Chada Thai

For me at least, I find that Thai food in general can be pricey. Generally, in terms of each individual item, it may not necessarily break the bank; but the portions are hopelessly small. Therefore, much like tapas, we end up ordering a whole lot of dishes to feed our hunger. Eventually, you get the bill and do a double-take. Of course, many Thai dishes are quite saucy, especially the curries; thus we get full on the rice alone (much like eating pasta). However, it's those times that you want a bit of variety and end up ordering 6 dishes for 3 people where it becomes expensive. On the topic of expensive, Chada Thai in Coquitlam is definitely not cheap eats ($15.00+ per entree).

So, to get a taste of Chada Thai without forking over fine dining money, Pomegranate and I went for lunch. Yes, for once Rachel Ray is right. One of her "tips" is to visit a restaurant for lunch since the prices are usually cheaper. Yum-O! Gawd, I can't believe I just said that... Anyways, even before we ordered, our server brought us a Vegetable Consume with basil. A tad on the salty side, this consume was packed with flavour and aroma. A nice, unexpected start to our meal. Although not exactly killer cheap (such as Lhy Thai), the lunch specials here are $10.00. Included is the aforementioned soup, rice, salad (more like coleslaw without the dressing) and crispy wraps. Pomegranate went for the Cashew Chicken with medium spice. Interestingly, the medium was actually spicy (not killer spicy, but it had heat). However, the spice didn't detract from the other flavours. A solid dish. For myself, I had the Pad Thai in the spiciest they could make it. I'm happy to report that it was indeed spicy. Although it numbed both my lips and tongue, believe it or not, it didn't overpower the dish. In between the stinging, I could still taste the tart tamarind and some sweetness. For me, that is the perfect balance for a spicy dish. Furthermore, the noodles were still a bit chewy and there wasn't too much sauce.

I know we only had 2 dishes for lunch; but it was enough for me to plan my return visit to Chada Thai. For me, the food quality and flavours were excellent. Execution was spot on and even the medium had a good amount of spice. No watered down flavours here.

The Good:
- Good amount of flavour and spice
- No watery food here, high wok heat
- Attentive service

The Bad:
- The place is really small and tight
- Prices are a bit higher compared to other Thai restaurants

Kent's Kitchen (Chinatown)

What can $5.00 buy you these days? In some instances, not very much. How about a Bakudanyaki, Terimayo, 2 slices of pizza or a bowl of wonton noodles? Not too bad... Consider that it can get you only a beverage at some establishments, then it really doesn't go too far. What if you wanted a really large meal that quite possibly stretch into tomorrow's lunch as well? Now, that's just plain preposterous! As mentioned in my post about Kent's on Victoria Drive, it is very possible. Of course there are compromises. Yup, there are shortcuts taken in the preparation of the food. Yes, the food is quite greasy and the deep fryer is indeed on overtime; however, it might possibly be one of the best deals in town. Today, we paid a visit to the original location in Chinatown. Unlike the Victoria Drive location, there are no BBQ items; rather, just a larger display of cooked items to choose from.

I'm happy that they implemented a "ticket number" system here since relying on plain courtesy in Chinatown is pure lunacy. You'd have better luck trying to run across a freeway than to have people here self-regulate themselves. It's akin to having any hope of someone being generous enough to offer you their parking spot at Crystal Mall or Aberdeen Centre... You'd be lucky to retain your own space that you signaled and waited for! I digress. So, for as little as $4.50, you can pick any 2 items with steamed rice. If you eat in, they pile it onto a large plate and if you takeout, they fill the box to the brim until it is a leaky mess. Complimentary soup is available if you want it.

Ma and Hot Mama played it safe and did the Sweet 'n Sour Pork thing. Nothing really wrong with that; but there are much more exotic dishes that taste better in my opinion. My favourite has got to be the Mixed Offal. What's better than a stew of tripe, lung, pancreas and tendon? Maybe add in some tongue and then we're talking! I added some fried eggplant for my daily vegetable intake. Hey, nothing spectacular, possibly bordering on average; but you can't deny the value!

