Match Eatery & Public House (New Westminster)

Now back to another restaurant that I've never visited before - Match Eatery & Public House.  Okay, before you leave me comments indicating that it is another chain restaurant and there is good reason I haven't visited it yet, please be aware that I happened to like some chain restaurants.  Just because a spot isn't a hidden gem or small bistro doesn't make it immediately a place that we should avoid.  Besides, I'm not a food snob.  Anyways, the reason I finally made it out to Match was due to their limited time Burger Bender menu.

As such, I decided to try all of the burgers and sides starting with the Sunny Side Luther featuring a 6oz griddled smash patty, American cheese, smoked crispy bacon and fried egg in between 2 house-made maple-bacon glazed donuts with breaded onion rings. I liked this as the donuts were light while holding up to the ingredients. Just sweet enough to balance the saltiness.  The strips of bacon were super crispy and that fried egg...  perfect.  On the side, the onion rings were large, crunchy and not greasy.

Stabbed with a steak knife, the BBQ Ranch Hand featured a 6oz charbroiled steak spice chuck burger, cheddar, coleslaw, onion ring, pulled pork and spicy BBQ sauce on a pretzel bun with a side of poutine. Meaty, thick and not over done, the patty was nicely charred. The slightly crunchy exterior gave way to tender meat.  A good amount of pulled pork lay on top of the melted cheddar.  There was an aggressive crunch from the onion ring and further crunch from the slaw.  As for the poutine, it sported plenty cheese curds and thick gravy atop potatoey fries. 

Onto our next burger, we had the Food Truck Double Down with 2 x 3oz patties (appeared to be a 6oz patty in this case?), American cheese, caramelized onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles and special sauce on a soft potato roll with a side of  dirty fries. This was a pretty classic burger that was meaty and featured all the usual ingredients.  I thought the caramelized onion stood out with its sweetness.  The saltiness of the American cheese provided flavour while the special sauce also added to the classic burger taste. The dirty fries were thin and crispy and the loads of bacon and sauce on top made sure we didn't need any further condiments.

I loved the fact they included a Nashville Hot Chicken because if you don't know already, I'm still trying to find the best fried chicken sammie (check out my IG account dedicated to it!).  This included a double breaded spicy chicken breast, pickles and coleslaw with a side of hand-cut fries. I found the chicken to be moist with a crunchy breading.  Spice was mild and personally, I could've done spicier. The bun was soft and tangy coleslaw was creamy and crunchy. The fresh-cut fries were crispy with plenty of potatoey goodness inside.

With a play on words, the Filet O' Crispy Fish sported hand-dipped beer battered Atlantic haddock, tartar sauce, slaw, butter lettuce, Old Bay mayo, dill pickles and lemon on brioche with Caesar salad. The large piece of fish was flaky and moist. I found the tempura batter to be fairly thin where it was crunchy and cooked through.  I quite enjoyed this sandwich.  On the side, the Caesar was dressed just enough and also had a drizzle of sweet balsamic glaze.  

Possibly the most surprising burger was the Grilled Chicken Goddess.  I was drawn to the other offerings first, but in reality I really enjoyed this one.  It featured a fire-grilled chicken breast with sliced avocado, goat's cheese, butter lettuce, tomato, sprouts, pickled red onion and green goddess dressing on multi-grain bun with yam fries. The chicken was nicely charred and smoky but still moist.  There was a wealth of flavours and textures. Yam fries were fried perfectly being crispy while not dry.

We decided to try a few more items including the Salt & Pepper Wings with carrot and celery sticks as well as blue cheese dressing.  Since Match is essentially a sports bar, this is one dish that needed to be good.  Well, I'm happy to report that they were excellent.  The skin was nicely rendered and crispy while the meat was juicy.  There was enough seasoning for the wings to stand on their own.

Since it was pasta night, we ended up ordering a few including the Mushroom Pesto Rigatoni with pumpkin seed arugula pesto, cremini mushrooms and red pepper topped with caramelized onions, goat's cheese and parmesan. This large portion sported al dente rigatoni bathed in a mild-tasting pesto.  I got the pepperiness of the arugula, but since we got the parm and goat's cheese on the side, the flavour profile changed when they were added.  More creaminess and saltiness was evident and that was probably the intention of the dish.

