside, there was sambal mayo, soft-boiled egg and cheddar. Loved the egg, it looked inviting and it ate with a custardy centre. Bread was tasty with plenty of inherent flavour but was a bit firm. Mayo and cheese complimented the egg well and it was a nice little bite.
Off to the Sweets portion of the tasting, we had a bevy of delicious items including the Northshore Cookie with coffee, pretzels, chocolate, coconut, granola and sea salt. This was pretty crunch, especially the edges. Lots of flavours and with the addition of salt, it further heightened everything else. Apparently, the Brownie has been 10-years in the making since Kendall (the owner operator) has been perfecting it for that long. Well, it was chocolatey, chewy and consistent in texture throughout. Good brownie! We were truly impressed with the Gluten-Free Burnt Lemon Cake as it was blessed with lemon and cardamom drizzled with white chocolate orange syrup. This was essentially a financier with hits of tang and sweetness. On the same plate, there was a Apple Oat Coffee Cake with fresh and dried apples within an almond streusel. The cake itself was fluffy and just sweet enough. On top, the crunch and sweetness from the almond streusel was a delicious textural contrast. Also fluffy, the Vegan Coconut Loaf was not all dense (especially being vegan). It was aromatic and again, purposefully sweet. Although the Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie would be an appropriate name, they are actually nicknamed "Kendall Cookies" because the kids of returning customers would ask for them by that name. I understand why because they were a bit crispy on the edges but soft and chewy in the middle. There was a nuttiness from the butter and of course sweetness from the chocolate chunks. Now the best of these was the Pear Danish with lemon cream cheese. The laminated pastry couldn't have been any more on point. So crispy and light with defined layers. It was of course buttery and the lemon cream cheese was tang and smooth. Tender pears on top were the proverbial icing on the cake. I highly recommend this item. Well, I would actually recommend almost everything because it is obvious that Kendall puts her heart into the food and overall feel of the place. If you happen to be on the North Shore, I suggest you check it out.
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
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