Hai Chi Em Modern Vietnamese

Remember when Vietnamese restaurants were usually a dive, often a converted old restaurant that was formerly an Italian or Greek restaurant?  Yes, those still exist, but we are seeing more and more modern Vietnamese spots open up with updated decor and expanded menus.  We still see the staples such as Pho and Salad Rolls, but we are also getting a taste of less known Vietnamese dishes as well as some fusion.  Of course this also means prices have crept up too in the process.  One of the newest modern Vietnamese restaurants on the scene is Hai Chi Em on Fraser Street.

We decided to finally check it out early on a Friday so it wouldn't be too busy.  We were really shocked at the size of the Crispy Garlic Butter Wings.  They were all mid-wings and I would say they were at least a half-size bigger than any other wing I've had lately.  Being properly marinated, these were juicy and tender.  I found the skin to be properly rendered and crispy.  However, the size of the wings also meant that they flavours were more muted due to the amount of meat.  Hence, we needed quite a bit of the lemon pepper dip to have an effect and even with that, we could've used much more flavour.

Next, we tried the Crispy Lemongrass Salt & Pepper Tofu that looked very much like the butter wings (and the next dish as well).  We asked for no cilantro, hence the lack of colour in the dish.  I found the tofu to be rather firm and wished they had used something softer as it ate a bit dense.  I do understand it is easier to work with though as the softer tofu can break.  The batter was very crunchy and did have a good mouth-feel.  However, it was heavy as a result.  I personally would've liked to see a batter that was lighter.  In terms of flavour, I thought there was enough of it, but would've liked to see a stronger lemongrass presence.

One of my favourite dishes of the meal was the Deep Fried Squid served with a side of sauce that was highly addictive.  Similar to the tofu, the hard crunch from the batter was a nice contrast to the tender squid.  However, once again, I would prefer a lighter batter.  The star of the show was the side of sauce consisting of condensed milk, fish sauce and lime leaves.  This was so aromatic and sweet that I wanted to drink it.  It paired beautifully with the squid as it added plenty of punch while softening the hard batter.

We also had the Pomelo, Shrimp & Pork Salad with carrots, onions, peanuts, sesame seeds and shredded coconut flakes.  This was another favourite where the textures and flavours were on point.  There was no shortage of ingredients from the big chunks of citrusy pomelo to the meaty shrimp.  Lots of pork belly, but maybe being stone cold, the fat was a bit heavy.  Maybe would be better if the belly was sliced thinner?  Loved the acidity and sweetness of the salad as it did make things bright.

For our soup noodle, we chose to have the Bun Bo Hue with the pork knuckle and blood on the side.  Apparently I'm the only one that likes that?  I praise them for making a legit BBH as not many places offer pork knuckle and blood.  This was a good version of the soup noodle as the broth was flavourful and fragrant.  The spice level was just right too as I could still taste the soup.  I would've liked a brinier aroma with the broth, but it was still good nonetheless.  Noodles were plentiful and al dente while the meats were tender.  Especially loved the pork knuckle as the skin was gelatinized and the meat was moist.

Our last dish was the Crab Fried Rice with tobiko and mushroom.  Originally, it was supposed to have cilantro, but we asked for it be prepared without it.  That might affected the overall flavour profile of the dish.  Even with that, the rice was quite good with discernible grains where they were chewy and nutty.  They didn't skimp with the real crab as there was a big pieces of leg meat.  I would've preferred that they added egg to the rice to give it more body and varied texture though.  Possibly a bit more fish sauce would've elevated the caramelized flavours too.  Overall, the food at Hai Chi Em was good.  I feel that with a few tweaks, the food would be great.