We also got the Ultimate Mac & Cheese with cheesy mac sauce, pulled pork, bacon and slow roasted grape tomatoes topped with bread crumbs and crispy onions.  This was definitely cheesy as the cheese was quite visible.  It could've been a bit smoother, but the lack of filler meant it tasted quite good.  The choice of Cavatappi pasta was perfect as it was al dente and held onto the sauce well.  Of course, the addition of bacon and pulled pork made this more of a meal.

For dessert, we had the Sticky Toffee Pudding with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  This was super sweet but honestly, that is what sticky toffee pudding is all about.  The whole thing was ooey gooey and full of smoky deep toffee flavour.  The side of ice cream wasn't just for show, it was creamy and of course went well with the pudding.  Overall, we quite enjoyed the meal at Match.  The burgers were solid and the other items were pretty good.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- All around solid food given its venue
- Large portions
- Large dining space with big TVs (for sports)

The Bad:
- Possibly some needed renos

Kamei on Broadway

Oh wow, this is a blast from the past...  Kamei on Broadway is back!  Ignore the signage in the picture because the Ebisu name is being phased out.  In fact, the location on Robson is not even affiliated with Kamei at all.  I remember dining at Kamei on Broadway when I was a kid and then came back when I was in University with my friends.  I was recently invited to see the new menu which is more creative and modern.  Loved walking up the steps from 8th Ave as it brought back so many memories.  Pro tip: park on 8th Ave for the fastest and most direct access to the restaurant.

To start, we were served the Salmon Carpaccio drizzled with ponzu, truffle mayo, purple onion, cucumber and fried garlic chips.  The thin slices of Atlantic salmon were fresh and buttery exhibiting a nice sheen.  There was just enough ponzu to flavour the fish while the drizzle of truffle mayo was restrained (a good thing).  I'm not sure if the purple onion was necessary as it was rather sharp-tasting.  Otherwise, this was a solid dish.  

Next, we tried the Hamachi Bombs that were minimum 2 per order.  They consisted of yellowtail sashimi, serrano pepper, avocado, ginger, micro greens, pepper threads and truffled ponzu sauce.  The trick with this dish is to mix everything together, add a squeeze of lime and hopefully stuff everything into your mouth for one bite.  I was able to do that and it was bright, tangy and lightly sweet with a touch of spice.

We also had the Seafood Chawanmushi with prawn, mushroom and ginkgo nuts topped with salmon roe.  This might've been a small serving, but it was packed with ingredients.  Nestled inside were 2 fairly large shrimp which were delicate with a meaty snap.  Plenty of mushrooms and ginkgo nuts as well.  They were hidden within a delicate steamed egg custard which was lightly seasoned and sweet.

Onto something that was a real mind-bender because it looked suspiciously like an okonomiyaki.  Well, it had the ingredients of said dish, but underneath, it wasn't a pancake.  Rather, it was mountain yam.  Now this could be confusing for some who have never had mountain yam because the texture is akin to sticky mashed daikon.  I have had it before and I don't mind it, especially when the Yamaimo Teppan is topped with mayo, takoyaki sauce, ginger and bonito flakes.

If there was a dish that begged to be eaten, it was the Wagyu Wonder Bowl.  Look at it, don't you want to eat it???  It sported rice in a hot stone bowl topped with fatty wagyu, a slice of foie gras, egg and kabayaki sauce.  Oh man...  I loved this as even though this sat for awhile, the bowl was hot enough to create a socarrat.  The fatty beef and the foie just made this so luxurious.  So much umaminess from the fat which was nicely accented by the sweet sauce.

Of all the dishes, I really wanted to try the Kani Miso Udon because it had a fried soft-shell crab on top.  Loved the visuals!   The udon was bathed in a creamy red snow crab miso sauce with salmon roe, shiso and nori.  This was much more subtle than I was expecting, but it was still delicious.  I could get the natural sweetness of the ingredients while the miso was not overpowering.  

We decided to add a few dishes on our own dime because they looked so good on the menu!  The Alaskan Sablefish was quite the value at $26.00 because of the portion size.  But the preparation was also on point.  It was perfectly prepared being buttery and flaky. It was inherently flavourful from the miso saikyo sauce.  It was served atop mushroom dashi rice and crispy veggies on the side.

