Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse (Bellevue)

Another chain restaurant?  Did I just forget to eat at more interesting places in the States while being away for over 2 years due to the border closures???  Well, no of course not.  However, by virtue of being a chain restaurant doesn't mean I will never dine there.  In fact, I've always wanted to try Fogo de Chão.  C'mon, it is AYCE meat!  I've had Brazilian Churrascaria before in the States and of course in Vancouver as well.  However, I wanted to see if Fogo is any better than our local offerings of Rio and the long-shuttered Samba.

Luckily I made a reservation because the place was packed.  We were quickly seated and hit the Market Table for some meats, cheeses, salads, fruit, veggies and Fogo feijoada.  Unfortunately, we couldn't enjoy the Iberico Ham as there was no knife available.  I asked an employee why there was no knife and she said we couldn't cut from the leg anymore.  There was still meat, but I guess it was too close to the bone?  I really didn't understand.

Now before we got to all the meats, we were served some sides including Mashed Potatoes, Cheese Bread, Caramelized Banana and Fried Polenta.  Of course these were essentially fillers, but it wasn't as if they weren't good either.  Their version of warm Pão de Queijo was soft and starchy inside (due to the tapioca flour).  The mash was actually quite tasty and smooth while the bananas were a bit bland.  Crispy polenta was somewhat hard, but also flavourful.

With all that out of the way, onto the meats!  So for those who have never done this type of dining before, there is a card on the table for each person.  Green means keep the meats coming and red means stop.  We were inundated with meats from the get go including Chicken, Spicy Pork Sausage, Pork Rib and Picanha.  We didn't really care for the chicken as it was really dry.  Sausage was meaty and tasty though.  Pork rib was also a touch dry, but still tender.  Loved the picanha (prime portion of top sirloin) as it was juicy and tender with a nice fat cap. 

So the next meats to come along included Top Sirloin, Bacon-wrapped Chicken and Steak, Parmesan Pork and Bottom Sirloin.  Both cuts of sirloin were juicy and super tender.  There was enough seasoning too.  The bacon-wrapped steak was flavourful and smoky while also tender.  Once again, I found the chicken to be dry, yet still tasty due to the bacon.  Also dry was the pork, but it was flavouful due to the parm.

The last round of meats consisted of Lamb Picanha, Lamb Chops, Striploin and Flank Steak.  I really love lamb and the picanha was super juicy with lots of gaminess.  The rack of lamb chop was medium-rare and super moist and and tender.  I hated the striploin as it was well-done.  That totally destroyed such a lovely cut of meat.  On the other hand, the flank steak was perfect being medium-rare, juicy and meaty.

So we never saw the following cuts of meat, even though we were there for an hour and half: Filet Mignon, Bone-in Rib-eye, Beef Ribs and Double Bone-in Pork Chops.  Not sure if they even had them?  We didn't see any and never got any either.  This was partially tempered by an amazing piece of Grilled Cheese featuring Coalho with honey.  These squeaky slices of cheese were delicious and texturally addictive.

I ended up with an extra slice of lamb because, well I love lamb (as I've mentioned many times) and the other cuts never arrived (or was available).  In the end, we enjoyed our meal despite not having some of the best cuts of meat available.  Also, a few were too dry for our liking.  However, I understand that they have to put the meats back on the BBQ when they have cut all the exterior "more-cooked" portions.  One thing is for sure - you come for the experience and you really take the good with the bad.

The Good:
- Plenty of meats coming around
- Good quality and generally well-prepared
- Good service

The Bad:
- Some meats were not available
- Some meats were very dry
- Not sure why we couldn't eat the Iberico ham

Red Lobster (Lynnwood)

Okay, why am I dining at such a defaultish chain restaurant as my first real restaurant experience in the States since 2019?  Well, I truly do like their cheddar biscuits and also, my kids have never been there before.  Seeing how they are now starting to love seafood, it was as good of a time to head to Red Lobster.  Looks like we weren't the only ones as the parking lot was littered with BC plates.