The Good:
- Cheap
- Very large portions
- Vast selection

The Bad:
- Some items are average or worse
- Greasy

Salvation Army Harbour Light

With our busy lives, it's easy to be completely immersed by the things that directly impact us. I, for one, am guilty of that. It's the same most days - get up, go to work, go home, take care of kids, cook dinner (or go out), give kids a bath, put them to bed, blog a little, then fall asleep. By virtue of living in Canada, we are already further ahead than most nations. We get our basic needs met, such as shelter, food and health care. For those who are more fortunate, there are luxuries. Furthermore, for what I do, I am very lucky to dine on such delectable delights so often. Therefore, we often lose sight of those who are less fortunate. Hey, I'm no saint (and probably will never qualify anyways...). But I do know one thing - there are people who do not have food to eat (even for a prosperous nation such as Canada), let alone dining in an expensive restaurant.

Today, we did our annual visit to the Sally Ann Harbour Light located in the Downtown Eastside. With its location and the reputation of the area, it is quite easily to misunderstand the purpose of the place. Moreover, we often make assumptions and form misconceptions of the clientele it serves. Yes, there are the individuals who suffer from drug addictions and mental illness; however, there are many people who just can't afford food due to many factors. With the help of sponsors and donations made by various organizations including local supermarkets combined with volunteers and existing clients of the Salvation Army, there are over 208,000 meals served annually. We've been volunteering at the Sally Ann for 3 years and most of the people making it happen are those going through their substance abuse treatment program.

How do people end up here at the Sally Ann? Well, there are many stories we've heard over the last 3 years and not one is ever exactly the same. Addictions can take many different forms and are a result of various factors in an individual's life. But they all have one thing in common - the drugs and its deadly grip. This is where the Sally Ann comes into play. At Harbour Light, they provide treatment programs for those who are seeking it. Although they are a religious organization, there are no expectations. They are only there to help, not to convert. Of course if one chooses to, it is their own choice. There is much more we can do to support organizations such as the Sally Ann, myself included. However, every little bit counts and those who rely on such assistance are grateful.

If you would like to find out more information or help, check out their webpage.

Veneto's Cake & Pastries

Having visited the same shopping complex while eating at Brewster's and Sushi Line, I noticed a small bakery next to a convenience store. To me, there was not much to think about. Normally, when I'm craving carefully crafted pastries, it's usually in Vancouver, specifically in Downtown. The last place I'd expect European pastries is in Newton (no offense, but it's not the mecca of desserts). But once again, it's usually in the oddest of places we ultimately find good eats. Case in point, Ah-Beetz in Abbotsford, Lhy Thai on Edmonds and Rehanah's Roti out in Port Moody. Being the curious person that I am, I did some searching around on the internet. Yah, there area a few positive comments about the place. Hmm... Okay, I even went as far as asking some locals and apparently, this place is solid. In fact, they also serve up some good sandwiches and paninis. Alright, I'm sold.

Just before I left, Hot Mama asked if I'd pick up a sandwich for her as well. Hey, I'm game for that, more food to take pictures of! Although being quite small, there is a nice cozy area for those who want to eat in and a few tables outside. I decided to go for the soup of the day which happened to be Bacon & Bean. That was probably a bad decision in retrospect... Beans... Anyways, I really liked the soup. It was a meal in itself with plenty of perfectly textured beans (soft, but not falling apart) and of course bacon. Slightly smoky and a touch sweet, I was pretty full after this. But then I had to contend with the Prosciutto & Pesto Panini as well. If you look at the picture, it's quite evident that there is more filling than bread. A nice combination of roasted red pepper, red onion, artichoke, pesto and prosciutto were stuffed into a nicely crisp package. I thought the flavours worked really well with a bit of saltiness (not overpowering), tartness and sweetness.