Lastly, but definitely not least, the Kanagawa Wave was beautifully plated featuring lightly grilled ika, toro, hamachi, red tuna, sockeye salmon, oysters, ebi and hotate.  On the side, there was freshly grated real wasabi, purees (plum, miso & nori) and salts (smoky, matcha and house seasoning).  All of the sashimi was fresh and vibrant.  Loved the real wasabi (as it tastes good rather than just being sharp like the fake stuff).  Interesting flavour combos from the salts and purees.  Honestly, this was a treat to be back a the original Kamei on Broadway.  It is also nice to see new menu items and creative ways of presenting dishes.

*Partial comp on the food and drinks*

The Good:
- Hey, it's Kamei on Broadway! OG Japanese spot in Vancity.
- Reasonable pricing with all things considered
- Good execution on dishes

The Bad:
- Renos are needed to modernize
- Address should really be 8th Ave as people get confused when they show up on Broadway looking for the restaurant 

 

Rajio Public House

Boy, I haven't been to Rajio in quite some time and it isn't because of the pandemic either.  Sure, it has only recently reopened for dine-in, but if I remember correctly, the last time I ate at the place was way back in 2016.  It's been so long, I remember dining at this location when it was Pair Bistro.  Okay, that is going too far back.  Let's concentrate on the present where they are welcoming guests back into the dining room.  Jacqueline and I were invited to try out some of their new items including the Kushikatsu.

Speaking of which, we got a selection of the Kushikatsu including Duck, Jumbo Shrimp, Scallop, Oyster, Lotus Root, Onion Pork, Beef, Eel and Squid.  These were fairly large in size depending on the item.  I enjoyed the shrimp as it was not overdone and crispy on the outside.  The duck was good too as well as the oyster.  There was a sweet soy dip served in a large metal trough (which made it easy to dip).  In reality, we only tried a small amount of the available options.  

Something pretty standard on any Izakaya menu is the KCT Karaage.  This version featured huge chunks of juicy chicken thigh coated with a seasoned batter of dashi and soy sauce.  Hence, there was no need for any dip or dressing as each piece was not only bursting with natural juices, it was also full-flavoured while not salty.  The lemon on the side was necessary in my opinion as it added some brightness.

One of my favourite dishes of the meal was the Fresh Corn Karaage.  This was deep-fried and tossed in a truffle soy butter sauce and aonori.  Such a simple item, but so full of impactful flavours.  I got the savouriness of the soy, but the silkiness of the butter added depth.  There was only a slight hint of truffle and more umaminess was provided by the aonori.  Of course the sweetness of the corn itself completed the flavour profile.

Now the corn was one of my favourites, but possibly my favourite of all was the Cheese Tofu sporting cream cheese, gorgonzola and mozzarella.  This cheese mixture was so smooth and creamy.  The sharpness of the gorgonzola was kept to minimum while the whole thing was balanced off by the maple syrup and preserved figs.  When spread onto the melba toast, there was a nice textural contrast.

One of the more offbeat dishes was the Peking Chicken.  It came complete with crepes, scallions, julienned cucumber and hoisin sauce.  So all the elements were there and instead of duck skin, we found battered and fried chicken skin along with some shrimp chips.  The crepes were chewy yet moist while the chicken skin was indeed crispy.  For this dish, I would've liked to see non-battered crispy chicken skin though. 

Onto an Izakaya classic, we had the Jumbo Ebi Mayo.  Maybe they were just a bit too aggressive with the chili mayo, but rest assured, this didn't detract from the overall eating experience.  In fact, the tempura-battered prawns were still crispy where it was meaty and cooked just enough.  I personally would've loved a bit more of the chili portion of the mayo, but this was still good nonetheless. 

Onto some bigger items, we had the Uni-Bonara Udon in a creamy sea urchin sauce topped with real crab, tobiko, egg crepe, nori and arugula.  This was so savoury and sweet with full umami effect.  Hence, each bite yield such appealing flavour, I couldn't wait to take the next bite.  When mixed with all of the toppings, the dish took on more textures (as subtle as they were) and some hits of the sea.