So here we are, the famous Cheddar Biscuits in all its glory.  Kid you not, these are some of the best I've had and no, I'm not going to let haters in cyberspace take that way from me.  Hate away!  I love them!  These featured a lightly crispy exterior that gave way to an airy and fluffy center.  Intertwined with the fluffiness were pops of cheddar.  The topping was a bit salty, but that didn't detract from the pleasure of eating it.

We did end up ordering one appie in the Bacon-Wrapped Scallops (didn't want to order more since some of our meals were large).  These were really good with huge scallops encased in fairly lean bacon.  In fact, the edges of the bacon were quite crispy and there wasn't a lot of flabbiness.  Beyond being huge, the scallops were cooked beautifully being still delicate and moist with its classic sweet bouncy texture.

I was trying to decide which soup to order and went head with both the Clam Chowder and Lobster Bisque.  So they arrived barely lukewarm, which was not appealing at all.  At the very least, the clam chowder was pretty decent in terms of viscosity, taste and amount of ingredients.  It did have some briny clam hints while it was creamy and satisfying.  However, the bisque was terrible.  It felt artificially thick and was super salty.  It tasted like roux with little else other than salt as a seasoning.  No lobster aroma at all.  I would avoid this.

For my main, I went basic with the Fish & Chips.  I thought the portion size was a bit small, but then again, it was one of the least expensive items on the menu.  The fish itself was flaky and moist with only the thinnest layer of batter on the outside.  It was a bit oil-logged though, which made it somewhat unappealing, but it was crispy.  The fries were standard-issue chain restaurant fries and even with that, they were not fried properly.  I found that they were limp and not crunchy.  The tartar was bright with sharp onion flavour while the slaw was crunchy but overdressed.

Viv also went light with the Lobster-Topped Stuffed Flounder with rice and broccoli.  On the menu, it stated that the fish was stuffed with seafood, but in reality, it was mostly on the bottom of the fish and a bit too pan-fried.  Again, this was a very salty concoction which totally required the fluffy rice/quinoa on the side for balance.  The fish was soft and tender though.  Side of broccoli was perfect though being cooked through while still crunchy and completely seasoned.

So far, the meal had been so-so, but with my son's Seafarer's Feast, it got a whole lot better.  It consisted of a broiled Maine lobster tail, garlic shrimp scampi, Walt's favourite shrimp and grilled sea scallops with rice and broccoli.  Beyond looking quite grand, the items were prepared perfectly.  The lobster was moist, flavourful and had that desired rebound texture.  Shrimp was also on point with plenty of garlicky butteriness.  Fried shrimp was crunchy on the outside with a meaty snap on the inside.  Scallops were aggressively grilled, yet were still delicate and buttery with a bite.

My daughter's meal was similar with the Seaside Shrimp Trio consisting of Walt's favourite shrimp, garlic shrimp scampi and creamy shrimp linguine alfredo.  Predictably, the fried shrimp and scampi were the same as the previous platter.  In terms of the linguine, it was surprisingly al dente and bathed in a creamy alfredo that had a good amount of tender shrimp in it.  Now as you can see, the last two, more expensive meals, were quite decent.  However, the rest of the meal (other than the scallops and biscuits) was rather sub-standard.  Also, they really love their salt here.  Sure, I guess this was to be expected at a large chain restaurant and I should have reasonable expectations.  With that, I guess if you spend some money and order the good stuff, you can have a decent meal here.

The Good:
- Those biscuits!
- More expensive platters are actually decent
- The service we got from our server was excellent

The Bad:
- Other items were mostly meh and far too salty
- Hostess was very indifferent
- Worst lobster bisque I've ever had 

 

Shanghai River

In the past 10 years, I have probably dined at Shanghai River like 20 odd times.  You see, my parents love the place and they like to stick with their favourites.  Hey, I like the place too as the food is solid including their XLBs.  However, I haven't posted about the place since 2013 I believe.  I guess it is as good of a time to do another one to see how their are currently.  We only went for morning Dim Sum this time around, but will go back for dinner one day (it is pretty good too).