The Good:

- Properly prepared proteins

- Fair portion sizes

- Nice people

The Bad:

- Food could use a bit more flavour (except for the crack sauce for the squid)

- Batter for the tofu and squid could be lighter

Texas Smoke BBQ

My first experience with Texas Smoke BBQ was back in September 2021.  I had decided to drive deep into Langley after work one day to check the place out.  I ended up ordering everything they had and truly enjoyed the food.  One caveat though, I had to trek all the way back home before digging into the smoked goodies.  Thankfully, I was invited to a tasting several months later with a group of other foodies.  We were able to have the food slightly warmer (although it was winter).  Since then, I've returned on my own half a dozen of times and let me tell you, the brisket is amazing right after it has been sliced.   Fast forward to the present and they have opened up a second location in the parking lot of Milner Feed & Pet Supply.  Jacqueline and I were invited to check the place out and we gladly made the drive out across the Port Mann.

Let's cut the suspense and get right to the meats.  We were served a platter with Pulled Pork, Tex Mex (Barbacoa), Beef "Dyno" Rib (Short Rib), Pork Sausages and Beef Brisket.  As you can clearly see, there is quite the bark on the brisket and short rib.  Impactfully smoky without going overboard, the bark is also flavourful from the rub.  Tender and moist, the brisket is the meat to have here, but the short rib is a close second where it is fatty and fall-apart succulent.  Shredded and sauced, both the pulled pork and barbacoa are meaty while tender.  Lastly, the sausages have a wonderful snap from the casing giving way to a juicy and meaty filling.

So doing a deeper dive into that short rib, I can say it is subjective that the brisket is better.  In some sense, the short rib is the choice of meat here.  Jacqueline seemed to think so.  As you can see in the closeup, the meat is fatty, gelatinous and moist.  Combine it with a flavourful bark and this might be the first meat to go if you are sharing.  At $31.99 each, this is a lot of meat for the price.

Of course we cannot forget about the Burnt Ends that also included some twice-smoked sausages as well.   The burnt ends here are a bit different than some other versions I've had (here and in Texas).  These ones are much more meatier and tender as opposed to the fattier and harder ones.  Furthermore, the sauce is a lot lighter and not as thick.  You can definitely eat more of these as a result.

Off to the sides, we have Smoked Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese, Corn Bread and also a Brioche Bun (that is used for their sandwiches).  I love how they char the mac & cheese to give it a smoky flavour as well as adding crunch (the extra panko helps too).  Baked beans are sweet and smoky while the cornbread is buttery and moist.  It can be had in jalapeno form too.

The last available side is the Southern Slaw where I noticed that it is different (in a good way).  Unlike in the past, there is much more dressing and the tanginess really comes through.  Fresh cabbage also ensures that the bright crunch is there too.  As you can tell, I love Texas Smoke.  I wouldn't spend so much money on the place if I didn't.  Also I wouldn't drive out there if it wasn't worth it.  I think that you should do the same.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:

- Properly smoked meats

- Reasonable pricing

- Nice people

The Bad:

- Well, both locations are in Langley.  Worth the trek in my opinion.

- Maybe a thicker sauce for the burnt ends?

Seaside Provisions

Looking back at the last time I dined at Seaside Provisions, it was just prior to the pandemic.  Honestly, that seems like eons ago and I look fondly at those simpler times.  My original visit was an invite with Mijune and the meal was so good, I actually came back with my family shortly after (on my own coin).  Then the pandemic hit and well, you know what happened.  So here I am again with another invite along with Jacqueline featuring some of their new menu items and cocktails.

I've always like the cozy dining space here and we were seated right by the fireplace on some comfy couches.  We were served 3 cocktails including the Caribbean Sea (Cazadores tequila with fresh passion fruit, pineapple infusion and a flaming 151 rum),  Highlight Out (Mount Gay eclipse rum with fresh grapefruit juice, cinnamon and blood orange bitters topped with soda, garnished with an orange peel and mint crown), Raspberry Gin Sour (Bombay Bramble gin with fresh raspberries, egg whites and fresh citrus garnished with fresh raspberries).  These were all rather fruity and completely up my alley.  I particularly enjoyed the Highlight Out where it was the least strongest in alcohol and had a refreshing finish.  The Caribbean Sea was tropical and sweet but if you added the 151, this would be the strongest.  Due to the use of gin, the last cocktail was mild with a nice raspberry essence complimented by the foamy egg whites.

