Deer Garden

When my parents used to live in Coquitlam, I remember frequenting Deer Garden for dinner.  That stopped as soon as my parents moved into Burnaby.  Mind you, I could've easily just ate at Deer Garden without them, but it was out-of-sight, out-of-mind.  Such a shame really as their food was generally solid and well-portioned.  Recently, along with other foodies, I was invited to try out a variety of dishes at their new location.  That's right, they are no longer on Westwood Street.  Rather, they've moved into Henderson Centre right across from the New Pacific Market.  

We started off the meal with an Appetizer Platter consisting of Salty Peppery Pork Chops, Fried Wontons, Honey Shrimp and Fried Eggplant.  Loved the crispy and light batter on the pork chops.  Inside, the meat was tender and not dry.  There was enough seasoning to flavour the pork chops.  The shrimp were also good with a starch coating.  Since it was tossed in sweet mayo, the exterior was just somewhat crispy.  The shrimp itself was meaty and buttery.  I found the fried eggplant to be cooked-through without being mushy.

Next dish was the Whole Lobster steamed with garlic.  Nothing complex with this dish and really, the most important thing is that they served a live lobster.  That was confirmed with the delicate bouncy texture of the lobster meat.  It was sweet and fresh-tasting.  The ample garlic on top did not overwhelm the lobster.  It only accentuated the already-present lobster aroma.  Absolutely loved that they put the lobster butter on the side so we could easily eat it.  So much umaminess!

Moving onto a classic dish, we had the Hainanese Chicken with chicken oil rice.  The free-range chicken was beautifully prepared with tender and moist pieces of both white and dark meat.  I found that the skin was perfectly gelatinzed while a bit of gelatin lurked underneath.  The pieces of chicken were delicious on their own but the accompanying condiments helped in that respect.  As for the chicken oil rice, it as nutty, a bit fatty and full of umaminess.  The rice itself was chewy and nutty.

Like many restaurants of this style (think Miu Garden) we also had the Coconut Curry Bef Brisket to go along with the chicken dish.  This was every bit as good as Miu Garden with big chunks of beef that were super tender and surprisingly not that fatty.  The coconut curry was rich and creamy with so plenty of aromatics and proper seasoning.  Really needed white rice for this and with the sauce, maybe a few bowls of rice just for myself!

Going in a totally different direction, we had the Seafood Congee with a side of salty donut.  The congee base was a bit more homestyle than other Chinese restaurants.  The colour was bright white and the seasoning was mild.  It was still thick though and the amount of seafood was generous.  I found the slices of fish to be tender and flaky while the prawns had a perfectly-cooked meaty snap.  There was also delicate slices of scallop.

We moved onto a pair of soup noodles after this including Beef Tendon & Tripe Noodles as well as Home-Made 4 Kinds of Meatballs Noodles.  Both featured chewy wonton noodles that had an appealing resistance to them.  The tendon and tripe were tender, but not to the point there was no texture left.  I found the soup base to be quite good.  As much as it isn't as good at a dedicated wonton noodle house, it was still flavourful with a sweet meatiness.  Not much to say about the meatballs other than there were a good amount of them.

We always go for the default with the Sweet & Sour Pork mostly because we enjoy the dish.  However, it is so beloved by everyone, I tend to judge most places with this dish in mind!  Well the version here was actually quite good.  It featured medium-sized nuggets of pork that were juicy and tender.  This was definitely fried-to-order, which meant the exterior batter wasn't hard nor was the meat overdone.  Sometimes restaurants par-fry the pork to make preparation faster.  They didn't here.  The sauce was on the sweeter side and could've used a touch more tang.

We moved onto the a pair of hot pot dishes in the Singing Pork Sparerib Hot Pot and the Satay Sliced Beef Vermicelli Hot Pot.  Both came out sizzling with still vibrant veggies.  I found the ample amount of spareribs to be meaty, yet tender without much in the way of fat of cartilage.  It was seasoned properly with a starch-thickened sauce.  As for the sliced beef, it appeared that the cuts were more with the grain than against the grain, so the meat wasn't as tender as it appeared to be.  It possibly could've benefited from more tenderization through a longer marinade.  It did taste good though with well-seasoned vermicelli.  Love the chewy texture that was not hard nor was it too saucy.