We always seem to order the same dishes and that always starts with the  Chicken with Wine Sauce.  I find their version consistent and well-prepared.  The free-range chicken was firm (as it tends to be), but was still tender.  The skin was nicely gelatized while there was some gelatin underneath it.  The wine flavour was definitely there without being overwhelming.  It had penetrated the chicken, yet the excess amount on the plate added more aroma and extra kick.

One of our favourite dishes is the Shredded Chicken & Vermicelli (Mung Bean Noodles) with cucumber and sesame dressing.  The texture of the noodles were slippery and full of bite (in a pleasant rubbery way).  Lots of good mouth feel from the chew.  The shredded chicken was tender and moist while the crunchy cucumber added brightness.  As for the dressing, it was thick, slightly sweet and plenty nutty.  Very aromatic and tasty.

Something that we normally do not order is the Deep Fried Bean Curd Skin with Mushroom (Mock Goose).  I can never understand why this dish is so expensive but I guess it might be the labour put into making it.  This featured crispy bean curd skin sheets that were probably a bit too crispy.  I would've liked it to be more moist with some chew.  Inside, the tender shiitake were nicely seasoned being on the sweeter side.

So one of the must-order dishes is their Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai Soup Dumplings).  I would pit this against some of the best in town.  They are made-to-order (much like many XLB joints these days) and feature a relatively thin dumpling skin.  I wouldn't say it is Din Tai Fung thin, but it isn't as thick at say R&H in Lansdowne Mall.  Inside, the pork filling is tender and moist (while not falling apart either).  The soup is plentiful, sweet and meaty with a background Shaoxing wine hit.

A few under-the-radar items that are also quite good include the Homemade Sesame Cake (Shao Bing) and Chinese Donut.  They were also made-to-order where the donut was pretty much as good as it can get.  The exterior was crispy and light while not too greasy.  Inside, it was soft and airy (featuring air pockets) with a tender chew.  It was nicely salted where it stood on its own.  As for the shao bing, it was nicely baked with a nutty flavour.  It was crispy with discernible layers.  I do recommend you get the beef one as the plain is well, plain.

Now another favourite of ours is the Hot & Sour Soup.  I find that their broth does have some depth compared to other places.  Furthermore, the amount of ingredients is the right ratio to the amount of starch-thicken broth.  Julienned carrots and bamboo shoots as well as wood ear mushroom added crunch to the soup.  The shrimp are cooked just enough to retain a buttery snap.  We got the hot oil on the side so we could adjust the heat while the vinegariness was on point.

Moving onto the noodles, we always order the Szechuan Beef Noodles.  This is another solid dish where the slice beef shank is nearly melt-in-our-mouths tender without falling apart.  The broth is meaty with a medium spicy kick.  I personally could do with even more heat, but I guess we could add some chili oil.  There is more than enough white noodles underneath that are soft with just a touch of chew.

Even though we ordered the Dan Dan Noodles, it really isn't my favourite version.  Don't get me wrong, it is still fine, but I find it a bit soupy and too mild-tasting.  It is much more peanutty than anything else (has something to do with the fact it is the Shanghainese version).  Due to the nuttiness, it is aromatic and features a thick soup/sauce.  There is plenty of ground pork to give it body and texture.  The julienned cucumber adds a bright crunch.

Our kids love the Fried Shanghai-Style Rice Cakes and of course we ordered it.  This could've used a bit more colour, however, it was still pretty on point.  The rice cakes were soft and tender without being overly so.  They retained an appealing chewiness.  The dish wasn't too greasy and the seasoning was just right with enough dark soy.  Tender julienned pork and slightly wilted spinach finished the dish.

