El Comal Downtown

The El Comal that I'm familiar with is the lunch spot tucked way in an industrial park along Winston Street in Burnaby.  I've been there before quite a long time ago.  Now we find their brand-spanking new location in Downtown on Hornby Street.  It has taken over the space Toloache used to occupy.  Fortunately, they are continuing the Sunday Mexican brunch with some of the same dishes we've seen before plus a few new ones.

Their brunch buffet starts around 10:30am on Sundays, but the restaurant opens at 10:00am.  The setup includes many different items including a drink station that features Hibiscus, Lemonade and Horchata.   My favourite of the bunch was the Hibiscus as it was not too sweet and had a mild tanginess.  It was went well with the food as it acted like a palate cleanser.  Same could be said about the Lemonade as it was light on the sugar and was refreshing.  I found the Horchata to be on the sweeter side with the usual aromatics.

Onto the food, there was the usual Rice and Refried Beans.  Nothing unusual here but the rice had a pleasing texture where it was fluffy but still had a bite.  It was nicely seasoned too.  As for the beans, they were pretty smooth and almost creamy.  The viscosity was perfect, where it spread on the plate, but was not watery.   Next chaffing tray over, we found the Rajas and Mexican-style Wild Mushrooms.  The Rajas consisted of poblano peppers and corn in a creamy sauce.  I actually enjoyed this with the rice.  The mushrooms were also good with its usual woodsiness. 

Right next to it, we found the Chilaquiles in both Rojo and Verdes.  Personally, I'm a bit indifferent with Chilaquiles as I prefer my tortilla chips super crispy and dipped into queso with chorizo.  But even with that bias, these were decent with some crunch left with the chips on top and at the sides.  I thought both sauces were good with the red having more depth and a touch of spice.  The green was much brighter and milder tasting.   We found some Mexican Eggs and Tamales next to this and both were good.  The eggs were cooked with some tomatoes and onions while remaining fairly fluffy.  This was actually the last dish to be placed in the chaffing tray (which helped it from being totally overdone).  As for the tamale, it was decently moist while filled with chicken.

One of the better chaffing trays was the one that held the Chicken Enmolades and Ribs.   These enchiladas were filled with tender chicken and topped with a sweet mole that had elements of bitterness, fall spices and nuttiness.  As for the ribs, they were tender but still retained a meaty firmness.  Hence the meat didn't fall-off-the-bone, yet was not stuck to the bone either.  There was a savouriness to them while the seasoning was sufficient with earthy notes.

The last set of chaffing trays contained all the meats including Pork Chicharron in Red Sauce, Beef Birria, Cochinita and Chorizo.  I've complained in the past about dry meats when it comes to Mexican food, but these were moist and well-seasoned.  Perfect for complimenting all the previous items or using them with the supplied tostadas and/or warm tortillas.  I thought the Beef Birria was super tender while mildly spiced.  Wished there was some birria broth for us to dip the tacos into though.  The chorizo was the moist flavourful with spice and meatiness.  Went well on the tostada with some queso.

Right next to the meats, we found all of the Condiments including salsa, limes, sliced radish, greens, queso fresco, sour cream, queso, tomatillo, macha, cream, onions and cilantro.  We also had some fresh tortilla chips and tostadas.  Right in the middle, there was a delicious Shrimp Ceviche as well.  Soft tortillas could be found on the opposite side in a warming cabinet.  There was a Chicken Sopa right next to it as well.

Onto desserts, there was a selection of fresh fruit, Dulce de Leche Cake, Flan, Concha, Rice Pudding, Granola and Yogurt.  This was a modest, yet varied amount of items that ranged from fruit, to mildly sweet to quite sweet.  So therefore, it suited all tastes and besides, a coffee went well with the sweets.  Overall, the Sunday Brunch at El Comal in Downtown has a good variety of food that fits many different tastes and dietary preferences.  For $34.99 per person, it isn't expensive yet neither it is cheap either.  I would say it is exactly the right price considering its Downtown location and selection of dishes.

 

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

 

The Good:

- Enough variety for most people

- Meats were tender, moist and flavourful

- Things were fresh

 

The Bad:

- A little cramped on the buffet line, but it moves

- Parking is very expensive in the neighbourhood (Pro Tip: Use the parkade in Cathedral Square)

Big Star Sandwich Co.

