Sushi Bella (North Vancouver)

I'm not sure if you have noticed, but AYCE (All-You-Can-Eat) is making a comeback in the GVRD.  It was all the rage in the 90's up until the early 2000's, but then many of the AYCE spots began to disappear.  Now we have an array of AYCE yakiniku, hot pot and Japanese.  We even see the non-buffet endless brunch at ARC Dining.  Is it because of the economy and inflation?  Do people regard AYCE a good value considering that it costs just as much, if not more, to dine a la carte?  Not really sure, but I must shamelessly admit that I do enjoy the occasional AYCE just for the variety.  I go in with reasonable expectations (shocking how many people do not and then complain afterwards).  That we did when Jackie and I visited Sushi Bella for lunch. 

To get a sense of the menu, we ordered almost everything starting with Edamame, Green Salad, Sunomono, Spicy Tofu and Agedashi Tofu.  Not a whole lot to say about these as they were pretty standard.  I thought the sunomono was nicely sweet and tangy with al dente noodles.  The tofu was a bit stiff for both dishes.  Next set of dishes included the Ebi/Veggie Tempura, Fried Gyoza and Chicken Karaage.  Although the batter was a bit thick, the tempura still ate quite well and crispy.  The gyoza were crunchy with a moist filling.  Also crispy, the chicken karaage was juicy while properly seasoned.

Although not cut in a particularly attractive manner, the Atlantic Salmon & Albacore Tuna Sashimi were decent with a pleasant texture and sheen.  We got a bunch of Nigiri as well including Chopped Scallop, Inari, Tamago, Salmon, Ebi and Tuna.  Again, these were quite typical for AYCE with a little less ingredient-to-rice ratio.  With that being said, the chopped scallop was quite good with a buttery texture and tasty mayo mix.  The sushi rice was decent, being chewy with not too much moisture.  Would've liked a bit more seasoning though.

Also had the Spicy Sashimi and it featured fairly large chunks of fish.  Texture was fine and the sauce was sweet and slightly spicy.  We ordered a selection of Sushi Cones that consisted of the Spicy Salmon Cone, Spicy Tuna Cone, Negitoro Cone, Chopped Scallop Cone, Spicy Chopped Scallop Cone, California Cone, Yam Tempura Cone and Dynamite Cone.  Since we had to take pictures, the nori had softened up. To be fair, they were still crispy when they arrived.  I thought there was a good amount of ingredient-to-rice ratio in these and they were worth ordering.  I particularly enjoyed the scallop cones as well as the spicy cones.  These had the most moisture and flavour.

Onto the Maki Sushi portion of our meal, we got everything and as you can see, they were constructed decently, especially for AYCE. I'm not going into each individual roll, but the highlights included the really large BC Roll with lots of ripe and creamy avocado and salmon skin (with lots of meat on it).  Shockingly, I also enjoyed the Veggie Roll with lots of crunchy beet, daikon and carrot.  All of the other rolls were decent with a fairly thin layer of rice (so they weren't trying to stuff us full of rice).

Onto some cooked food (other than the appies), we had the Teriyaki Beef, Teriyaki Chicken and Teriyaki Tofu.  Again, nothing out-of-the-ordinary here with the beef being in thin slices and drizzled with some teriyaki sauce.  I did appreciate that it wasn't doused with too much.  The beef was decently tender.  I found the chicken to be more moist and juicy (which is usually the case) while the tofu was stiff like the other items we had earlier.

Our final set of dishes were the carbs including the Tempura Udon, Veggie Yaki Soba, Chicken Yakisoba and Beef Yakisoba.  I thought the yakisoba were all quite good with chewy noodles and not being overdressed with sauce.  The udon was pretty typical and was non-offensive.  In general, the AYCE at Sushi Bella is serviceable and decent in quality.  Naturally, you need to have reasonable expectations (which means you know that it won't be comparable to the best in town).  Considering it is $32.99 for weekdays and $34.99 on weekends for lunch, this is fair pricing.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- With reasonable expectations, the food quality is actually decent
- Good selection, especially for a lunch AYCE
- They didn't overload the sushi with rice

The Bad:
- Sashimi was sliced strangely (probably due to the fact they weren't the prime cuts)
- Without reasonable expectations, your experience might be different  

Top Wok

Okay with a name like Top Wok, one might assume it is a food stall at a food court.  Well, it is not but they do have some 3-item combos on their menu.  So what is this place really?  Well, first of all, it is located on Marine Way in Burnaby near some industrial parks.  Second, the food is freshly prepared to order, not like the aforementioned food court stalls.  Third, they offer dim sum combos as well.  On top of that, they have frozen dim sum for you to take home and steam yourself.

