Lee Garden (Coquitlam)

For those who are familiar with the Lee Garden chain, their first location opened on Kingsway in Burnaby back in 2014.  They added a second location in Surrey on Scott Road a few years later.  However, that one didn't really last as it quietly closed during the pandemic.  Alas, it is still a 2-restaurant chain as it took over the vacated Grand Palace in Henderson Centre in Coquitlam.  Before that, it originally opened as Kirin.  I guess 3rd times the charm right?  So we decided to check it out one day after the biggest snowfall of 2022.  Good thing we have an SUV with snow tires!

Interestingly, the first item to arrive was the Lo Mei Gai (Steamed Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves).  I guess they had some on the go already.  This one sported some wild rice which added both colour and texture to the soft and glutinous rice.  Hidden in the middle was an equal amount of moist ground pork that was mildly seasoned.  There was enough starch-thicken sauce to add some extra flavour to the rice.

One of our "go to" items is the XO Lo Bak Goh (or Daikon Radish Cake) and as such, we ordered it as usual.  They prepared this dish with enormous chunks of radish cake and hence, the texture was a bit softer and delicate.  We didn't mind this as a denser variation would not be pleasing to eat.  The exterior was a bit crispy and not overly greasy.  We would've liked to see more XO brininess and spice though as this dish was a bit flat.

Since my son loves brisket and noodles, we got the Crystal Noodles with Brisket and Tendon Hot Pot.  As you can see, there was much more tendon that brisket (to my son's dismay...).  However, I love tendon, so it didn't bother me one bit.  It was especially good that the texture was just right being soft while retaining a bite.  The brisket was equally good being tender and not dry.  I wish there was a bit more sauce to go with the slippery and chewy noodles though.

Another one of his favourite dim sum items is the classic Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Bun).  Yep, we got that too and it was pretty good.  Looking at the picture, it is clear that there was plenty of BBQ pork filling nestled in the soft steamed bun.  There was the random fatty piece, but most of the pork was fairly lean.  The filling wasn't overly saucy, but there was enough glaze to keep things sweet and moist.

We ended up getting 2 rice noodle rolls in the Prawn Rice Noodle Roll and the Crispy Fish Paste Rice Noodle Roll.  Sporting a medium thickness, the rice noodle was slippery and somewhat soft.  It did have some elasticity and chew.  The prawn were of a good size and exhibited a meaty snap texture.  Loved the addition of flowering chives as they added both brightness and texture.  We weren't huge fans of the crispy fish paste as it was rather dense and inundated with far too much green onion (do we really need it on both the rice noodle and in the paste?).

Now to the one of the, if not the most important Dim Sum dish - Ha Gau (Steamed Crystal Prawn Dumplings).  These were decent in size and featured medium-thick dumpling skin. The skin could've been a bit thinner, but it did exhibit some elasticity and was not overly dense.  Inside, the shrimp filling was moist and buttery.  There was a good snap texture where the pork fat added aroma and the aforementioned butteriness.

Wait...  Where is the Siu Mai???  Well, you'll have to wait because we had to!  Anyways, let's get to the offal part of the meal with the Steamed Chicken Feet in house special sauce.  These were a bit on the smaller side, but okay nevertheless.  The skin was tender while the cartilage and fat underneath were also soft.  They weren't as plump as I would've liked though.  Flavours were good with a garlicky sweetness.

Right next to it was the Steamed Beef Tendon and Honeycomb Tripe.  This was a bit small in portion size as you can clearly see in the picture.  Not much in the way of tendon and not really all that much tripe either.  At least we got our fill of tendon in the noodle hot pot.  Texturally, both ingredients were on point with the tendon being soft while the tripe having a certain meatiness to go with its soft chew.  This was plenty seasoned with equal parts saltiness and sweetness.

Off to another one of our favs, the Steamed Pork Spareribs with Pumpkin. Normally, we like to order this with rice in a clay pot, but since we had some noodles coming our way, we just got them on their own.  I found these to be a bit over-tenderized where the bouncy chew of the ribs was missing.  Now they were super tender though, but a little soft.  There was plenty of garlicky goodness though and it would've went well with rice.

Yes, just like we always do, we ordered the Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls with garlic.  If the kids had their way, we'd order 3 of them!  But we got just one and they were pretty good.  These were served hot where the wrapper was wound decently tight enough for a firm crunch.  Greasiness was modest with some glistening parts.  The shrimp filling was moist with a nice rebound.  Lots of garlicky savouriness as well.

