Little Billy's

Despite being one of the closest restaurants located near me, the last time I've been to Little Billy's was in 2009.  Yes, that was only the second year of this blog and yep, that was really 15 years ago!  To be honest, nothing really stood out to make me want to come back.  However, things have changed as the son has taken over revamping a few things including the decor and some menu items.  We were invited to try out some of their wares and hey, it made for an easy commute for me!

We started off with some appies including the Calamari.  This was a medium-sized portion that featured large pieces of squid.  I found the batter to be light and crispy while not sliding off each piece.  The batter was properly seasoned, but the side of tzatziki as welcomed with its garlicky tanginess.  As for the squid itself, the texture was tender but still had an appealing chewy bounciness.

We also had the flaming Saganaki (which was hard to capture in the bright natural light).  This was a huge piece of cheese that was pan fried and doused with ouzo, then lit on fire.  Trust me, it was flaming and sizzling.  It was served with warm pita on the side.  Since it was such a big slice of cheese, it wasn't exactly melty, rather, it was firm and definitely cheesy and a bit boozy.  Not that I don't like generous portions, but maybe this could've been a smaller piece.

Continuing on the theme of huge, the Crab Stuffed Mushrooms was another large dish.  It consisted of button mushroom caps with a good amount of crab and plenty of melted cheese.  Due to the amount of mushrooms, the dish had a bit of moisture at the bottom though.  That made the dish a bit wet.  The amount of filling did offer up a robust bite that was quite good especially with a squeeze of lemon.

I personally love Moussaka, so it was one of my requests in addition to what we were already expecting.  This was served in a large bowl which meant that it was plenty moist and not dry like some other versions.  The moist layers of meat, eggplant, potato and zucchini combined well. with the creamy bechamel.  This was served with vibrant and crunchy veggies, rice, lemon potato, tzatziki and pita bread.

Yet another favourite of mine is the Roast Lamb, hence we had that as well.  This was a rather large piece of marinated lamb shoulder that was fork tender.  It fell apart very easily and was succulent.  Loved the braising juices as it was earthy and tangy.  Definitely a great version of Greek roast lamb.  It came with all the sides as the moussaka.  I liked how the lemon potato was firm, yet still tender with a good hit of tanginess.

Just because it looked good on the menu, we had the Lobster Linguine.  It featured a fairly large lobster tail as well as big prawns and scallops in a red lobster sauce.  For $38.00, I found this to be an excellent value.  The pasta was al dente while the sauce was mildly creamy.  I thought the lobster essence could've been stronger, but it was partially offset by the big lobster tail and the amount of seafood.

Saving the best for last as we shared the Flaming Greek Platter for 4.  We felt $136.00 is a reasonable price for the amount of food included: one skewer of each lamb, chicken, beef and calamari, signature calamari, lamb chops, paidakia ribs, garlic prawns, spanakopita, roasted potatoes, vegetables, rice, pita bread, hummus and tzatziki.  As you can see, this was a considerable amount of food.  The whole rack of ribs was super tender and well-spiced.  All of the souvlaki was nicely charred and tender.  I especially enjoyed the calamari skewer as the squid had a nice snap to it.  Those lamb chops were also delicious with meat cooked to medium being super tender and well-marinated.  Overall delicious platter of food and a good deal in my books.

For dessert, we had the Baklava and Portuguese Tarts.   Although I'm not a fan of very sweet desserts, the baklava was pretty good with the usual nutiness and texture of the phyllo.  As much as Portuguese tarts are not Greek, they were pretty good here.  The flaky and crispy shell held in the light and semi-sweet custard.  Nice char on the top and sides too.  Overall, the food at Little Billy's is a whole lot better than I had remembered.  Mind you, that was over a decade ago...  While dining there, I noticed quite a few regulars come in.  Little Billy's has always been a neighbourhood spot and I'm glad it is continuing on that tradition with some changes.  My next visit won't take as long as last time!

