Chez Céline

Just because a restaurant is "French" doesn't mean that it necessarily representative of France itself.  Take St. Lawrence for instance, they are French Canadian (Québécois) restaurant with definite French influences, but in reality, a unique cuisine in itself.   Now St. Lawrence is a Michelin-starred establishment which isn't a place that is your usual daily dining spot (unless you are loaded).  Well, they now have such a place named Chez Céline out in the Fraserhood.  More approachable eats, yet at the same time, capturing the charm of bistros found in Montreal, Chez Céline did elicit memories of Montréal (as I was there recently, and yes, the posts are coming!).

To start us off, we got an Amuse Bouche of Fried Chickpea Fritter.  These were well-salted and almost creamy on the inside.  Perfectly crispy on the outside.  Onto our first appie, we had the Croque Monsieur Croquettes.  These were cleverly presented with a creamy béchamel filled croquette topped with ham and gruyère.  This definitely captured the spirit of a Croque Monsieur where it was more crispy and slightly deconstructed.

With all of the available options to accompany the Sourdough Flatbread, we went for the Rillettes de Carnard (Duck Rillette).  First and foremost, the bread itself was fluffy and appealingly chewy in the middle while sporting the ever-so-lightly crispy crust on the outside.  As for the rillette, it was plenty meaty and quite moist.  Hence, it had the desired succulence associated with well-prepared duck.  Unlike other duck rillette I've had, this was not overly fatty.  Flavourwise, it was naturally gamy with balanced sweetness and savouriness.

Sporting the same bread, the Terrine de Campange was a hearty slice.  It was plenty meaty and ate quite well in chunks rather than being spread onto the bread.  In actuality, this isn't supposed to be spread anyways due to its density.  Lots of natural flavours was accented by a touch of earthiness from the herbs and also the background flavour of cooked-down alcohol. 

Topped with anchovies, the Beef Tartare was prepared so that there were discernible pieces of beef present.  This gave the dish plenty of meat chew, yet at the same time being tender and buttery.  It was mildly seasoned where the tanginess of the white anchovies added acidity and also just a touch of salt (as they are not the salty type of achovies).

Really enjoyed the Charred Radishes served atop EVOO and tonnato.  Juicy and tender, the radishes were aggressively charred and hence, were smoky with plenty of depth.  The earthiness of the radish still came through in a sweet and bright manner.  Oh that tonnato was creamy and flavourful with just a touch of brininess.  It was also great with any bread we had left.

We went for both pastas including the Pappardelle with red-wine braised short rib.  The wide ribbons of pasta were al dente but still had a tenderness to them.  Nice bounciness.  They were inherently flavourful for the salt in the water, but the shortrib did add plenty of meatiness and rich braised flavours.  Loved the acidity to the dish from the cooked down wine as it kept it from being too heavy.  The meat itself was super tender.

Even though the Cavatelli was functionally prepared well, the dish itself was quite subtle.  It did have the promised mushroom and earthy flavours, but it was mildly impactful.  Compared to the mushroom pasta I had at Dovetail recently, this was only 1/4 of the impact.  It wasn't as if this wasn't good though as the pasta as al dente and they didn't overdo it with the truffle.

My favourite dish was the 18oz bone-in Pork Chop.  It featured a modest brine which kept the meat juicy and tender.  It also added aromatics in the form of thyme and sage.  However, the maple apple cider sauce was the star as it was sticky, sweet and full of umami.  Nice acidity too as it kept things from being overly rich.  I really enjoyed the bone as it ate like a sweet and sticky rib.

The T-Bone Steak was prepared to medium-rare as we requested.  Pretty even cook despite consisting of both tenderloin and striploin steaks.   If you look closely, this was more like a porterhouse as it had big portions of both striploin and tenderloin. Naturally, the tenderloin was softer and required very little chewing.  Striploin was predictably more meaty, but it was still plenty tender.  Nice char on the outside and the black pepper sauce was creamy with only a hint of pepperiness.

We ended up with 2 of their sides that were the same base ingredient, but ate very differently.  The Frites were excellent being crispy with some fluffy potato left inside.  It was served with a garlicky aioli.  The real star was the Poutine with legit cheese curds and a well-balanced gravy.  Since the gravy had a consistent viscosity, it was able to coat the fries without drenching them.  Hence, the fries were still crispy with the flavour of the gravy coming through and the partially melted cheese curds (with a few that were not, which is ideal) added that unmistakable texture.

With the desserts, it was only logical that they had a Maple Crème Caramel available.  This was predictably sweet and well, "Maple"-tasting.  In fact, it was quite apparent and concentrated.  As for the flan itself, it was smooth and had the desired density.  It was also sweet, but not as much as the maple caramel sauce.  That in itself saved the dessert from going overboard with the sweetness.