We had a HK-style dish next with the Baked Pork Chop Spaghetti.  Yes, normally, this would be a baked rice, but honestly, I like spaghetti more anyways.  This was a large portion that would be best for sharing.  The spaghetti itself wasn't exactly al dente, but it wasn't soft either, so that was a good thing.  I found the sauce having the right viscosity and having a pleasant taste including just the slightest of tomato tang with balancing sweetness.  There was so garlic notes too.  Served in cut up strips, the fried pork chop was tender and not dry.

The same sliced beef from the hot pot showed up in the Beef with Egg Sauce on Rice.  Hence, it looked great on the place being cooked perfectly.  However, it as still chewy due to the combination of cutting with the grain and not being marinated long enough.  Despite this, the dish was still tasty and went will with rice.  The eggs were silky and the starch-thickened sauce was flavourful and the right viscosity.

We ended off the savoury part of the meal with the Fried Rice with shrimp paste, shrimp and chicken & the Supreme Fried Kuiteow.  The noodles were pretty good despite missing the usual flavour profile of a true chow kuiteow.  It had good wok hei which meant it was a a a bit smoky without any residual moisture.  I would've liked to see some brininess but it still tasted fine.  I found the rice to be quite good with plenty of ingredients.  It had enough of a hot wok fry that it had some caramelization and colour.  The ample amount of shrimp were cold-water crunchy.  I would've liked maybe more aggressive seasoning with this though. 

For dessert, we had the HK-Style French Toast with butter and syrup.  Classic Hong Kong Cafe-style, these French toast bites were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  There was a layer of sweetness already between the white bread, but the addition of syrup made this a satisfying dessert. In the end, we were quite satisfied with the combination of classic Chinese dishes and HK-Style cafe favourites.  Things were generally well-prepared except for the beef.

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

The Good:
- Well-prepared dishes
- Good portions
- Fairly large menu

The Bad:
- Unfortunately, the beef was not tender
- Kuiteow didn't taste like one, but really, it was still delicious

 

Brathaus

We sure have a lot of places to grab a burger in town.  From fast food joints to classy fine dining establishments, the choices seem endless.  However, when we talk about hot dogs, it is a totally different story.  No, we are not talking about Costco and Ikea here (although they are great values).  I'm talking about spots that specialize in hot dogs and preferably, the gourmet variety.  Can you think of any?  You see, it isn't very prevalent.  Well, there is one located on Abbott in Downtown Vancouver called Brathaus.  Jackie and I checked it out recently after already having dinner...  Second dinner!

We went straight for their featured monthly dog in the Speedy with green chorizo, pico de gallo, guac, pickled jalapenos, sour cream and chipotle aioli.  Yah, one look at these and no, they were not a "regular" hot dog.  The sausage in this was texturally appealing with a meatiness that was complimented by notable spiciness.  There was so much going on with this hot dog from the tangy jalapeños and onions that was tempered by the cool sour cream and gauc.

As for the Pete, it sported a Guinness beef sausage with guac, bacon, pickled onions, red jalapeno and lime aioli.  The sausage itself was the star of this hot dog as it had the unmistakable hit of Guinness.  Now if you have had this beer before you would know there are some rich chocolate notes, so that was completely evident here.  The acidity of the onions and aioli helped keep things light despite the meatiness of the sausage.

If you love cheese, then the Bosko would fit the bill.  This had a Texas bison sausage with gouda, mozzarella & cheddar cheese crust, onions and bell peppers.  There was so much cheese, you could barely see the sausage.  Hence, you'd better like cheese!  That I do and the texture of the cheese was different as there was some crispy portions to go with the melty gooey parts.  The bison sausage was a bit leaner as expected, but was not dry. 