As mentioned, here is the Braised E-Fu (Yee Mein) with assorted seafood.  This was supposed to be spicy, but due to some people at the table not wanting spice, we chose for it to be plain.  That didn't mean it did not have any taste though.  It was definitely salty enough.  The noodles were soft but still had a chew while the small pieces of seafood were cooked properly.  I liked how they added small chunks of eggplant as well.

Another larger item was the Seafood Congee.  This came in a much bigger bowl, but for my own serving, I had pieces of squid and prawn in mine.  The congee base was a bit on the thinner side, but still good.  This was drinkable rather than being too thick.  Seasoning was mild where the seafood provided much of the sweetness.  They were cooked properly with flaky fish, tender squid and bouncy prawns.

One of my favourite Dim Sum dishes is the Bean Curd Skin Roll.  I always order it, but not everyone likes it as much as I do.  So I end up eating most of it.  Oh poor me...  LOL...  This one was pretty good with tender, yet still chewy bean curd skin.  Inside, the pork filling was meaty yet tender with more of a natural texture.  The starch-thickened sauce was mild, but still provided some saltiness.

Looking a bit flat, the Beef Meatballs were much better than they appeared.  The whipped meat was bouncy and tender, yet we found little bits of meat that provided natural texture.  They didn't overdo it with the green onion, so it wasn't overly green and herb tasting.  It was mildly seasoned though and it truly needed the side of Worcestershire sauce.  On a side note, why do they always give too little of that? 

Lastly, we had the missing Siu Mai (Steamed Pork & Shrimp Dumplings) that I mentioned earlier.  We waited an extra 20 minutes from the time we received our previous dish.  Maybe they were short-staffed due to the snow?  Anyways, these were also good with bouncy shrimp and meat chunks of pork.  Texturally, they were buttery and well-seasoned.  We didn't end up having dessert due to the amount of dishes we ordered.  Yes, we can actually be full sometimes...  We felt the Dim Sum here at this location of Lee Garden to be acceptable and generally above average.  Service as a bit slow, but I'm sure they were short-staffed due to the snow.

The Good:
- Generally above-average food
- Nicely appointed dining space (same as before with Grand Palace and Kirin)
- Indoor parking so you don't have to brave the elements outside

The Bad:
- Things were a bit slow, but maybe due to the lack of staff

House of Chicken

If I seem to be going on and on about food prices these days, it is with good reason.  You see, I'm very fortunate that I can afford to buy groceries and eat out.  So I'm acutely aware that the bottom line is very important to many people.  This brings me to the newly-opened House of Chicken on Scott Road.  It is directly related to Chicken World, so if the menu items look familiar, you aren't hallucinating.  In fact, this concept is a sit-down full-service restaurant with a "blues"-type atmosphere and vibe to go with shockingly low-prices for their food.  A family of 4 can come eat here and have leftovers for less than $50.00!

With a name like House of Chicken, it isn't a surprise they have Fried Chicken as well as Grilled Chicken.  Yes, these are exactly like you would find at Chicken World (which is a good thing).  Sporting a crunchy coating, the fried chicken is juicy and moist while nicely seasoned.  As for the grilled, it can also be original or spicy. For this one, it has a definite kick.  Skin is well-rendered and the meat is juicy and tender.

Featured prominently on the menu are their burgers including the Nashville Hot (there are 2 of them in this picture), Classic and Mega Crunch.  If you've been to Chicken World, then you have had these before.  Served on a soft but sturdy bun, the fried chicken thighs are juicy with a uniformly crunchy exterior.  These can be had in either original or spicy.  My pick is the Mega Crunch featuring 2 large fried chicken thighs.

Also on the menu is a few options for those who do not want chicken in the form of their Veggie Burger and Philly Cheesesteak.  Unlike other versions, their veggie patty is made with paneer and then fried.  Hence, the texture is much softer and moist.  The crunch of the exterior gives it a great contrast.  As for their cheesesteak, it features thin slices of beef that are lean, yet not chewy.  It features peppers, onions and cheese in a soft roll.