Our last 2 desserts both had soft-serve ice cream.  The first was the Profiteroles, which featured some on point choux pastry.  It was crispy on the outside while airy and light on the inside.  It held up to the creamy soft-serve and table side chocolate sauce.  It wasn't as sweet as it looked, which was appreciated.  The best dessert was the Pain Perdue (Bread Pudding) as it was not dense at all and ate quite fluffy.  With reserved sweetness and the hit of fall spices, this was comforting for a cold day.  The contrast of hot and cold with the bread pudding and soft-serve was rather appealing.  Overall, the food at Chez Céline is good and the menu is fairly well-priced.  Since I recently revisited Montreal, this gave me the same vibes.  Would come back.

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Decent portion size

- Authentic Montreal bistro vibes

The Bad:

- Loved the sourdough, but too many appies featuring it, need a bit more variety 

 

Banette

Korean brunch spots are pretty much mainstream now as you can find them almost anywhere.  Many might assume that a place like La Forêt might've started it all in the GVRD, but for me at least, it was an unassuming spot on Fraser Hwy in Surrey called Prairie Cafe.  They dished up regular breaky items but also things like Bulgogi and Spicy Pork with rice.  Yes, there was also some Chinese items mixed in as well.  Sadly, they closed a couple of years ago after 74 years in business.  Now we have dedicated Korean-owned and run brunch restaurants all over the place including On & Off Kitchen, OTreat, Toast to Coast, The Breakfast Table, The Burnt Orange, The Green Brunch & Well-Being, Little Beetle and so on...   Now we can add another to the list in Banette in New Westminster.  Checked this place out on a rainy day in Vancouver (like that is unusual...).

One thing you'll notice right away is the plating.  We ordered the Golden Roost Benedict and it came out looking like the rainbow.  Love the effort and all the fresh fruit on the plate.  However, the lifeless chicken was not really all that appealing.  Although "healthier", the chicken lacked any flavour nor real texture (was a bit mushy).  This would've benefited from a fried piece of chicken.  On the other hand, the rest of the plate was good.  Poached eggs were runny and the Hollandaise was not too heavy.

The next dish was pretty solid in the Avocado French Toast Brunch.  Featuring crispy brioche with a soft centre, this was uniquely topped with ice cream.  We actually enjoyed that much more than whipped cream as it had more impact and sweetness.  The roasted pear added another level of mild sweetness and the fresh fruit was welcomed.

The showstopper was the Supreme Stack featuring a pulled pork sandwich atop a beef burger all on brioche.  This was definitely a fork & knifer as we couldn't even pick this up without it falling apart.  I thought the beef patty was fairly moist with a decent sear on the outside.  However, the pulled pork was the best part being juicy and tender.  Sure, the fries on the side were Cavendish, but they were fried properly!  Overall, the food at Banette is tasty and well-portioned.  Definitely a good option in New West for brunch.

The Good:

- They put effort into their food and plating

- Large portions

- Nice people

The Bad:

- Not a fan of the chicken, a bit lifeless

Hansol

Having to take the car in for several recalls meant I was going to be stranded without a ride in Port Moody.  Luckily for me, Ipanemagirl was free and made the trek out to pick me up for lunch.  We ended up going to Hansol Korean just a few minutes away.  Now you might be wondering since we were going for Korean, why did we not head up to North Road...  Well, the ratings for Hansol are pretty good and we just wanted to take a chance at a place we've never been before. 

This mom 'n pop place isn't very large, but since we arrived at around opening, we were able to snag a table before the lunch rush.  Of course, with our meal, we were served some Banchan in the form of stewed potatoes, sprouts, tofu skins and kimchi.  These were good and served in a large portion (even though we could get refills).  Loved the spicy tofu skins with their appealing chewiness.  Potatoes were soft but not melting while not overly sweet.  Kimchi was not too tangy, it had good spice and sweetness.  Sprouts were crunchy and not wet with the aromatics of sesame oil.

We got some Yangyeom Wings because who doesn't like KFC (Korean Fried Chicken)???  Well these were really good with juicy wings with a thin layer of coating which was fried until crispy.  The skin was not flabby and the wings themselves were plump.  Unlike some places, there was just enough sauce coating these giving off a good balance of tangy, sweet and spicy.

Going for something a bit different in terms of soup, we had the Soondaeguk.  Yes, the blood sausage was lurking within the rich and mildly-spicy broth.  It was quite light and fluffy with the usual glass noodles inside.  With the addition of raw garlic and perilla seeds on top, we got sharpness as well as some slight liquorice notes.  Really enjoyed this hearty soup on a cold day.

