Neptune Palace (The Amazing Brentwood)

It seems like there is some form of Neptune restaurant almost every mall in the Lower Mainland.  Whether it be Neptune Wonton, Neptune Seafood Restaurant or the higher-end Neptune Palace, this is the largest chain of Chinese restaurants locally.  So I've been to practically all of them and of course when they opened up a Neptune Palace at The Amazing Brentwood, I was there with bells on...  (because I live near there).  Finally!  A nicer Cantonese restaurant in the neighbourhood.

So the place isn't all that big, so I could imagine Dim Sum being overly packed.  We came for dinner first during their soft opening.  Hence, their menu was rather basic, but we made due.  We began with the Fish Maw & Crab Meat Soup which has to be one of the best we've had in quite some time.  First of all, the fish maw was good quality and prepared properly where it was silky and soft while not completely melted away.  Secondly, there was so much crab leg meat, it seemed like there was a whole crab in the soup.  It was good crab meat too being springy and fluffy.  As for the soup base, it was flavourful with depth and the viscosity was bang on.

Although it is generally thought of as a basic dish, we absolutely love Sweet & Sour Pork.  In fact, we like to judge restaurants on their execution as we feel it is something they should nail.  This they did with large chunks of pork belly which had a nice rebound and fattiness.  Hence, the meat was juicy and tender.  The sauce was a bit on the sweeter side, but the tanginess was definitely evident.  Moreover, there was just enough of it.

Off to some seafood, we got the Wok Fried Scallops and Prawns with snap peas and celery.  As illustrated in the picture, you can see the beautifully plump scallops and butterflied prawns.  They were prepared perfectly where the scallops were slightly rare while the prawns had a sweet snap.  Seasoning was a bit mild, but that was fine for this dish.  The veggies were crunchy and vibrant.

Since the choices were so limited, we went for a ol' standby being the Crispy Fried Chicken complete with classic shrimp chips.  This was also prepared nicely with crispy well-rendered skin.  The chicken itself was brined, so that the meat was juicy while completely seasoned.  Hence, the breast meat was not dry all and subsequently, the dark meat was super juicy and flavourful.

We went big with a meaty 3lb Crab prepared with cream sauce and on a bed of wonton noodles.  This live crab was really good as it was meaty with lots of bouncy and briny sweet leg and body meat.  The cream sauce was thickened just enough and had the rich taste of butter.  We opted for 2 bundles of wonton noodles and it was perfect for the amount of sauce.  Furthermore, it was cooked just enough that it was still al dente.

Lastly, we got the Yeung Chow Fried Rice with the usual BBQ pork, egg and suprisingly large shrimp rather than the smaller ones.  This had enough wok heat where the rice was nutty and dry.  The dish was properly seasoned and there was more than enough ingredients.  Overall, the meal was quite good and much better than any other Neptune I've been too.  Pricing is on the higher end though.  I think Neptune Palace is a good addition o the North Burnaby and they do not have much immediate competition nearby except for Grand Dynasty on the other side of the highway.

The Good:
- Above-average eats
- Excellent service
- Decent portion size

The Bad:
- Dining room is rather small
- Pricing is on the higher end

Burger Bender @ Match Eatery & Public House (Delta)

Last year, I visited the Queensborough Match Eatery and tried every option (including sides) in their Burger Bender menu.  All the burgers were really good and I absolutely loved the one with the house-made donuts.  Well, Burger Bender is back and with a few new options including some ol' favourites.  Since I've not visited the newly opened Math Eatery & Public House in the Cascades Casino out in Ladner, I selected that location when I was invited out to try all the burgers.

Love the new spot as it is modern, yet not overdone.  The casino itself is beautiful with plenty of parking.  Onto the burgers, we dug into one of the new creations in the Mighty Mushroom.  This huge burger sported a 6oz chuck smash patty, sauteed crimini and button mushrooms, Boursin, dijonaise, lettuce, tomato and onion on brioche.  Suffice to say, this was pretty messy and plenty flavourful with the cheesiness of Boursin and the plethora of mushrooms.  On the side, we had the Dirty Fries topped with Cajun butter, chip dip, hot sauce, parmesan and bacon.  Lots going on here including spice, tanginess, sweet, salty, smoky and cheesy.