So yeah, the place is somewhat one-of-a-kind.  Let's get to the classic Stir-Fried Combo first with three items including Sweet & Sour Pork, Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli Beef atop fried rice.  For another $2.50, you can add a Hot & Sour Soup.  I have to say that the food was pretty legit.  The pork was tender with just enough sauce that was plenty tangy and sweet.  The chicken was also good where it was more garlicky than sweet.  Broccoli was crunchy and not overdone.  The soup on the side was excellent with the proper viscosity and sporting quite the spiciness.

Here we are with the aforementioned Dim Sum Combo featuring Ha Gau, Siu Mai, Potstickers and a side of Lo Mei Gai (instead of rice or noodles, this is a $3.00 upcharge).  I thought the potstickers were on point with a relatively thin wrapper that was seared well.  Inside, the meat filling was juicy and tender.  Siu mai were solid too with bouncy pork that was well-seasoned.  Ha gau were so-so due to the thick dumpling skin and soft filling.  The sticky rice was excellent being moist and glutinous.  Plenty of ingredients and hence, some good umaminess.

Continuing with Dim Sum, we tried a selection of Baos including the BBQ Pork Bun, Chicken Bun, Veggie Bun and Custard Bun.  All of the buns were fluffy and light, especially the veggie one.  Actually, I enjoyed that one the most as the veggies were tender but not mushy while completely seasoned.  I found the BBQ pork bun and chicken bun to feature enough filling.  The custard bun was sweet and aromatic.  On the side, we had some veggie spring rolls which were crunchy and featured the same filling as the veggie bun.

Something new on the menu is their $8.00 Go Bowls including the Dim Sum Bowl with 1 Ha Gau, Siu Mai and Beef Meatball each on Soy Sauce Chow Mein.  The Stir-Fried Bowl features stir-fried veggies, Fried Garlic Chicken Leg and Egg Fried Rice.  For those who do not want meat, the Veggie Bowl sports Veggie Dumplings and a Veggie Spring Roll.  These are fantastic deals because there is nothing small about these.  I found the beef ball to be soft and bouncy while the veggie dumpling had a slightly thicker wrapper with tender vegetables.  The chicken leg was super juicy and well-brined.

We also had the Spicy Wontons that were delicious.  The wontons themselves featured juicy pork with shrimp.  Unlike some versions that are bland, this was not.  There was a balanced amount of spice to go with the saltiness.  We finished off with a freshly-made Bubble Waffle and it was also quite good.  It was aromatic and purposefully sweet while the exterior was crispy yielding to a soft and chewy interior.  Overall, the food was more-than-acceptable at Top Wok given the type of restaurant and the reasonable-pricing.  Definitely a good option for take-out or a quick meal.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Overall good food
- Made-to-order
- Reasonably priced and large portions

The Bad:
- Location is not very central
- Ha Gau could be better

Tamaly Shop

I've pointed out on many occasions that Vancouver is blessed with a diverse culinary scene, particularly in Asian food.  However, it lags behind in many other cuisines, including Mexican.  Now we do have Mexican restaurants and some of them are actually quite good.  I know this because I've eaten in Mexico as well as Southern Los Angeles (so I have a baseline).  However, we don't really have restaurants dedicated to something I really enjoy - Tamales.  Well look no further as we have the Tamaly Shop out on Main Street near Broadway.

Let's get right to it with 3 different Tamales including Pork with Salsa Verde, Chicken with Mole and Cheese with Jalapeno and salsa Roja.  Really enjoyed these as they brought back memories of the tamales I've had in San Diego.  2 of them were light and fluffy while the pork tamale was a bit firmer.  They use vegetable shortening rather than lard, hence they were not as heavy nor greasy.  I really enjoyed the mole as it was flavouful, smoky and aromatic.

Onto something that I've never had before, Birria Noodle.  Sure, I've had birria tacos before and of course I've had noodles.  But I've never had them together before.  This was rather pleasant with a meaty broth with a considerable amount of tender shredded beef.  I found the noodles on the softer side, but then again, we took some time taking photos too.  I felt this would be a good dish to order to compliment the tamales as it was lighter and soupy.