For their version of Popcorn Chicken, they use large pieces of dark meat that could easily pass for nuggets.  This is a version of popcorn chicken that needs to be shared or if it is all you are eating , you will be full!.  Naturally, these feature the same crunchy seasoned batter as the fried chicken.  Also similar is the juicy and well-seasoned chicken.  On the side, there is a spicy and sweet chili dip.

Beyond their fried chicken and burger options, they also have a few daily Indian specials.  On Wednesdays, they have the Grilled Chicken Skewer atop spiced chicken rice for $7.99.  This is more than enough for one person where the chicken is flavourful with spiciness.  Despite not looking as such, the chicken is tender and juicy.  Underneath, the ample amount of chicken rice is fluffy while chewy with spices.

Also available as a daily special on Mondays, the Chicken Biryani features large pieces of chicken thigh nestled within the spiced rice for $9.99.  I found the chicken to be succulent and spicy while the chewy (in a good way) rice was equally hot.  Full of flavour and a steal for the price.  Due to popular demand for this item, it is available every day of the week for the non-special price.  On weekends, they offer Hungry Habibi Hours that includes chicken biryani, butter naan bread, pink tea and dessert. It is available from Friday to Sunday from 5:00 - 10:00pm.

In terms of sweets, they have milkshakes such as the Mango Milkshake (there is Oreo too!) as well as Cheesecake.  The shake is creamy and purposefully sweet while the cheesecake was quite light and airy with plenty of cheesiness.  It is on the sweeter side due to the caramel drizzle.  As you can see from this post, the food at House of Chicken is very affordable and well-portioned.  Add in the fact that the food is delicious as well, then you have a real winner.  I actually work nearby so, I am going to be quite the regular now and grab some takeout for lunch!

 *All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Inexpensive (almost unbelievable)
- Generous portions

The Bad:
- Could add a few more options for sides

 

Sushi Hil

I'm sure the rising cost of almost everything is quite noticeable these days.  Inflation is real and is hitting restaurants hard.  To get a premium sushi experience these days, the price has gone up considerably.  Places I've visited in the past are now out-of-reach for many people.  However, there is a new spot on Main Street that offers up premium sushi for a not-so-premium price.  I mean it isn't "cheap", but the value is definitely there.  Sushi Hil by Chef Hil Nguy (who opened Temaki Sushi) is a no-fuss experience where the ingredients are high-quality and prepared with care.  I finally was able to make it out to see why it has been garnering so many accolades since it opened.

There is no Omakase here, rather, you merely order a la carte from their focused menu.  We started with something simple, yet often not done right, the Spinach Gomaae.  However, in this case, it was really good.  Beyond the perfectly-textured spinach (cooked through and tender, but still had a slight crunch), the sesame dressing was so full of aroma and intense sweetness.  This was sesame-forward like it should be.

As intense as the gomaae was, we moved onto the New York Steak Tataki which was much more subtle.  For some, the ponzu sauce might've be too mild, but this allowed the natural beef flavour to come through.  Also, if it was too acidic, the dish would be out-of-balance.  As for the thin slices of NY steak, they were buttery tender while still retaining a meaty texture.

For our next item, we went even more mild with the Oyster Motoyaki.  Loved the motoyaki sauce as it was creamy with a good hit of acidity.  Hidden within, we found plump chunks of briny oyster mixed with tender spinach leaves and mushrooms.  Due to the amount of these ingredients, there was an excess amount of liquid at the bottom of the shell.  However, the liquid did taste great with the sweetness of the oyster and earthiness of the mushrooms.

For good measure, we also had the King Salmon Tataki in addition to our New York Steak Tataki.  Oh this was such a treat as the king salmon was super buttery and required little-to-no chewing.  It was supremely fresh with the bright taste of the sea.  Once again, the ponzu dressing was restrained where it allowed the main ingredient to be the star of the show.  Loved the crunchy garnish with the cucumber and radish as it added texture.

For $45.00, the Sashimi Moriawase was very reasonably-priced in my mind.  It featured 15 pieces consisting of shima aji, kanpachi, madai, hamachi, amaebi, hotate, tako and tuna gomaae.  The slices of fish were fresh with a nice sheen and clean taste.  Absolutely loved the amaebi as it was bursting with natural sweetness.  Also, the tuna gomaae was excellent featuring the same impactful dressing as the spinach gomaae.