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

The Good:

- Cozy spot

- Solid eats

- Pricing is fair

The Bad:

- Some items could use a bit more refinement

Sunday Brunch at Coast Langley City Convention Centre

Yes, AYCE or buffets are making a comeback in the Lower Mainland!  If you have paid attention, there are more options now than we have had for the last 10 years.  I've already gone over the reasons in previous posts, so I'm not going to repeat it here.  However, I will say that despite the prevalence of AYCE options, there are not many affordable and good Sunday Brunch buffets in the GVRD.  Well, I think we might have a winner in the Coast Langley City Convention Centre (or CLC).  They turn their ballroom into a huge Sunday Brunch Buffet costing $44.95 for adults and $21.95 for kids (up to 12 years old). We were invited to try the Easter Brunch (which was a bit more for $49.95) to see for ourselves if this buffet was worth the money.  

The one thing that struck me right away was the many different food stations.  The first was the Sushi where there was a selection of maki as well as freshly torched aburi nigiri.  For a buffet (that isn't an Asian one), the sushi was more than respectable.  Rice was chewy and not overdone while the ingredients were fresh.  There were more cooked versions of sushi, but I'm sure they were trying to satisfy all tastes.

They also had the basic Breakfast Items but with a twist.  For instance, the scrambled eggs were folded with cottage cheese and chives.  Even their sausages were a cut above the usual with large country pork and lean turkey.  There was thick strips of double-smoked bacon and herb-spiced hash browns.  Nearby the breaky things, there was chilled whole shrimp, prawn cocktail and mussels.

Moving onto the hot Main Dishes, we had a selection that included Salmon & Cod Thermidor, Roasted Turkey & Stuffing, Beef Marsala, Westcoast Paella, Mascarpone-Whipped Potatoes and Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Root Vegetables.  Really enjoyed the fish as it was not overdone (impressive for a buffet) and was sitting in an aromatic lobster cream sauce.  The turkey was moist and came with all the fixins'.  Wasn't a fan of the paella as the rice was dry and bland.  The seafood was excellent though.  Beef marsala was pretty tasty with rich flavours and tender beef.

Over at the Carvery, we found perfectly medium-rare Angus Roast Beef, Honey Ham, Chicken & Waffles, Mini-Pancakes and French Toast.  Loved the beef as it was exactly how I like it being tender and still juicy.  Buttermilk fried chicken was certainly crunchy and still moist inside.  Made-to-order waffles were crispy and light.  Those little pancakes were easy to eat and great for kiddies.

One of the best features of this buffet has to be their Eggs Benedict Station.  Yes, they make it to order and there are 4 options including Cajun shrimp, smoked salmon, honey ham and spinach & mushroom.  We got them all and they featured runny egg yolks and a silky champagne Hollandaise.  I would've liked to see the English muffin toasted more, but honestly, what a great effort for a buffet.

Right next to the eggs benny was the Pasta Station.  Yep, this was also made-to-order and featured 3 choices including Spaghetti with meat sauce, Rotini with pesto and Rotini with spicy sausage.  Yes, the pasta was already par-cooked and need to be reheated, but it still turned out al dente.  The fact that the pasta was not sitting in a chaffing tray meant it was ideal in texture and the flavours were activated from the toss in a hot pan.  Really solid offering for a buffet.

The last made-to-order station was the Omelette Bar on the opposite side as the Benny bar.  We could have custom omelettes with ingredients that included ham, mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes, peppers, cheese, spinach and green onions.  As you can see on the plate (with the salads), the egg was just barely cooked through.  That ensured the eggs would be fluffy and just a little runny inside.  Perfect!

If you are fan of Desserts, they didn't disappoint with 4 different tables including Easter-themed treats (with some Charcuterie as well), dessert jars and creme brulee, fruit and cakes as well as a chocolate fountain.  You really could find something here for everyone.  Unless you are so dessert savant, you wouldn't be able to eat one of everything either.  So there you have it, an extensive Sunday Brunch Buffet that I think is worth the money.  They have their Mother's Day Sunday Brunch coming up for $49.95 (adults), $39.95 (seniors) and $29.95 (children).  The menu will be slightly different as they change it up often.

