Mui Ngo Gai

Ever since the modernization of Anh & Chi, we have slowly begun to see the transformation of many other Vietnamese restaurants as well.  One of the more recent ones to change their formula is Mui Ngo Gai out on Kingsway.  They've been there forever dishing up traditional Vietnamese eats that are not normally found at the run-of-the-mill spots.  Now, they have gone higher end with ornate furnishings as well as an updated menu that includes a Singaporean section.

Without further delay, let's get straight to the crown jewel of our meal with the Singaporean specialty - Chili Crab. There are many versions of this dish, but this one has to be one of my favourites in town.  The Dungeness Crab was bathed in savoury sauce that was full of awesome umaminess.  Furthermore, there was a balanced spiciness that was also equal parts sweetness.  It had such depth-of-flavour, we needed some starch to go with it.  It included 4 pieces of roti, but really, it would've been best with plain rice.

Another interesting item we had was their version of Nasi Lemak.  In the middle, we found rice coloured with butterfly pea flower.  Then we had some sambal clams as well as sambal whole squid.  Sliced cucumbers and radish rounded out the plate.  This was so tasty due to the sweet and spicy sambal.  There was plenty to go around to flavour the buttery clams and firm squid.  It also helped make the rice super tasty.  Heck, even the veggies were extra delicious with the sambal.

On the topic of sambal, we also tried the Sambal Prawns and they were absolutely fantastic.  These butterflied prawns were huuuuge and fried perfectly, so that the shell was completely edible.  On top of that, the prawn itself was just cooked through being juicy with a meaty and sweet snap.  But the thing that really made this was again, the sambal.  It gave each prawn a savoury and sweet spiciness that was also briny.  So delish!

Onto some Vietnamese dishes, we went for something big in the Deep Fried Crispy Whole Fish in Tamarind Sauce.  This was indeed very crispy, especially the edges, fins and head.  It was like eat fish crisps.  The tamarind sauce was the perfect compliment to the fish as it provided a sweet tanginess.  For the actual meat, it was still moist near the middle body, but progressively got drier near the ends.  Understandable given the different thickness.

The fish was a good segue to an equally crispy item.  The Banh Xeo was a textural delight with an appetizingly uniform crispy exterior.  The crunch was so satisfying with each bite and also the aroma was addictive.  Inside, there was a good amount of pork, shrimp, squid and sprouts.  So much so, it was rather shocking to see.  When wrapped in lettuce and complimented by mint, pickled carrot & daikon and spicy fish sauce, this was a delicious bite.

Of course we had to get the veritable Pho Dac Biet, but this was served in a really small ornate bowl.  In terms of portion size, there was just as much as any bowl of Pho I've eaten recently, but since it was crammed into this bowl, there was barely any soup.  With the little soup I could scrounge, it was clean and meaty without being too intensely salty.  The meats were good and well-portioned and the noodles were al dente.  Maybe they need to use a larger bowl or offer extra soup on the side.

Another classic Vietnamese dish we had was the Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) served with a warm baguette on the side.  This was pretty solid with big tender chunks of beef shank.  This was a satisfying dish were the strewing juices were meaty and had the unmistakable taste of star anise, ginger and sweetness.  The baguette was crusty on the outside ans soft on the inside.  Great from sopping up all the flavour.

Some smaller items we had included the Crispy Fried Chicken Wings and Bánh Bột Lọc (Shrimp & Pork Tapioca Dumplings).  I found the wings to be crispy as advertised.  The meat was still fairly moist except for one of the smaller drumettes.  As for the dumplings, they were bouncy with seasoned pork and shrimp in the middle.  Pretty solid "regular" dishes off a revamped menu.  Overall, the food was excellent and the addition of Singaporean favourites provided the most flavour and impact.

