Osaka Kitchen

There was a time when travelling into Surrey for sushi would be contentious at best.  Times have changed where not only can we find good Japanese food, we can find all kinds of delicious eats.  You already know my love for Mauna Sushi and their high-quality aburi sushi located near Guildford Town Centre, where I regularly visit.  However, there is another spot also nearby in Osaka Kitchen.  This fairly spacious restaurant sports appealing decor combined with really large portions.

But what about the food quality?  We started off strong with the Hokkaido Hotate and Ebi Ceviches.  Buttery and sweet, the Hokkaido scallops were delicate and fresh.  It was served with a modest amount of yuzu citrus which added some acidity.  As for the ebi, it was not dressed very aggressively having just enough acidity for effect.  The ebi was meaty with a slight rebound texture.  The avocado and tomatoes were fresh.  This came with tapioca chips.  We wished they were just a bit larger in size and firmer in texture.

After the ceviches, we started with some specialty rolls including the David Shot Roll with spicy tuna and avocado in the middle topped with torched chopped scallop, jalapeno, spicy mayo and eel sauce.  Yes, this was a saucy roll, but it didn't eat heavy as it appeared.  The rice was nicely textured being chewy while not dry.  There was only a modest amount of it while the bulk of the roll was dedicated to soft spicy tuna and buttery scallops.

The plate of Assorted Tempura was absolutely gigantic consisting of 5 large ebi and an array of veggies.  We found the tempura batter just a touch thick, but it was still crispy outside.  Things were cooked just right.  Something very familiar to me was the Menbosha.  It is a Korean-Chinese dish which is like the Chinese shrimp toast.  This version was a lot less greasy than the Chinese Dim Sum dish.  It appears that they used brioche here and the bread didn't soak up as much oil.  Inside, the shrimp paste was firm, yet still naturally sweet and had a meaty rebound texture.

To get a sense of all the available options, we decided to try some aburi sushi.  Rather than the standard salmon version, we chose their recommended Ebi Oshi with a creamy and tangy sauce on top.  It was evenly seared with some smokiness and a pleasing appearance.  I liked how the sauce was not greasy despite being mayo-based.  The ebi underneath had a nice sweet snap texture.  Rice was good too being soft enough to hold its shape while still being chewy.

Not sure if the next 2 pictures do the following dishes any justice, but the plates were more like platters that were like 14" in diameter!  The first was the Godzilla Bites.  Sure, the amount of greens gave the illusion there was more food on the plate, but in reality, it was still quite a bit of components.  The Godzilla Bites consisted of a deep fried rice base topped with torched tuna, salmon, chopped scallop, alfalfa sprouts, tobiko, spicy mayo and eel sauce.  I found the rice to be quite firm.  I wished it was just a bit lighter and less dense.  Beyond that the generous amount of fish and scallop were sweet with a background smokiness.  Combined with sweet and tangy salad dressing, the salad was actually addictively delicious.

As for the Osaka Castle, it was more of a fancy seafood salad with a bevy of fresh greens as well as a tower of tuna, salmon imitation crab, hokkigai tobiko and chopped scallops.  When mixed together, along with the salad dressing, this was something I couldn't stop eating.  Normally, at other Japanese restaurants that offer a seafood salad, there is much more greens than seafood.  Not this one here.  There was enough for every bite to contain a cube of fish.

For those who want a one-stop shop for a meal, they can opt for the Osaka Course (for 2 people).  This included Mixed Tempura, Salad, Miso Soup, Mixed Sashimi, Osaka Roll and 2 Ice Cream (Black Sesame and Matcha).  This was only $68.00 and given the quality and quantity, it is a good deal.  The sashimi had a nice sheen and fresh smell.  Texturally it was on point too.  The roll stayed together and wasn't wound too tight.  Loved the mochi added to the ice cream as it gave the dessert texture.

Moving onto the rice part of the menu, we tried the Chicken Katsu Curry as well as the Unagi Don.  Being mild, but not overly sweet, the curry had a nice viscosity and we could taste the spices.  The rice was chewy and dry enough to accept the sauce and maintain an appealing texture.  As for the chicken cutlet, it was barely cooked, which meant it was juicy and moist.  The breading on the outside was crispy and not overly thick.