Ultimately, my favourite hot dog was the basic Felix with beer bratwurst, sauerkraut, pickles, chives and horseradish mustard.  The brat in this was so juicy while the outer casing had a firm snap.  The tangy crunch from the sauerkraut gave this hot dog classic vibes and something I am very familiar with.  I found the horseradish mustard to add enough zip and tang to keep things from being one note.

They also have Pork Carnitas Tacos on the menu as well.  A bit random, but an option for those not wanting a hot dog.  These came with green sauce, pico de gallo and jalapenos. I thought they were pretty legit with tender pork that was meaty and natural-tasting.  The addition of the fresh and bright pico de gallo kept things light despite the amount of pork in each taco.  We added some of the available sauces including jalapeno mayo.  This was pretty mild, but added some creamy moisture.

They also have a selection of Monster Shakes and we had probably the most whimsical in the Om Nom Nom featuring a "Cookie Monster" theme with Cookie dough ice cream, milk, blue food colouring, Biscoff spread, crushed Chips Ahoy and chocolate chip cookie ice cream with blue sugar crystals and edible googly eyes.  This was topped with
chocolate syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles and cherry.  So yah, this was pretty sweet, but at the same time, fit with the theme of the milkshake.  Lots of nuttiness and cookie flavour that was everywhere including on the outside of the cup.  The kiddies would love this.  For me, it was all about the dawgs and they were indeed good with complimentary condiments.  Brats were high quality too.

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

The Good:
- Love the brats/sausages, nice snap casing and juicy filling
- Complimentary condiments
- Tacos are good too

The Bad:
- Milkshakes were whimsical and pretty good, but too sweet for me

Stock & Supply

One of the most hidden restaurants in Downtown is Stock & Supply within the Delta Hotel Vancouver.  It doesn't get much fanfare despite being open since 2020.  Maybe opening just before the pandemic wasn't the best timing, but I've always heard good things about the place.  They are known for their Stock Boards where one can choose 3 items from a selection of 12 for $40.00.  All boards include sourdough, soft truffle butter (which was awesome with the bread!), house pickles and peppers.  Jackie and I were invited to try those stock boards as well as a few other menu items.

Located right in the lobby of hotel, Stock & Supply features a fully-stocked bar that is a great place to hang out and meet some new friends.  We ordered a few drinks that included the Basil Zen, She's a Feisty Mango and Classic Summer Spritz.  The showstopper was the basil zen since the bubble contained a good amount of smoke.  It helped create an aroma around the drink while complimenting brightness of the fresh cucumber and gin.  Naturally, the mango cocktail was fruity with some spice, tang and plenty of tequila vibes.  The spritz was refreshing and a great drink for the summer, as expected.

Onto the Stock Boards, we ended up with 2 of them with 5 items each (so we could try nearly all of the options).  The first board consisted of  Whipped Jalapeno & Feta Tirokafteri, Beet Hummus, Crusted Halloumi Cheese and Sticky Bourbon BBQ Pork Belly.  On the side (since it didn't fit onto the board, we had the Poutine Croquettes.  Beyond the appealing creaminess of the whipped feta and hummus, the grilled pita was excellent.  Nice grilled smokiness and the texture was a bit crispy and plenty soft in the middle.  Loved the spice with the feta.  The crusted halloumi was super crunchy with melty cheese in the middle.  Presented in large slabs, the pork belly was tender and meaty with a sweet glaze.  I found the croquettes to be also quite crunchy and the potato, gravy and cheese in the middle was very poutine-like.

The second board included Summer Strawberry & Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Signature Chorizo Scotch Egg, Grilled Artisanal Truffle Sausage, Smoked Island Brie and Blistered Brussel Sprouts.  For me, this board was all about the scotch egg as it was perfect with a runny yolk and juicy spicy chorizo encasing it.  Nicely crispy on the outside too!  I found the strawberry & goat cheese bruschetta something completely different.  What brought this altogether was the balsamic as it tied the sweetness of the strawberries to the creamy and gamy cheese with tang and more sweetness.  Baked brie was smoky and of course was complimented well by the side of grilled sourdough.  Sausage was pretty good, but I found it a touch dry.  Had great earthy flavours though.  Brussels sprouts sported crispy leaves on the outside but was tender yet firm on the inside.