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

The Good:
- Those Singaporean dishes, especially the Chili Crab!
- Updated decor
- Still solid Vietnamese fare

The Bad:
- Increase in prices
- The Pho needs a bigger bowl

Golden Time BBQ

Remember around 8 year ago, when the Chinese skewer restaurant craze became a thing?  Happy Tree was one of the first to be truly successful and for me, I really enjoyed it despite the overly loud K-pop music.  Subsequently, I tried many more and they were quite good, but not really all that different.  So now we have a newer spot in Golden Time BBQ along restaurant road (aka Alexandra Road) in Richmond.  The thing that sets them apart from the others is that the skewers cook at your table on a rotisserie.  It is all due to the metal skewers with gears that fit into rotating gears on the grill.  Ingenious.

So before we got to the skewers, we snacked on some small cold plates including the Preserved Egg & Tofu, Pickled Radish and Kelp.  A classic Taiwanese dish, the silky tofu with a century egg was pretty typical, but not sure about the peppers.  Pretty strong flavours.  Loved the radish as it was crunchy and had a black vinegar sweetness.  Kelp was soft and garlicky.  Due to it being kelp, it was more delicate that full of texture.

Continuing on with more small dishes, we had the Grilled Squid Tentacles and Pig's Ear with Chili Oil.  Texturally, I really enjoyed the squid tentacles since they were appealingly chewy while still tender.  Plenty of savouriness and earthiness.  As for the pig's ear, they were soft with a nice crunch from the cartilage.  The chili oil wasn't as spicy as it appeared, but was still flavourful.

Adding some veggies to the meal, we had the Grilled Eggplant with Garlic as well as the Enoki Mushroom.  Absolutely loved that they did not cut up the eggplant into smaller pieces.  It was butterflied and served whole with a tonne of garlic on top.  Nice soft texture and super tasty.  The enoki mushroom were cooked with some vermicelli and was quite mild in flavour, but was soft in texture while still having a bite.

Some items, such as the vegetables, cannot be prepared at the table, so they are served already grilled.  We got some shellfish in the form of Grilled Garlic Scallops, Grilled Oysters with Garlic and Grilled Abalone with Garlic.  Once again, there was a boatload of minced garlic atop these, but still not sold on the peppers as they were too strong for the delicate flavours of the shellfish.  These were cooked perfectly with the buttery scallops and chewy mantle, soft and plump oyster and bouncy and sweet abalone.

Onto the Skewers, they were brought to our table raw (of course) and then we could place them onto the rotisserie grill.  Once they were done, we placed them onto a separate plate (there is also a heating rack above the grill too).  As you can see, the BBQ does a great job in searing the meat and creating smokiness and caramelization.  My favourites were the wings, lamb, squid and believe it or not, the grilled bread!  Yes, so crispy and buttery...

The last dish to arrive was the Shiitake Braised Pork on Rice.  Although this is a BBQ skewer joint, they didn't mail it in when it came to this dish.  It was so full of depth and meatiness as well as lots of umami.  The pickled greens helped lighten the dish while chewy rice was completely flavoured by the braised pork.  In the end, one can conclude that the rotisserie at your table is a gimmick and it is for show.  However, what a fun show it is!  To top it off, the food is good and that is the most important thing.  

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

The Good:

- Rotisserie for your skewers right at your table!

- Skewers are good

- Good cooked items too

The Bad:

- Gets hot at your table

- Parking lot is insufficient

Meet Oyster

As mentioned in many previous posts, AYCE (All-You-Can-Eat) has become a thing again in the GVRD.  For awhile there, it seemed to go the way of the Dodo (infamous bird that went extinct), never to be seen again.  However, with rising restaurant prices and the overall cost of food these days, an all-inclusive price for everything seems like a good value.  One thing that I have seen across-the-board is the generally higher quality of eats available for AYCE.  Now, don't get me wrong, AYCE is still very much a quantity-over-quality endeavour, but if you have reasonable expectations, it can be completely acceptable or even very good.  The latest AYCE I visited is Meet Oyster with its individual hot pots and Japanese food.  This time, I was here for their Late Night Set, but I also go to order off the AYCE menu just to try some more items (that were not included in the Late Night Sukiyaki Set).