We had the classic Chilaquiles next with both the salsa roja and verde.  Normally, you would only get one of the sauces, but this way, we got to try both in one dish.  Underneath the sauces, cheese and sour cream, we found thick and still slightly crispy tortilla chips.  They were completely coated in sauce though, so there was that usual texture in between crispy and soft.  I liked both sauces, but the verde was my favourite where it was bright and tangy.

So what do you get when you combine a tamale and chilaquiles?  It's not a trick question, you get the Guajolotongo!  This particular one featured a cheese tamale topped with even more chicken, sour cream, onions, tomatillo salsa and feta cheese.  Yah, this was quite the meal as the tamale was rather filling to begin with and then it was topped with crispy tender tortilla wedges.  Flavours were fairly subtle in this with the salsa coming through with tanginess.

Last savoury items was the Torta Ahogada with pork belly, pickled onion and lemon.   By itself, the torta was pleasant enough with crusty bread and tender shredded pork belly.  The pickled onion added both crunch and acidity.  However, the real star of the show was the Guadalajara salsa on the side.  It added the necessary flavour and moisture the sandwich needed.  Nice balance of brightness, spice and aromatics.  Would've loved to have even more of it!

Onto the sweets, were presented with a selection of dessert tamales including Blackberry & Cream Cheese, Chocolate and Pineapple.  Yes, these were not the lightest of desserts, but I kept going back for more bites despite being stuffed.  Since I love fruity things, the pineapple was right up my alley.  This was the lightest of the 3 and had a mild sweetness about it.  The blackberry & cream cheese was heavier naturally but it was purposefully sweet and creamy.  Chocolate was the most basic of the 3 and heaviest in texture.  Wasn't very sweet though, letting the chocolate notes come through.

Although we were served the Conchas first, I'll talk about them last because they were a dessert in my eyes.  We had the Dulce de Leche, Strawberry and Blueberry.  These were featured a bun that was fairly light and a bit dry topped with a sugary topping.  I enjoyed the dulce de leche the most as it featured a sweet caramel centre.  These were akin to the Chinese pineapple buns.  Overall, the food was unique and well-executed.  Nice to see something different in a sea of sushi and Chinese food.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Not-so-heavy tamales
- Other dishes were good too
- Eclectic decor

The Bad:
- Some of the tables are a bit small

Elysium

During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Jackie and I visited Hanok Korean in Richmond in search of good jajangmyeon. Yes, it was all about the simple joys of life during that time sadly... Well, Hanok is gone and in its place is another Korean joint called Elysium Korean Bistro.  We were invited over to check it out and have some Soju Bombs.  I was curious about those and also if the food was any better than Hanok (which was a bit hit and miss).  We visited shortly after dining across the street at Kazuhan just a few days earlier.  Yep, the snow was still around, but thankfully everything was plowed.

If you want to see the Soju Bombs, be sure to check out the Reel on IG.  But as for the food, we were served a selection of Banchan including kimchi, salad, broccoli, bean sprouts, tofu skins, stewed potato and omelette.  These were pretty solid and I especially enjoyed the potatoes because they were in big chunks and stayed intact.  Also, they weren't overly sweet.  Tofu skins were good too with a nice marinade and chewy texture.  I thought the kimchi was spicy enough but need some brininess.

As much as the pricing at Elysium is reasonable considering the quality and portion size, the best deals (if you had enough people) are the BBQ Combos.  We got Combo 4 ($130.00) which came with a Seafood Pancake.  As you can see, the pancake was large in diameter.  It also contained enough seafood that you could actually see it.  Beyond the crispy and non-greasy exterior, there was indeed a lot of seafood as well as minimal green onion (not as much filler) and a soft texture.

Also included in the BBQ Combo is a fairly large hot pot of Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup).  You may not see in the picture, but we found 4 large neck bones within.  These were cooked down until the meat fell off the bones and took on the flavours of the soup.  Good spice in this one as well as a meatiness and natural sweetness from the onions.  This was piping hot and remained as such even after our incessant picture-taking.

We added a few dishes that were not part of the BBQ combo just to get a sense of the menu.  One of which was the Soondae or blood sausage.  Unlike some other versions I've had, this one was a lot lighter and almost fluffy.  The blood flavour was fairly mild due to it being rice and vermicelli forward.  It was lightly sweet with only the slightest hint of spice and seasoning.  There seemed to be also very little fat in the sausage, which kept it from being too heavy. 