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

The Good:

- Fairly large selection with many made-to-order stations

- Decent quality

- Large space

The Bad:

- I would've liked to see at least one more seafood option

Yardbird Table & Bar

Despite the departure of Roanna and Eileen the night before, Jackie and I still had one more food adventure left on the schedule before our flight.  It happened to be Yardbird Table & Bar located in the Venetian.  I've been to their original Miami spot before and it was fantastic!  Loved their take on Southern comfort food!  However, given the inside location of this Yardbird, it had a much more elevated vibe due to the darker dining room and less bright sunny farm-themed decor.

To start, we had the Devilled Eggs with dill, chives and smoked trout roe.  These featured half eggs filled high with creamy and rich egg yolks.  There was definitely enough seasoning with the hint of mustard.  Loved the little pops of smoky brininess from the roe.  I also liked how the egg whites were delicate and not rubbery.  However, the thing that put the whole thing over-the-top was the drizzle of honey hot sauce.  That brought out sweet and spicy notes to go with the already delicious egg.

Yah, we couldn't do some Southern eats without doing the Skillet Cornbread with sharp cheddar, bacon, jalapeño and honey butter.  So from the description alone, this was obviously not your typical cornbread.  Well, the cornbread itself was excellent being fluffy and buttery with a crisp top.  With the added ingredients, we found a real savoury element with a salty cheesiness as well as spicy tang from the peppers.  Add in the honey butter, we had a good mix of flavors.

Going for all the greatest hits, we also had the Fried Green Tomato BLT with  house-smoked pork belly, pimento cheese, frisée, smoky tomato jam and lemon vinaigrette.  Yah, these were addictively good with a firm green tomato slice coated in a crunchy breading.  It didn't eat heavy though.  On top, the dollop of cheese did its salty cheesy thing while the slice of pork belly was soft and smoky.  Add in the freshness of the frisée with the tangy vinaigrette and we had a balanced 2-biter.

Their signature dish, Chicken & Waffles, is a must order for anyone dining at Yardbird.  So yah, we got that too.  This featured chilled spiced watermelon, Vermont sharp cheddar waffle, 1/2 fried chicken, honey hot sauce and bourbon maple syrup.  This did not disappoint where the waffle was super savoury and crispy.  Oh man, the fried chicken was off-the-hook.  All the meat (including the breast) was juicy while nicely brined.  The outside was uniformly crunchy and well-seasoned.  It was even better with some honey hot sauce.  To bring it all back down, the refreshing watermelon did just that.

Staying with fried chicken to a degree, we had their Nashville Hot Yardbird Sandwich.  This featured a big Carolina reaper-rubbed chicken thigh that was fried up perfectly.  The crunch gave way to a juicy thigh that had some real spice to it.  Although the slaw was there to cool things down a touch, it was also spicy, so it just kept the theme going.  Nice crunch on it though.  Loved the toasted brioche bun as it was crispy on the inside and nicely charred.

Our last dish was also a classic in the Shrimp & Grits with seared shrimp, roasted tomato, Virginia ham,red onion, Nora Mill grits and PBR jus.  Another winner here with creamy, yet robust grits soaked in a rich sauce that had some remnants of the beer while sporting the unmistakable flavor of Virginia ham.  The shrimp were perfectly cooked with a caramelizing sear and having enough seasoning.  Well, if you have been paying attention, this meal was fantastic and brought back great memories of the first time I dined at their Miami location.  Food is prepared properly and the flavors are just dynamite.  You also won't leave hungry either.

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

The Good:

- On point eats

- That fried chicken!