We also added the Beef Steak Bibimbap with diced beef tenderloin, kombu, pickled celery, arugula and garlic chips on rice.  The stone bowl was hot enough to create a socarrat which was nutty and crunchy.  As for the mixture of ingredients, it was full of texture and sweet acidity.  When combined with the sweet garlic soy, there was plenty of flavour to go around.  I thought this rice was definitely a must order as it was both filling and tasty.

Something that took me by surprise was the Heavenly Shrimp Tonkotsu Ramen sporting a milky shrimp and pork bone broth.  This was so incredibly impactful that I drank all of all it!  Think of it as a classic tonkotsu broth spiked with the essence of shrimp shells.  So much briny umaminess!  The noodles were al dente and the slice of fatty chashu was melt-in-my-mouth tender.  I truly didn't expect such a solid ramen for a non-ramen spot.

For dessert, we had both the Crème Hojicha Pudding and Almond Tofu.  These were the perfect end to a varied and delicious meal.  I found the hojicha pudding to be creamy and light while spiked with plenty of tea flavour and muted sweetness.  As for the almond tofu, this was smooth and lightly sweet.  The fruity strawberry topping added some tang and brightness.  I'm so glad I had the opportunity to come back to Rajio and try most of the menu as they reopened their dining room.  I missed going for Izakaya during the pandemic and now that the cases are heading on a downward trend, I hope to keep coming back in the future.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Large selection of Kushikatsu
- Solid eats
- Surprisingly good larger dishes

The Bad:
- Small space, don't bring a large party

Baan Lao

Fine dining and Thai cuisine are not normally a thing in the GVRD, but there is a place in Steveston that takes Thai food to a whole new level.  Baan Lao, located right on the water, offers up not only refined dishes, it also affords a complete dining experience with white glove service.  You won't find the standard Thai fare here.  Rather, they only offer their Signature Dining Experience for $190.00pp.  Ophilia and I checked out this unique tasting menu out in beautiful Steveston.

As an amuse bouche, we were started off with the Maa Haaw. It consisted of stir fried minced Berkshire pork, Thai herbs and bird’s eye chili atop fresh pineapple marinated for 24 with kaffir lime leaves.  This little bite was a flavour bomb while being delicate at the same time.  There was definite sweetness to go with the spice from the chili.  Loved the texture of the meat as it was akin to being candied.  Lots of subtle flavours at play here and it came on in layers with each chew.

We were served a pair of little bites next. The Sohm Dtam sported fresh green papaya tossed in a zesty lime dressing with chillies, garlic and tomato.  Don't let the portion size fool you, it was packed with plenty of punch and as the menu stated - sweet, salty, spicy and sour.  On the next spoon, we found the Thoong Thaawn aka "money bags" with minced pork and prawns, fresh herbs and tied with fresh chive.  The outer wrapper was super crunchy and stayed as such even though it sat in a sweet and sour sauce.  Inside, the meats were discernible and fully seasoned with definite herb aftertaste.

Presented in a hollow glass bowl, the Yam Neuua was actually a salad that featured Sumas Mountain tenderloin with fresh herbs grape and fresh mint.  Yes, it could be confusing to some (that this is a salad) as the prominent part of the dish was the tender and beautifully prepared medium-rare tenderloin.  Well, if all my salads were like this, I would eat salads exclusively!   The flavours were bright being tangy which made this dish appetizing.

Before we progressed to some bigger dishes, we were served Naam Dta Khrai Baitoey which is a Thai medicinal elixir.  At Baan Lao, they combined fresh lemongrass and pandan juices to create a palate cleanser that was mild and subtle.  We got the unmistakable essence of lemongrass which was accented by the aromatic sweetness of the pandan. 

Now onto something that most people would be familiar with but not necessarily with the presentation - Phat Thai Goong.  With this version, it was immediately obvious that there was more care put into this dish than the usual.  The stir-fried rice noodles were encased in an egg lattice (I've actually had it this way before) which made for a striking visual as well as added texture.  As for the noodles, they were al dente, not clumpy and blessed with the beautiful sweetness and tang of palm sugar and fresh tamarind.  The proverbial icing on the cake was the perfectly-prepared tiger prawn.

