Bowland

When I first heard about Bowland in Maple Ridge, I was confused as to what it was all about.  Maybe I was having a dense moment, but if I had read it carefully, I would've figured it was Bowl + Land.  It hit me as I was walking up to the place, it serves Mexican-style bowls (with some Indian influences) and other related dishes.  As such, I knew this would possibly be healthier, especially paired with a smoothie.  Good thing too as eating out so much is usually quite heavy.

For their bowls, you get order a signature bowl or Build-Your-Own.  We did the latter with 3 creations starting with a choice between white or brown rice.  Then there are 7 choices for topping including meats, veggies and tofu.  We opted for Chicken, Steak and Butter Chicken.  There are choices for sauce ranging from mild-to-spicy.  I went for spicy in the chipotle.  Then you can top it off with a variety of items including cheese, fried chickpeas, corn and greens.  My favourite meat was the butter chicken since it had the most impact by itself.  Mind you, the other proteins were fine too but you needed a bit of sauce to kick up the spice level.  These were filling and enough for one person.

For those who don't want to take on a large bowl, but wanted the same components except for the rice, you can opt for either their Hard or Soft Shell Tacos.  You can chose between the 7 proteins including lamb, steak, chicken, butter chicken, falafel, tofu or veggies (not a protein but still a choice).  We opted for the Steak and Chicken for the tacos which was a good match as the meat was robust and impactful.  I personally love soft tacos more since it is easier to eat and doesn't shatter and fall apart.  However, I can see the draw of the hard tacos as it provides a textural contrast.

For those really on the go and do not have time for a bowl or tacos, the best option is the Burrito.  We chose the lamb as the protein in this case, hence due to its texture and flavour, it came through even with all of the other components.  It was good once again due to the fresh ingredients.  Something that was unexpectedly delicious was the Nachos.  The fact that they baked with cheese meant the chips became smoky and nutty.  Add in the melted cheese and everything else on top including chipotle and it was addictive.

To wash all of your food down, there is a selection of healthy Smoothies including Green (kale, spinach, mango, banana, pineapple juice & frozen yogurt), Mango Delicious (pineapple juice, mango & frozen yogurt), Banana Berry Blast (strawberries, banana, pineapple juice & frozen yogurt) and Chocolate Whey (almond milk, peanut butter, banana, chocolate vegan protein powder and frozen yogurt).  As you can see, the components are few and straight up simple.  Therefore, each smoothie tasted natural and lightly sweet.  I enjoyed the Mango Delicious the most as it was tropical tasting with tang and sweetness.  If you wanted something a bit more nutritious, I can see the Green doing the trick while still tasting fruity.  Banana Berry Blast was a bit more mild-tasting compared to the others and thicker.  However, the thickest was the Chocolate Whey and it was also the heaviest due to the components.  This was more like a protein shake and great for those who want to drink a meal.  Overall, the food at Bowland isn't complex nor fancy.  However, the food is inexpensive, fresh and relatively healthy.  A good alternative to hitting up a fast food joint.

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

The Good:
- Fresh and tasty
- Inexpensive
- Relatively healthy

The Bad:
- Ingredients are repetitive for various items, but they do eat very differently

Goldie's Donuts & Bakery

It is surprising that for a food city like Vancouver, we do not have a wealth of donut shops.  Is it because we are super health conscious?  Or is it that we don't like donuts?  It surely cannot be the latter right?  I mean, we can name off the usual suspects such as Lee's, Mello and Lucky's.  Sure, there are more, but I won't list them all. Actually, we are going to lose Cartems...  Anyways, It just doesn't seem like there are enough in relation to other cities.  So it was with a lot of enthusiasm that we drove out to Horseshoe Bay to check out Goldie's Donuts & Bakery.

So for those who don't know, Goldie's is named after the owner's golden retriever.  There is even a large stuffed Goldie in the shop!  As for their wares, it is for all to see when you walk in.  They boast a variety of brioche donuts with many different fillings.  We started with a trio featuring Matcha Cream, Frosted Flakes Cereal Milk Cream and Strawberry Milkshake.  The donut itself was definitely fluffy and had a moist texture without being wet.  Pretty solid brioche if you ask me.  The fresh cream fillings were light and only semi-sweet.  I would've liked powdered sugar over granulated sugar personally but what do I know as other places have the same sugar on these donuts.