My personal favourite was the French Onion Big Dipper that featured a side of French onion soup.  Beyond the already delicious combination of beef patty, onion ring, double Swiss, caramelized onions, arugula and dijonnaise on a toasted brioche bun, the trick was to dip it into the soup.  One might think that that's just too much onion for one burger, but it was just right.  The sweetness of the caramelized onions were nicely complimented by the mild saltiness of the soup (that had slivered onions in it as well).  Add in the crunchy and slightly more sharp onion, we found layers of onion flavour.  On the side, there was a Caesar Salad that had plenty of parmesan and a house-made creamy dressing.

Also featured on the previous Burger Bender menu, the BBQ Ranch Hand is one monster of a burger with a steak spice beef patty, pulled pork, fried onion ring, cheddar cheese, coleslaw and spicy BBQ sauce on a pretzel bun.  This was bold and full-flavoured with spice, tang and sweetness.  Naturally, will 2 types of meat, it was also quite filling.  Love the use of a pretzel bun as it stood up well to the rest of the ingredients.  The side for this burger was the Hand-Cut Fries.  These were crispy with plenty of potato goodness inside.

Onto something without beef, the Filet-O-Crispy Fish featured a beer-battered haddock filet that was twice the size of the bun.  The batter was crispy and light while the fish was flaky and moist.  Being a brioche bun, it was soft enough to not impede the delicate texture of the fish.  Add in the shredded lettuce, tartar sauce, Old Bay mayo, pickles and coleslaw this was a much more deluxe version of a similarly named sandwich.  Plus there was much more fish!  On the side, the breaded Onion Rings were crunchy where the onion was not mushy. 

So of course we also found the Nashville Hot Chicken on the menu too.  It sported a double-breaded chicken thigh with coleslaw and pickles on a soft potato roll.  As you can see in the picture, the chicken was legit dipped into spiced oil (like it should be, rather than merely drizzled with sauce).  I could taste the spices, but could've done with more heat.  I would suggest you ask for spicier (if you can handle it that is).  The chicken was super juicy and moist while having a crunchy exterior.  Bun was a perfect match for this sandwich as it was soft with some density unlike a brioche.  Crunchy coleslaw with a sweet tang completed this sammie.  This came with a side salad that was full of different veggies and featured raisins as well. 

Now onto something with no meat at all in the Veg Head.  This consisted of a wild rice and black bean patty with avocado, red onion, Jack cheese, spouts, lettuce, tomato and house mayo on a multi-grain bun.  To be honest, I normally do not order veggie burgers, but this one wasn't bad.  The patty was not as dense as I expected and it had a bite even though it was made of beans.  I thought the choice of bun was good as it added more body and density to the burger.  The side for this was the Tater Tots and really, who doesn't like crunchy tater tots?

The last burger was sneakily one of the best being the Green Goddess.  This featured a grilled chicken breast with avocado, goat's cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickled red onion, sprout and green goddess dressing on a multi-grain bun.  If you wanted something a bit lighter and "healthier", this would be your best bet.  However, it was also delicious with a slightly smoky (from the grill) chicken breast that was still moist.  Lots of impact came from the creamy goat's cheese where the richness was cut by the pickled red onion.  This came with crispy Curly Fries which was great to dip into the side of ketchup, but also the creamy dip that came with the onion rings.  So as you can see, the burgers at Match during their Burger Bender event are not only creative, but quite large.  You need to bring your appetite and maybe a bunch of friends to try them all.  My personal favourites were the French Onion Big Dipper and Mighty Mushroom.  The others were good too, but these 2 new offerings on the menu are real winners.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Beautiful location (nothing like this in the area too)
- Burgers are huge and well-priced
- Lots of parking

The Bad:
- A little hard to get to during rush-hour
- Nashville Hot Chicken could've been spicier (but I understand that they need to keep it approachable for everyone)

The Table Bistro

Dining out with Nikita and Bluebeard is always a pleasure not only because they are awesome people, but being out in Langley, they are always open to trying out things in the Fraser Valley.  This was the case as they suggested we give The Table Bistro in Abbotsford a go.  Even though it sounds like we traveled far away, it was only another 20 minutes or so from Walnut Grove.  Upon arrival, the place sure looked cozy and sporting a modern, yet simple decor.  We were greeted warmly and the service was great throughout.

As for the food, Viv and I decided to share Siciliano Pizza with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, Genoa Salami, capicola, chorizo, arugula, lemon oil and garlic & herb crumb.  To be clear, this was not a Neapolitan-style pizza.  Rather, the crust was a tad thicker and doughier.  With that being said, it was good in its own way where the crust was crispy and chewy.  It was properly seasoned and the amount of toppings created a saltiness spiciness.  The crumbs on top added a buttery nutty crunch.