One of my favourite items of the meal was the Dthom Yam Goong Laai Seuua featuring a spicy broth with mushrooms, fresh lemongrass, bird's eye chili and fresh tiger prawns.  I'll go ahead and say it - this is the best version of this soup I've ever had.  It was so clean, yet complex at the same time.  Layers of aromatics were intermittently available between the jolts of spice from the chili.  Even though the spice was impactful, we could still get the sweetness, tanginess and light seafoodiness of the broth.

Continuing with the hits, we had the Bpet Yang Sauce Gaaeng Phet served with Khaao Haawm Mali & Khaao Riceberry.  This featured sous vide Sumas Mountain Organic Farm duck with red curry, fresh pineapple and cherry tomato.  The duck was indeed succulent from the sous vide, but the fat could've been rendered just a touch more.  The star of this dish was the truly exceptional red curry.  It was rich, spicy and full-bodied.  There was real heat to it but the creaminess of the coconut milk and sweetness from the palm sugar helped balance things.

Moving to the last savoury course, we had the Bplaa Salmon Sauce Khaaio Waan. The delicate wild sockeye salmon was just barely cooked through, hence it was flaky and moist.  It sat atop green curry sauce and was topped with Ocean Wise Acadian Caviar and Manetti edible 23k Italian gold leaf.  I found the curry to be once again, full of heat with the creaminess of coconut milk.  There was just enough sweetness to balance.  On the side, the basil crumbs added texture and more aromatics.

As an interlude before we got to the dessert, we were presented with the Sorbet Ma Naao or Organic Lime Sorbet.  This meant business with the lime as the sorbet was bursting with tanginess.  This really woke up my taste buds and washed away the strong flavours and heat of the previous dishes. 

So for dessert, we had the Khaao Niaao Ma Muaang, Ice Cream Gathi and Woon Gathi.  The pressed on-site coconut glutinous rice was aromatic and lightly chewy in texture. The ripe mango flower on top was tender and sweet.  On the side, the coconut milk ice cream was sweet and lightly creamy.  Lastly, the coconut milk jelly was another texture on the plate that was aromatic and akin to coconut pudding.

As a bonus, we finished the meal off with Phohn La Maai, Luuk Choop and Chaa Mint.  The hand-carved watermelon was sweet and full of juice.  In front, the "chili" was actually made of luuk choop which is like marizpan, but made with mung bean paste coated with agar.  Very whimsical indeed and overall, a finely prepared meal that to me at least, worth the cost.  In addition, the ambiance and the service was equal to the task as well.

The Good:
- Chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng puts plenty of care and finesse into her food
- Service is top-notch and professional
- Outstanding location on the water

The Bad:
- Well, it isn't cheap, but worth it for a special occasion

Feel City BBQ

For all the Chinese food that is available in the GVRD, the dominant cuisine is Cantonese.  Much like the dominant Indian cuisine is Punjabi, this is due to the predominant immigrants from a specific region into the Lower Mainland.  We get a smattering of Shanghainese, Taiwanese and Northern Chinese here, but something that really is under-represented the food from the Xinshiang region of China (aka Uyghur cuisine).  Influenced by the travelers along the Silk Road, there is definitely Muslin influences.  Recently, I was invited to try out one of the few places that serve this type of food, Feel City BBQ, along with Maggi and Grace. 

We were started off with the Red Willow Lamb Skewers.  Much like the ones I had at Beijiang, the use of real sticks added a nice visual.  Did it add more smoky wood flavour?  Possibly, in the faintest of background finish.  As for the lamb itself, the seasoning was balanced with just enough cumin and a bit of spice.  The lamb was tender, surprisingly lean and cooked just enough.

Next, we were served the Sesame Oil Free-Range Chicken that featured chilis and Sichuan peppercorns.  Even though the dish looked spicy, it really was mild with only intermittent hits of heat and numbingness. I didn't mind that it wasn't too spicy because often, food can be too hot and we don't get any of the subtle flavours.  This I did with the aromatic sesame oil and the natural flavour of the chicken itself.  The chicken was prepared well too being gelatinized and lean due to being free-range.