They also have a selection of baked good including the Infamous Korean Salt Bread, Strawberries & Cream Cronut, Blueberry Scone and Ham & Cheese Croissant.  The salt bread was like a soft dinner roll but with a noticeable saltiness.  We found the croissant pretty decent where it shattered and was buttery.  As for the scone, it was quite good with plenty of blueberries and blueberry jam on top.  Texturally, it was firm on the outside and fairly fluffy on the inside.  Cronut was crispy with fresh cream in the middle.  It was light and airy.

We got a few more filled donuts in the form of Mocha Tiramisu and Chocolate Cream.  These were the same cream-filled brioche donuts which were excellent.  I liked these even more so because they were coated with powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Texturally, that appealed to me more than granulated sugar.  Both were good being just sweet enough.  There was also some special donuts in the form of Dubai Chocolate Donuts in Peanut Butter, Pistachio and Triple Chocolate.  I tried all of them and my favourite was the pistachio due to the nuttiness (also it is the original).  Loved the crunch within all of them from the knafeh and of course the rich layer of chocolate on the outside of the brioche donut.

Goldie's also has an array of specialty coffees that are just as appealing as the donuts.  We had a selection including Oreo Cream Mocha, Matcha Cream, Cream Latte, Almond Cream Mocha and Nutty Cloud.  All of them were purposefully sweet, aromatic and creamy.  However, my favourite was the Almond Cream as it was nutty, chocolatey and went down easy.  Oreo Cream Mocha was solid too since it wasn't as sweet as it sounded.  Definite Oreo vibes with the dark chocolate cookie taste without the sickingly sweet creme.  Overall, the things we tried at Goldie's was top-notch and made with care.  Baked goods and donuts are high-quality and so are the drinks.  Best of all, the location is prime with a beautiful view and quaint vibes.  If you are ever in Horseshoe Bay, give them a try!

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

The Good:

- Quality products that are carefully made

- Things are sweet, but not crazy sweet

- What nice location

The Bad:

- Parking might be a challenge on busy days

Bangkok Blvd

As if we didn't have enough Thai food already with all the great stops in Portland and also Bai Tong in Redmond.  However, our last food adventure brought us out to Edmonds and a little place called Bangkok Boulevard.  Located in a former Dim Sum spot, we were a bit skeptical when we first walked into the place.  However, our initial judgments would be a complete misnomer.  Just sitting there, we could smell the wok hay and the food being prepared for takeout orders.  I think we were going to be in for a treat!

To kick things off, we started with the Pad Kra Praw.  From this dish forward, we knew we were in for a fantastic meal.  The smell and aroma emanating from the dish was intoxicating.  There was caramelized sweetness, smokiness and umami.   Loved the tender bits of ground pork combined with bell peppers, onions, green bean and bail.  Naturally, this went well with the side of nutty and chewy rice with a fried egg added for another $2.00.  As you can tell, this was a generous portion.

Talking about going well with rice, the Eggplant Chili Sauce with shrimp was equally good.  Exhibiting the same wok hay that ensured smoky nuttiness as well as intense sweetness, this need a bowl of white rice.  The eggplant was cooked through yet still maintained a firm exterior texture while being soft inside.  As for the peppers, they were still firm and quite smoky from the wok-fry.  The properly deveined shrimp were buttery and had a sweet snap. 

It was pretty anti-climatic when the Pad See Ew hit the table.  The smell and aromas were intoxicating with brininess and smokiness wafting around us.  By looks alone, we could tell since there was some charring with the tofu and noodles.  This meant that each bite was caramelized and the intensity of the savoriness made us want to eat more and more of the dish.  The noodles were slippery and had an elasticity to them while the gai lan was still vibrant and crunchy.

Bringing the aromatic smells few notches, we moved onto the Pork Congee featuring meatballs, onsen egg, ginger, green onions and white pepper.  Even though this was supposedly less impactful due to it being rice porridge, it was absolutely delicious and on par with the rest of the dishes.  Thick, yet still drinkable, the congee base was sweet and savory with depth.  Those meatballs were tender, bouncy and full-flavored.  Adding an onsen egg, it afforded some extra silkiness.

Staying with soupy things, we had the Braised Chicken Noodle Soup.  This was a gigantic portion of braised chicken wings.  They were super plump with tender meat and buttery skin.  Personally, I'm not a huge fan of flabby skin, but in this instance, it worked for this bowl of noodles.  As for the broth, it was silky (like texturally) with the taste of duck for some reason.  I'm sure it was the chicken braising liquid, but it had duck vibes possibly due to the star anise.