- Large portions

The Bad:

- For this location at least, it is a bit dark

The Boss Cafe

When we originally set up the visits to some of Buddy Valastro's restaurants in Vegas, it was suggested we try all of them.  Well, that wasn't our original plan, but sure why not?  Glad we did because the stuff from Jersey Eats and PizzaCake were pretty solid and great for a casual meal.  Of course we couldn't forget about the wonderful Sunday brunch at Buddy V's Ristorante in the Venetian.  Now with only one left, we went deep into the Linq Hotel to find the counter service Boss Cafe.  Their specialties include half-pound pizza squares, delicious sandwiches and baked goods.

We went straight for the sammies first that were served on house-made focaccia and fresh hand-stretched mozza.  My absolute favorite was the Jersey Roast Beef that was packed with glistening melt-in-my-mouth herb-crusted roast beef.  This sandwich was so juicy and messy that we could not eat it without getting it all over ourselves.  This came with a choice of hot or sweet peppers and also a tonne of garlic butter.  The peppers added so much tanginess that it somehow cut through the richness of the fatty beef.  We couldn't forget about the creamy and stringy mozza too!  I could eat this everyday, but really shouldn't...

Another solid sammie was the Turkey PLT that consisted of roasted turkey, pancetta, roasted tomato spread, arugula, mozza and herbed mayo.  Not as messy as the roast beef, the turkey was still plenty fulfilling.  The meat was lean, but still tender and moist.  Lots of impact from the salty pancetta as well as the tanginess from the tomato spread.  That thick layer of mozza added so much texture to the sammie that was the perfect compliment to the crispy exterior of the focaccia.  There was some sweet peppers there to cut down on the saltiness of the pancetta.

Our final 2 sammies were Lisa's Caprese and The Soprano.  Both featured a thicc layer of their fresh mozza that was a delight to chomp down on.  The creaminess combined with the extra stringiness (due to the thickness) was texture heaven.  These shared similarities, but ultimately, the Soprano was much more robust due to the addition of meat in the form of prosciutto and peppered salami with smoked pecorino and basil pesto.  To kick it up a few notches, it had some hot and sweet peppers as well.  The Caprese was much more mild with sweet peppers, tomatoes, basil, balsamic, arugula and olive oil.

As for the 1/2lb Pizza Squares, we had a few including Margherita, Peppe and Italiano.  The crust on these was crunchy and fairly firm.  They held onto the toppings very well and didn't fall apart.  Being the most basic of the 3, the Margherita was plenty cheesy from the fresh mozza and tangy from the ample tomato sauce.  Absolutely loved the Peppe with both cup and char pepperoni.  Lots of impact in terms of pepperiness and saltiness as well as crispy cups.  The Italiano was the most zesty with the combination of pepperoni, sausage, sweet and hot peppers and basil.  Lots of saltiness, spice and sweetness.

So we had some sweets to end the meal including the Tiramisu Slice and Lobster Tail Pastry.  Quite large and only semi-sweet, the tiramisu sported light and airy cake, creamy mascarpone and a mild hit of espresso.  The layered lobster tail was supremely crunchy and shattered all-over-the-place.  Inside, the lightly sweet custard was on point.  We also had 2 Pastry Pockets with one being Creme Brulee and the other, Cherry Cheesecake.  These were like turnovers and featured crispy layers of pastry topped with sugar.  The filling was on the sweeter side though, but did not lack flavor.  Sure, the Boss Cafe isn't particularly sexy compared to say, Buffy V's, but for a quick and delicious meal (that won't break the bank), it certainly fits the bill.

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

The Good:
- That Jersey Roast Beef!
- That fresh mozza!
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- It is counter-service, so just a quick meal with no fanfare (if you wanted fanfare that is)
- Drinks are so-so

Sweet Sin Bakery & Cafe

With all of these delicious meals in Vegas, it was about time we hit up something more dessert-focused.  Well, you can't get much more focused than Sweet Sin Bakery & Cafe located within The Linq Promenade.  I have passed by this place on my previous visit to Vegas in 2022 and was wanting to go inside, but alas, we were so full from eating, it didn't happen.  With an invite to try their wares, this was the perfect situation for myself, Jackie, Roanna and Eileen.