I picked up a Veggie Delight sandwich for Hot Mama and quickly snapped a staged picture before leaving. Yah, I violate other peoples' food for my blogging purposes... Just by looking at it, you can see the plentiful amount of fresh ingredients in this sandwich. Hot Mama really liked it and agreed it was indeed fresh and quite tasty for a vegetarian sandwich. Lastly, I couldn't leave Veneto's without picking up a dozen items from their display case. Without going through every single item like Mijune (who is probably more qualified to talk about sweets than I would anyways!), I will make a blanket statement about them. By polling the people who did try some of the items, it was pretty much unanimous that they were pretty good. Maybe a tad less refined than the ones you'd find in some of the Downtown bakeries. Naturally, some items were sweeter than others due to their ingredients; yet as a whole, nothing was crazy sweet. Furthermore, let's be serious here, the prices are very reasonable at Veneto's and there is not much to complain about.

The Good:
- Very reasonable prices
- Quality products
- Personable staff

The Bad:
- Maybe a little less refined (but honestly... for the prices and the location... who cares)

Kilala Sushi

The first time I ever laid eyes on Kilala Sushi, I could not make out the actual name of place. In big letters "SUSHI" is quite evident; but "Kilala" almost seems like an afterthought. Thus, I merely ignored the place thinking that it was some cheesy joint. You know the kind. The kind that has the sign that exclaims "CANADIAN-CHINESE FOOD"; but you would never be able to figure out the name. So, I essentially avoided the place like it was Knight & Day. Well, how wrong was I. According to a friend, it is a true sushi bar run by a Japanese couple. Despite this, I still did not flock to it immediately. I was nearby once and attempted to eat there; but one look at the menu, it was obvious that I had to come without the kiddies. Other than a few donburis, it is strictly a sushi bar.

So it was only natural we started with a plate of Assorted Sashimi. Now, I'm not a big stickler for small details; but do you notice anything strange about the presentation? If you answered, "What's with the spring mix???", you are right. Normally, there would be julienned daikon. Not a huge problem; but I do like eating the daikon with my sashimi. And about that sashimi, it was pretty good. The tuna was a tad on the mushy side (well, tuna is a bit mushy in general), while all the other textures were what they should be. We particularly liked the tako since it was not that chewy while still exhibiting a nice snap. With the obligatory "have to try the sushi rice here", we ordered some Nigiri and a Scallop & Tobiko Roll. We got one piece each of inari, tuna, wild salmon, scallop and unagi. I though the rice was slightly on the drier side; but other than that, it was pretty good. Each grain of rice was discernible without being hard. I could taste the vinegar, which to me is not readily the case here in the GVRD. The good sushi rice made for a good roll as well. The nicely toasted sesame seeds added a nice aromatic flavour.

One item that we normally don't find in Japanese restaurants in the GVRD is Oshizushi or pressed sushi. The only other time I've had this is at Koko. We went for the Unagi Battera this time around and it was neat to watch them torch the unagi, the caramelization added some really good flavour. With some tamago underneath and the good sushi rice, we enjoyed it very much. In fact, the meal in general was pretty good. Considering that the place is essentially a hole-in-the-wall, it was a definite surprise. I wouldn't necessarily drive all the way here if you didn't live in the area; but if you are, give it a try.

The Good:
- Carefully prepared food
- Items appears and tastes fresh
- Friendly owner-operaters

The Bad:
- Not exactly cheap
- Don't come if you're in a rush, only 2 people running the place
- If you are expecting cooked food, there isn't much in that department

Hot Chefs Cool Jazz

There are times when I am invited to various events and tastings. I have to admit that I'm very lucky to be considered since I don't take myself too seriously. Actually, I don't think any my friends take me very seriously. Maybe that's why they ignore me... Anyways, it's good that some people think of me and invite me to events. Tonight, along with Melody, Darina, Victoria, Joyce and Mr., we attended the Hot Chefs Cool Jazz event at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The event was put together as a fundraiser for Team Canada's entry into the Bocuse d'Or competition. 24 countries will be represented in Lyon, France in January 2011. The Bocuse d'Or is often considered the culinary Olympics and is arguably the most prestigious cooking competitions in the world. Ryan Stone, Executive Chef at the West Coast Fishing Club on British Columbia's Haida Gwaii, was selected in 2008 to head the Canadian contingent at the Bocuse d'Or.