Let's get right into the Late Night Sukiyaki Set for only $29.99.  Yes, you really get all that you see on the table for one low price.  I honestly can't see you spending less money at a variety of restaurants considering the quality of the ingredients you get here.  In addition to the included broth (additional cost for more premium broth), we had 2 choices for seafood (abalone & oyster), 2 hotpot classics ( tripe & beef meatballs), 2 beef choices (Wagyu beef & premium beef chuck), 2 soy-based items (fish tofu & crispy tofu skin rolls), 2 noodles (konjac noodles & fresh ramen noodles), 3 veggies, 6 pcs sashimi and 6 pcs sushi.  Also included was an array of sauces and condiments for the sauces.  This was more than enough food for 2 people.

Not that we didn't have enough food already, but we also decided to try out some items from the AYCE menu for "informational purposes" including the Aburi Oshi with salmon, unagi and hamachi.  Sure, these wouldn't be mistaken for Miku, but they were good in their own way, especially for AYCE.  I particularly enjoyed the salmon as it was lightly-torched being buttery soft atop chewy sushi rice.  The amount of mayo sauce was modest, so it didn't get too creamy nor greasy.

From there, we tried a few of their other items including the Meet Oyster Tartare, Unagi Rice and Sashimi.  I thought the salmon tartare was pretty decent and they did pile on a tonne of tobiko on top as well as a quail's egg.  So it had so nice buttery silkiness.  The unagi was pretty standard and adequately sauced.  We found the sashimi decent much like the one included in the Sukiyaki set except this one had tamago and unagi.

One of the best things we ate was the selection of Oysters including one topped with cheese, one topped with durian and the last one topped with garlic.  Beyond the fact that the oysters were gigantic and plump, the toppings made all the difference.  I enjoyed the garlic one the most because it kept things simple and I could still get the full brininess of the oyster.  The durian was just enough that I got a taste without it being overwhelming.  I found the cheese to be pretty good too, but less interesting at the other 2.

To give a bit more of an overview of the items you can choose from other than the ones we chose for the Sukiyaki Set.  These included Sliced Snakehead Fish, Fish Meaballs and Scallop (we also got another oyster because the place is called Meet Oyster!).  As you can see, it maybe AYCE, but the quality of the items weren't compromised.  The fish cooked up buttery soft while the meatballs were bouncy and sweet.  Scallop was big and included the mantle.  Yup, the oyster was buttery and soft with its classic sweet bininess.

For dessert, we ordered the Fried Coconut Milk and it was so good, we got another plate!  These were lightly breaded and fried with creamy and sweet coconut milk that was super aromatic.  Not sure about the mayo on the side, it didn't need it.  Lastly, we had the Kirkland Hagen-Daas Ice Cream Bars to finish and hey, pretty generous offering for dessert!  In general, the food at Meet Oyster is quite good in terms of quality and quantity, especially for the price.  That late night sukiyaki set is a really good value and if you want even more food, then just go for the AYCE.

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

The Good:

- Good quality ingredients

- Overall decent food

- Well-priced, especially that late night Sukiyaki Set!

The Bad:

- It isn't the biggest place, so seating will be limited

Dhaliwal's Lounge

Yes, I've been to Dhaliwal's Lounge a few times now and I believe they offer some really solid Indian eats for a reasonable price.  Really like their interior decor as well, especially the entrance with all the flowers.  I've been invited back to highlight some of their lunch specials that are under $14.00 each.  I don't know about you, but to find a complete meal for that price these days is rarer than Taylor Swift tickets. In addition, we had a few other dishes too because they are just so tasty!

So about those lunch specials, we had both the Non-Veg and Veg Platters. For the Non-Veg ($13.95), there is a choice of appie: Chicken Tikka, Seekh Kebab or Samosa Parcel.  For this one we had the Chicken Tikka and it was juicy and well-marinated.  Good spice and earthiness.  For the Entree, there is a choice between Butter Chicken, Dhaba Chicken Curry, Goat Curry or Chicken Tikka Masala.  We chose the Goat Curry and it had some strong fall spice flavours combined with tender morsels of goat.  Each platter also includes Dal Makhni (which was plenty buttery and smooth), Garlic Naan, Naan, Tandoori Roti, Rice and Gulab Jamun.  Wait, it gets even better as you also get a choice of Masala Chai, Pop or Sweet/Salted Lassi.  These are available Monday to Sunday from 12:00pm - 4:00pm dine-in only.