As for the food, we began with the Argentinian Chili Garlic Prawns seared with pablanos with torn and charred brioche.  Oh this was as good as it looked with a bevy of confit garlic as well as equal parts of spice.  The capsicum emulsion also had a sweet seafoody finish which was quite appealing, especially when we sopped it up with the texturally awesome torn bread.  It had a nutty crispiness that gave way to an airy lightness inside.  To finish off the flavour profile, the gremolata added an aromatic tangy bitterness.

Another dish with some spice was the Fried Chicken sporting a soy maple glaze topped with garlic crème fraiche.  This featured tender nuggets of fried thigh meat that was juicy and tender.  The batter was crispy while being completely flavoured by the glaze.  It wasn't as sweet as I had feared (as maple can be quite sweet) where it only provided the essence of maple complimented by equal parts savouriness and spice.  The garlic crème fraiche provided some creaminess and aromatics while the pickled red onion added crunch and extra acidity.

Personally, I love Fried Brussels Sprouts and the one here was no exception.  It was a good portion of perfectly prepared Brussels sprouts that were crispy while still exhibiting a tender meaty centre.  They were aromatic from the deep-fry and also nicely seasoned by the red wine vinaigrette.  The parmesan espuma added a bit of creamy salty nuttiness which went well with the fried sprouts.  The spattering of crispy guanciale afforded even more umaminess as well as a salty meatiness.

Onto the most impressive dish, we were served the Petite Platter sporting 12 oysters, whole lobster, ahi tuna tataki, Argentinian prawns with guacamole, 2 pcs each of ikura, salmon and hamachi nigiri.  This was so impressive, the table next to us was wanting to devour it if we weren't (of course we would devour it!).  The oysters were Gems from Comox Valley and they were shucked properly without any shell fragments.  They were sweet with just the right amount of brininess.  Lobster was cooked right with it being sweet and exhibiting the classic bounce texture.  Absolutely loved the tataki as the kalamansi gel was super tangy with some sweetness.  We found the nigiri to be well-prepared as well while the rice was appealingly chewy.

The seafood and Japanese theme didn't end there where we were served the Trout Oshi.  By virtue of being lightly cured with house-pickled serrano peppers, the trout had inherent flavour in the form of acidity and spice.  Texturally, it was soft with a bite while the rice underneath featured discernible individual grains that were chewy. Dipped into a touch of soy and these pieces of sushi were nice little bites.

We also added the Scallops with pineapple curry, herb salad and calamansi gel.  This was a good decision as the scallops couldn't have been prepared any more perfectly.  Still slightly rare in the middle and sporting a caramelized sear, the scallops were buttery and soft while being well-seasoned.  Loved the tangy sweetness of the pineapple while the gel provided an extra shot of acidity.  The combination of ingredients also afforded the salad an appealing brightness.

Onto the mains, we had the delicious Prawn Risotto with carnaroli rice, tomato confit, parmesan foam.  Due to the use of the starchier carnaroli rice, the risotto ended up to be thicker and creamier.  I felt the risotto was firm enough with softer edges.  It was plenty flavourful from the mild tomato and the aroma of Argentinian prawns.  Of course, the cheesiness of the risotto was evident, especially from the foam.  As for the prawns, they were buttery with a minor snap texture.  They were naturally sweet with enough seasoning.

We were then presented with a Herb-Crusted Halibut with parsley, chives and basil served atop celery root puree, charred fennel and a potato fondant.  Initially, I was concerned that the piece of halibut might be overdone, but it was actually flaky and moist.  The herb crust was crispy and aromatic with a crispy exterior texture.  Loved the creamy puree as it added luxurious moisture to the fish.

Our last entree was the 6 oz Tenderloin with house-seasoned fries and peppercorn jus.  Prepared perfectly medium-rare, the steak was moist and super tender.  The peppercorn jus was impactful with a richness as well as a bite from the pepper.  Due to the starch coating, the fries were lightly crispy while being plenty potatoey on the inside.