As much as an Unagi Don can be rather defaultish, not all are made equal.  As for this one, it was decent.  The rice was, by no surprise, exactly the same as the chicken katsu curry.  Being chewy, yet still soft, it went well with the proportionate amount of buttery soft unagi.  It was charred slightly, so it was smoky and full of caramelization.  There was enough eel sauce to help flavour both the eel and rice.

Not being specific enough, we accidentally ordered the Seafood Udon instead of the Seafood Yaki Udon.  Well, we ended up getting both and you know what?  We preferred the soup version more!  It sat in a flavourful dashi that took on the brininess of the mussels, hokkigai, squid and prawns.  Furthermore, the noodles were perfectly al dente.  As for the yaki udon, it had the same seafood and came sizzling on a cast iron hot plate.  We wished the plate was even hotter, as it didn't really caramelize the noodles.  It was still tasty though and at least, nothing was dry nor burnt.

Lastly, we had Tonkotsu Ramen with a side of gyoza (which is included in the combo).  We found the broth to be rather light, yet still was decent for a non-ramen spot.  The noodles were really good though being chewy.  The chashu was more meaty than fatty, yet it was still tender.  Gyoza were good with a thin wrapper and completely seared bottom.  Overall, we found the food at Osaka Kitchen to be rather tasty and generous in portion size.  There are a few items that could use improvement though, namely the tempura and the ramen.  Other than that, I found it good an am planning to bring my family back for a revisit.

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

The Good:

- Generally well-prepared eats

- Generous portions

- Nice dining space

The Bad:

- Some further refinement needed with the tempura batter and the ramen broth

Match Eatery & Public House Delta (Game Day Wings)

You've probably heard me yammering on about how good the wings are at Match Eatery all the time.  Sure, you might chalk that up to me being invited to eat there every now and then.  Well, for those who read this blog often, they will know that I put my money where my mouth is!  I've dined just as many times at Match on my own coin because I genuinely like the place!  So when they invited me out to try their Game Day Wings menu, they didn't have to ask twice!!!

So you can get this menu on "NFL game days" as the name suggests.  We were here for a Sunday morning to catch the football action and to enjoy the wings!   The first one I'll discuss is a favourite of mine in the Nashville Hot Spiced.  Now, this time around, they toned down the spice with less dry rub.  For me, I would ask for more of it, but I get that they have to appeal to a wider audience.  So, if you eat it like I do, you will get some sweet heat to go with the pickles.  If you can take spice, highly recommend you ask for more rub!

One of their new flavours is the Buffalo Blues featuring a hot sauce laced with real blue cheese.  Normally, the dip on the side is the blue cheese, but in this case, it was garlic ranch dip.  Hence, the blue cheese pungency was all in the real chunks of cheese.  The hot sauce itself was mild with some tanginess.  The wings themselves were not dry and the skin was completely rendered and crispy.  Instead of carrot and celery sticks, we found matchstick versions.

One of my favourites of this tasting was the What's the Dill Yo?  This featured crispy wings tossed in dill pickle seasoning.  Hence, the wings were tangy and mildly salty.  There was also some sweetness.  To drive the point home in terms of impact, we found sour dill pickles and dill pickle chips.  If that wasn't enough flavour bomb for us, we also dipped everything into the spicy dill dip.  This was like a chunky tartar sauce that had a kick.  Would love this on my fish sandwich!

The absolutely most tasty dish was the Rising Sun Togarashi with a soy drizzle that was both sweet, salty and tangy while accented by the aromatic sesame seeds.  This was perfectly complimented by the creamy and sweet nori-kewpie mayo.  This had some vibes related to a blast from the past in the Thai wings from Milestone's in their heyday.  Definitely a must order and it really does the Asian fusion justice in its flavour profile and execution. 

Last wing creation was the Stadium Nacho with wings tossed in taco seasoning and served with a nacho cheese sauce topped with salsa.  We also found some tortilla chips and pickled jalapenos.  So this was essentially nachos with some chicken.  However, this worked as a the flavour profile was cohesive.  I enjoyed dipping both the wings and chips into the nacho cheese.  The taco seasoning was definitely there but not enough to make things salty.