For the Vegetarian Platter ($12.95), there are choices of appie including Paneer Arancini, Samosa Parcel or Vegetarian Pakora.  We chose the Paneer Arancini for this meal and they were crispy with soft crumbled paneer in the middle.  For the entree, the choices are: Rara Paneer Masala, Shahi Malai Kofta, Palak Paneer, Methi Paneer or Shahi Paneer.  We chose Shahi Paneer for this plate and it was creamy with mild spiciness.  It was loaded with squishy paneer.  Naan was solid being blistered an crispy on the outside and soft & chewy on the inside.

Since Jackie had never been to Dhaliwal's before, we ordered some dishes off the regular menu including the Non-Veg Appetizer Platter consisting of Chicken Tikka, Lamb Chops, Fish Pakora, Malai Chicken Tikka and Sheekh Kebab.  Pretty solid array of food here with the lamb chops being my favourite.  Tender and well-charred, these were marinated perfectly with a smoky nuttiness.  Fish pakora were crispy and flaky while the malai chicken was saucy and really soft.  Sheekh kebab were also juicy and fully spiced.

We had a few items from the Happy Hour menu including the Desi-Style Nachos with chicken, black beans, jalapenos, banana peppers, olives, bell peppers, green onions and cheese.  So really, this was a pretty typical plate of nachos except with some Indian-spiced chicken.  In this way, the nachos ate much less "wet" than some of the other Indian versions I've had (that usually sports butter chicken on it).  Therefore, the chips were crunchy and could be dipped into the side of sour cream and salsa without falling apart.

Staying with appetizers, we tried one of their new dishes in the Szechuan Prawns featuring tiger prawns dressed in a sweet and spicy sauce, white wine, ginger and garlic.  This was a pleasant dish where the prawns were perfectly cooked.  They had a meaty snap with plenty of natural sweet prawn aroma.  As for the sauce, it was definitely garlicky and gingery with hits of spice and also sweetness.  I liked how they weren't overdressed.

Another new item we tried was the Honey & Orange Chicken with fresh orange, soya sauce, ginger, garlic and green onions.  Unlike the usual versions of orange chicken out there, this didn't feature aggressively-fried chicken.  Rather, these pieces of chicken sported a rather light batter.  The chicken itself was tender.  I found the sauce to be fairly sweet with only small amounts of tanginess.  Definitely tasted the ginger though.

Onto some mains, we had the Chicken Korma, Butter Chicken and Chicken Biryani.  As usual, the curries were on point with the korma being creamy with a background nuttiness and earthiness.  Butter chicken was balanced in terms of creaminess and tanginess.  Lots of spice and the chicken was tender.  As for the biryani, it featured fragrant and chewy basmati rice that had taken on all the flavours of the earthy and fall-type spices.  Lots of depth and also sweetness and spice.

Onto the sweets, we had a trio of items including the Gajar Ka Halwa, Rabri & Faluda with ice cream and a Chocolate Lava Cake.  I've always enjoyed the sweet spiced carrots with pistachio in the gajar ka halwa and this one was good.  Just sweet enough and aromatic.  Creamy and sweet, the fabri & faluda of course sported the classic noodles.  Lastly, the most non-Indian dessert was the lava cake and it was moist and sweet with molten chocolate throughout, not just in the middle.  So another solid meal at Dhaliwal's where we got to sample their lunch specials.  Such good value.  But the rest of their menu is great too and also well-priced.

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

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Nice dining space

- Lunch specials are an incredible value

The Bad:

- Love their cocktails, but a few are very strong though (well, unless you like strong, then it is good)

Hello Nori (The Amazing Brentwood)

I've been waiting a very long time for this.  It seemed like Hello Nori was never going to open their Brentwood location...  At first, we saw the signage go up and then it disappeared.  This was like 2 years ago.  My assumption was that they no longer were going to have a location in Burnaby.  As much as I love Hello Nori, I wasn't super enthused about driving into Downtown for my hand roll fix.  Lo and behold, the spot opened up all of a sudden!  I was both shocked and pleasantly-surprised.  Jackie and I went for a tasting a few days after their official opening.