Onto dessert, we were served 2 including the House-made Yuzu Pannacotta.  This featured a gelatin topping which provided a nice texture while adding more tanginess.  As for the pannacotta itself, it was really rich and creamy.  I would've preferred it to be a bit lighter, but that can be purely subjective.  It almost ate like a light cheesecake, but with the brightness of yuzu.

Our second dessert was the House-made Bread Pudding with dulce de leche and ice cream.  I have to say this has to be one of the best bread puddings I've had in quite some time.  Loved the crispy top that was contrasted beautifully by the tender and moist interior.  This was purposefully sweet and aromatic.  Overall, the meal at Seaside Provisions was even better than my first visit (granted that was 3 years ago). Nice to see they have continued to refine their food and kept up the focus on fresh seafood.  One of the better spots in the neighbourhood.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Fresh, well-prepared seafood
- Impactful flavours
- Cozy dining space

The Bad:
- Pannacotta could've been lighter

Suhang

Oh boy, we haven't officially been back to Suhang since 2010.  Now I say "officially" because I have been back in 2016 in my quest to find the best Xiao Long Bao in Richmond.  In reality, Suhang has been one of the best places in the Lower Mainland for XLBs for quite some time.  Hence, with my cousin (Cable Car Guy) was visiting from the Bay Area, I felt this was the place we would go since he was craving XLBs (he went to Shanghai River with us last time he was in town).

Not sure why we ordered the Peking Duck (because we normally want to eat more of the Dim Sum items), but my mom wanted it.  It turned out to be a bit hit and miss though.  We asked for more meat attached to the skin and they did that perfectly.  However, the skin wasn't uniformly crispy and there was quite a bit of fat.  The accompanying crepes were excellent being thin, soft and a bit chewy.

We chose the Lettuce Wrap as our second course for the Peking duck.  There is no way around saying this, but it was terrible.  The pieces of duck were stir-fried far too long, hence became dry and chewy.  Furthermore, the amount of dark soy not only meant the dish was not particularly appealing to look it, the caramelization made the dish rather salty.  At the very least, the veggies were still crunchy and the lettuce was prepared properly.

So here we are with 2 versions of their Xiao Long Bao.  We had the regular version first and noticed right away that the dumpling skin was rather thick and somewhat chewy.  For some reason, half of them were deflated where the soup had leaked out.  The other half did have soup and it was good with a meaty sweetness as well as gingery and shaoxing wine notes.  The pork filling was tender, yet a touch gritty.  As for the Crab Xiao Long Bao, we also found that half were also devoid of soup.   They were pretty much the same as the regular version except for the addition of crab meat.  It did add some sweet brininess, but I would've liked a bit more impact.

Continuing on with pork-stuffed things, we had the Pan-Fried Pork Buns as well.  These were pretty solid with perfectly seared bottom where it was brown (bordering on becoming burnt, but that is a good thing) and crispy.  Due to that, it was nutty and aromatic.  The bun itself was somewhere between fluffy and dense.  Inside, the pork filling was similar to the XLBs being a touch gritty.  The soup inside was sweet and a touch porky.

Cable Car Guy and I noticed the Spareribs with Wuxi-Style Sauce on the menu (the picture was quite delicious-looking).  However, the actual dish did not resemble the menu photo in any way.  With that being said, it still was quite tasty and the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender.  The whole dish ate quite sweet and it could've used a bit more vinegar for balance.

Of course we had to order the kid's favourite dish in the Shanghai Stir-Fried Rice Cakes.  Despite its pale appearance (this needed some more dark soy), the dish did have enough caramelization via sufficient wok hei (with a very hot wok!).  Therefore, the flavours were caramelized.  Texturally, the rice cakes were a bit soft, but still had chew.  We really wished to added more shredded pork and veggies to it though.

