Rodney's Oyster House

Alright, this will be the last time I dine with Rich Guy for awhile. He's heading back overseas until the fall. I was able to con him out of his house key explaining that I would look after his house. Now it's time to PARTY! It's like that time he left the keys to his apartment once. He also left the keys to his M3 hanging by the door. Guess what I did? Anyways, it was his turn to service the car today, so I picked him up for lunch. We also picked up Vandelay and Whipping Girl along the way to Rodney's Oyster House. Meeting up with us was MagMagMug, an old friend visiting from Hong Kong. Rodney's is another place I haven't been to in ages and I took this opportunity to go there. I'm sure my kids would not be thrilled with eating oysters.

We started off with a platter of oysters which included Fanny Bays, Kumamotos and Kushis. Provided alongside the oysters were an impressive array of condiments which included Tabasco, Worcester, different hot sauces, shallot vinaigrette and horseradish vinegar. The Kumamotos were the consensus choice. They were delicately soft, sweet and really easy to eat. The Kushis and Fanny Bay Pacific Oysters were also very fresh and sweet; however, they had a much stronger aftertaste. That would explain why that Kumamotos are sometimes referred to as the beginner oyster since they are so easy on the palate.

Oysters on the half-shell are always a treat; but the Po' Boy was something we were looking forward to. Myself, Vandelay and MagMagMug all ordered it at a very reasonable price of $10.25. An authentic Po' Boy consists of fried seafood on a French roll similar to a Banh Mi. However, the one served at Rodney's is served on a Portuguese bun with 3 fried oysters. Yes, it's not the original; but it's good nonetheless. The Po' Boy is really a very simple sandwich; yet, it's got that good combination of oyster flavour and the crispy fried coating. Add some of the available hot sauces and you really have a tasty sandwich. Whipping Girl opted for the special of the day which was Halibut & Chips. Another fabulous value at only $13.99! The two pieces of fresh, flaky halibut were perfectly fried in a light, non-oily batter.

Since Rich Guy was buying, I added a New England Clam Chowder as well. For some odd reason, it arrived last. Whatever the case, it was creamy without being too heavy. Furthermore, it was delicately seasoned so I could actually taste the ingredients. Only complaint would be that the soup was lukewarm. Rich Guy went for the Manhattan Clam Chowder and it was equally good. He didn't get a chance to try the soup hot (or was it lukewarm?) because he left the table for quite awhile to take a call. Probably business, to maintain his richness. However, with all this eating lately, he might end up as only moderately Rich Guy.

A really solid meal at Rodney's once again. It's in their name and they do oysters justice. Service is friendly, if not very casual and loud. But honestly, that is part of the ambiance here. It's not exactly fine-dining, but it's good eats. It's really too bad that they don't serve the Po' Boy during dinner. Moreover, the dinner menu gets considerably more pricey, although there are different items available.

The Good:
- Really fresh oysters
- Reasonable lunch prices
- Fun, casual atmosphere

The Bad:
- If you don't like oysters, there is not much else here
- Dinner is pricey

Little Billy's

So, guess who joins me for lunch today? Snake? No, he's too busy munching on Lobster in the Maritimes. Whipping Girl? Nope, she's too busy overpaying at Morton's. Miss Y? No, she's too busy trying to find her way out of a cul-de-sac. It's Rich Guy again! I think he's available for lunch everyday! Today, we met at Little Billy's right on Hastings near Sperling. Honestly, I've passed by this place so many times and really never even noticed it until I read Deeeelish's post. Apparently, Little Billy's moved to this location after it's former store was destroyed in a fire.

The first thing that struck me when I walked into the restaurant was how narrow the entrance was. Literally, the bar was within 3 feet of the front door. Not a really good design. However, once seated, I began to appreciate the upscale decor and cleanliness of the place. Although the dinner prices are a bit pricey, the lunch menu on the other hand is a complete steal. There are only a handful of items over $10.00. I was tempted to order more than one dish; but the server assured me one plate would be enough. I did try the soup of the day to start - Lemon Rice Soup. Rich Guy had the soup and salad, so he got to try it as well. When it arrived, we both thought it looked like Chinese Congee. However, it sure didn't taste like congee. There was quite a bit of lemon flavour which didn't sit well with Rich Guy. On the other hand, I liked it a lot, partly because I love lemon.

Rich Guy's chicken sandwich looked fresh and said it was pretty good since the chicken was quite tender. I opted for the Prawn Souvlaki which was only $9.95. Included with the 5 prawns were pita bread, rice and salad. The prawns were grilled perfectly. Lots of flavour and crunch. The rice was just the right texture, without being too soft. I decided to substitute the Greek salad with Caesar and it was adequately dressed.