Onto some mains, we tried the garlic & ginger brined Fried Chicken with spicy glaze atop slaw with pickled fresno, scallion and crispy garlic.  The big pieces of chicken featured a crispy batter than was thin and not heavy.  I could really get the brine with plenty of gingeriness coming through.  The chicken itself was on the drier side though.  However, when combined with the creamy slaw, that wasn't an issue.

Next up was the Suite Burger with 7oz CAB chuck patty, sharp cheddar, butter lettuce, dill pickled, tomato, onion and S&S sauce on brioche.  Due to the large patty, the burger was rather robust and filling.  I found the patty to be tender but a little on the leaner side.  The ample amount of sauce and produce did make things more juicy though.  There was a nice sear on the patty which added nice aroma and caramelization.  

We also went for the Fennel Sausage Rigatoni with mascarpone cream, whipped harissa puree, spring peas and butter brioche crumble.  This was a large portion of pasta that would be fit for even the biggest of appetites.  There was an abundance of fennel sausage that was pretty tasty.  Those little nuggets were juicy and well-seared with hits of fennel.  The rigatoni was al dente and soaked up the cream well.  I think there could've been more cream as the pasta ate a bit dry.  Flavours were good though and the harissa came through.

Lastly, we had the 7oz AAA NY Steak & Egg atop a duck fat rosti with chili honey carrots and horseradish cream.  We asked for the steak to be prepared medium-rare and it was exactly that.  I found the steak to be meaty while being tender on the inside.  Loved the crispy sunny side free-range egg.  Lots of texture, but still runny yolk.

Onto dessert, we had the Yuzu Cheesecake and Triple Layer Key Lime Pie.  We enjoyed both desserts as they were not overly heavy despite appearing to be.  The cheesecake had the classic rich cheesiness, but also was not dense.  It was mildly sweet with the brightness of yuzu and the berry compote.  The key lime pie was also not heavy, but it was definitely creamy, sweet and tangy.  Really enjoyed the firm buttery crust.  Overall, the meal at Stock & Supply was fun, interactive and delicious.  Those stock boards are the real draw here and are perfect for a social gathering to share.  The mains were a bit hit and miss though.  Loved the space and the cocktails.  Great place to hang out.

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

The Good:

- Wonderful stock boards with many different and delicious bites to choose from

- Great space to hang out, especially at the bar.  Maybe meet new friends!

- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:

- Some of the mains need some work

Toe Dam Korean Fusion BBQ

When it was time to celebrate my son's birthday, his choice of cuisine was something very familiar - Korean BBQ.  Hey that is a great choice, but it can be a pretty expensive proposition these days.  But anything for him right?  So we decided to hit up an ol' favourite in Toe Dam Korean Fusion BBQ located in the H-Mart strip mall along North Road.  We haven't been back in awhile and this was a great opportunity to do so.  We made a reso (very much a good idea) for opening and that was a good move as the place was packed shortly after.

As usual, we started with a selection of Banchan that included potato salad, kimchi, pickled daikon and salad.  There was also the usual garlic and jalapeno for wrapping the meats in romaine.  We were also served a trio of sauces including sweet soy, sesame oil salt and spicy.  Kimchi was pretty good with spiciness.  The mashed potato salad was not as heavy as it looked.  We got a refill of that.

We went for the Monday Night Special for $100.00.  It included beef rib finger, chuck flap tail, prime boneless short rib and marinated pork collar.  That was a pretty good deal as the amount of meat would be good enough for 4 people.  The quality of the meat was quite good with the rib finger having enough fat for both flavour and butteriness while having a chewy tenderness (if that makes sense).  The chuck flap tail was a bit more meaty in texture, but it was very beefy.  Of course the short rib was the star of the show with its buttery texture with a meaty bite.  It was so flavourful due to the fat.  Pork collar was tender with its classic rebound texture.