As part of the media, we were treated to delicious gastronomical delights from 30 of the best restaurants in Vancouver. The evening's focus was not only on the food. Rather, there were intentional wine pairings for each and every item offered. Wines were categorized as bubbles, crisp, fruity, luscious, juicy and bold (Svedka martinis were available as well). Wineries represented included Sumac Ridge Estate, Nk'Mip Cellars, Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate, See Ya Later Ranch, Inniskillin Okanagan and Osoyoos Larose. At every restaurant station, a placard described each food item as well as the associated wine pairing. At first, I attempted to hold onto my wine glass, camera and plate of food. Alas, it was an accident waiting to happen. Thus, I put my wine glass down and completely forgot about it. Well, it was all for the better, I was driving anyways.

Before entering the main hall, we sampled some items from Savoury Chef, including Canapes - Peking Style Duck, Chinese Tea Egg, Edamame & Shiitake Salad and Macaroons. They were nice little bites and a good start to the endless eating. A simple and delicate Sake Kasu Sablefish with sweet miso sauce tickled my fancy at the Oru station. Slightly torched at the top, the fish was well-prepared (not mushy or overcooked), while the miso did not overwhelm. Right across was Araxi and its well-prepared BC Albacore Tuna with ponzu pears & cress. Beautifully presented, the tuna was allowed to show it's natural flavours. From what I can gather, the ponzu appeared to be prepared with sodium alginate and then putting it in a calcium chloride bath (Molecular Gastronomy).

At the Hapa Izakaya table, there were 2 treats for us to sample. The first was the Cold Sweet Soy Marinated Duck Breast with orange mustard miso. Served on a spoon, these one-bite morsels were tender, not overbearingly seasoned (thus a nice duck flavour) and beautifully complimented by the sweet mustard. The second item was probably my favourite of the evening. Surprising, considering the culinary heavyweights in attendance. The Fresh Spot Prawn Shooter was something I knew I was going to enjoy before I even tried it. Merely a raw spot prawn on a skewer, it is placed into a shooter glass. Then hot spot prawn dashi (made from the shells) & shiso oil were poured into the glass. Thus, it "cooks" the prawn somewhat. Since spot prawn are so delicate, it is very easy to overcook them which results in a chewy product. In this case, the prawn is able to retain its natural sweetness and texture. A tad on the salty side, the prawn dashi exhibits the richness and depth of a bisque without the butter and cream. I loved it so much, I went back for another at the very end, even though I was stuffed beyond belief.

Something that definitely caught my eye was the offering from CinCin. I'm sure most people would be attracted to the Dungeness Crab & Scallop Ravioli with spring peas and lobster tarragon vinaigrette. Not as fluffy as I would've like (probably due to the venue and its limitations), the dish as a whole was very good. Stuffed full of crab and scallop, the natural sweetness is all the ravioli need for flavour. The vinaigrette offered a slight acidity to the dish. Over at the Voya table, possibly the most visually stunning offering at the event was the Seafood Ceviche served in a seaweed cone. I'm actually quite happy with the photo, especially since I had to pose it in one hand and take the picture with the other. In enjoyed the cone very much. The ingredients were fresh, the flavours were clean and the cone retained its crispness despite the filling.