So we got started with a couple of Smoothies including the Tropical and Wildberries.  Consisting of rum, pineapple juice, banana, mango puree and coconut gelato, the tropical definitely tasted like its namesake.  It was creamy and smooth with only a mild rum flavor.  Good balance of sweet and tangy.  As for the wildberries, naturally, it had mixed berries, raspberry puree, strawberry sorbet, cranberry juice and vodka.  This one was more on the tangier side with mild sweetness.  Once again, the vodka was not overpowering in this.

The first thing we tried was also one of our favorites in the Crème Brûlée Crêpe.  This was a made-to-order crêpe that was slipped into a cone, filled with custard and topped with sugar.  Then they torched the whole thing.  The result was a pretty convincing crème brûlée.  Lots of smokiness to go with caramelized sweetness but the concoction was not that sweet.  The crepe itself was soft and light with only the slightest amount of chewiness.

Another fan favorite was the Raspberry-filled Croissant.  One might consider this a novelty, but I assure you, this was one legit croissant.  I've recently been to Paris and this was no slouch.  There was defined layers that shattered upon contact.  It was buttery and had all the right textures.  Inside, there was a wealth of raspberry jelly that was fruity and sweet.  Despite the amount of jelly, it did not negatively impact the texture of the croissant.

The hits kept coming with the Chocolate Éclair and Napoleon.  The dark chocolate glaze on the éclair was smooth, slightly bitter and mildly sweet.  The choux pastry was light and had a slight crispy exterior.  Inside, the filling was creamy while purposefully sweet.  As for the Napoleon, the layers of crisp pastry were fairly light and shattered beautifully.  The pastry cream was rich and just sweet enough.  Loved the pistachio on top of the fresh cream.

If you know me, I tend to like fruity drinks and desserts, so the Strawberry Tart was right up my alley.  Crispy and firm, the tart shell was a textural delight.  On top, the strawberries were ripe and sweet while the fresh cream was light and mildly sweet.  At first, I thought the Cinnamon Roll would be super sugary due to the huge layer of cream cheese icing on top.  However, it wasn't and that was fine by me.  The roll underneath was flaky and buttery.

The most whimsical items were the Macream Cakes coated with a colorful fondant shell and topped with icing, candy and a macaron.  We tried Pretty in Pink and the Unicorn.  Although the cupcake hidden within was moist and delicious, the sweet fondant wasn't my favourite.  After I removed the layer, I quite enjoyed the rest of the cupcake.  For me, I liked the Unicorn more since it had chocolate sponge cake.

One of the under-the-radar items was the Ube Cake Jar.  Well first of all, it was striking with the classic purple color.  Secondly, it had the usual nutty aromatics combined with a muted sweetness.  Cake underneath was moist.  The award for the most ludicrous creation was the Birthday Shake.  Just look at it!  Not only was it a shake, we found marshmallows, macaron and a loaded rice krispy square.  I thought this was super sweet and the rest of the things on top made it a heavy dessert.  Great for kids and people who have a sweet tooth.

As you can see in the shake, they also have Macarons.  In fact, there selection is diverse and colorful.  I thought they were on the sweeter side, but the crisp texture was on point while the inside was soft and chewy.  To complete the dessert selection, we also found Chocolates.  They were pretty with striking designs and colors.  I didn't actually get to try them, but by all reports, they were silky and sweet.  Believe it or not, we had more items than this, but I really don't want to write a novel.  With the items I did blog about, it is obvious that the quality and execution is there.  If your sweet tooth is calling you, then pay Sweet Sin a visit while you are in Vegas.

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

The Good:

- Quality items including the legit pastries

- So much choice

- Depending on what you order, not crazy sweet

The Bad:

- It is mostly a take-and-go spot as there are not many seats available

- Wasn't a fan of fondant on the cupcakes