We were pleasantly surprised at both the prices and quality of our meals. It's not "wow" material; but considering that both of our meals were under $10.00, it was a good value. However, the prices jump to almost double on the dinner menu. Not sure if it's such a good value in that case. Yet, I wouldn't hesitate to come for lunch again.

The Good:
- Comfortable dining space
- Good value for lunch
- Service was friendly

The Bad:
- Expensive dinner menu
- Very tight entrance

Montana's

It's Wednesday today. Do you know what that means? Whopper Wednesday? Wing Wednesday? Miss Y getting lost (wait, that's everyday!)? Yes, the aforementioned are all true; but it's also all-you-can-eat ribs at Montana's! Okay, I know, the ribs at Montana's are not the slow-roasted Southern style such as Memphis Blues. But honestly, I personally prefer the ones from Montana's. Granted, most of the other food at Memphis Blues would put Montana's to shame. With that being said, there are not many places that offer AYCE ribs, especially at the same cost as the regular menu. AYCE baby backs go for $25.99 and AYCE side ribs cost $23.99 (they both include one side and corn bread).

We rounded up the whole family including the grandparents and headed over to the Montana's out at Coquitlam Centre. We went pretty early because it gets really busy on AYCE night. I was able to score a rare window seat; but due to the time of day, the light was harsh and coming in through blinds. How do I work under these conditions??? Soon, you'll see me with a full-fledged photographer's kit. I'm sure that'll be discreet at a restaurant! We decided to share a plate of Nachos with Sirloin Beef to start. Surprisingly, the nachos were both plentiful and quite good. The tortilla chips were crispy thin and the beef was moist. Moreover, the whole dish was not really all that oily either.

I've had the AYCE ribs many times before; but this time, the rack of ribs were especially meaty. I was wondering if I could actually eat more than the first dish! The ribs at Montana's are exactly how I prepare them at home. They are precooked first, then BBQ'd on the grill and finished off with sauce (Apple Butter, Texas Bold or Honey Garlic). To the Southern traditionalists, this could be sacrilegious; but again, I like them this way. I was able to finish off the whole rack and subsequently ordered another half rack. Honestly, I struggled through the second order, the ribs were extremely meaty and moist.

Mom and Dad decided to share the Fire-Grilled Mushroom Chicken which is a featured promotional item. Currently there is a promotion for the summer (2009) where if you order one of six selected dishes, you get a coupon for a free entree on your next visit (you need to be in a party of 5 or more though). Surprisingly, the dish was pretty good. Chicken was moist and sauce was full of mushroom flavour. I say it was surprising because other than the ribs, most of dishes at Montana's are mediocre. This is a perfect segue to Viv's dish, the Chipotle Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Although Viv enjoyed the spicy sandwich, it's one of those dishes that epitomizes average chain restaurant food - it's boring. That's why I actually don't mind some of Cactus Club's Feenie-created dishes because they are different and unique; albeit pricey.

On the topic of pricey, Montana's is not exactly a cheap night out. Although Montana's is in a genre all by itself, their price points compete directly with Cactus Club, Joey's, Earl's and Milestone's. Consequently, if BBQ food and generic dishes are not your thing, it's best you move along. However, if you do like this type of food and you want a kid-friendly environment, it's not a bad choice.

The Good:
- Family and kid-friendly
- Ribs are quite good, if you like the precooked kind
- A wide range of middle-of-the-road food

The Bad:
- It ain't cheap
- A wide range of middle-of-the-road food

Red Onion

Honestly, I have to admit it. I really didn't feel like playing softball tonight since it was burning hot. Alas, the lure of eats afterwards keeps me going. Picked up Milhouse along the way and we ended up going to the wrong field. It wasn't bad, we were only at the adjacent field, so we didn't have to reroute too far. We're not as directionally challenged as Miss Y! The field we did end up playing on was terrible. The grass was so dry, even routine grounders became home runs. I'll officially use that excuse as to why we lost. After a brief discussion as to where to eat, we ended up going to an ol' standby - the Red Onion in Kerrisdale. In addition to the usual crew heading over to the Red Onion was Dr. 911 and Siena. She was not really all that thrilled with the nickname of Mrs. 911 for some reason or another, so we gave her Siena instead. Dr. 911 seemed quite happy with Mrs. 911; but he had no say in the matter

We ended up moving some tables together in order to accommodate our table of 9. I was a bit concerned with the lack of light where we were sitting. However, I was scoping out a neighbouring table which was right next to the window. Like a hawk, once the table opened up, I snapped it up and forced everyone to shift their tables over. They are such understanding teammates! I ended up getting a Cheeseburger and a large order of fries which I shared with Milhouse. There is an option of adding $2.25 for a side of fries with your burger; however, if you can find someone to share the large ($3.75), you get substantially more fries. And those very fries are pretty darn good. They are freshly cut and quite crispy. Much like some other good burger joints such as Moderne Burger, Vera's and Splitz, the burgers at the Red Onion are fresh. They're not the biggest nor juiciest burger; but are good because they are made with care and choice ingredients. Of course, Miss Y had to order something completely random at a burger joint - Quiche. It's just like the time she had a REGULAR hot dog at Japadog. Predictably, the quiche was passable, if not forgettable.