Instead of the standard Bibimbap, we went for the Beef Tartare Bibimbap.  This was a very hot stone bowl as the rice underneath was already well on its way in forming a socarrat.  When mixed with some gochujang and the rest of the toppings (including the egg yolk), the bowl was able to maintain its heat and partially cook the beef and still form a beautiful crust.  Hence, things were a bit smoky and nutty while the beef was super tender and buttery.  Really good dish.

Last dish was the Japchae which was loaded with ingredients.  Lots of tender thin slices of beef and crunchy veggies.  The noodles had a nice chew to them while not being greasy nor overseasoned.  It was balanced and not too sweet.  Really aromatic from the sesame oil.  Good portion size too.  I got to say we really enjoyed this meal and it got me itching to try more of their dishes.  Glad we tried something different rather than defaulting to North Road.  If you are in the area, go give them a try.

The Good:

- Nice people

- Good portion sizes

- Solid eats

The Bad:

- Small place, seating will be tight

- Mom 'n pop operation, service will be sparse when they are busy

Bar Asra

As much as I try to keep up-to-date with all of the new restaurants in town, there are a bunch I completely miss.  It can be due to a variety of factors, such as limited promotion whether it be through traditional means or social media.  Also, the place might have not received much coverage from the usual outlets in town.  Well, the one great thing about being asked to check a restaurant out is that I actually get to learn about them.  The most recent one is Bar Asra located in the original Vij's.  This place has a unique decor and vibe.  Rather low-key and relaxed.  Led by Executive Chefs Kanwardeep Ahluwalia and Baldeep Singh, they have crafted a menu this is global but with West Coast connections.  Nice place to grab a drink and some eats.

We ended up getting 3 appetizers to share including the West Coast Crab Cakes.  This came with good-sized crab cakes that were crispy on the outside.  Inside, the amount of crab was more so than filler, hence, it was fluffy and almost crumbly.  This was paired with a sauce gribiche that was creamy and tangy.  Rounding out the compliments, we found avocado mousse and tomatillo salsa.  I thought the mousse added creaminess and colour, but the salsa was probably not needed as the gribiche was already doing the heavy lifting.

Based on first impressions, we didn't know what to think about the Black Garlic Chicken Skewers.  They were certainly black and didn't seem all that appealing.  However, we were very wrong as the white meat chicken was actually rather moist while the flavour emanating from the black garlic ash, yogurt and ginger was full of depth.  We got rich sweetness as well as tanginess and a bit of earthiness.  Some lemon aioli on the plate added creaminess with a touch of acidity.

Shockingly, my favourite item of the meal was the Sweet & Sour Pork Belly.  Normally, I would stay far away from this dish (as this is not a Chinese restaurant), but they did a fantastic job with their version.  First of all, the pork belly had a good mix of meat and just a bit of fat.  The pieces were crispy while tender.  It sat on a bed of chunky pineapple salsa which added a brightness and sweet tanginess to the dish.  However, it was the glaze that did the trick here.  It was lightly sweet, plenty tangy and had the right viscosity.  Super delicious!

Another delicious offering was the Bacon & Mussels Hot Pot.  Good portion size here where all of the large mussels were open and tasted fresh.  A bit creamy and full of depth, the tomato broth was mild with hits of smoked bacon and garlic.  I liked how it had tomato flavour without being too tangy.  The grilled sourdough was crunchy and charred, while helping to soak up all of the tasty broth.  We got an extra order of the bread too!

Our other main dish was the CAB NY Striploin prepared medium-rare.  It was as such and super tender.  The herb compound butter added a silky herb finish to each bite.  I would've liked a bit more char on the steak, but it didn't make or break the dish.  Possibly cleaner plating would've enhanced the dish more so as well.  We added foraged mushrooms ($7 surcharge) and it was a good move as they were buttery and had a nice texture.  Moreover, we also got the charred broccolini ($7 surcharge) and they were definitely smoky while still having a crunch.

Couldn't do without the cocktails, so we had 3 of them and one mocktail.  From left-to-right, we had the Yuzual Please, The Devil Drinks Margarita, Taking the Pisco and Peachy Clean.  Some really dangerous drinks here as they were fruity and went down easy.  The easiest was the Yuzual Please which was bright and citrusy.  There was some spice to the Margarita and definite red wine vibes.  The Pisco had hits of apple and rhubarb but wasn't just fruity as the tequila was still at the forefront.  Lastly, the Peachy Clean was floral and sweet, but at the same time, had elements that made it taste not like a mocktail.