Now the sashimi was awesome, but the Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna Tasting was the highlight of the meal.  Again, for $48.00, we found this a good value as it featured 2 pieces each of Negitoro, Chutoro, Otoro and Akami.  Believe me, this was such a treat with super buttery and sweet bluefin.  My favourite was the fatty otoro followed by the soft chutoro.  I could eat these 2 all day long!

Just for curiosity's sake, we added the King Oshi with shiso, serrano chili and tare sauce.  Naturally, the salmon was just as buttery and soft as the tataki, but offering up more aroma due to the activation of the fats from the torching.  The sushi rice was on point with an appealing chew that contrasted the soft salmon.  A definite kick was provided by the thin slice of serrano while the tare added a sweet saltiness.

To end things off with a bang with the A5 Wagyu Nigiri as well as the Hokkaido Uni Nigiri.  For myself, I feel that the A5 Wagyu nigiri was a steal for $10.00 a piece.  Lightly torched and sauced, the buttery and fatty slice of beef provided both luxurious texture and aromatics.  So decadent.  Not to be outdone, the Hokkaido uni was bright and sweet with the definite taste of the sea.  A bit of wasabi on top for some bite.  These were 2 really nice bites to end off a fantastic meal.  The quality of the ingredients and their preparation blew me away, especially for the price.  This is a real gem here and I recommend that you head down to Sushi Hil if you enjoy premium sushi.  I will be returning for sure (actually have resos already).

The Good:
- Premium ingredients
- Prepared properly
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Would like an Omakase menu (maybe in the future?)
- Place is really small, make resos and don't bring a large group

Published on Main

So you know the saying that "you can never have too much of a good thing?", well I think it is completely true when we are referring to Published on Main.  Fresh off a visit back in September, I felt that I needed to come back again.  Not only do I love the food there, the biggest reason for another visit was that Viv had never been.  So I took her there for her birthday and coincidentally, I made the rez just prior to Published being awarded a Michelin star.  Oh and also being recognized as one of the best restaurants in the world as well.

With those lofty expectations, we started simply with the Chips & Dip.  Yes, this isn't the most sexiest dish on the menu, but it is one of my favourites.  Those thick cut house potato chips arrived crunchy and nicely salted.  The accompanying sour cream and onion dip was the perfect temperature being cool and creamy.  There was a natural sweetness from the onions as well as a background sharpness.  What really made the dip was the smoked fish as there was an appealing fishiness and depth.

Next up was the Chicken Fried Maitake with garlic scape ranch.  Although there was no meat in this dish, the meatiness of the mushrooms made this rather fulfilling.  Beyond the aggressive crunch of the cornmeal batter, the maitake were tender with a meaty chew.  Creamy and aromatic, the ranch helped cool things down, much like the sour cream dip, but with more effect since the mushrooms were hot.  As much as garlic scapes can be rather strong flavoured, the dip was balanced.

One of the prettiest dishes was the Albacore Crudo with an ajo blanco, almonds, olive and lemon.  It ate as well as it looked where the tuna was super buttery with a fresh taste of the sea.  Underneath, the ajo blanco was rich but had a nice bit of acidity to compliment the fish.  The crunch of the almond crumble added the necessary texture as well as nuttiness.  Providing saltiness and a touch more tang, the olives were more than a garnish.

Continuing on with the seafood, we had the Roasted Octopus with turnips and a lemon guajillo dressing.  I found the texture of the octopus to be perfect for my liking.  Often, restaurants overcompensate for the chewy texture of octopus by making it too soft.  Here, the tentacles still had a good chew but was not hard to eat.  That dressing was just plain delicious where it had great acidity as well as a smoky and sweet finish.

One of my favourite dishes at Published is their Winter Squash.  I was pretty glad that they still had this on the menu. It featured roasted squash with a pepita miso glaze, fermented currants and a koji butter sauce.  The glaze itself was almost like a brulee and had an intense sweetness accented by a rich saltiness.  The sweet squash was firm, yet still tender.  To add even more luxuriousness to this dish, the koji butter sauce was rich, yet not too heavy.

We ended up ordering 2 of their features for the night including the Pickerel Filet with rosti, celery, Brussels sprouts and green dashi butter.  The fish couldn't have been prepared any better.  It was flaky, buttery and moist while the skin was crispy and well-salted.  That green dashi butter tasted like its colour yet was not heavy.  The accompaniments were excellent as well with vibrant veggies and a crispy rosti.