In addition to their a la carte items, Hello Nori features 4, 5 and 6 roll set menus.  For those who haven't been, the hand rolls are constructed as you finish the last one, so it ensures the integrity of the crispy roasted seaweed as well as the warm rice and cold ingredients.  This combination results in a textural and temperature delight.  One must eat them immediately to experience optimal deliciousness.  But they aren't only hand rolls available.  They also have Sashimi that consists of Hamachi, Bluefin Tuna, King Salmon, Hokkaido Scallops, Tamago and diced sashimi.  It goes without saying that this looked beautiful with a nice sheen and vibrant colours.  It was also on point in terms of sweetness (quite impactful) and buttery texture.

Most people will go for the 6-hand roll set and it starts with the Toro (which is actually a Negitoro) with tuna belly and green onions.  I've always felt that their ingredient-to-rice ratio has been on point.  There is enough warm, seasoned chewy sushi rice to keep everything together while the amount of filling is substantial.  Hence, the hand rolls eat really well with this one sporting buttery soft tuna belly with fresh green onions.  Seasoning is spot on too with just enough to keep it from being plain.

Next hand roll is the Yellowtail (or Hamachi) that unsurprisingly is buttery and soft.  The natural sweetness of the fish comes through clearly.  The quality of the yellowtail is obvious with sweet hits of the sea accented by just a minimal amount of seasoning to enhance the natural flavours.  You can eat this without the aid of the soy on the side as well as the freshly-grated wasabi.  Yes, it is that naturally sweet that only a smattering of soy is necessary.

So one of the best hand rolls in the set is the Ora King Salmon.  I swear the salmon they use here is some of the sweetest natural-tasting fish around.  Not bad considering the price point.  If you've never had this type of fish before, you are truly missing out.  Beyond the taste, the fish itself is buttery soft and has a freshness about it (well as fresh as flash-frozen can get).  Once again, it is mildly-seasoned and does not need anything else really.

If having Ora King Salmon isn't a big enough treat, the hand roll with Hokkaido Scallop and tobiko is equally yummy.  The sweetness quotient of the scallops rivals that of the salmon where the conservative amount of mayo only helps accentuate the natural sweetness that already exists.  Already experiencing the sashimi itself, we know that this hand roll would be delicious.  Combine the buttery scallops with the mayo and crispy nori, this is even tastier.

Moving onto the last two hand rolls in the 6-roll set, we find the only two that feature cooked ingredients.  The first of which is the Snow Crab with delicate and fluffy crab that is mixed with just enough sweet mayo.  The contrast between the chewy and warm sushi rice with the soft snow crab creates a deluxe version of a California roll without the avocado.  Unlike the imitation crab in a Cali roll, this one here is so pure in sweetness and slight brininess.  Delicious.

Save the best for last right?  The 6th roll in the set is the Truffle Lobster.  They are not playing around here as the chunks of lobster are large and not the scraps.  It has the usual bouncy texture while being sweet and slightly briny.  With a bit of truffle mayo, this is so luxurious and expensive-tasting.  The truffle isn't overwhelming as it only compliments the natural flavours of the lobster.  Again, the warm rice and crisp nori makes this a textural delight.

There are a la carte items on the menu too including the Blue Fin Tuna hand roll.  Knowing that the slices of blue fin in the sashimi plate are already buttery and super sweet, it is only an expectation that it will be the same in the hand roll.  That it is and it is also the beneficiary of being marinated offering up the slightest in complimentary flavours.  To literally top it off, they freshly grind roasted sesame seeds to offer up some nuttiness.

Oh let's get even more bougie with the featured hand roll of the day with the A5 Wagyu and Hokkaido Uni!  Before they roll this up, the Wagyu is torched along with petrified Japanese oak to give it a unique smokiness.  Tack on a good amount of Hokkaido uni and you get the creaminess to go with the fatty meatiness.  Slight smoky notes come through too.  Since the Wagyu is so buttery soft, the roll can be eaten without fear of it sliding out.