Of course this wasn't enough food for 6 of us, so we went ahead and also got the Duck Set that consisted of roasted duck, striploin, garlic beef, rib finger, steamed egg with cheese and bean paste soup.  As much the duck is one of their signature items, I'm not convinced that I actually like it.  When placed on the BBQ, they inevitably overcook and the skin doesn't render enough without burning the whole thing.  Hence, you are left with a dry and chewy piece of duck.  However, the striploin was good though.  It was sufficiently tender and meaty.  

We added a side of Soy Sauce Marinated Blue Crab just because nothing we ordered included it.  Oh and also, I wanted to try their version of the dish.  I ended up selecting the one that had roe.  This was pretty good with well-marinated crabs, that were also of a good size.  The sweet roe and crab butter was very appealing with a sweet brininess.  The body meat was soft and sweet with enough soy marinade to balance.

Included in the duck set was a Tofu Soup and Steamed Cheese Egg.  The soup was bubbling hot and quite tasty.  There was no shortage of spice either.  Tender cubes of tofu and veggies loaded up this soup.  As for the egg, it was plenty cheesy with melted cheese on top.  However, the egg itself was a bit stiff and not as fluffy as we would've liked.  Also, there was quite a bit of residual water.

Also included was an order of Japchae that was for all intents and purposes, a good version.  It was not clumpy yet not greasy while the veggies were still vibrant despite being cooked through.  It wasn't overly sweet like some versions we've had, but it was also a touch lacking in seasoning.  Overall, the meal at Toedam was solid despite being a bit pricey.  Mind you, all Korean BBQs are not cheap due to the cost of the meat.  It really helped to have that Monday night special.  Service was friendly, if not hurried.  Not a place to linger.

The Good:

- Good meat quality

- Solid eats

- Efficient service, if not hurried

The Bad:

- With any Korean BBQ, it will cost you

- Duck isn't as good as I thought it would be

Chiu Chow Seafood Restaurant

Having already visited the newish Chiu Chow Seafood Restaurant for dinner, it was only a matter of time we went back for their Dim Sum Service.  To be honest, the dinner was a disappointment as the Chiu Chow dishes were a bit lacking.  However, the Dim Sum looked promising as it seemed like the menu was barely different than when it was still Regal Mansion.  Did they actually change staff?  Looks like many of the same people and maybe even the kitchen?  That would explain the mediocre dinner but promising Cantonese Dim Sum (despite being Chiu Chow now).

So I made several visits for their Dim Sum service already, but I'll amalgamate all of it in this one post.  Naturally, we need to have the staples including the Ha Gau and Siu Mai.  Both of these were quite good with the ha gau featuring a medium-thick dumpling skin that had good elasticity.  It was not oversteamed, so it held together when I picked it up with my chopsticks.  The filling had a moist and buttery texture with the classic shrimp snap.  Nice sweetness with an aromatic brininess.  As for the siu mai, they were buttery with the classic bounce from the pork and shrimp.  There was minimal chunks of fat, but the siu mai were still juicy.  Nicely seasoned with it being more sweet than savoury.

Due to the multiple visits, we were able to try 4 versions of their Rice Noodle Rolls including beef, prawn, scallop and BBQ pork.  As you can see in the pictures, the texture of the rice noodles were a bit different.  The one with the beef was the ribbon-type while the others were the classic rolls.  Hence, the beef version was softer and more intertwined with soft bouncy beef and green onion.  Large with a meaty snap, the prawns were texturally appealing.  Scallop was a more uniform texture being soft on buttery soft.  Loved the natural sweetness.  Overstuffed, the BBQ pork was combined with cilantro.  Not sure if that was necessary, but there was lots of lean meat.

Onto two versions of fried dumplings in the Deep Fried Glutinous Dumplings and the Deep Fried Taro Dumplings.  I found the glutinous dumplings to be only mildly crispy, but the shell was soft and nicely textured.  Inside, the pork and shrimp was moist and mildly-seasoned.  As for the taro dumplings, the mashed taro outer shell was a bit oil-logged, but that is typical because they mix the taro with lard (yes really).  So it was creamy and soft with a crispy exterior.  The pork and pine nut filling was also moist with a bit of starch-thickened sauce.