For her main, Viv had the Duck Cubano on an Italian loaf with duck rillette, capicola, Swiss cheese, mustard and dill pickles.  Yes I know this is not a traditional Cubano, but really, this was the whole point.  We thought it was quite good with the pointed taste of duck and also the spiciness of the capicola.  To give it that Cubano taste, there was the classic pickles and mustard.  The bread was perfectly pressed with it being buttery and crunchy.

For myself, I went for the Smashburger on a potato bun with burger sauce, shredded romaine, american cheese, dill pickle and red onion.  Although I hold all other smashburgers to Between 2 Buns, I gotta say this was quite good!  The 2 burger patties were fried up crispy on the edges while being moist and tender in the middle.  The right amount of burger sauce and tangy pickles with melted cheese made this fulfilling.  The potato bun was soft and wrapped itself lovingly around the meat.  On the side, they had roasted fingerling potatoes tossed in a vinaigrette.  I enjoyed them, but wish there was a bit more.

Bluebeard opted for the Spicy Peanut Bowl with broccoli, red peppers, onion, rice noodles, green onion and a side of chili oil. This little unassuming concoction was packed with flavour and heat (if you used the chili oil).  It was creamy and nutty with sweetness, but with the chili oil, there was spiciness and smokiness from the chilis.  Combined with al dente flat right noodles, this was both a textural and taste delight.

Nikita went big with the Braised Short Rib with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies and house-made peppercorn sauce.  As you can see, this was a large and thick piece of short rib.  It was super tender and meaty with most of the fat being rendered.  Veggies were cooked through, but still had a vibrant crunch.  Mash underneath was smooth and well seasoned. An impressively composed dish that could be served at fine-dining establishments.

Onto dessert, Viv and I shared the Blueberry Oat Cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream.  This was more of a crumble than a cobbler with a crunchy and sweet topping.  However, the blueberries underneath were indeed quite runny.  I guess the use of oats on top rather than the traditional batter didn't help soak up the moisture.  We still enjoyed it though as it was flavourful with plenty of blueberries within.

Nikita and Bluebeard shared the Cheesecake that was a no-baked whipped version.  Therefore, the whole thing was very light and creamy.  They did this Neapolitan-style with some chocolate-flavoured as well as strawberry coulis-topped whipped cream cheese.  Overall, we were quite happy with the food and service at The Table Bistro. Prices are reasonable too.  Definitely an option for those in the area.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Excellent service
- Reasonable-pricing

The Bad:
- No deep-fryer, so less options in terms of sides and appies (I guess healthier though)

Top Shanghai

Boy, I haven't been back to Top Shanghai since I was doing the "best XLB in Richmond" blog post.  Seeing that was 2016, yah, I would say it has been awhile.  Upon entering the restaurant, it was nice to see they got rid of the table for 2 right at the door.  That must've been one of the most awkward tables in any restaurant I've ever seen.  Other than that, the tables still are rather close to each other, but now they sport plexiglass dividers.  Thank you Covid-19...

So the thing to get here is the Sang Jeen Bao or Pan-Fried Pork Buns.  These featured an aggressively fried bottom that was crunchy and nutty.  The actual bun was rather thin, which meant it wasn't heavy nor doughy.  Inside, there was a considerable amount of soup that was fatty and hence porky in flavour.  The meat was tender and sweet.  I enjoyed them, but I think the ones at Dong Tai Xiang to be better as well as the ones at Victoria Seafood Restaurant too (the dinner is meh, but the pan-fried buns are one of the best in town).  Also I do realize that these are all different versions (especially, the Cantonese version at Victoria), but I will still compare them.

Of course we had to order the Xiao Long Bao, but we decided on the crab version for something different.  Due to the amount of pork fat, the filling tasted much like the previous dumplings - porky.  Hey, more fat is necessary to create a tender filling, but that also means that is the dominant flavour.  Hence, the crab was rather lost in this other than the intermittent texture.  Dumpling wrapper was medium-thick in parts but mostly thin which was good.

So to get some veggies into the meal, we got the Dry-Fried Green Beans with pork.  This was pretty good with oil-blanched beans that were cooked-through while still maintaining a crunch.  Despite being flash-fried, the dish wasn't overly greasy.  Wok heat was good as the seasoning was completely caramelized to each green bean.  Often, it is hard to keep green beans flavourful as the seasoning slides off of them.  This wasn't the case here.