Back to the BBQ Combo, the main event is the BBQ Meats consisting of beef, chicken, pork and LA beef ribs.  This was a considerable amount of meat and the picture doesn't really do it justice.  It arrived sizzling on a cast iron plate and our server helped cut the meat into smaller pieces. The ribs were my favourite since they were nicely marinated being sweet and caramelized from the grilling.  The chicken was tender and juicy while also being well-marinated.  Beef was seared well and was tender while the pork was a touch drier.

For no other reason that we really love Cold Spicy Noodles, we had to add that to the meal as well.  Although you cannot see it in this picture, the hard-boiled egg was not overdone and didn't have any dark rings.  As for the noodles, they were appealingly chewy and the right temperature (cold, but not brain-freeze cold).  There was enough sauce to coat all the noodles and it was pretty tasty with heat, sweetness, tang and aromatics.  Interestingly, I forgot to take a picture of the Kimbap (which you can see a bit of it in this picture).  Gotta say has to be one of the better ones I've had lately.  It was constructed well and did not fall apart while not being too firm.  Lots of tuna and ingredients and minimal rice.

Last, but not certainly least, we had the eye-catching Mille-Feuille Nabe which was a hot pot on a burner sporting meat and Napa cabbage in layers.  Underneath, we found potato starch noodles, that soaked up all of the tasty broth.  This was super comforting and great for a cold day (which it was).  The tender cabbage and meat was quite filling and this hot pot should really be shared among 4 people.  So in the end, we found Elysium to be quite good.  Portions are large and the food is executed properly.  To top it off, there are some cool things here such as the Soju Bombs and the Mille-Feuille Nabe.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Delicious food
- Large portions
- Some theatrics with the Soju Bombs and and IG-worthy Mille-Feuille Nabe

The Bad:
- Not many negatives other than this is Richmond and there is a parking lot. Have fun!

Kazuhan

Several days after this year's version of Snowmageddon, it was snowing again pretty heavily.  Well, that didn't prevent Jackie and I from our visit to Kazuhan in Richmond along Alexandra Road (where all the restaurants are!).  We were here for their Gold AYCE menu for $59.00.  In addition to various Japanese dishes and sushi, the main focus of the menu is yakiniku or Japanese BBQ.  We ended up ordering practically everything to get a good overview.

Before we got to the food, we were quite impressed with the selection of Sauces on a ledge at our table.  We ended up trying a few of them and the Spicy Miso went quite well with the meats with a balanced saltiness and heat.  I also liked the Fruity sauce as it provided a nice counterbalance and sweetness.  It looked cool, but the Ume sauce lacked impact.  The Kazuhan sauce was their house sweet soy dip and it would be good for those who just wanted something defaultish.  One item wasn't even a sauce, rather, it was BBQ Powder which you would see with some skewers at other places.

Onto some small dishes, we had the Miso Soup, Japanese Tofu, Seaweed Salad, Avocado Salad, Vinegar Eggplant, Sour Cucumber, Tako Wasabi, Kimchi and Edamame.  Nothing out of the ordinary here and in reality, they were decent.  I thought the tako wasabi was pretty good with tender nuggets of octopus that weren't chewy.  Japanese tofu was quite smooth while the cucumbers were crunchy and tangy.  I wasn't a huge fan of the kimchi as it was a bit sour.

Onto some of the Japanese dishes, we had the Smelt Karaage, Teriyaki Chicken Rice, Curry Beef Rice, Ebi Tempura, Gyoza, Chicken Karaage, Takoyaki, Tonkatsu, Chicken Wings, Salt & Pepper Corn and Squid. For AYCE, these were acceptable with the tonkatsu and the corn as the highlights.  I found the thick pork cutlet to be tender and not dry while the outside crispy.  The corn ribs were plump with plenty of seasoning.  Crispy with a nice snap, the ebi tempura was also good.  I also enjoyed the soft and fluffy takoyaki as well as the fried smelt.

We also got a selection of sushi that included Salmon, Ebi and Roast Beef Oshi.  These were pretty decent, especially for AYCE.  The mayo sauce on top was flavourful and not greasy with the one for the ebi having some brightness.  There was some decent charring on the top with the roast beef one being more robust in flavour.  I found the sushi rice to be decent as well with a chewiness bordering more on the drier side.  In addition, we had the Kimchi Beef Roll and Beef Teriyaki Roll that were okay.  I'm not a huge fan of fully-cooked rolls, but I did like the kimchi on top that added some tang and spice.