It has been some time since I've been back to Big Star Sandwich Co.  It was way back when their original location in New West when it first opened.  Despite enjoying their fully-loaded sammies, especially the ones filled with Hickory Sticks, I never actually made it back.  They are now up to 9 locations and their newest is on Broadway at Willow in Vancouver.  Perfectly situated for all the hospital staff and visitors!  Jackie and I made our way down there to check things out.

We ended up ordering a variety of sandwiches that featured different proteins.  Also, we had all 3 sizes including snack, regular and large (so that we can compare the difference).  For our first, we went for The OG (#4) in snack size.  This had roast beef, bacon, cheddar, hickory sticks (missing in this one for some reason), lettuce and tomato.  What you see here was the snack size and it was more than enough for small appetites.  If you were a bit more hungry, a regular would be the best choice.  A large might be hard to finish unless you were famished.

Next, we had the Corned Beef on Marble Rye (#12)  with Swiss and deli mustard.  This would be considered a regular-sized sandwich in comparison to the fresh rustic filone.  In terms of texture, the light rye was fluffy with some bite.  It was aromatic and slightly sweet.  Of course it was a great match for the corned beef and mustard.  Totally a classic deli sandwich done right.  Other than the tender slices of meaty corned beef, the bread made this sandwich.

Sandwiched in between the same fluffy marble rye, we found roast beef, cheddar, lettuce, pickles, onions & Mack Sauce, the Big Mack (#14) did live up to its namesake.  Look at the amount of stuff in this!  Try to open your mouth wide enough for a bite.  With the addition of Hickory Sticks, there was crunchy salty smokiness to go with the real roast beef and cheddar.  Loved the soft bread as it helped accentuate the other textures.

Something along the same lines, we found the Tony Montana (#21) on the same rye bread with Pulled Pork, Ham, Swiss, Hickory Sticks, Lettuce, Pickles & Smoky Mustard.  This was a touch more salty due to the use of ham.  Texturally, it was a bit more tender due to the brined meat as opposed to the real roast beef.  With Swiss, there was a mustier flavour rather than the mild cheddar.  Once again, the Hickory Sticks provided crunch, saltiness and smokiness.

 

So the most surprising sandwich had to be the Beef Dip.  Okay, a beef dip isn't necessarily anything special,  but this one was legitimately delicious.  First off, we had the use of real roast beef that was tender and well, tasted like roast beef (not that salty brined Arby's stuff).  Then, we had the dip itself.  It was meaty and impactful with a slightly thick viscosity.  Hence, it not only soaked the bread, it also clung onto the meat as well.  This created a super saucy and savoury treat that I didn't want to stop eating.

 

Something that seemed rather familiar was the Turkey Day (#1) with its combination of real turkey, house-made stuffing, cranberry sauce & cranberry mayo.  I said familiar because it reminded me of a turkey dinner, but also it resembled something I've had at another sandwich place.  The one big difference was the lack of gravy in the sandwich.  In that sense, the bread didn't become soggy while the other ingredients stood out more.  I think the best way to do this sandwich would be a gravy dip on the side much like the beef dip (but with turkey gravy of course).  Otherwise, the turkey had a moist natural texture and the stuffing was nicely seasoned.  Would've liked to see more cranberry though.

 

With all of the fully-stuffed sandwich creations we had tried so far, the Santa Monica (#2) was more on the simpler side.  We got it in the snack size and it featured turkey, bacon, cheddar, guacamole, lettuce, tomato and creamy honey mustard.  Again, really appreciated the use of real turkey meat that was moist and tender.  The addition of bacon was key as it provided the necessary saltiness for the mild turkey meat.  Guac added a bright creaminess while the honey mustard provided sweetness and extra moisture.

 

Completely the opposite of the previous sandwich, the Inferno (#9) offered up plenty of impact with ham, capocollo, bacon, habanero jack, lettuce, tomato, pepperoncini and chipotle mayo.  Despite its namesake, this sandwich wasn't super spicy.  Rather, it was flavourful with hits of spice from the capocollo and jack cheese, but then had equal parts saltiness, smokiness and brightness.  Once again, this was in snack size, but still was fufilling.