My favourite dish was the Braised Tofu with Crab Roe and I really wish there was a bowl of rice to eat it with.  However, with the amount of dishes ordered, rice was the last thing we needed (for 2 people).  The silky smooth cubes of tofu were completely intact while the starch-thickened sauce was so flavourful and full of umami.  It was sweet, briny and had that seafood aroma - yummy.  I was literally just scooping it like soup in my bowl.

Next dish was a mistake on my part (or was it?  I remembered ordering "seun hoy chow neen goh"), as I ordered the Rice Cake in Soup Shanghai Style.  What I wanted was stir-fried rice cake, but whatever, we made do with this one.  It wasn't bad though as the soup was comforting and it was a huge portion of soft rice cake (can't help it, when it is sitting in liquid), shredded pork, Napa cabbage and spinach.  

Another tasty dish was the Sauteed Chicken with spicy garlic sauce.  This was full of flavour with definite saltiness accented by spice.  There was good wok heat where the outside of the chicken was dry and caramelized with some smokiness.  However, the chicken was still quite tender (not juicy though).  Again, this would've went well with rice, but we didn't get any.  I merely had it with my rice cake soup...

Last dish was the Spicy Salt Deep Fried Chicken Wings.  This was not on the regular menu and took forever to arrive.  We were more than halfway though our meal by the time it hit the table.  They were not bad with lightly crispy wings with somewhat rendered skin.  The meat was juicy and nicely brined.  I thought the salt could've been more impactful.  In the end, the meal was fine.  I've never thought Top Shanghai as my first choice for Shanghainese cuisine in the Lower Mainland, yet at the same time, the food is respectable.  For me at least, I'd hit up Shanghai Wonderful or Shanghai River first.

The Good:
- Huge menu (could be a negative too)
- Decent eats
- Well-portioned

The Bad:
- There are better places to go though
- Service wasn't bad, but definitely sparse  

Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market

Although this is my first post ever on Fanny Bay Oyster Bar, I've actually visited the place on several occasions.  It's just that I've never ordered enough to write something substantial about it.  Personally, I feel it is unfair for a restaurant to be judged on one or two dishes.  Finally, I ordered enough to justify a post.  I guess it should be included in the blog anyways since it was awarded Michelin-recommended status recently.  Also, it was a convenient stop just before heading to the Canucks game.  Yes, they lost...

So we made it for happy hour and started with their selection of Oysters off that menu.  From bottom and clockwise, we had the Taylor Pacific, Sand Dune and Sun Seekers.  We found the Taylors to be big and really meaty.  They were a bit earthy and plenty sweet.  The flatter sand dunes were briny and clean-tasting.  We enjoyed the sun seekers the most as they reminded us of kushis being small and delicate with a light  and sweet briny liquor.

Staying with shellfish, we had the Clams & Mussels in a classic white wine sauce.  This was prepared properly where there was not one unopened shell.  Both the clam and mussel meat were buttery and plump.  They were completely seasoned by the aromatic and completely reduced white wine.  There was ample amount of minced garlic that had completely-flavoured the sauce.  There is also an option to add bread to this dish.

We got one dish that was not on the happy hour menu being the Seared Scallops & Soy-Glazed 5-Spice Pork Belly with cauliflower purée, roasted cauliflower, carrots and radicchio in sherry vinaigrette.  As much as fatty pork belly is delicious and sinful, I prefer more meat than fat.  The cubes in this dish were mostly meat with just the right amount of complimentary fat.  Not only were these a bit leaner, the fat itself was well-rendered.  Hence, the meat was tender and juicy while the fat wasn't flabby.  Good amount of caramelized glaze on the outside.  As for the scallops, they were nicely seared and a bit rare inside.  They were buttery and sweet.   The bit of acidity from the vinaigrette kept things bright and lessened the heaviness.

As a side, we also had the Atlantic Lobster Mac sporting lobster bisque sauce and panko gremolata.  Due to the use of large shell pasta, we found pockets of sauce that was full of lobster essence.  With that being said, we wished there was more of it as some shells were dry and a bit bland.  Even though not visible in the picture, there was a decent amount of lobster claw meat hidden within.  Pasta was al dente and the crumbs added an aromatic crunch.