Now, we can't be dining on Xinshiang cuisine without having their signature item can we?  So yes, we were presented with the Big Plate Chicken consisting of bone-in chicken, potatoes and peppers.  Once again, this was a mild version of the dish where I could've possibly used more spice.  However, it wasn't as if there wasn't enough inherent flavour either.  There was a good balance of aromatics, sweetness and saltiness.  The chicken was also free-range, so it was more lean, yet still tender.  Loved the classic belt noodles underneath as they soaked up all the flavours.

The most striking item we had was the Smoked Lamb on a metal rack.  It was exactly that with various pieces of lamb smoked directly skewered on the rack.  They were fatty and super tender, literally melting in my mouth.  Good lamb flavour without being super gamy while the side of chili flakes, cumin and onion allowed us to customize the taste.  We were provided gloves to eat this as it got rather messy.

We finished of our meal with Yogurt with honey and nuts.  For those who haven't tried this before, consider it plain yogurt that is very tart and devoid of sweetness.  Hence the addition of honey on top.  Even with that, this was probably needed even more honey as it was extremely tangy.  Mind you, this was probably the intention as it was a good soothing end to the meal.  Overall, the food was good and interesting enough for me to consider coming back for.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Unique food, not only because of the presentation, but the scarcity of Uyghur cuisine

- Modern and spacious dining space

- Well-prepared proteins

The Bad:

- On the pricier side, but portions are large

New Fishport Seafood Bistro

Before the recent rise in Covid numbers due to the Omnicron variant, I met up with my foodie fam to have a multiple birthday dinner at New Fishport Seafood Bistro on Marine Drive in South Van.  It was funny how we sang happy birthday 4 times and merely replaced the placard on the cake for each different person.  Yes, we are cheap like that...  Anyways, New Fishport has been around since the pandemic started, but we finally thought it was a good time to check it out (however David had been here already).

Unfortunately, a few of the items we wanted to order were not available.  So being a seafood bistro, we made sure we got at least the Baked Lobster with glutinous rice on lotus leaf.  This was decent with moist and chewy sticky rice underneath a medium-sized lobster.  There was enough starch-thickened consomme sauce to flavour the rice.  As for the lobster, it was fried properly where the meat had a nice bounce while being sweet.

Next, we had the Taiwanese Cauliflower with cured pork belly and Chinese cured sausage.  I actually make this dish at home often and this one was pretty good.  There was decent wok hei where minimal moisture was on the bottom of the plate.  The salty and fattiness from the cured meats did coat the cauliflower adding depth of flavour.  We found the cauliflower retained a crunch while being cooked through.

Yes, it is kind of odd ordering Sweet & Sour Pork at a place that specializes in seafood, but on the other hand, this is a Chinese restaurant, so it is fair game.  Well, this version was more than acceptable with tender nuggets of fairly lean pork.  The coating was thin and crispy while there was just enough sauce clinging onto each piece.  I would've liked to see more tang, but it was still full-flavoured.

A somewhat interesting dish we ordered was the Shrimp Omelette (although it wasn't named like that on the menu).  There was quite a bit of cold-water crunchy shrimp hidden within the fried scrambled eggs. However, the whole dish was rather bland and I found the eggs to be a bit rubbery in parts.  It wasn't that flavourful and I guess it was an okay dish, but I wouldn't order this again.

Back to the meat, we had the Pork Belly with shrimp Sauce.  This looked and ate a lot like the classic Sichuan spicy garlic pork belly dish except without the spice.  Sliced medium-thick, the pork belly was gelatinous and fairly tender.  It was on the chewier side, but only slightly.  Flavourwise, I guess I got some fermented shrimp flavour?  It wasn't that apparent and the dish was rather flat in my opinion.

Lastly, we had waited for the Whole Soy Sauce Chicken until we had nearly finished our dinner.  To be fair, this was made to order, so that is why it took so long.  The wait wasn't necessarily worth it as the colour was a little pale and there wasn't enough flavour penetrating the chicken meat.  On a positive note, the meat was moist and tender, even the white meat.  As you can see, the food was alright at New Fishport, but hardly impressive.  It is possibly due to the fact that some of the seafood dishes we wanted to order were not available.  If they were, maybe our experience would've been better.  I am not ruling out coming back to try more seafood though.

The Good:
- Some interesting items on the menu (although weren't available)
- Fairly good service

The Bad:
- Food was okay, but not memorable