 

Back to the overstuffed sammies, we had the Mack Daddy (#25) that sported turkey, bacon, provolone, crispy onions, lettuce, tomato and Mack sauce,  This was a bit similar to the Big Mack, but with turkey and provolone instead of roast beef and cheddar.  Hence, this was not as heavy in terms of the meat, but with the more robust bread compared to the fluffy rye, it was still filling.  The combination of crispy onions and Hickory Sticks made for lots of texture and added flavour.

Lastly, we had the Neeson (#28) that crammed roast beef, bacon, habanero jack, hickory sticks, lettuce, tomato, onions, chipotle mayo and bold BBQ sauce.  This was named after the Liam Neeson as he was filming in New West back in 2017.  He was offered a free meal and he showed up!  So this sandwich does live up to its namesake with a robust amount of meat (since Liam plays macho revenge-type characters) within a hearty sandwich.  Overall, all the sammies we tried were all stuffed full of meat (that was weighed, so the pictures are legitimate representations) and were not longing for flavour.  Sure, they cost more than Subway, but the quality of the meats and bread are superior.  In reality, it isn't even a comparison.  I think I need to visit Big Star more often because I like myself a good sandwich, especially with real meat.

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

The Good:

- Quality ingredients

- Real meat

- Hickory sticks!

The Bad:

- Will cost you more, but worth it IMO

Meltwich Food Co.

So it goes without saying that the veritable sandwich doesn't get the accolades it truly deserves.  Often dismissed as a quick lunch option generally in kid's lunchboxes, it is associated with fast food spots such as Subway.  However, if you go gourmet, you will likely find really great Italian sandwiches at some delis and even full-service restaurants.  Okay, how about something in the middle?  A bit more exciting and refined than a basic sandwich, but not something that is as expensive as a proper sit-down meal.  Well, we have Meltwich, where it is counter-service restaurant that is a step above your typical fast food joint.  As the name suggests, they specialize in grilled sandwiches with plenty of cheese.  We made our way out to the South Surrey location to sample some this 100% Canadian-Owned chain (this matters right now!).

We wanted to go basic first and went for their Classic Melt, which for all intents and purposes, is a grilled cheese sandwich.  Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the sandwich because it was prepared expertly.   I thought the bread choice was excellent as it grilled up beautifully to be crunchy with a buttery nuttiness.  However, it was not heavy as it ate with a robust texture but was not dense.  Best of all, it was packed with cheddar cheese that was completely melted and stringy.

Of course we had to get some fancier sammies and that we did with the Southern Fried Chicken Melt.  At first, we were concerned at how flat this looked as compared to the picture on the menu board.  However, it wasn't important how it appeared to us rather, the eating experience was king.  Beyond the crunchy buttery grilled slices of bread, there was a wealth of crispy fried chicken.  Although it wasn't juicy, the chicken remained moist and was well-seasoned.  Meshed with the American and cheddar cheeses, we had plenty of ooey gooey goodness and saltiness.  Add on the chipotle, buttermilk dill sauce, tomato corn salsa, pickles and shredded lettuce, there was no shortage of creaminess, added moisture, spice and tanginess.  Getting something that was from their value menu for under $10.00, we tried the Pesto Chicken Melt.  This really did have a great pesto hit and the chicken was moist.  Again, it was encased with the same excellent grilled buttery bread.

One of the most surprising items we had was the Philly Cheesesteak.  By looks alone, this didn't appear to be anything special.  However, beyond the soft brioche bun, we found beautifully seared thin slices of beef that were tender and well-seasoned.  I loved the texture as well since the meat had some crispy bits and some drier portions.  This created a textural contrast as well as offering up nuttiness.  The bun itself brought everything together with a soft hug.

 

In addition to their sandwiches, the menu features a variety of poutines.  We had 2 versions including the Classic (not pictured) and the Chicken Bacon Ranch.  These featured medium cut russet fries that were fairly crispy where there was no gravy.    There was a generous amount of legit cheese curds that had a nice squeak to them.  I found the gravy to have a good viscosity and not overly salty.  The buttermilk dill drizzle on top added plenty of creaminess and brightness.