Lastly, we had the Truffle Fries with a side of aioli.  These fresh-cut fries were quite good with a crispy exterior and a tender potatoey interior.  They were lightly truffled, which was good, but we would've liked to see more parm.  Overall, this was much like all of my previous visits where the food was solid and the oysters were fresh and shucked properly.  Also like previous times, this is a great place to drop by just before a game or event at the stadiums nearby.

The Good:
- Nice variety of oysters at all times
- Solid eats
- Great place for just before the game or event

The Bad:
- Seating can be a bit tight
- Can get pricey, but what is cheap these days anyways

Royal Palace (Dinner Service)

After a fairly good Dim Sum service at the newish Royal Palace, we decided to come back for a casual holiday meal.  We considered the set meals, but they were pretty pricey (for a casual meal that is, it is pretty standard for set menus at Chinese restaurants).  Hence, we decided to order off their regular menu.  However, we were presented with the holiday special menu and despite the limited selections, we were able to find things we liked.

Starting off with the Fish Maw & Crab Meat Soup, it arrive shockingly small.  Turns out that the person taking our order didn't alert us that the one on the special menu was not the really big bowl (we would've gladly paid more for a bigger bowl).  No matter, we just rolled with it (albeit with half-full bowls).  The soup was decent but the fish maw was lower quality hence being a bit crunchy despite soaked and cooked through.  The base was decently flavourful, but the seasoning was light.  There was a general lack of crab though.  Viscosity was bang on with just enough starch.

Interestingly, the Wok-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic arrived next.  This is not what we were expecting after the soup, but whatever, we dug in.  It was prepared properly where the wok heat was enough to ensure no excess moisture was at the bottom of the plate.  Furthermore, the shoots themselves were fairly fresh being tender with a crunch.  Seasoning was on point while the dish wasn't too greasy.

We ended up getting a fairly big Lobster with consomme on a wonton noodle base.  The noodles were a bit soft and the ample amount of sauce probably didn't help.  The sauce did taste good though with plenty of seasoning and a plethora of aromatics from the onions.  The lobster itself was fried just enough that the meat was cooked through without sacrificing the buttery snap texture.  Lots of natural lobster flavour in the dish.

Also unexpected, the Yeung Chow Fried Rice arrived right after.  Hey, I'm not complaining, as I want to eat the rice with the dishes, but usually it comes later.  Dry and nutty, the rice was subjected to enough wok heat so that it was caramelized.  The rice was plenty seasoned and as you can see, there was enough shrimp, BBQ pork, peas and egg nestled within.  To top it off, the dish wasn't greasy either.  One of the better versions we've had of late.

Before I could even dig into the Black Pepper Beef Tenderloin Cubes with mushrooms, cucumber, peppers and onions, my mother-in-law scooped up her portion with her own spoon.  Ew...  At least she was quiet.  Anyways, the dish was also the beneficiary of "wok hei" and it had little moisture on the plate.  It also helped they thicken any moisture with starch too.  The beef was tender while the veggies were crunchy.  I liked how they kept the seasoning mild.

Even though it is a rather defaultish dish, we had to the the Sweet & Sour Pork.  This version was made with pork cheek, hence the texture was fatty and full of rebound.  Even though it was plenty sauced, there was still a bit of crispiness from the batter.  I liked how each piece was fairly large, hence it retained plenty of juiciness within.  As for the sauce, there was just a touch too much, but it was nicely balanced.

To get more meat into the meal, we ended up with a whole Crispy Fried Chicken.  As evidenced in the picture, the skin was fried to golden brown.  It was beautifully rendered and it appeared that they air-dried it enough for the skin to be thin and crispy.  The chicken itself was lightly-brined so that it was flavourful and mostly tender.  The breast meat was not juicy per se, but wasn't dry either.  I much prefer the dark meat anyways.

Our last dish was the Ling Cod Hot Pot.  It featured big pieces of flaky and buttery ling cod that was only lightly-battered in a starch coating.  There wasn't any "sauce" per se as all of the seasoning had absorbed into the batter.  hence, there was plenty of sweet, salty and umaminess going around.  This dish was mainly fish with not much filler.  Overall, we thought the food at Royal Palace to be decent and acceptable in portion size.  Definitely an option in the area for Cantonese eats.

The Good:
- Generally good dishes
- Decent portion size
- Service was okay, but like Dim Sum, they are lacking in staff

The Bad:
- A bit lacking in staff (understandable these days though)
- Person taking our order could've offered more advice (ie. about the size of the soup and possibly ordering more dishes as we had no leftovers)