The other feature was the Beef Cheek with red wine cabbage puree, German gnocchi and Brussels sprouts.  Gelatinous and fork tender, the beef cheek was rich and delicious.  However, the puree was just a bit too tangy for our tastes.  It was in a beautiful shade of violet though and really popped.  Those gnocchi had a great mouth feel with a slight chew giving way to fluffiness.  Nice sear on them with a butteriness.

Onto dessert, the Elderflower Mousse with yogurt sorbet and lemon verbena was plated interestingly and was rather functional.  Alternating between sorbet and verbena, the sliced discs were easy to pick up and eat.  Nice tang on both while the verbena was super creamy.  I gotta say that this meal lived up to our expectations.  I've never had a bad experience at Published and I think they are fully deserving of their Michelin star.  Of course I'll be back sometime soon.

The Good:
- Beautifully plated and delicious food
- On point, but not fussy, service
- Excellent cocktails

The Bad:
- Can get pricey since 3 dishes (excluding dessert) at minimum per person is needed to be satisfied
- Getting a table these days is difficult

Arike

Back when it first opened, I had hit up Arike out on Davie Street.  It was one of the rare African restaurants in the GVRD and even more unique, it had a Nigerian focus.  I came away quite satisfied with my meal, but apparently, this was confusing for people looking for Nigerian cuisine.  It was not the big share portions of home-style cooking normally associated with Nigerian cuisine.  So on this recent visit with Mijune, we discovered they feature only a tasting-menu that focuses on a variety of dishes that have African-influenced flavours and ingredients.  I guess they are doing something right as they have been recently graced with the Michelin-recommended status.

For $65.00, we felt this was a reasonable price for a tasting menu in a Downtown restaurant.  We began with the Herbed Foccacia with peanut hummus and chili oil.  Normally, I don't rave about bread, but I'm going to do it this time.  Crispy and nutty on the outside, the foccacia was soft and warm on the inside.  That peanut hummus was smooth with a spicy nuttiness that elevated the bread.  I could put spoonfuls of that in my mouth.

Up next, we had something I wouldn't have expected, but at the same time, shows the creativity of the chef.  Featuring a beautiful lightly torched Scallop atop jerk pork belly rice, this was a great interpretation of nigiri.  Beyond the buttery sweetness of the fresh scallop, the luxurious and richness of the rice underneath was a nice counterbalance.  Add in the sharpness of ginger and the tang of lemon, there was enough acidity to make the flavours pop.

Pretty with mandarin, mint and coconut ricotta, the red kuri Squash "tart" was perfectly-placed in the progression of dishes in the tasting menu.  The squash base was sweet, nutty and soft.  The addition of mandarin added some sweet and juicy tanginess to break up the heaviness of the squash.  Providing some crunch, we had some nuts and creamy aromatics was provided by the ricotta.  To top it off literally and figuratively, we had the herbaceous hit of the mint.

After this fairly rich course, we were treated to a Palette Cleanser in the form of lemon ginger granita.  Once again, the use of lemon and ginger provided a refreshing combination of acidity and sharpness.  This took away any of the flavours of the last dish.  The granita was fluffy, yet crunchy at the same time.  It did not melt and was consistent in texture.

Good thing we had the palette cleanser as it allowed us to enjoy the Duck ravioli to the fullest.  This was an overstuffed creation with perfectly thin and al dente pasta encasing a considerable amount of moist and tender duck (that also had a good rebound texture).  On top we found some grated cured egg yolk, pickled mustard seed and fermented iru bean.  I can't tell you how delicious this was where the duck was definitely the star.  I found the flavours of the other ingredients to be complimentary and in balance.

My favourite course was the Lamb shoulder sausage atop chermoula with pickled carrots and grilled yam pita.  That sausage was so juicy and well-spiced, I would've been happy with it alone on a plate.  However, the chermoula complimented the rich sausage with acidity and brightness.  The carrots added another layer of tanginess and a bit of crunch.  Loved the soft chewiness of the yam pita as it was a nice foil to the meat.  The trick here was to have everything in one bite.

For dessert, we were served the black Sesame cake with cappuccino panna cotta with cardamom and ginger.  Soft and warm, the sesame cake was nutty and only semi-sweet.  Digging into the panna cotta, it revealed a creaminess accented by spice and slight sharpness.  I enjoyed how this dessert was more about subtly rather than sweetness.  In the end, I was truly blown away with the tasting menu at Arike.  It was thoughtful and the progression of courses made sense.  I love the direction they have taken with the menu as it is creative and delicious.  I will be back 100%.