Staying on the carb train, I decided to try their Dan Dan Mein (noodles).  As you can see, this was rather brothy.  This resulted in the watered-down flavours.  That was really too bad as the peanut sauce, chili sauce and peanuts were really tasty together.  The peanut flavour still came through and the spice level was muted (due to the amount of broth).  Noodles were nicely al dente though.

Staying with the classics, we ordered the Szechuan Beef Noodle.  This was pretty good with a broth that was on the milder side in terms of seasoning, but it did have enough spiciness.  Again, the noodles were al dente and the spinach was not overcooked.  The best part was the ample amount of sliced beef shank.  These were fall-apart tender and took on all the flavours of the stewing liquid with some spice and liquorice notes.

To get some more veggies into the meal, we opted for a pretty standard choice in the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic.  We found the portion size to be quite generous (as pea shoots cook down quite a bit).  In terms of preparation, the dish as wok-fried with enough heat that there was not residual moisture on the place.  It was seasoned well and it was not greasy.

Our last dish was the Salted Salmon Fried Rice and for me at least, I really enjoyed it.  The big chunks of moist salted salmon were plentiful and hence impactful.  Chewy and nutty, the rice was texturally on point with enough seasoning.  Plenty of high wok heat caramelizing the flavours.  So this dish was good, but the whole meal itself was inconsistent.  Maybe our expectations were too high?  I felt our recent Shanghainese meal at Yuan's Garden to be superior all across the board.  Maybe this was an off night?  Hope not, because it lags behind many of their competitors in Richmond.

The Good:
- Surprisingly attentive service
- Decent portion sizes
- Seating is fairly spacious

The Bad:
- Food is hit and miss

Yuan's Garden

The Shanghainese dim sum game in Richmond is pretty much the best in the Lower Mainland.  Sure, we have some spots scattered around that are pretty good, but yah Richmond is king of all things Chinese and parking lot chaos.  Speaking of which, we decided to check out Yuan's Garden on Alexandra Road and yep, their parking lot is woefully insufficient for the businesses in the complex.  Hence, we found cars parked in spots that weren't even spots (not that we were surprised).  For those familiar with Shanghai Morning, this is essentially their new location under a new name.

Anyways, unlike parking spots, we could reserve a table and thankfully we did as the place was packed.  We kicked things off with the Hot & Sour Soup that featured a chili oil slick on top.  Despite that, the soup itself was not that spicy.  I found it rather mild with enough tanginess.  There could've been more ingredients as it wasn't that fulfilling.  Overall, the soup was decent though as the viscosity was right and textures were good.

Onto the Xiao Long Bao, we ended up ordering 2 steamers, but only one at a time.  Good strategy when you want to keep them hot and steamy.  These featured a medium-thick dumpling skin that was tender with a bit of elasticity.  There was a considerable amount of soup inside that had strong ginger and shaoxing wine notes.  The meat was plentiful and plump being juicy and moist.

We also got the Drunken Chicken as this is one of my mom's favourite dishes.  This was also pretty solid with a good portion size for the price.  It featured an equal amount of dark and white meat.  The skin was nicely gelatinzed while sporting an appealing colour.  As for the meat, both types were tender and a touch firm due to the use of free-range chicken.  There was enough wine flavour to give some floral notes to go with the saltiness.

As we already had the chicken, we decided that we'd get the Nanjing Duck as well.  Personally, I thought this was better than the chicken.  Neatly cut, the slices of breast meat were tender without any dry portions.  It was flavourful with a muted saltiness with background liquorice notes.  The skin was gelantized and it was completely edible without being flabby.  One of the better versions of this dish I've had lately.

Off to my kid's favourite dish, we had to the Shanghai-Style Stir-Fried Rice Cakes.  As you can see in the picture, they used enough dark soy to give the dish colour.  Furthermore, there was enough wok hei (a really hot wok), to caramelize each slice of rice cake.  It was cooked enough that they were tender and soft while keeping their classic chewiness.  Seasoning was on point too.