Another stealthily tasty dish is the Sticky Rice with Ribs (Pork Spareribs).  On top of the ample amount of soft sticky rice, the pieces of spareribs were tender with a good rebound texture.  They were fairly well-seasoned being salty with a touch of sweetness.  I would've like them to be even more aggressively seasoned because the rice was rather bland.  So in the end, this was another solid meal at Shanghai River.  Since food is subjective, some might consider other Shanghainese restaurants as being better (and I agree with this statement).  Yet, Shanghai River still sits up there near the top because it is consistent and delivers good food.

The Good:
- Consistently good
- Nice dining space
- Covered parking (and generally enough)

The Bad:
- It is good, but it can be argued that there are better 

 

Craffles (Yaletown)

So I'm sure you've noticed all the different waffle spots opening up in the past little while that include some rather interesting shapes.  Well, to be honest, I'm more into traditional-looking waffles personally.  However, at the same time, I am also on the look out for something different as well.  That brought me to Craffles with their newest location in Yaletown.  Their claim to fame is not only the variety of savoury and sweet waffles, but also the addition of crepes, acai bowls and monster milkshakes with a Brazilian twist.

Actually, the first thing we tried was straight-up authentic Brazilian in the Chicken Croquettes.  These were large and served up crunchy.  Beyond the thin outer layer, we found incredibly moist shredded chicken which was well-seasoned and aromatic.  It was also rather cheesy and that make the croquettes slightly creamy and rich.  With a bite of the outside, chicken and cheese, this was rather delicious and addictive. 

Before we got to the waffles, we tried their Brazilian Shrimp Stew Crepe.  Oh I really enjoyed this one as the stew was so flavourful and rich.  There was a certain sweetness complimented by the noticeable flavour of peppers as well as the briny shrimp.  Since they were stewed, the texture of the shrimp was soft (so don't be alarmed because it is supposed to be this way).  As for the crepe, it was medium-thick being tender with a chew. 

For our Belgium Waffle, we chose the Sweet Italian consisting of apricot compote, brie, prosciutto, walnuts and arugula.  This was indeed sweet due to the apricot jam, but the saltiness of the prosciutto provided the necessary balance.  There was a bevy of melty and creamy brie on top of the soft fluffy waffle (that still had a slight crispiness).  Walnuts and arugula added nuttiness and some peppery brightness.

Onto the most outrageous thing we had - the Celebration Strawberry Cheesecake Monster Milkshake.  So is it necessary to have such a large milkshake with graham crackers on the outside of the cup?  How about the large slice of cheesecake on top with strawberry sauce and whipped cream???  Yes, this was over-the-top, but I liked it.  The milkshake was creamy and easy to suck through the straw while the cheesecake was rich and just sweet enough.  You will need to share this.

Finally, we had the Volcano Explosion featuring 2 liege waffles with chocolate, ice cream and enough whipped cream for 10 waffles.  This was all topped off by chocolate and caramel sauce and a sparkler.  Visually striking and attention-grabbing?  Yes.  I could've done with less whipped cream, but the waffles were good being chewy with pops of sweetness.  Again, you should share this.  Overall, the creations at Craffles were good and with some Brazilian influences, it was unique.  Portions are pretty large, so it is best to share things rather than trying to eat them all by yourself.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Brazilian items were tasty
- Large portions
- Instagrammable (if that matters to you)

The Bad:
- Hard to finish some things as they are too big, you would need to come with more people to share  

 

Texas Smoke BBQ

Yet another post that has been a long time coming.  I first visited Texas Smoke BBQ way back last September.  I paid for my order and made my way home to eat it.  I ended up posting about it on IG and didn't blog about it.  This was mostly due to being lazy and being busy during that time.  Fast forward to the end of last year and I was invited back to try everything right next to the food cart on a property across from Driediger Farms.  I gathered up some of the foodie fam to join me on this food adventure including Maggi, Joyce and Joyce.

So this post will be a combination of both since there was a unique item in each visit.  Furthermore, I can comment on the consistency of the product and the difference between takeout and eating it right there.  So other than the Smoked Sausage being cut differently, it was practically the same as it is one of the items that travels well.  It was firm yet moist with a appealing snap casing.  Balanced smokiness combined with the mildly seasoned sausage.