So if you see in the background, we also had a the Game Day Beer in the Gridiron 24oz Budweiser for a great price of $10.50!  You can have this as a Bud Light for the same price.  It was served ice cold and naturally went well with the wings.  I think it particularly paired best with the hot wings and taco wings.  For those who can't finish so much beer, there is an $8.00 option for a 16oz.  But honestly, go for the 24oz, it is a better deal!

We ended up ordering a few more items including the Blackened Chicken Sandwich with Jack cheese, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion and house mayo.  This was fantastic as the chicken was truly blackened giving off nutty smokiness.  At the same time, the meat was still moist and tender.  Crispy bacon and melted cheese added texture and more flavour.  It was served on a perfectly toasted potato roll.  

We also had our usual in the Game, Set, Match... Burger with all the same fixin's as well as pickles on toasted brioche.  As per usual, the smashed beef patty was nicely seared while still moist and tender.  The bacon was crispy, so each bite wasn't a struggle (with flabby bacon).  Also, the texture was appealing.  The brioche bun was soft, but toasted enough to hold everything together.  We got the side of breaded onion rings and they were great!  

Since we were there during brunch, our dessert was the Sweet French Toast Bites.  We've had this dish before, but this time around, it was perfect!  The cubes of brioche were crispy on the outside (while not being greasy) and the inside was still soft and fluffy.  They tasted great on their own with aroma, but the side of Kentucky Bourbon Caramel Dip was money.  So rich and sweet.  Another tasty visit to Match and we overloaded on the wings.  Not a bad thing to happen to us!  Come for the games on the big screens and order the wings as well as some inexpensive beer!

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

The Good:

- New wing flavours are great, especially the Rising Sun and What's the Dill Yo?

- Great beer special for the 24oz

- The rest of the food is great too, especially the burgers

The Bad:

- Not really a bad, but you'll have to ask for more rub on the Nashville wings because the new version doesn't have enough

Between 2 Buns

Here I am again at Between 2 Buns.  I think this is like my 6th time here.  Sure, I haven't blogged about every visit and really, it would be boring.  However, I haven't been back for 2 years, so it was about time I provided an update.  Besides, it was so sad that Sirius Smash Burgers at Coho Eatery has shut down.  It only leaves a few other places for these types of burgers.  Not to spoil the entire blog post, but B2B makes the best smash burgers in town in my opinion.

Unlike the last time, we didn't bother with a Single Cheeser because there is just not enough meat to satisfy.  Yes, I know that many people don't have the appetite to finish anything more than this, but believe me, it isn't the best the version.  That is why you must order the Double Cheeser with 2 crispy smashed patties, cheese, pickles, shedduce and B2B sauce.  I find elements of In-N-Out with this burger but the patties are far more seared and crisped up.  The sauce and cheese does give it those In-N-Out vibes.

We also got the Jalapeno Bacon Cheeser with only one patty.  Wait, didn't you say one isn't enough?  Well, when you pile on bacon, cheese, shredduce, pickled jalapenos, fried jalapenos and sauce, it becomes much more of a meal.  Sure, I would still add another patty to this because go big or go home,  However, it is still plenty hearty.  Lots of tangy spice from the jalapenos.  The soft toasted bun holds everything together.

For those who don't like beef or can't eat beef, they were offering an Ebi Burger with shredduce and spicy mayo.  This thing was super filling due to the huge shrimp mousse patty (which was coated with panko and fried).  I found it to be a bit too dense, but ultimately, it was still pretty good with a firm bounce texture and natural shrimp flavour.  Good spice from the mayo as it was also a bit tangy.  It helped provide some moisture to an otherwise dense patty.

Of course we got some Fries to share as well.  I consider these similar to Costco fries and it isn't an insult.  These are starch coated and fried until crispy.  The inside remains tender and soft while the outside is uniformly crispy.  As you can see, the menu at B2B isn't extensive as they want to do one thing and do it right.  That they do and you can't go wrong with their burgers.  I also like that they are licensed with a few beers on tap.  That went real well with the food.

The Good:

- Best smash burgers in town IMO

- Do one thing and do it well

- They are licensed!