 

They also have a variety of sides too and we ended up with 2 of them including the Mac & Cheese Wedges.  These were pretty typical with Kraft-esque mac & cheese coated with a crispy batter.  They were a bit dry on their own, but the side of dill dip, it was good.  We also had some Mac & Cheese and it was rather saucy.  The flavour was quite muted, but after adding a splash of their delicious gravy, it added the slight saltiness that this needed.

 

Lastly, we had some of their milkshakes to go with our meal.  We had both the Oreo and Mango Milkshakes.  Surprisingly, the mango was much sweeter than the Oreo.  I was expecting the opposite.  They were fairly smooth while not being particularly heavy.  There was some iciness with the Oreo.  I did like the flavour of the Oreo as it captured the essence of the cookie without being crazy sweet.  Overall, the sandwiches at Meltwich were really good!  Bread was grilled up beautifully with a nutty butteriness.  They were generous with the cheese, which made things ooey gooey.  Poutines were on point too with delicious gravy and legit cheese curds.  For those who want to support Canadian, Meltwich is totally a Canadian-based chain.  Check out their daily specials, the Philly Cheesesteak can be had with fries and drink for only $13.00.  

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

The Good:

- Delicious well-prepared melts

- Legit Poutine

- Specials make things affordable and also their under $10.00 menu

The Bad:

- I thought the mango shake was a bit too sweet

The Aroma Bistro

For some reason or another, I love driving out to Abbotsford for food.  Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating because I do not enjoy the traffic on the Trans-Canada during rush hour.   Let's just say I don't mind the drive since there is good eats to be found out in the Fraser Valley.  I guess it was an easy drive this time around as we were heading to The Aroma Bistro for their Sunday brunch (as well as trying some other a la carte dishes).   If you can believe it, the brunch buffet costs only $19.99!

What you get for the price is a phenomenal value complete with an Omelet and Crepe station.  Although the crepes were already preprepared, they were still good.  A bit on the crispier side, the crepes were filled with choice of fruit, whipped cream and sauces.  There was also waffles and pancakes available at the adjacent station.  As for the omelets, choices of ingredients included tomatoes, cheese, onions, peppers and mushrooms.  With salt and pepper at the station, the omelets were properly seasoned.

Now The Aroma Bistro might be an Indian restaurant, but they also serve a variety of Western dishes.  Hence, their brunch buffet has all of the local favourites including Scrambled Eggs, Hashbrowns, Sausages, Bacon and Eggs Benedict.  Everything was typical but the Eggs Benny was the real star.  These were classically prepared with toasted English muffins, back bacon, free-hand poached eggs and a legit Hollandaise.  The free-range eggs featured fully-cooked egg whites with a runny yolk.

Now of course they would have one Indian dish in the Butter Chicken and some fried rice to go with it.  The butter chicken had a nice balance between tangy and creamy with some earthy notes.  The best dish of the bunch had to be the Marry Me Chicken.  It featured tender slices of chicken breast in a rich and creamy sauce with a bit of woodsiness.  Finally, we found Penne Pasta in a marinara sauce.  This was pretty standard and great for those who didn't want anything too creamy.

For the kiddies and for adults too, we had Chicken Strips & Fries.  Pretty standard stuff that did the job.  Near the desserts, we found grapefruit juice and orange mango as well as iced tea.  There was a variety of desserts that included some cakes, chocolate-covered strawberries and a version of cornettos.  Nothing outstanding, but they were fine.  I didn't mind the chocolate cake as it was moist and surprisingly not overly sweet.  Actually, the crepes were the best dessert offered at the brunch.

Other than the brunch, we got to try a selection of dishes from their regular menu.  It was a mix of Western and Indian cuisine where we started with the Beet & Burrata Salad.  Unlike some other Indian restaurants, this burrata salad was not fusion.  Rather, it was a competent and composed dish consisting of mixed greens, beets, orange segments, burrata, balsamic glaze and honey shallot vinaigrette.  Flavours were complimentary and the burrata was fresh.

Continuing on with the Western dishes, we had something that has been popularized by Bubba Gump in the Coconut Shrimp.  These were quite good where the shrimp itself was juicy with a sweet snap texture.  The coconut coating was just right, not being too thick.  It was crunchy and none too greasy.  As much as the sweet chili dip went well with the shrimp, something more creative would've been better.  Maybe a bit of fusion here would've work (like a spicy tamarind chutney).