The Good:

- Just downright delicious

- Creative incorporation of African spices and influences

- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:

- Currently open everyday in December, but only on Friday and Saturdays in January, hence it will be difficult to get a reservation

- Location is a bit hidden, but IYKYK

La Meza Grill

It has been awhile since I've been back to La Meza Grill.  I personally think it is one of the best, if not the best Filipino restaurant in the Lower Mainland.  The place isn't fancy, but it is modern and comfortable, complete with a Filipino grocery store attached to it.  I've said it before and have said it again, I'm still waiting for Filipino food to be the "it" cuisine.  They've been saying for years that it will happen and well, it hasn't.  Whatever the case, I brought my resident Filipino food expert in Steph to ensure that I'm not liking something that I shouldn't.

Trying to hit some of their greatest hits, we started with the Lumpiang Shanghai.  These Filipino spring rolls were on point featuring the classic thin wrapper.  It was wound up tightly enough so that the layers were crunchy.  I enjoyed how they were not overly greasy.  Inside, the pork filling was excellent.  It was juicy and delicate with a good rebound texture.  There was also no absence of flavour where the sweetness from the onions and veggies came through.  This was served with a side of sweet & sour sauce.

Moving on, we also had the Pork BBQ skewer.  As you can see in the picture, this was beautifully charred and sporting a sweet banana ketchup-based glaze.  They used pork belly and that resulted in very tender and fatty pieces of meat.  With the fat activated, there was plenty of natural pork flavour that was caramelized by the grilling.  With the charring of the sweet glaze, there was both smokiness and intense caramel notes.

We really couldn't be dining on Filipino food without including the Crispy Pata right?  So of course we ordered it!  This was excellent where it was pretty large and also fried up beautifully.  The pork hock meat was gelatinous and super tender.  Now the best part is the crackling and it was crunchy while not being hard.  It was almost airy with some sinful fat and gelatin underneath.  As usual, it was served with a soy vinegar dip on the side.

One item I've never had before was the Bulalo or beef bone marrow and mixed veggie soup.  This was a great suggestion by Steph as it was comforting, especially during these cold days.  This wasn't a complex soup, but it had a good meatiness complemented by the sweetness of corn, cabbage and bak choy.  Hidden underneath, there was quite a bit of tender beef shank.  This could be eaten as a meal by itself.

Continuing on the greatest hits of Filipino cuisine, we got the Filipino Spaghetti.  To be honest, I really like this dish, so it didn't matter if it was rather defaultish.  The pasta was prepared fairly al dente and it was sauced with the classic sweet tomato and banana ketchup mix (maybe a bit too sweet).  There was plenty of ground pork and beef with minor hints of onion. I would've liked to see a bit more hot dog wiener though.

Another favourite of mine is the Pork Sisig or aka sizzling pig face.  Yes, that doesn't sound super appetizing, but trust me, it is!  The fatty and gelatinous texture of the fatty meat crisps up with the hot cast iron plate.  Despite the heaviness of the main ingredient, things are balanced by the calamansi as well as the lemon wedge on the side.  This is best eaten with a side of garlic rice, which of course we also ordered. 

To complete all of our savoury dishes, we had another classic in the Mixed Pancit featuring stir-fried egg and rice noodles with chicken, pork, shrimp and vegetables.  At first, I thought this was a bit too mild-tasting, but as I dug into it more and mixed everything together, we found hits of garlic, sweetness and brininess.  Noodles were slippery and not clumpy while the veggies were cooked through without being soggy.

Hey, if we were doing the greatest hits, we just had to get the Halo Halo for dessert!   This had all of the elements including the base of shaved ice, gelatin, beans, flan, ube ice cream and evaporated milk.  However, the ice itself was not crushed properly where there was literally a big ice cube in the middle.  Oh well, just one minor detail in an otherwise delicious and affordable meal at La Meza.  If you haven't had Filipino food before, this is a great place to try it.  Portions are large and prices are small.  Did I mention it was yummy too?

The Good:
- On point food
- Inexpensive
- Large portions

The Bad:
- Not the biggest place, so not a lot of room for large groups
- Hopefully the next time I have the Halo Halo, there isn't a large ice cube in the middle