The Bad:

- Ventilation isn't the best, you will smell like a smash burger when you leave (may be good too?)

- Limited seats

Tap & Barrel (The Amazing Brentwood)

For all the chain restaurants we have in town, one of my favourites is Tap & Barrel.  I find that their food is pretty good and the pricing is reasonable.  Sure, it isn't as fancy as Cactus Club nor Earl's, but it isn't trying to be either.  With that being said, I find that I enjoy their Shipyards and Bridges locations the best.  Now there is one a lot closer to me at The Amazing Brentwood.  So will this be my new favourite location?  Well, we made 2 visits to see if that would be the case.

For our first visit, we actually came for brunch and hence, it was only logical that we had the Double Bacon Benny with crispy potatoes.  Although the English muffin was a bit too toasted, it was somewhat softened by the adequate amount of creamy Hollandaise.  The addition of Cajun spice helped break-up the butteriness.  The poached eggs were nicely runny and the bacon was meaty and not overly crispy.  However, the potatoes were crispy and soft inside.

We also had the Croque Madame with toasted brioche, white cheddar, prosciutto, sunny side egg, truffle bechamel and parsley.  Since they used brioche, this ate much more lightly than regular bread.  It was lightly toasted, so it was still somewhat fluffy inside.  The truffle bechamel was creamy and nicely earthy.  On top, the sunny side egg was runny and it provided even more moisture to the bread.

For myself, I had to get my favourite item here - the PB&J Burger!  I've had my fair share of burgers with peanut butter, but this one is the best I've had.  The savoury and creamy nuttiness was perfectly balanced by the salty and sweet bacon jam.  So much flavour packed into this and the addition of chipotle in the peanut butter only added another layer of flavour.  Also, the beef patty was crispy on the outside and moist in the middle.  This all sat within a soft toasted brioche.

We ordered some appies for the table including Chicken Strips and Waffle Fries as well as Salt & Pepper Wings.  Coated in a crispy breading, the chicken tenders were moist inside.  We opted for the waffle fries and they were crispy.  As for the wings, they were fried enough that the skin was rendered.  The meat was not exactly juicy, but it wasn't overly dry either.  There was enough salt to flavour the wings.

For both visits, we had the Steak Frites.  However, the first version was with a 7oz Sirloin ($34.50) while the second was with the 10oz Prime Rib Medallion ($42.95).  Both came with a peppercorn sauce, arugula salad and of course fries.  The peppercorn sauce was really good being creamy (even creamier the second time) and flavourful.  If I had to compare the steaks, it was predictable that the ribeye was more flavourful and a bit more tender.  With that being said, the sirloin was also tender, but just not as much as the ribeye.  Both were cooked to medium-rare as requested.

Since they have a whole section dedicated to their pizzas, we had to get one in the form of the Hawaiian Heat.  As the name suggests, this was a combination of roasted pineapple, bacon, smoked mozzarella, jalapeño mayo, lime and pomodoro sauce.  It had all of the qualities of a Hawaiian pizza with its sweet and saltiness as well as smokiness, tanginess and of course spice.  The crust itself was decent with a crispy bottom and edges.

One of the more under-the-radar appies was the Crispy Humboldt Squid.  it didn't look like much, but the pieces of squid were tender while the outside was lightly battered and crispy.  It was well-seasoned where the jalapeno mayo added some tangy spice.  We ordered the Seafood Chowder primarily for my daughter.  She thought it was decent, but a bit thin and lacking in ingredients.  For the items that were in the soup, the clams, cod, potatoes and corn were good though.  The addition of Old Bay seasoning gave it some some salty spiciness.

She continued the theme of seafood with the Caper Dill Salmon with featuring oven-roasted steelhead, caper dill aioli, crispy potatoes, asparagus, dill and parsley.  The salmon looked great from the outside, but ultimately, it was overdone.  It wasn't to the point of being dry, but it was no longer moist.  It was properly seasoned though while the sauce was creamy and full of dill.  Crispy potatoes were like the ones from brunch.