Featuring a deep fried soft-shelled crab on top, the Pad Pong Karee sported a dry curry with chili paste, curry powder, half & half cream, egg, onions, bell peppers and celery.  As you can see, this wasn't completely dry, so another bowl of white rice would go well.  I found the flavors to be a bit more concentrated as such with creaminess.  The veggies were still crunchy while cooked through.  I really enjoyed the crunchy soft-shelled crab with a custardy interior texture.

We ended the meal with the Black Sticky Rice Pudding.  Sitting in sweet coconut cream, this was the perfect ending to a fabulous meal.  Sure, I would've liked some mango sticky rice too, but not really the season for it!  This black rice pudding was appealingly glutinous and semi-sweet.  It had great mouth-feel and the coconut cream added plenty of aromatics.  Interestingly, with all the excellent Thai food we had on this trip, the best one was the last one.  Didn't expect a little Thai restaurant in a strip mall in Edmonds would be so good.  Well it is and go check it out if you are in the area!

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

The Good:
- Really great wok hay that translate into some smoky and caramelized flavors
- Reasonably-priced
- Fair portions

The Bad:
- Parking lot can be rather full

Ono Poké (Edmonds)

With the proliferation of poké joints on the mainland, it has been increasingly difficult to get excited about them.  It doesn't help the cause when some places pass off seafood salad as poké.  Hey, I have no problem with that, but it makes it hard to get something authentic and more basic.  I'm a big proponent of fusion and pushing the boundaries, but sometimes I just want the real thing.  That brought us to Ono Poké, specifically the Edmonds location in Seattle.

If you look at the regular sized Poké Bowl with 2 protein options, we only have fish, edamame and some imitation crab salad on a mix of sushi rice and salad.  The simplicity in this allowed for more fish and less filler.  This was a mix of Traditional Limu Ahi and Tamari Garlic Salmon.  Each scoop had a cube of fish in it, so not only was there the buttery texture of the ahi and salmon, there was also the taste of sesame oil, garlic and ginger.  The ahi had a bit of spice to it.

Something a bit different, we tried the Nachos with Spicy Sambal Ahi, seaweed salad, bonito flakes, nori and a good amount of spicy mayo.  Although I personally would've preferred wonton crisps, the chips that they used were fairly light and crispy, which matched well with the tuna.  This was so addictive as I couldn't stop eating them!  Something about the spice from the tuna, sesame oil, umami from the nori and creamy heat from the mayo with the chip made this work.

Looking more like the sides of a Plate Lunch, it was actually the Poké Moco.  This was essentially layered poke within sushi rice and topped with furikake.  It was further enhanced by some mac salad and edamame.  So this had the same components of the poké bowl except with more rice and no mac salad (although you can add that to the poké as well).  So with the extra rice, this ate more like a sushi bake (without the baking) where the rice was more prominent.  Interesting, but I would stick with the regular bowl.

If you didn't want raw fish, then there was another option in the Kalua Pig Plate Lunch.  We got this in regular size once again, because the large is enormous!  The pork was legit being fall-apart tender while exhibiting background hints of smoke, saltiness and sweetness.  They didn't skimp on the amount of it as they piled it high on top of the sushi rice.  I swear there was more pork than rice!  It also came with a side of mac salad.  I found the mac to be fairly firm with a sweet creamy dressing.

We ended up also ordering the Surf n Turf so that it would offer up the best of both worlds.  As you can see, this came in a large portion which could feed 2 people if they weren't too hungry.   The combination of hot and cold made this a different experience for sure, but once again, I would go for the regular poké bowl as I liked it the most.  In the end, we came away impressed at the quality and authentic nature of the food.  It reminded me of my visits to Hawaii (especially the big island).  Would totally come back here, my kids would love it!

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

The Good:
- Straight-up poké that is done right
- Enormous portions
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Not much you can do with the compostable containers, but they don't stand up to what is inside it. Just be careful when you take out.

Drip Drip Coffeehouse

If you haven't noticed by now, I do not usually blog about coffee shops.  I'm not much of a coffee drinker and hence, I have never really focused on the never-ending coffee craze.  However, there are more and more places now that serve specialty coffees which are totally up my alley.  I tend to like fruitier cocktails and spirits, so it only makes sense that I'm more drawn to coffees that have unique flavors.  That brings me to Drip Drip Coffeehouse in Seattle.  They are a Vietnamese coffee spot that not only offers unique specialty coffees (and also the regular stuff too), but also Vietnamese treats to go with it.