Predictably, the Smoked Brisket did not travel as well where it dried out slightly.  Eating it at the food cart location was more ideal as the brisket was juicier and more moist.  It had also a balanced smokiness with a noticeable smoke ring.  Tasty bark and the BBQ sauce was rich and smoky.  Now the best item in my opinion was the Smoked Beef Short Rib.  This was succulent and tender, yet retain the classic short rib meatiness.  It was just smoky enough and also had a tasty bark.  This was deceiving as you would think one could eat a lot, but it was plenty filling.

So this is where both visits were unique as the take out featured Dr. Pepper Burnt Ends and the dine-in featured Smoked Chicken.  I found the burnt ends to be flavourful and the beneficiary of being smoked twice (intense flavour and sweet Dr. Pepper).  It could've been a touch softer, but still good.  As for the chicken, it was quite juicy for being smoked.  Of course the dark meat was more tender than the white meat.  I thought the skin was nicely rendered.  Both times I had the Pulled Pork and even though it was on the leaner side, it was still tender and full-flavoured.  Once again, the BBQ sauce helped with the moisture and also the smoky tanginess.

So with all the meats out of the way, we can now talk about the sides.  If you scroll back up, we had some Smoked Baked Beans which were tender with a bite.  They weren't too sweet and of course were smoky.  The Sweet Corn Bread was fantastic being soft and fluffy while still having the robust texture of corn bread.  It was definitely sweet, but not overly so.  Very aromatic.  All the meals are served with Coleslaw, pickles, onions and banana peppers.  I found the slaw to be supremely fresh both times and crunchy.  Good way to counteract all of the heaviness of the meats and sides.  Could've used a bit more dressing though.  From these two visits, I can definitely say that the food is consistent and delicious.  Best to eat it right as you get it since they do have a covered eating area.  It is outdoors, so maybe do it when it is warmer.  They are planning to have some live music in the Summer months.

*First visit was on my own coin, but the subsequent visit was complimentary*

The Good:
- Consistent BBQ
- Reasonably-priced considering the high food costs these days
- Nice people

The Bad:
- A little out-of-the-way for people outside of Surrey/Langley, but worth the drive IMO
- Small eating area (but may expand in the future)  

 

Marble House Eatery

Okay, I'm a little late to the party here with my post on Marble House Eatery...  All the hype and social media posts were on full display many months ago, but I was too busy to make it out there.  So for those who do not know, Marble House Eatery took over Top Gun Hot Pot in Crystal Mall.  They still have a reasonably-priced AYCE hot pot while also retaining Dim Sum service during the daytime.  Furthermore, they have been advertising their BBQ duck, in particular, one to takeout for a discounted price of $20.00.

So we gathered up the family, including the grandparents, to check the place out.  As such we ordered plenty of food including the Steamed Chicken Feet in sweet bean sauce.  These were fairly large in size and plump.  They were fried and then braised properly where the skin was tender while the fat/cartilage underneath was soft.  The flavour was indeed sweet, but also balanced off with enough savouriness as well as ample diced garlic.

As always, we also got the Steamed Garlic Spare Ribs with black beans.  As evidenced clearly in the picture, most pieces were the desirable bone portions.  Hence, there was very little fat and cartilage.  The meat was the right texture having a rebound with natural meatiness.  Seasoning was on point with enough saltiness for impact while the black beans and garlic came through.

So we ended up selecting 2 different Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls including shrimp and Chinese donut.  Although the rice noodle was torn with the shrimp, it was delicate, thin and soft.  It could've used a bit more elasticity, but it was fine.  The shrimp was medium-sized and were cold-water crunchy.  As for the donut, it was not really all that crispy anymore, but it was not dense.  Decent amount of dried pork floss on top.