Onto the meats, we had Kazuhan Steak, AAA Sirloin, Beef Plate, Short Rib, Beef Finger Meat, Chicken Leg, Chicken Heart, Pork Neck and Shrimp. For an AYCE, we thought the meat quality was quite good.  We especially enjoyed the beef finger meat and short rib.  They were fatty and had a pleasant bite to them.  Nice meat flavour too.  The other cuts of beef were also good with the sirloin being the most tender (without the fat of the beef plate).  Chicken was well-marinated and charred up well while the pork neck had its usual bouncy fatty texture.

For an extra $5.68, you could add a side of Sukiyaki in a hot pot.  This was jammed-packed with Napa cabbage, mushrooms, fish tofu, crab stick, sea urchin fish ball, mushroom and beef plate in a sukiyaki broth.  This slowly cooked on the side and was a nice break from the BBQ Meats.  Was very comforting and warm especially on a snowy night.  The fatty meat was good compliment as it added depth to the broth as well as being tender once cooked-through.

To end things off, we were served some Neapolitan Ice Cream.  Nothing mind-blowing, but it was decently creamy and not icy.  This was what we needed after dining on hot meats off the grill and more hot things from the sukiyaki.  Overall, for an AYCE, Kazuhan offers up a wide selection of dishes and meats (for our Gold menu). The meat quality is good and the rest of the dishes are more-than-acceptable.  Nice selection of sauces and the decor is pretty.  Would come back.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Wide selection of things to choose from
- Good meat quality
- Decent dishes for AYCE

The Bad:
- Naturally, it is AYCE, so have reasonable expectations
- Nice to have a parking lot, but it gets full real quickly

Cayenne Bistro and Grill

New West isn't usually known for its culinary scene but I swear they have so many hidden gems.  I guess it goes hand-in-hand with what I just said about New West because most would be hidden gems right?  I'm not sure if I'm making sense here but stay with me.  One of these hidden gems is Cayenne Bistro & Grill located on 6th Street in Burnaby.  Wait, didn't I just say New West?  Well, anything in that area is essentially New West in my mind...

So we started with the Appy Platter consisting of 2 samosas, 3 kebabs and 3 nylon bhajia.  On the side, we found tamarind and mint chutneys.  Really enjoyed the samosa because the pastry was not too thick and was fried up crispy while not being greasy.  Nice spice on the potato filling too.  Those kebab meatballs were a lot more moist than they appeared.  Sure, they were crispy on the outside, but completely moist on the inside.  Once again, nice spice to them.  The thinly sliced fried potatoes were a touch greasy, but were soft and fluffy with a crispy surface.

Next, we had a dish that I've never heard of or tried before.  The Patra Bhajia were patra leaves tempered with spices, rolled, steamed and then fried crispy.  This was certainly a unique texture that was a bit firm, yet at the same time tender due to the steaming.  They were nicely seasoned with earthy notes with some spice.  As for the leaves themselves, they had a leafy green flavour but with a slight metallic finish.  Certainly unique, but not really up my alley.

Similarly to the appy platter, I got the Choma Platter consisting of Beef ribs, Mishkaki and Pili Pili Chicken.  This was quite the plate of meat as it was a lot more filling than it looked.  The mishkaki sported tender chunks of beef that was a bit earthy with some peppery notes.  The beef ribs underneath were tender in a chewy way (a good thing).  We chose mild and it was as such.  As for the chicken, it was tender and juicy as described with a mild spiciness.

We moved onto 2 curries starting with the Chicken Rafiki.  This featured tender pieces of chicken that were moist.  It sat in a tomato-based coconut curry that was smooth and buttery.  It was aromatic and creamy due to the coconut milk, but then than merely tempered the tomato portion of the curry.  It was definitely there, but the tang was muted while the sweetness was present.  It was mildly spiced, but had nice earthy notes.

 

For our second curry, we had the Malindi Seafood Medley with prawns and halibut cooked in creamy tomato-based curry.  Sure, this was somewhat similar to the chicken rafiki, but different at the same time.  It took on some of the seafood flavour while the peppers added some vegetable sweetness and bite to the dish.  I found the fish to be rather flaky and tender (meant it was fairly fresh) while the prawns to be meaty with a nice snap.