Something that is a staple of many chain restaurants is deep fried chicken wings.  Mind you, it is a staple for many different cuisines, but this was Buffalo Wings, so once again, it was a purely Western dish.  These wings were enormous with juicy brined meat.  Due to it being brined, there was inherent flavour to the meat.  On the outside, the skin was mostly rendered.  Although it was covered with vinegary hot sauce, the light batter was crispy.

From the wings, we moved onto some Indian dishes in the Tandoori Chicken and Tandoori Prawns.   These came sizzling and full of aromatics.  The 6 pieces of chicken were nicely charred without being burnt.  Consisting of dark meat, the chicken was tender and juicy while well-marinated.  The prawns were a bit less charred, but that was okay as it maintained its moisture and were cooked perfectly.  Good snap to every bite and well-spiced too.

Our last dish was also Indian in the Prawn Korma with a side of Garlic Naan.  Unlike some versions of korma, this was had more colour and had more depth of flavour.  Beyond the usual nuttiness, we had earthiness and sweet savouriness.  This was pretty mild being aromatic rather than spicy.  Once again, the prawns had a moist snap texture.  Overall, the food at The Aroma Bistro is solid and that Sunday Brunch is a friggin' steal at $20.00pp.  Love the concept where they offer a legit Western menu to go along with their Indian menu.  Ultimately, it will appeal to a wider range of tastes, all in one well-appointed restaurant.

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

The Good:

- Solid eats for both menus

- That inexpensive Sunday Brunch

- Well-appointed decor

The Bad:

- Unless you are in the area, it is quite the drive

Kumo Sukiyaki

Almost 2 years ago, I had visited the original location of Kumo Sukiyaki out on Anderson Road in Richmond.  It was a decent experience and the 3-level AYCE pricing was fair for what we got.  For those who are unfamiliar, Japanese Sukiyaki refers to sliced beef (sometimes pork), vegetables, tofu and noodles cooked in a shallow iron pot with a broth consisting of shoyu, sugar and mirin.  We checked out their newest location on Alexandra Road taking over from the shuttered Kazuhan.

The first order of business is to choose your AYCE menu from 3 options: $28.99, $38.99 and $54.99 per person.  There is also a soup fee of $9.90 per table (which is less than they charged at the old location).  We got the top tier which included more premium meats and also a wider choice of small dishes.  These included Wakame Salad, Tako Wasabi, Kimchi, Fried Chicken Wings, Takoyaki and Ebi Tempura.  All of the orders was through a tablet on the table.  All orders were sent directly to the kitchen.  This is a major improvement over the system we experienced at the Anderson Road location.

Onto the beef selection, we got all of them which included Pork Belly, Angus Beef Short Plate, AAA Top Blade Eye, Wagyu Beef Chuck Flat and Wagyu Beef Short Plate.  We had many orders of these since they were sliced thin.  That also meant they were quick to cook and super tender to eat.  Every one of them were good and the ones with more fat had more of a meaty flavour.  My personal favourite was the Wagyu Beef Short Plate.

There was also a selection of veggies, noodles and tofu to choose from too and we got them all.  Really enjoyed the mushrooms the most as well as the noodle bundles since they soaked up the broth.  Naturally, we also cracked some eggs so that we could dip our cooked meats into.  That's right, you dip the cooked meats into the egg.  This gives the meat extra butteriness and also cools down the meat.  Don't forget a bowl of rice too as it goes real well with the sweet and savoury meats coated in egg.

For dessert, there was some sliced Pineapple, but also a choice of one Melona fruit bar.  We had one each of the honeydew and the mango.  Actually, the Melona reminded me of my visit to Gyubee out in Ottawa.  Such a nice thing to finish with after subjecting our mouths to hot food.  I found the overall experience at this location of Kumo to be superior to my initial visit to the Anderson Road spot.  I liked how they addressed the ordering accuracy by employing tablets and also reducing the setup fee.  However, I think they should just add that into an all-inclusive price.   Although we had the highest tier of AYCE, I feel you can still have a satisfying meal with the $28.99 menu.  With that, it is a great value and of course you will be stuffed!

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

The Good:

- Meats were tender

- Nicer setup than the original location

- Ordering system is efficient

The Bad:

- Should include the setup fee in an all-inclusive price

- Parking lot is insufficient for the amount of businesses