Let's get right to the most visually stunning thing they have at Drip Drip - the Coffee Flight!  On the bottom, this was the Holiday Flight (which isn't available anymore) that consisted of Toffee, Cozy S'mores, Peppermint and Salted Caramel.  I hope they put some of these on the permanent menu as I enjoyed all of them!  The toffee was purposefully sweet with some smoky notes.  The s'mores had some nuttiness from the graham crackers and of course the sweetness of chocolate and marshmallow.  Peppermint was bright with the burst of cool mintiness.  Rich and salty sweet, the salted caramel went down smooth.  As for the regular Coffee Flight, it consisted of Coconut Ube, Matcha Pandan, Salted Egg Yolk and Roasted Sesame.  Loved the sweet aroma of the coconut and ube while the Matcha Pandan was aromatic and sweet with an appealing bitterness at the end.  Predictably, the Salted Egg Yolk was nutty and sweet.  Unmistakable essence there.  Lastly, the Roasted Sesame was nutty and classic sesame aroma.

We did go for the full versions as well with the Egg Coffee, Roasted Sesame and Coconut Avocado.  With a larger version, you have multiple sips or gulps which, if you can imagine, is a totally different experience.  So we were able to compare that with the duplicate in the Roasted Sesame.  With a larger amount of both the coffee and foam, we had more aroma and more nuttiness.  This in turn was plenty more impactful.  Get the flight, but be sure to get a full version of your favorite!  As for the Egg Coffee, it was subtle and creamy.  I found it lightly sweet too.  As for the Coconut Avocado, it was extra creamy due to the addition of buttery avocado and definitely aromatic.  The coconut milk helped in that respect.  Therefore, the coffee was less prominent in this one.

In addition to their drinks, there are some bites as well.  They have some fresh Steamed Bao sitting in a warming box ready to go.  We tried all three of them including The Combo, Char Siu and Vegetarian.  For me, it was all about The Combo (or called "Dai Bao" in some places).  It consisted of pork, woodear, cabbage and salted egg yolk.  The meat was super juicy and moist while being sweet and savory.  Nice crunch from the woodear while the egg yolk provided umaminess.  As for the bao, it was slightly on the denser side, but still plenty fluffy.  I also enjoyed the mushroom vegetarian bao with its immense umami flavor and butteriness of the mushrooms.  The Char Siu was decent, albeit a bit sweet.  The meat was not too fatty.

Also sitting in the display case at the counter, they had a selection of Pâté Chaud.  These flaky puff pastries were so buttery and texturally on point.  Even though they aren't diet food, the lightness of the pastry made them airy.  Inside, they were filled with tender ground pork.  I thought the filling was seasoned enough without being salty, so I could taste the natural meat flavor.  Highly recommend this to go with your drink!

If you wanted something a bit more like a lunch item, they have Banh Mi as well.  The 2 choices are the Vietnamese Ham and the Grilled Chicken.  Featuring airy and crunchy bread, these sandwiches were good!  They combined the pâté and mayo together which was pretty tasty!  Lots of umaminess and creaminess that added flavor and texture. There was the usual pickled veggies, peppers, cucumber and cilantro.  Unlike other versions, they added fried shallots which added both crunch and aroma.  All-in-all, this visit to Drip Drip afforded us delicious drinks and tasty bites.  No wonder they are so busy!  Best to come earlier or after the peak hours as space is limited.

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

The Good:
- Lots of different flavors of coffee
- They have coffee flights!
- Food is on point too

The Bad:
- Gets crowded during peak times

Mexicuban

In the past, if we stumbled upon a restaurant that meshed 2 different cuisines, we would run far away.  Fast forward to the present and with the proliferation of successful fusion cuisine, it has become more commonplace.  Hey, some of the most viral and delicious dishes have been the result of chefs experimenting with different flavors, sauces and cooking techniques.  Hence, we visited Mexicuban out in Renton with a completely open mind.  Upon entering the place, we were greeted with a rustic, yet modern decor.  Loved the inviting bar and also the beautiful mural on a wall at the side of the restaurant.

To start things off, we had some drinks first (that really got us in a good mood!).  We had the Margarita Flight with Burnt Orange, Mango Habanero, Mexican Mule and Coconut.  This was super refreshing with the mango being my favourite.  The heat of the habanero was nicely tempered by the mango and sweet syrups.  Coconut was aromatic and a bit creamy.  Again nice use of syrups here.  Burnt orange was the most refreshing with balanced sweetness and of course the taste of tequila.  Mexican mule naturally had Moscow Mule vibes with ginger beer and mint.