Judes and Hot Chocolate had the Chicken Burger. Rather than a chicken breast, the bun revealed pieces of chicken. No matter, the chicken was moist and flavourful. Almost everyone else had a burger (are you listening Miss Y?); thus, I didn't bother taking pictures of their food. I'm sure they were thrilled because that meant they could eat right away without waiting for me to snap a photo first. Boss Woman especially gets annoyed at that, it's probably why she stole the egg from the Bibimbap last time at Jang Mo Jib. Everyone seemed quite satisfied with their meal at the Red Onion. However, my personal favourite burger joint is still Moderne Burger. After that filling meal, we headed over to Vivo! Gelato for dessert. We walked there in hopes of burning off a few calories.

The Good:
- Freshly made burgers and fries
- Reasonably priced

The Bad:
- Only a small selection of toppings
- Other food does not stack up to the burgers

O Raw Bar & Grill

*This restaurant is now closed*

When I met up with Rich Guy last time at Pasta Polo, I noticed that the old Anducci's had become a Japanese restaurant. Honestly, I couldn't make out the name because there was a large hand-drawn circle on the signage. Well, it turns out that the big circle is the name of the place. It's actually O Raw Bar & Grill. Once again, Rich Guy met me for lunch (doesn't he need to work or something? Oh wait, he's a Rich Guy). Remnants of the old Anducci's decor mixed with a substantial amount of renovations create an odd, but trendy atmosphere. Rich Guy and I particularly like the turbo hand drier in the washroom. In fact, Rich Guy washed his hands twice, just to use the dryer. Both of us actually had a hard time finding the soap dispenser because it's the same colour as the wall and is well hidden. I actually mistakened the complimentary mouth wash as soap. Well, at least my hands smell nice.

When we first took a look at the menu, we were a bit worried since the prices seemed a bit high for an Izakaya-type Japanese restaurant. There was really nothing under $10.00 other than the individual rolls and Nigiri. Thus, with Izakaya portions in mind, we ordered 4 items for the two of us. The server notified us that they had really fresh oysters. Well, we both like oysters, so we went for a half dozen of the Premium Oysters on the half shell. Honestly, the oysters were a bit small; but the freshness and sweetness made up for the lack of size. We were also served a complimentary appetizer dish which consisted of Roasted Garlic, Marinated Wakame and Shoestring Yam Fries. It wasn't a lot; but it was still a nice little treat. Presented on a long platter, there were 8 Crispy Prawns coated in corn flakes. For $10.00, the dish was an excellent value. The prawns were indeed very good with a nice crunchy coating. However, we would've preferred a spicy mayo instead of the common and boring sweet chili sauce.

When we first took a look at the lunch menu, the Sashimi Set Meal caught our eye; but at $15.00, it seemed a bit pricey. Our concerns turned into awe when it arrived at our table. Presented on a large square platter, there was a huge amount of sashimi accompanied by a Smoked Salmon Roll, Tempura and Salad. The sashimi consisted of 3 pcs wild salmon, 3 pcs spring salmon, 2 pcs mackerel, 2 pcs red snapper, 2 pcs tako, 2 pcs tuna, 2 pcs Hokkigai and 2 pcs tamago (not really sashimi but it looked good). Normally, the sashimi alone in this meal would be enough to warrant the $15.00 price tag. The purple (cabbage juice I assume) rice roll was quite good, I didn't even notice it was not regular sushi rice. In addition, the tempura was light and crisp. The only thing I'd change would be the salad. It was mixed with a balsamic vinaigrette that made the lettuce look dirty. They should either put the dressing on the side or stick with the traditional Japanese ginger vinaigrette. The last dish, Hoisin Braised Short Rib, was another surprise. For $13.00, we weren't expecting a whole lot; yet when the dish arrived, it was one of the biggest pieces of short rib I've ever seen. It was a massive amount of tender meat on a bed of veggies and roast potatoes. However, the hoisin sauce was a bit weak and dirty looking. It definitely needed more depth and colour.

Rich Guy and I were barely able to finish all the food, there was just so much of it. If we had known about the portion sizes, we could have sufficed with 2 dishes. The fears we had about the prices here at O Raw were totally quashed with the portion sizes and quality of the food. Furthermore, the staff were very friendly and attentive. Add into that a trendy and comfortable dining space, you have a pretty solid restaurant. There is really no restaurant like O Raw in Coquitlam, so at least they have no immediate competition. I only hope that they succeed because no restaurant has done well at this location.