Another favourite of the night had to have been the Peace River Lamb Shoulder wrapped in bacon with lentil du puy from La Belle Auberge. The lamb was super tender and the fully cooked piece of garlic help give a boost of flavour. A sprinkle of sea salt and bacon provided all the seasoning the lamb needed. I ate it so fast that I didn't really notice the lentils underneath nor the demi-glace. The last item that I will talk about is the offering from Five Sails. Simply a Chilled Local Spot Prawn with wasabi aioli, it was clean and delicious. I believe the prawn was poached and just barely cooked. The natural sweetness was not hindered by anything on the plate. Rather, the wasabi aioli was quite understated and did not overshadow the prawn. Honestly, there was so much to sample that we were full halfway through. I made it a point to try everything else and I was busting at the seams.

Of the other food stations I didn't even get a chance to blog about, they included: The Apron, Bocuse D'or Canada, Boneta, C Restaurant, Diva at the Met, The Grand Bay Cafe, L'Abattoir, Les Amis du Fromage, Mosaic, Peartree, RauDZ, Showcase, Terminal City Club, Two Rivers, VCC, Vij's, Westcoast Fishing Club and The Wildflower. The final restaurant, Moxie's, was the title sponsor of the event. Some may scoff at the mere mention of Moxie's, especially compared to the culinary heavyweights present. However, it is important to note that our Canadian Bocuse d'Or contingent relies on sponsorship. Besides, the Chipotle Pulled Pork Sliders at the Moxie's station was pretty good. Served with a beer, you really can't go wrong can you? Once again, it was a privilege to be part of this prestigious event. I felt like a kid in a candy store. And I ate all the candy. *burp*

Miki Japanese Ramen

*Restaurant is closed*

Once again, I was in search of a quick meal. You see, it is my son's birthday and I had to buy a whackload of stuff from Costco. However, I was not really in the mood to grab anything from the food stall at Costco (although it can be pretty good occasionally). So on my way from work to the new Costco on Willingdon, I was planning on paying Miki Japanese Ramen a visit. Driving across the Queensborough, I had 2 options - go up Griffiths via 20th or go up Royal Oak via Marine Way. I decided on the latter and for the love of... I hit a major traffic jam on Marine Way due to construction. Now I'm in more of a rush than before! Even doing the "drive through the strip mall and cut back in" routine did not save me much time. Finally, arriving at Miki, it looked good for a quick meal since there was only one other customer. However, something seemed a bit odd...

After I put in my order, the sole waitress did a sprint to the kitchen and disappeared for awhile. I heard some cooking and then my Miki Ramen arrived. Apparently their self-proclaimed "most popular item", it consists of a miso ramen with pan-fried chashu, bamboo shoots, corn, kimchi and Ajitama Egg. The first thing that struck me was how greasy the broth felt in my mouth. Either the broth itself is oily or the panfried items (with its oiliness) integrating into the soup. The broth itself was actually alright with a thick richness to it. However, it was a bit bland (could be good for those who don't like salt). The ramen itself was cooked perfectly al dente with a nice rebound. I also liked the Ajitama Egg. I added a Chashu Rice and the small portion was perfect as a side to my ramen. Once again, the waitress disappeared and re-emerged with a fatty piece of pork (yet curiously dry) rested atop slightly dry rice. However, there was a nice amount of shoyu penetrating the rice which provided the necessary moisture and flavour. Even with some shortcomings, I enjoyed the rice.

I wasn't planning on ordering anymore food but there was BBQ Beef Tongue on their specials menu. If you know me, if there is tongue, I'll eat it. I love tongue. However, I wasn't really all that enamored about this tongue. It was not moist; rather it was quite dry. I don't like dry tongue! Although, the accompanying "takoyaki-like" sauce did help with that somewhat. Overall, the food here at Miki is passable. It does not compare with the big boys in Downtown; but it is better than Kawawa Ramen nearby.

The Good:
- Noodles are cooked properly
- Friendly service
- Passable for Burnaby

The Bad:
- Broth is a bit greasy
- Not sure if the waitress doubles as the chef all the time...
- A tad pricey