Onto dessert, we had the Dubai Chocolate Bar surrounded by fried vermicelli noodles and dulce de leche.  The bar itself was what Dubai Chocolate is about.  Smooth and silky with pistachio with chocolate ganache, there was also a definite crunch and nuttiness.  It was sweet, but not as sweet as some other versions I've had.  Overall, the meal we had at Bar Asra was a good one and portions were not lacking.  Cool cocktails and a relaxed vibe in a restaurant that seems more Main Street than South Granville, but welcomed as it is something different in the neighbourhood.

 

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

 

The Good:

- Some great flavours

- Great portion sizes

- Relaxed vibe with tasty cocktails

 

The Bad:

- Plating could be re-imagined 

 

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (Dine Out Vancouver 2026)

Now this is a Vancouver classic... Kobe Japanese Steakhouse has been around since 1968 and has been delighting customers with grilled-in-front-of-you eats complete with a show.  I've been here numerous times over the years, but believe it or not, the last time was in 2011.  Yes, there are far too many places to dine at and getting around to ol' favourites is difficult.  Well, I'm happy to report that things are still going strong here and they are offering a Dine Out Vancouver menu for 2026 that is only $60.00.  It is complete meal were Jackie and I previewed it prior to the start of DOV on January 21st.

The meal started off with a bowl of Shabu Shabu Soup which consisted of chicken & beef stock.  It was a clear and clean soup that was mildly seasoned.  It had some fried onions which added sweet aromatics.  There was also sliced mushrooms and green onion.  Of course we were here for the teppanyaki and our chef gave us a show that included many fireballs, an onion volcano, shrimp tail tossing and plenty of sound effects from the metal spatulas and seasoning shakers.

With our food being prepared in front of us, it did heighten our anticipation as the smells and aroma made us salivate.  The Teppan Shrimp was seasoned and tossed in a good amount of butter and lemon.  It seared up well and had a buttery snap to go with the brininess.  Prepared at the same time, we had a good amount of Vegetables including zucchini, onions and mushrooms.  It was cooked well so nothing was mushy and there was enough seasoning as well.  Two sauces were provided for dipping including a mild Ginger and a punchy Garlic & Mustard.  That garlic & mustard was my favourite and went really well with the steak and chicken (that you will see in the few pictures).

In addition to the shrimp, we also had Tiger Prawns that was cooked in a liberal amount of butter.  These were meaty with a sweet snap and went well with the ginger sauce.  For the base DOV menu, there is a 5oz Sirloin steak included, but for another $14.95, it can be upgraded to a 6oz Beef Tenderloin (which is in the picture).  These were seared on all sides with butter, seasoned and then cut into cubes.  More butter and seasoning followed an extra sear.  These little morsels were buttery tender and although there was good flavour already, I dipped it into the Garlic & Mustard sauce.

Our last course was the Teriyaki Chicken and that was probably my least favourite since it was chicken breast.  It wasn't overcooked per se, but wasn't juicy either.  At least it had lots of sauce to add moisture.  Went well with the provide bowl of rice.  Dessert was a choice of Mario's Gelato: Vanilla Tofulatti, Matcha or Mango.  We tried all three of them and believe it or not, the vegan Tofulatti was my favourite.  Flavour was mild and sweet enough while the texture was somewhere between ice cream and sorbet.  The Matcha and Mango were rather sweet, yet pretty creamy.  Overall, for $60.00, the DOV menu at Kobe is a good value with more than enough food for one person.  Sure, it isn't the most amazing meal in the world, but the food was good for what it was and you get a show to go with it too.

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

The Good:
- It's a fun night out
- DOV menu has enough food
- Meat quality is good

The Bad:
- Will never be a "fine dining" experience, but it isn't trying to be

 

Sula (Dine Out Vancouver 2026)

Here we go with Sula again for this years Dine-Out Vancouver festival (from Jan 21st to Feb 8th).  You have heard me have differing opinions about DOV over the years, which has been both positive and negative.  I would say earlier on, around 15+ years ago, DOV was not exactly a draw for me.  The menus were mediocre and we weren't really get good value (since portion sizes were small and the dishes were not appealing).  I would say in more recent years, restaurants have taken it more seriously and the menus have been much better as well as the food.  Of course that has coincided with increasing prices across the board.  If we look at Sula's DOV $45.00 5-course menu, this would qualify as one of the better values.  It includes choice of appetizer, palate cleanser, main (includes rice & naan), dessert and chai.  