My son went for the Porcini-Crusted Beef Dip featuring Certified Angus beef, truffle jack cheese, tiger horseradish sauce,

caramelized onions, French onion jus and crispy onions.  This was quite good with a toasted baguette that kept everything intact while absorbing the jus to its fullest.  Hence, there was plenty of sweetness and rich savouriness to go with the tender beef.  Due to the addition of truffle cheese and porcini, there was plenty of earthiness as well.  Side of tater tots were super crispy.

For myself, I had the West Coast Clubhouse with a side of the same seafood chowder.  This very large sandwich had plenty of tomatoes and arugula as you can see in the picture.  there was also tender grilled chicken breast, crispy bacon, aged white cheddar, smashed avocado and charred fresno aioli.  All of this made for a hearty sandwich that hit all of the flavour notes.  This could've almost been called a melt because the brioche was buttered and grilled on the flattop.  Although rather messy to eat due to the greasiness, the sandwich was excellent and I would order it again.  Overall, the food at Tap & Barrel Brentwood was pretty good. Definitely more of a casual vibe and also a bit less expensive than Earl's.  Earl's is more elevated, but then you are paying for it too.

The Good:

- Decent eats

- Expansive dining space on the 2nd floor

- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:

- Food lags behind Earl's and Cactus Club (but costs a little less)

The Good Thief

Oh, the Good Thief again???  Hasn't it only been a little over a month?  Well, Mijune was invited to try the place out and seeing that she was wanting me to join her, I just couldn't say no.  Besides, my first visit was pretty good, so I was looking forward in trying the rest of the menu (despite me already ordering a lot of dishes already the first time!).  If I have to remind everyone, the Good Thief is the 2nd restaurant from the owners of Anh & Chi, which is next door.

One of the most impressive things about my initial visit was their vast and unique cocktail menu.  Therefore, we got a few including the Six Inch Yellow, Pom Pom Punch and Phở Dặc Biệt.  I've had the Pom Pom before (so read it in the previous post) while the Six Inch Yellow was something completely different.  Although it was fruity and refreshing like the Pom Pom, it was also more bold due to the Chartreuse and Rye.  To top it off, the spicy foam really provided a kick.  As for the Phở Dặc Biệt, it really did taste like the broth and the usual flavourings, including a star anise finish.  Strangely, they were able to emulate the subtle flavour of rice noodles.  This was a rather savoury and heavy cocktail, where the pickled bean sprouts was definitely needed to provide balance.

Onto the food, we had the Oysters first and despite not looking like much, they were fantastic!  These sunseekers were topped with a coconut chili foam which was super impactful, light and aromatic.  Of course there was a bite to them too, but just enough, so that the sweet brininess of the liquor came through.  We also had the Whelk atop crispy forbidden rice.  This was a study of textures with the tender, yet chewy whelk contrasting with the crunch of the rice.  Even though the rice looked heavy, it was actually soft and airy on the inside.  The combination of sauces as well as the Vietnamese coriander allowed for tangy, sweet and herbaceousness.

Believe it or not, I've not actually had Balut before.  Well, given that they have the quail's egg version on the menu, it was as good as any other time to take the dive.  Besides being firmer, these resembled boiled eggs but just with a bit more egginess and/or gaminess.  Sitting in a spicy tamarind sauce, it did add plenty of impact and lessened the egginess.  To top it all, literally and figuratively, we found rau răm that provided an unmistakable coriander essence as well as a level of mustiness.  Some peanuts added crunch and of course nuttiness. 

To lighten things up a bit, we got the Pomelo & Lotus Root.  It was truly refreshing with the pops of sweetness and bitterness from the pomelo and also the saltines from the crunchy cured lotus root.  With mint and coriander, there was no shortage of herbal notes either.  What brought it all together was the calamansi vinaigrette as it offered up the usual tart citrus flavours.  Perfect to go with our drinks, the Charcoal Skewers featuring lamb and pork were smoky and perfectly grilled.  Due to the char, there was some nuttiness and caramelization.  Some flakes of salt helped bring out the natural meat flavours.  Inside, the meat was tender and juicy.