So we also got the Mojito Flight consisting of 4 different concoctions.  The first was the Cubano with its classic fizzy lime and mint infused flavors.  Next one was the Mango with the same elements but adding in some fruitiness and tang.  Being a bit smoother and having aromatic vibes, the Coconut was very tropical.  Lastly, the Passionfruit was similar to the mango except with the unmistakable floral and tart notes.

Onto the food, we were served the Pineapple Shrimp Fluffy Tacos first.  These deep fried tortillas were indeed airy and light.  Nice crispy exterior giving way to a soft and warm interior.  This made it extremely easy to eat and had a good mouth feel.  I liked how they weren't greasy either.  As for the topping, the shrimp had a buttery snap with sweetness from the ripe pineapple.  The side of hot sauce was smoky, sweet and mildly spicy.  Really nice compliment to the mild shrimp and sweetness of the pineapple.

Sticking with pineapple, we had the Jalapeno Pork Belly Toasts.  These were delicious with a crunchy toast base topped by a slice of tender and buttery pork belly, roasted pineapple, grilled jalapeno, cilantro and chipotle BBQ sauce.  This had everything including contrasting textures in the toast and soft pork belly and then complimentary sweetness from the pineapple with the spice from the BBQ sauce.  Great little 2 or 3 biters to start the meal.

We didn't stop there with some small handhelds as we moved onto the smaller version of El Yucateco.  These little sliders consisted of soft rolls encasing slow cooked pork, chipotle aioli and peppers.  These were rather messy and dripping with braising liquid, just the way I like it!  That meat the meat was super moist and the bread was also soft.  Sure, that is not much in the way of textural contrast, but it had nice mouth feel and the natural meatiness of the pork came through.

Let's continue with things served on slate with the Street Corn.  This happens to be one of my most favourite things to eat in the whole wide world.  Yes, cobs of corn on a stick.  The version here was really good with charred corn that was smoky and caramelized.  It was sweet and had pops of extra sweetness from the niblets.  On the outside, they were generously coated with chipotle aioli, lime, tajin, cotija and cilantro.  Lots of creaminess to go with acidity and some spice.  Delicious.

Okay, moving off of slate tile plates, we went to an actual deep dish with the Croquetas con Mole.  These crunchy pinko-breaded balls were filled with deep fried plantain and mozzarella.  These were on the denser side due to the all the plantain crammed into them.  I felt these were a little like Mofongo where the fried plantains are mashed, except formed into balls and deep fried some more.  The star of the dish was the mole as it was rich and smoky.  It had earthy notes as well as sweetness, tanginess and slight bitterness.  It hit all the flavors and went great with the plantain.

We moved onto bigger dishes from here starting with Cuban favorite being the Ropa Vieja.  This featured tender shredded beef in a light tomato sauce with the sweetness of onions, tanginess of green olives and the spice of jalapenos.  It was served on fluffy yellow rice with a base of black bean puree.  This was a comforting and home-style dish that was hearty.  To make it even more robust, we found fried plantain and yuca al mojo on the side.

More often than not, when I have a salmon dish at a non-seafood restaurant, it will be overcooked.  However, this was not the case here with the Huatulco Salmon.  It was flaky and moist while topped with a mole.  This one was somewhat similar to the one in the Coqueta dish except a bit sweeter and less spice.  I felt that the salmon was able to stand up to the sauce and when combined with the poblano rice, it helped balance out the bold flavors.

The most out-of-left-field dish was the Lasagna Alteca.  This was comprised of corn tortillas layered with shredded chicken and mozzarella topped with Mexican crema, cilantro and red onions..  It sat in a poblano pepper sauce with charred corn.  So in spirit it was a lasagna, but it ate very differently.  I found it more similar to a taco bake, but more sophisticated and definitely not Tex-Mex.   The chicken was moist and the tortillas were tender.  The thing that made the dish was the charred corn and the poblano sauce.  It was sweet from the corn but had a tanginess to it.  Kept things bright and light despite the heaviness of the dish.

For our desserts, we were serve the Cajeta-Filled Churros with ice cream on the side.  These were crunchy with a soft interior and just sweet enough.  The other dish was the Gorditas Dulces, which is a traditional dessert from Veracruz.  They weren't very sweet and had a certain appealing chew.  On the outside, it was crispy and the slight drizzle of chocolate was all that it needed.  Overall, the food at Mexicuban was presented nicely and was equally tasty.  Loved that they had some fusion going on, but not so much it went too far.  Flavors were still familiar and so were the textures.  Nice spot to get some friends together since they have plenty of drinks and live music at certain times.