Instead of getting the usual spicy beef noodle, we opted for the tamer Five Spice Beef Noodle instead.  Yes, this was indeed very mild and in fact, perfect for young kids and those who do not like spice.  For me, I would've preferred the Szechuan style instead.  With that being said, the noodles were al dente while the broth was clean and slightly sweet.  As for the sliced beef shank, it was light on flavour, but quite tender.

In addition to the XLBs, we got the Pan Fried Pork Buns as our second dumpling dish.  Although you cannot see it, the bottoms were nicely browned and crispy.  Hidden within the relatively fluffy bun, was similarly juicy and moist ground pork as the XLBs.  There was also a good amount of sweet meaty soup that was not all that greasy.  In fact, the bun itself did not soak up too much oil either.

So our last 2 items consisted of the Fried Salty Donut as well as the Shao Beng with sliced beef shank.  I have to say the donut was quite interesting as the texture was akin to an egg puff pastry.  The outside was super crispy, but the inside was fluffy and eggy.  Not typical, but still good.  As for the shao beng, it was flaky and crispy with lots of tender beef inside.  I did find it a bit too delicate as it shattered after being cut.  Overall, the food at Yuan's Garden was solid and reasonably-priced.  It is a good alternative to some of the usual spots in Shanghai River, Suhang and Top Shanghai.

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Reasonably-priced

- Ok service

The Bad:

- Super tight seating

- Insufficient parking lot

Sirius Craving @ Coho Eatery

For me, at least, Between 2 Buns rocks the best smash burgers in town.  For those unfamiliar, a smash burger consists of a ball of meat, "smashed" by either the spatula or cast iron weight into a thin patty.  This usually results in the patty being cooked quickly and develop some crispy parts (especially along the edges).  Now there is a new challenger in town with Sirius Craving and their smash burgers.  They are actually a food truck, but now have set up shop in the Coho Eatery in White Rock.  We stopped by to check it out after picking up some parcels in Blaine.

To get a baseline, we went for the Single Smashburger with American cheese, caramelized onions, Sirius pickles and Sirius sauce on a brown butter-toasted potato roll.  Now compared to many other smashburgers I've had including B2B, the beef patty here was significantly bigger and more fulfilling.  Usually single patty burgers are not substantial, but this one was.  Loved the crispy and aromatic edges, yet at the same time, the entire patty had crispy parts.

For myself, I had to get the Triple Smashburger with all the same goodies except with 3 large smashed brisket & chuck beef patties.  OMG, this was quite the burger!  I would say this satisfies even the largest of appetites.  Furthermore, ensure you have enough napkins because this was a "siriusly" messy concoction.  Everything about the burger worked including the soft buttery roll to the generous amount of beef with a load of sauce and tangy pickles.  However, the thing that put the whole thing over the edge was the impactful caramelized onions.

For our sides, I decided to go for the baseline again in the coated Sirius Fries with brown butter and sirius seasoning.  These were nicely crispy and full-flavoured.  For me, it tasted like I was eating pizza with a shot of Mexican spices.  There was some earthiness to go almost a cheesy nuttiness (but it was really the butter).  Although it was tossed in brown butter, the fries weren't incredibly greasy.

Then we also went for the Crazy Fries with Sirius fries, American cheese, caramelized onions, Sirius Sauce, and Sirius Seasoning.  So think of this as somewhat similar to In-N-Out fries "animal style".  However, these Sirius fries are way better than In-N-Out fries (even if you ask for them to be done medium-well).  Hence, the whole thing was pretty tasty with the same elements as the regular fries, yet smothered by caramelized onions, cheese and sauce.  So it was the same taste as the burger without the meat.  Overall, we thought the burgers here were every bit as good as B2B.  They are different, but great in their own way.  Would come back out here to eat them!

The Good:

- Large crispy beef patties

- Love the bun and the caramelized onions

- Nice spot with the view of the pier

The Bad:

- Would've loved something other than takeout containers, but we get why they use them

- Like any business on the Marine Drive, parking is tricky