Other than the handrolls and sashimi, there is also an option to add some Aburi Oshi in the form of salmon and ebi.  They are very much like the ones you will find at Miku/Minami and they eat as such.  The sushi rice is chewy and lightly seasoned with just enough mayo on top for moisture and flavour.  They do not feel greasy and are a nice addition to any hand-roll set.  All-in-all, Hello Nori is one of my go to spots in the city since they offer up fresh ingredients, on point execution and in my mind, reasonable pricing.  I'm so glad they opened up in my hood!

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

The Good:
- Fresh quality ingredients
- On point execution
- Their cocktails are pretty yummy too

The Bad:
- As with the other location, not a place where you sit for long (food comes out fast and it is bar seating)

Kosoo Korean BBQ

I remember visiting the original Kosoo in Downtown pre-pandemic where it was pretty tasty.  However, I've not returned there since.  It has been so long, that they have opened up 2 more locations (that sport unique menus different from one another) with a BBQ spot in Coquitlam.  Jackie and I were invited to try out the place that I believe used to be a hot pot restaurant.  They do have underground parking, but it is not free and beware, the online system is a bit messed up.  Best to park on the street!

To begin, we were served a selection of Banchan as well as the usual lettuce, peppers, garlic and bean paste for wrapping the BBQ meats. We found the usual items such as bean sprouts, stewed potatoes and kimchi, but also some rarely seen ones in the anchovy and sweet shredded squid.  Those were fantastic with appealingly chewy textures.  In addition, we had pickled daikon, seaweed salad, garlic stems, omelette, tofu skins and onion salad.

We tried 2 of their soups including the Soybean Jjigae and Sagol Haejangguk.  These came out bubbling hot and stayed as such even after our incessant picture-taking.  My favourite of the 2 was the sagol haejangguk as it had much more depth and spiciness.  It was loaded with tender chunks of beef brisket which also made things heartier and robust.  Hey, not that the soybean jjigae was bad though.  It was just milder with some fermented soybean flavour.  Still lots of soft tofu and meat.

Their Seafood Pancake was loaded with green onion (as you can see), but it was quite good due to the crispiness on both sides.  It was also rather thin, which made the middle of the pancake less doughy and wet.  It was almost like eating a crunchy crust from a pizza.  However, with the amount of seafood, there was the natural sweetness as well as the chewiness of the squid.  The green onion did its green onion thing, but it was less dominating due to the aggressive cook on the pancake.

As if a BBQ for 2 wasn't enough for us, we were served the Rose Chicken Galbi Platter.  Yep, this gives Sooda vibes for sure, but the platter was placed on top of a portable burner.  It worked, but it really wasn't that stable, so be careful when scooping the rice!  I think since we had the BBQ as well, they couldn't use the centre induction burner for this purpose.  About that rice, when combined with the cheese corn, egg roll and stir-fried chicken, it created a very hearty and cheesy concoction.  Definitely something to be shared with like 4 people, not 2.  

So for the Kosoo Combo C for 2, it not only included the banchan and pancake, it featured Beef Short Rib, Marinated Short Rib and Marinated Pork Galbi.  This was a very generous amount of premium well-marbled meats.  They cooked up aromatically and due to the fact, had a nice sear.  Meats were tender and so flavourful.  I particularly liked the short rib as it was pure and took on the sesame oil salt condiment well.  Wrapping it up in romaine with bean paste was pretty tasty too!

Last item in the combo was the Butter Mushrooms and yah, they were not playing around when they said butter.  These tender mushrooms soaked up all the butter and let me say they were sinfully tasty.  So overall, the food at Kosoo Korean BBQ was very good.  The meat quality as definitely there as well as the excellent selection of banchan.  I liked how there were some less seen options.  I liked how they also offered the rice platters, but when you are having BBQ at the same time, it comes atop a portable burner (not the best setup).  However, that is a small detail as the BBQ would be something I come back for.

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

The Good:

- Quality meats

- Nice selection of banchan, even some less seen options

- The rest of the non-BBQ dishes were solid too

The Bad:

- The attached parking lot is not free, but the real problem is the parking app doesn't confirm whether you paid or not, hence it will charge you multiple times if you keep trying