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

The Good:
- Nice spot that is great for both groups and families
- Lots of choice on the menu
- Generous portions

The Bad:
- I did enjoy the flavors, but some dishes could use just a touch more impact

Burger Bender @ Match Eatery & Public House (Delta)

There are many things I look forward to each year.  These include Summer holidays (and usually a trip somewhere), taking off my winter rims and switching to Summer rims, Birthday dinner(s) and Match's Burger Bender (from Jan 16th to Feb 23rd) .  Wait.  Really???  Yes, as I've said many times, I enjoy the burgers at Match (also their wings) and I honestly look forward to their new burger creations every year.  This time around, they have 5 offerings with 2 hold-overs and one that has been voted by customers as the best for 2 years - the French Onion Big Dipper.

So let's talk about the French Onion Big Dipper first as it is also my favourite as well!  That might shock some people since they know my aversion to raw onions.  If you know me well, I actually don't mind onions, when they are cooked right.  For this burger, they are completely caramelized and for the ones in the dip, they are super delicious and add depth and sweetness.  The burger itself features their thick moist patty that is evenly seared.  This adds nuttiness and smokiness.  They put a large breaded onion ring into it as well as melted slices of Swiss.  The key to this burger is the French onion soup dip on the side.  It is not overly salty and has all of the rich flavors of sweet onion.  One dunk of the burger and the toasted brioche soaks it up and it becomes a flavor bomb of umaminess.  Delicious.

Now for the other returning burger, it is the Mighty Mushroom.  This is a pretty classic mushroom burger with the same 6oz chuck beef smashed patty.  It is not the thin type of patty you might be thinking of as it is thick and plenty juicy inside.  However, it does have the crispy edges of a typical smash patty.  I find that they properly season the meat while not making it super salty, so you can taste the meatiness.  They top this patty with sauteed crimini and button mushrooms along with Boursin cheese.  As you can imagine, this is plenty strong with bursts of umaminess.  A touch of dijonnaise helps add a bit of zing to keep things from being too bogged down with heaviness.

One of the new burgers that I think will be a fan favourite is the Crispy Chicken Bacon Mac & Cheese.  Yes, that is quite the mouthful and in fact, literally as well.  It is hard to fit this thing into my mouth!  The base of this burger is the fried chicken breast which I'm happy to report is moist and not dry.  The batter is relatively thin, properly seasoned and crispy.  Topped that off with crispy smoky bacon and some non-offensive mac n' cheese, we have a tasty concoction.  Now let me clarify what I mean by "non-offensive".  Sometimes, when people shove more carbs into a carb heavy sandwich already, it bogs everything down.  They put just enough of it that you know it is there without thinking you are actually eating the dish.

Okay, when I first looked at the Mr. Rib, it gave me some McRib vibes.  However, it is nothing like the McD's versions as the piece of rib is actually pork ribs without the bones!  So no formed ground pork patty here, it is real meat. Furthermore, it is tender fall-off-the-bone meat (hence no bone) which is very easy to eat and a bit smoky.  I think a bit more tangy and smoky BBQ sauce is needed to give it that messy deliciousness.  There are the obligatory sliced onions and pickles to give some bite and zing to the heaviness of the pork.  As much as the toasted bun is fine, I think a softer roll is necessary to keep the sandwich from being too dense.

Lastly, the Brooklyn Deli is really a burger with a corned beef sandwich surrounding it.  So same 6oz patty with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss on an "everything bagel" brioche bun.  This is pretty solid with the corned beef sammie vibes coming through.  I think that it needs more corned beef because it got a bit lost in the smoky meatiness of the charred burger patty.  Otherwise, still very good, especially with some mustard!  So there you have it, another year of Burger Bender with the excellent French Onion Big Dipper and Mighty Mushroom.  I think the best of the new ones is the Crispy Chicken Bacon Mac & Cheese.  That is a massive burger which is hits all of the high notes.  Get them before February 23rd!  Oh get some wings too, they are great as well!

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

The Good:
- The French Onion Big Dipper
- Crispy Chicken Bacon Mac & Cheese
- For the sides, get the Breaded Onion Rings or Tater Tots!

The Bad:
- Maybe the bun could be softer for the Mr. Rib
- More corned beef for the Brooklyn Deli?