So we decided to get some rice, but in the form of Bombay Beef Biryani.  Yes, I know plain basmati rice would've been the best compliment to the curries, and we did actually order some.  Besides, we also had some Garlic Naan anyways.  That biryani was quite good with moist, yet al dente basmati rice.  It was nicely spiced and with beef (usually I've had it with chicken, lamb or goat), it took on more body and flavour.  As for the naan, that was probably only thing we were indifferent about.  It was soft and fluffy, but lacked blistering and the buttery aromatics of ones from a tandoor.  Other than that, the food was unique and well-executed.  Unique dishes too as there are both African and Indian influences.  Yes, this is a hidden gem for sure.

The Good:
- Unique food
- Nice flavours
- Wonderful owners

The Bad:
- Tight dining room
- So-so naan  

Delara

Been wanting to try Delara for quite some time, especially after it achieved Michelin-Recommended status for the first time.  Yes, it has been that long!  However, just like always, other restaurants got into the queue first and I never went.  Leave it up to Costanza to suggest we double-date and try the place out.  We were excited to share a variety of modern Persian plates that boast unique and herbaceous flavours.

The meal started strong with Grilled Sourdough Flatbread with seasonal dips.  The first one was a lentil dip with seeds, mint and date syrup.  This was fairly rich and thick with earthy tones and sweetness.  The second dip was beet & yogurt with date syrup, dill and bee pollen.  I really enjoyed this one as it was super smooth and creamy with sweetness.  About that seedy flatbread...  it was a textural delight with a soft and fluffy texture while nicely browned on the outside.

As if the flatbread and dips weren't good enough, the Roasted Cauliflower & Yogurt was so delicious!  It was served atop served on a bed of spicy yogurt and topped with hazelnut, sumac, sesame seeds and mint.  Loved the firm, yet cooked-through roasted cauliflower that was completely flavoured with the creamy spice of the yogurt and tanginess of the sumac.  Of course we found some nuttiness from the hazelnuts and sesame seeds.

Going for something with meat, we had the Koofteh consisting of 3 beef meatballs with rice, split peas, herbs, walnuts and plums, served with seedy sourdough flatbread.  These were quite pleasant with a meaty, yet not overly dense texture with natural meat flavours accented by the sweetness of the plums and nuttiness of the walnuts.  Loved soaking up the sauce with the flatbread.

Moving onto the mains, we went for the Fesenjoon with Duck.  This featured a slow-cooked duck leg atop a stew of walnut and pomegranate molasses, served with with a side of tahdeeg.  Oh wow, this was a flavour bomb of sweet and tangy (as the menu stated) with caramelization.  The duck leg was tender and fall-off-the-bone with a crispy exterior.  The side of tahdeeg was nutty and crunchy.

Going with another fowl dish, we had the Chicken and Barberries sporting turmeric marinated grilled  chicken breast with roasted vegetables and herbs and a barberry and orange sauce.  Also loved this dish as the chicken was tender and moist while smokey.  The sweet and tangy sauce complimented the chicken well while the roasted brussels sprouts added crunch and brightness.

One of the most surprising dishes was the Saffron & Mushroom Stew consisting of sesame & sunflower seeds, caramelized onions, saffron and preserved lemons.  This was topped with roasted wild mushrooms, pickled grapes and sumac whey sauce.  Although this lacked meat, it didn't lack flavour and impact.  It hit so many different notes such as aromatics from the saffron and mushrooms, nuttiness from the seeds, sweetness from the onions and tanginess from the preserved lemons.  This was all in balance and created a harmonious stew.

Lastly, we had the pistachio & chive crusted Steelhead Trout with Turmeric & Dill. This was served with seasonal vegetables on a bed of preserved lemon, turmeric and dill sauce.  The trout was expertly-prepared being buttery and being barely cooked through.  Yes, that sauce underneath had it all including tang, earthiness, herbaecousness and silkiness.  That pistachio crust on top provided a salty nuttiness.  Also, the side of bulgur and barberries was almost fluffy while still retaining its usual chewiness.  At this point, we were excited to order dessert, but unfortunately, we were told we could not since our time was up and the next reservation was waiting.  Okay, we understood this, but we were never informed of the time limit before we started our meal nor were we informed during our meal.  It did not help that the food came out slowly and that our server (despite being super friendly) did not ask if we wanted our next course.  So that was a sour way to end the meal when we actually wanted to try their highly-recommended sweets.  Overall, the food and service were excellent, yet the communication was lacking.

The Good:

- Excellent food

- Equally good service

- Lovely flavours

The Bad:

- Lack of communication about the dining time and pacing of the meal

- This lead to us not being able to order dessert