For me, I always like to get the Steamed Beef Tripe & Tendon in Teriyaki Sauce.  This was piled high with buttery tender slices of honeycomb tripe that had completely taken on the flavours of the braise.  It was sweet, garlicky and savoury.  There was no gaminess, so they had prepared the tripe well.  The tendon was super soft, but not melting.  Hence, there was an appealing sticky texture.  Looking like it needed something for colour on top, the Steamed Pork Spareribs with prune & taro was ultimately well-executed.  The meaty pieces were tender and buttery with that classic rebound.  I didn't really get too much prune, so it was more porky tasting than anything.

Continuing on with the usual Dim Sum items, we had the Chiu Chow-Style Steamed Beef Meatballs.  So these were sitting in a clear broth with some greens on the side.  Hence, the dish was very subtle.  Even the beef was not seasoned aggressively (that is what the side of Worcestershire sauce is for).  Texturally, they were a bit more dense that I would've liked, but they were still tender and bouncy.  Another classic was the Steamed Chicken Feet with chili and garlic.  These were fairly large and plump.  They were prepared properly where the cartilage and fat underneath were soft, but not melted away.  The skin was intact and tender after the deep fry and subsequent braising and steaming.  Lots of garlic flavour as well as a bit of spice.

Normally, we find Pan-Fried Daikon Radish Cakes on most Dim Sum menus.  Nothing unusual about this dish, but here they slap on a layer of shrimp paste on the top.  I've never seen this done before and really, it wasn't rocket science, but I enjoyed it.  It gave more body to the medium-firm pudding.  The shrimp paste was sweet and nicely seared.  On the topic of shrimp, the Deep Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls were also quite good.  They were served hot and the wheat wrapper was crunchy and not too greasy.  Inside, the whole shrimp were buttery moist and bouncy.

Moving along, we had 2 types of carbs including the Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves).  As you can see in the picture, there was an equal amount of ground pork filling to the sticky rice (with some wild rice thrown in).  That meant this was obviously meaty tasting.  The starch-thickened sauce mixed well with the soft sticky rice and helped flavour it.  We also got the Seafood Congee with prawns, scallops, fish and squid.  There was a good amount of seafood that was cooked just enough.  Hence, their textures were exactly how it should be.  The congee itself was well-seasoned but not salty.  It was not super thick, but not watery either.

One of their best dishes is their Baked BBQ Pork Buns (Gwei Fei Bao).  These were pillowy soft with a thin crispy & sweet sugary butter topping.  Inside, the ample amount of lean BBQ pork was coated in a sweet sauce.  I kid you not, another must order is their Sweet & Sour Pork.  This was a smaller Dim Sum version, but it was still plenty.  The chunks (or large strips) of pork were meaty and tender while not too fatty.  They were fried-to-order unlike some places that are par-cooked.  Hence, beyond the crispy and thin batter, the meat was juicy.  With just enough sauce to coat each piece, the flavours were definitely balanced between sweet & sour.

For dessert, we had the Baked Egg Tarts.  These were exactly how we like them with a buttery and flaky puff pastry shell and a silky semi-sweet egg filling. However, their signature dessert is their Twisted Egg Pastry (Daan San) with coconut and syrup (probably a honey/maltose mix).  These light-as-a-feature crisps were very fragile but appealing to eat.  With a bit of both condiments, it was sweet and aromatic.  Honestly, the Dim Sum here feels like it is exactly the same as when it was Regal Mansion.  Sure, there are some Chiu Chow additions, but that is about it.  Could it be the same Dim Sum chef?  Possibly.  Whatever the case, it is better than their dinner service in my opinion.

The Good:

- Generally above-average eats

- Comfortable dining space

- Fairly good service

- Validated 3-hour parking

The Bad:

- Still not sure about their Chiu Chow dishes

- Not the easiest restaurant to get to from the parking lot.  Only one elevator for that side.