I think my favourite small plate had to be the Frog Legs in Mẹ’s fish sauce glaze.  Everyone seems to want to do chicken wings in some form of fish sauce caramel these days, but by virtue of using frog legs, this became a very different, yet familiar dish.  Sure, frog legs do resemble chicken but they do taste different.  There is a certain fishiness to them without actually being fishy.  The ones here were mild-tasting while super tender.  Outside, they were crispy and complete glazed.  The intense sweet brininess was addictive and we really couldn't stop eating these!

One featured item that we tried was the Charcoal-Grilled Octopus with kaffir lime and paprika atop jicama, Asian pear and radicchio salad.  Since the octopus was sous-vide first, its texture was tender while still retaining a bit of chew.  The caramelized fish sauce glaze was sweet and briny while completely charred by the grilling.  Hence there was intense smokiness and caramel notes.  The salad underneath was the perfect accompaniment since it added freshness and crunch.

So far, the meal was going swimmingly and those cocktails, so good!  However, the Escargots was the most ordinary of the dishes we had.  It wasn't bad, but just didn't compare well with the rest.  It was prepared like a vol-au-vent with a puff pastry shell.  Well, the menu description was "Bánh Patê Sô" which is a pasty pie, but really, it was a vol-au-vent.  The escargots were prepared with brandy, garlic, chili oil and butter.  This was plenty aromatic, yet somehow, it was a bit underseasoned.  Again, nothing wrong with the dish, just the least impactful.

One dish I was eyeing the last time, but didn't end up ordering, was the Winter Squash.  Fortunately, we got to try it this time and man, it was delicious!  The delicata squash was perfectly roasted where it was sweet and caramelized while not being mushy.  It had the essence of five-spice and completely complimented by the Thai red curry.  The combination of aromatics, spice and creaminess really elevated the dish.  Add in the firm radicchio and we had some textural contrast.

One dish I absolutely loved and wanted to have again was the Oxtail.  They took all the trouble out of eating oxtail by shredding the meat and reforming it with caul fat.  The result was a tender fall apart meat with its usual gelatinous and fatty texture.  The pho demi-glace was so rich and silky with star anise notes.  This time around, the carrots were roasted, which made them more flavourful and texturally-appealing.  The confit daikon was tender while the carrot puree provided creamy earthy sweetness to go with the demi-glace.

Last time, I had ordered the steak, but was indifferent about it.  Well, they have changed it to a AAA Striploin (instead of sliced ribeye) with bone marrow butter, Sauce a la Royale and pho chimichurri.  Prepared perfectly medium-rare, the meat was juicy and well-rested.  The meat was tender with appealing meatiness.  It was well-seasoned while paired well with the chimichurri.  It had the pho herbs going on there with brightness and pungency.  The sauce a la royale was rich and possibly a little over-reduced being a bit salty.

As a treat of sorts, we were served another off-menu item in the Smoked Beef Rib with sweet & sour glaze and palm sugar.  The meat on the bone was like candy being sweet and sticky.  It was super tender while still maintaining a gelatinous meat quality.  Nice smokiness in smell and taste.  On the side, we had the Pomme Frites with Thai green chili aioli.  Unlike the last time, the large frites were uniformly crispy with soft potato inside.  Nice aroma from the fried curry leaves.

Our first dessert was something mysterious in the Forbidden Rice Pudding.  The rice was hidden underneath a coconut yogurt gelee disc.  About that disc, it was a bit too firm for our liking and although aromatic, was somewhat bland.  I loved the rice underneath as it had an al dente chew and some sweetness.  The best part was the toasted rice ice cream as it certainly lived up to its billing.  Aromatic and nutty, the ice cream was also just sweet enough.

The second dessert was something I've had before in the Mung Bean.  If I needed a word to describe this dessert, it would be interesting.  It sat on a base of almondine cake which was moist and quite good.  The mung bean on top was rather heavy and with condensed milk, this ate pretty sweet.  I think this needs have something else in terms of texture to give some contrast.  Overall, this was another great meal at the Good Thief.  I got to try all of the small plates and the majority were excellent.  The cocktails were great just like the previous meal.   I believe the Good Thief should be on anyone's list who want to grab some drinks with some delicious food to go with it.

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

The Good:
- Large cocktail menu that is truly unique
- Great little bites
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Of course the menu is a work in progress, but things that need tweaks are already changing