The Good:
- Big portions
- Food is made with care
- Most of the food is quite good

The Bad:
- Some of the fusion items didn't work (ie. salad dressing, chili sauce for the prawns)
- Can't compete with the Downtown Izakayas, but okay for Coquitlam

Le Petit Saigon

Having gone to Au Petit Cafe earlier this month, I decided to make it complete by going to Le Petit Saigon as well. Once again, it was burning hot and we decided to go for hot Pho. That probably explained why Le Petit wasn't really busy. They had a couple of fans going; but it was a bit warm. One thing that struck me while we strolled in from the back entrance was how clean it was. I mean, the washrooms were so pristine, I would be comfortable eating in there. Of course I didn't really mean that; but it sounded good. The same could be said about the rest of the place, it was practically spotless. This was indeed a pleasant surprise for a Vietnamese restaurant.

While we were waiting for our orders, I decided to run across Hastings to get a shot of the front. I think some people were wondering what the heck I was doing. I tried to look as natural doing as I could; but I'm sure it really didn't help. Settling back into my seat, the first few dishes were arriving. Rich Guy ordered the Lemongrass Chicken and it was presented on a long, modern looking plate. I love it when restaurants go the extra mile and think about food presentation. It may seem like a small detail; but we eat with our eyes and noses too! I sampled some of the chicken. It was both moist and flavourful without being salty. For once, I didn't get to sample Viv's food because we were too busy attending to the kiddies. She had the Skewered Beef with Spring Roll Vermicelli Bowl. It looked to be a decent amount of food. She indicated that everything was pretty much how it should be.

Since I was sweating just sitting there, I opted not to go for the Pho. Instead, I decided to try the Seafood Dry Noodles. There was actually quite a bit of seafood resting on a modest bed of noodles. The shrimp were perfect, crunchy and sweet. I wasn't a big fan of the imitation crab sticks though, they were a bit cold and lifeless. In the end, we did get a bowl of Chicken Pho for the kiddies. I've actually never ordered chicken pho before and it's not bad. The soup base here was not salty at all; in fact, a bit on the sweet side. I ended up finishing the Pho that the kiddies didn't eat.

By now I was quite warm. Maybe they wanted to create the atmosphere of being in Vietnam? Whatever the case, the service was very friendly and efficient. Despite the lack of A/C, the restaurant itself was quite comfortable, unlike the other little hole-in-the-wall Pho joints. Add that with overall cleanliness, pretty good food and free parking at the back, it was a good experience.

The Good:
- Carefully made and presented food
- Friendly staff
- Clean and spacious restaurant

The Bad:
- No A/C, it's a sweatfest while eating hot Pho

Harmony Donuts

The donut; such a simple food. What is the allure of this fried life saver (oxymoron)? Well, a long time ago, Rich Guy and I went to great lengths to acquire donuts. When we didn't have Krispy Kremes up here in the GVRD, we would drive all the way down to Burlington, WA to get some. In fact, we'd take orders from our friends and bring up over a dozen boxes at a time. The border guards were rather confused when all we declared were some glazed and jelly-filled donuts. I'm surprised we didn't get searched more often. Imagine 2 guys driving up after only gone for around 2 hours with a car full of donuts! Fortunately, we didn't have to travel very far to get some tasty donuts after our meal at Browns. In fact, Harmony Donuts is only up 10 blocks on Lonsdale at 29th. I have to give credit to Vandelay for this one. If he hadn't suggested the place, there is really not much chance I'd notice it. Located right next to the Starbucks, Harmony looks more like an old school card collector's shop than a donut store. Actually, it's a deli as well; but if you call a couple of baked goods and a whole cold turkey a deli, it wasn't much of one.

Once we walked into the place, we were transported back into time. No, I didn't suddenly have my mullet back; rather, it was packed with memorabilia such as old books, hot wheels, figurines and even a nice Pepsi-Cola clock. If you think 40-Year Old Virgin, but a bit less high tech, you will get the idea. In terms of the donuts, they are also quite old school. They are very similar to Top Pot Donuts out of Seattle, being fried until crunchy with many different flavour combinations. However, they are quite a bit smaller than those at Top Pot. One donut will run you $1.00, 1/2 dozen at $4.50 and a dozen for $8.00.

If you prefer the Krispy Kreme type of donuts, then Harmony may not be for you. But despite looking heavy, the donuts here are actually quite light. Despite the generous amount of glaze and toppings, the donuts aren't really overly sweet. This is definitely a little gem in North Van. You wouldn't expect such good donuts from an eclectic place such as Harmony.

The Good:
- Great tasting and relatively light donuts
- Very unique place

The Bad:
- Slightly pricey for smallish donuts
- Not sure of the deli part