Choices for the appetizers include the Tandoori Pineapple Chaat, Chicken Tikka Bao and Sesame Garlic Fried Cauliflower.   Although the dish was essentially charred cubes of fresh pineapple, the Tandoori Pineapple Chaat was so refreshing and truly appetizing.  Sweet and juicy, the pineapple was beautifully charred giving caramelized with smoky vibes.  This was further enhanced by the wheat papdi.  It added a light crunch that was the perfect foil for the juicy pineapple.  With chaat spices and accompanying herbs, we got the usual earthiness combined with tangy, sweet and herbaceousness.

Probably the most filling appetizer was the Chicken Tikka Bao as it was a large steamed bun stuffed with shredded chicken tikka, cucumber, red onion, cilantro aioli and tandoori aioli.  Beyond the fluffy bun, the chicken tikka was tender and moist with a good amount of spice (not heat) and mild tomato tanginess.  Naturally, the cucumber and onion provided some fresh and vibrant crunch while the aiolis added creaminess.  In particular, the cilantro aioli did its herbaceous thing.  The Sesame Garlic Fried Cauliflower was solid with crispy florets that were cooked all the way through but not being soft.  The crispy batter remained as such despite the coating of sauce.  It was appealing being tangy and sweet.

In between the appetizer and entree courses, we were presented with a palate cleanser in the Wildberry Sorbet.  It isn't often we get this at an Indian restaurant and it was literally a refreshing change.  Light and sweet, this helped us get ready for the heavier dishes.  There are special cocktails ($14.00 each) available for the Dine Out menu and we had 2 of them including the Bombay Blue and the Lemongrass Lyric.  With a pronounced liquorice essence due to the star anise-infused Bombay Sapphire, this also had elements of red apple and lemon.  The sweetness of the lychee meshed well with the bright lemongrass with the Lemongrass Lyric.  Really nice cocktails that helped bring the heaviness down a notch.

For the mains, one can choose from Mango Chicken Korma, Kolkata Lamb, Mushroom Coconut Curry and Paneer & Green Beans Biryani.  Sweet and aromatic, the chicken in the mango korma was in big tender chunks.  They were juicy despite being white meat.  The nuttiness of cashews came through in both aromatic as well as texture (making the curry thick).

With large chunks of meat, the Kolkata Lamb was full of rich spices that were earthy, fall-tasting and spicy.  I asked for this one to be extra hot and it definitely was, yet at the same time, wasn't overwhelming.  The sweetness of the onions and bite for the ginger were evident. The lamb was tender with that unmistakable gelatinous texture.  It was definitely lamb-tasting with an appealing gaminess (for me at least).

For me, the best option for the mains happened to be vegetarian.  Creamy and rich, the Coconut Mushroom Curry was a flavour bomb that hit all the right notes.  The combination of coconutty aromatics and sweetness with the earthiness of the mushrooms gave out strong umami vibes.  Salt levels were just right as well as the sweetness. Combined with the choice of naan (this went well with the just the plain one), this was a fulfilling dish.

Another vegetarian option is the Paneer and Green Beans Biryani.  Naturally, without any meat, the rice was less robust and ate almost fluffier.  It wasn't devoid of spice though as it was earthy with some heat.  Loved the cubes of squishy paneer as it added body to the dish and the green beans were soft and almost juicy.  This came with some a spicy and creamy peanut salan to kick up the richness and aromatics of the Biyani while the raita on the side cooled things down.

All of the meals included a choice of Basmati Rice or Coconut Rice as well as a choice of Tandoori Naan, Garlic Naan or Onion & Cilantro Naan.  Naan was great as it was fluffy with elasticity while the outside was nicely charred and blistered.  In addition to dessert, a cup of Rose Chai was served as well.  It was fragrant and purposefully sweet.

Desserts include a choice of Macha Rasmalai Cake or Classic Coconut Payasam.  Although the sponge cake was on the firmer side, the Macha cake ate quite well.  It was not overly sweet and was rather aromatic.  Really enjoyed the payasam as the rice pudding was creamy with measured rich sweetness from the jaggery.  Definitely could taste the cardamom and also the sweetness of the fried raisins on top.  Nice textural contrast with that and the cashews.  Overall, the meal was delicious and well-priced considering how many items that were included.  I would do the Coconut Mushroom Curry all day, even if it didn't have meat.  Shockingly, the Tandoori Pineapple Chaat was my favourite appie.  So no meat to be seen in my meal.  If you do that combination and you have a heartier appetite, you might best stick with at least one meat dish.  Be aware that the Dine Out menu is different at all Sula locations.  This particular one is only for Commercial Drive.

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

The Good:

- Well-priced

- The menu includes enough food and sides

- Delicious

The Bad:

- Not that it wasn't any good, but unless you are vegetarian, best not to get the Biryani as it is mainly rice and then it includes more rice and naan