Now onto the most important dish in any Dim Sum service, we had the Ha Gau (Steamed Shrimp Dumplings).  These were on the smaller side and featured a medium-thick dumpling skin.  It was full of elasticity and ate much better than it appeared.  Inside, the shrimp filling was quite good being sweet with enough seasoning (including background sesame oil).  Texturally, the shrimp had a moist snap.

The other dish that is a standard in Dim Sum is the Truffle Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai.  Well, maybe not the truffle, as it is more of recent trend, but the dumpling itself is a classic.  These were quite good where there was an equal amount of shrimp and pork.  The pork itself had a nice rebound texture while the shrimp had a buttery snap.  There was minimal amount of pork fat, yet the dumpling was still tender and juicy.  Seasoning was mild, but the ample truffle was impactful.

Normally, I would order some form of tripe, but I noticed on the menu there was a Beef Offal Hot Pot.  Yes, of course I had to get that!  This consisted of honeycomb tripe, spleen, lung, tendon and brisket with daikon.  I found this to be a bit bland, but I guess dipping the offal into hot sauce or hot oil was expected anyways.  Things were tender where the tripe still had a bite.  Brisket was a bit chewy, even though it was cooked enough.

There was no doubt we'd get the Shrimp Spring Rolls since the kids love them.  These were pretty good with a crunchy exterior that wasn't overly greasy.  Inside, the shrimp filling was in large chunks that were buttery with a snap texture.  They were seasoned well where the saltiness balanced the sweetness.  I liked how the shrimp weren't packed too tight while still not falling apart either.

One of the things here is that they cook certain dishes table side.  One of which is the Beef & Fish Congee.  So the ingredients were raw, so it did actually cook in the congee itself.  It was a little unnerving watching it because the staff were pretty busy.  I really wanted to stir it myself as it looked to be cooking quite rapidly.  In the end, they finished it off and it was not bad.  I thought the thickness was there and the seasoning was a bit light.  Fish and beef were tender.

Another item heated up table side was the Beef Brisket Noodles.  Since the items in this dish were already cooked, this was all about heating it up.  I thought this way, the noodles were a little overdone.  Soup was piping hot, but needed a bit more seasoning in my opinion.  There was ample brisket hidden underneath the noodles, but similar to the offal hot pot, I found it to be on the chewier side.

So the Salted Fish & Chicken Hot Pot Rice was also prepared on the dining room floor as well, just not at our table.  It was also on a butane burner and came out hot.  There was somewhat of a socarrat stuck to the bottom of the pot that was nutty and crunchy.  The rest of the rice was dry enough to have some nuttiness of its own.  I thought there could've been more chicken on top though.  It was tender and the salted fish added all the flavour that was needed.

One of my favourite Dim Sum dishes is the Bean Curd Skin Roll.  The one here was everything that I like about it.  First of all, the fried bean curd skin was chewy, yet tender at the same time.  Second, the filling was full of succulent and bouncy pork.  Lastly, the sauce was thick enough to adhere to the rolls (didn't get watered down by the steaming).  The flavour was just salty enough for impact.  Didn't matter though, I dipped it into Worcestershire.

Interestingly, the Beef Meatballs were in a certain shade of bright brown rather than the usual dull grey colour.  Maybe they used more dark soy?  Anyways, that didn't change the flavour much as it was still mild with a touch of sweetness.  Texturally, the meatballs were buttery soft with some firmness.  I liked how they didn't add too much green onion, so it wasn't overwhelming.

Onto dessert, we had the Egg Tarts as well as the Steamed Sponge Cake.  I found the egg tarts to be "okay".  The filling was good being silky, yet a bit too sweet.  However, the shell was a bit pale looking.  It was still flaky, but could've done with more colour.  Sponge cake was soft and fluffy while being only semi-sweet.  This was the better of the 2 desserts.  In the end, the Dim Sum was quite good with a few things that could've been better.  Service was friendly even though they were running around (probably hard to get a enough staff).  I would come back.

The Good:
- Decent Dim Sum
- Spacious seating
- Novelty of things cooked at your table

The Bad:
- Some refinement needed in particular dishes