Samba

*Restaurant is closed*

As a business, the premise behind a restaurant is to ultimately make money. In terms of a buffet, the strategy is to make money by hoping that patrons either eat very little or fill themselves up with the cheap stuff. These are known as fillers. You know, items such as salads, mashed potatoes, rice, bread and soft drinks. Or in the case of Asian buffets, rice, noodles, sushi rolls and nigiri. Of course you get a totally different category of places that just try to delay the expensive items from ever showing up at your table... (ahem, Fish on Rice). Alright, I'm sure some of those items appeal to quite a lot of people; but when trying to maximize your money, you most certainly don't want to get your fill on those things alone. Naturally, there is some Asian influence since we are taught at an early age to go for the expensive items first. In fact, a scolding would be in order if we came back with a plate of mash potatoes and corn. So you can only imagine what my initial reaction was to Samba. Advertising itself as a Brazilian BBQ which specializes in Churrascaria de Rodizio, you can get all the meat-you-want-to-eat. Of course, by virtue of being operated by the Thai House, it isn't exactly authentic. Juan Valdez (no, not the coffee guy), being Colombian, had some idea of what Brazilian food is supposed to be and he agreed that it is indeed not authentic. However, his belief is that at least there is something remotely close to the real Brazilian BBQ. Thus, whether it is authentic or not, if you like it, then it's all good. And let's not get that talk about "it's better in (insert country)" talk again. We are talking about restaurants in Vancouver. So comparing to the originating country is irrelevant. Instead, we must focus whether it was an enjoyable eating experience or not, independent of authenticity.

So this is not the first time for me at Samba. In fact, I've been here a half-dozen times already. For the AYCE lunch, it's $14.00 Monday to Thursday and $16.00 on Friday and weekends. Dinner is considerably more expensive, although the meat selection is appreciably larger. It's $29.00 Monday to Thursday and $32.00 on Friday and weekends. The deal here is that you get a card where one side is green and the other red. As long as you have your card on green, the servers will keep bringing BBQ'd meat. All the different types of meat arrive on large sword-like skewers where they slice off a piece for you. Using the supplied tongs, you just grab the meat before they finish cutting it. Other than the meats roaming around the restaurant, there is a stationary salad bar with some cooked items as well. For me, I get a little bit there; but I save room for the meats.

The first item to arrive were the Chicken Drummettes. With a nice BBQ'd exterior while still being fairly moist inside, it was a nice start. A tad on the salty side though. Next up were the Sausages. I originally resisted on filling up on sausage (that really doesn't sound right...); but I relented and got one (that sounds even worse!). They weren't bad, the well-seasoned filling had a nice fennel flavour to it. Now something that you don't see every day... Pork that still has some pink! I know, this might scare some people; but I assure you, this allows for some very tender and juicy pork. Don't worry, the really pink portion in the middle is not served; rather the skewer is returned to the BBQ for further cooking. That is the same with the rest of the meats. So if you like it rare, make sure you get a piece on the first go around, otherwise it'll be well-done on the next cycle.

I really like Lamb and naturally, I got in on the action when it came by. As you can see in the picture, it was cooked a nice medium rare on the inside. If you wanted more cooked, the side cut should do you fine. Furthermore, the side is much more flavourful due to the seasoning on the exterior of the meat. All the meat was fine and dandy; but we were really waiting for the Top Sirlion. Yes, I know it's not exactly the best cut of beef; yet the way they cook it here, it was tender and full of flavour. C'mon, what carnivore wouldn't like that juicy, bloody, charred piece of meat? For me, that was perfectly cooked. Remember if that is not your cup of tea, just wait for the second go-around.

In my opinion, if you take Samba for it is, it can be a great experience. After all, there is not much like it around these parts. Yah, I know, it's not exactly how it is in Brazil; but we're not in Brazil. So I really don't care frankly. The lunchtime price is quite a deal in my books considering the location of the restaurant. With dinner being double the price, it really would depend on how much you like meat to shell out the dough.

The Good:
- Meatlover's paradise
- If you stay away from the salad bar, there is not much filler here
- Reasonably-priced lunch

The Bad:
- Vegetarian's nightmare
- If you don't catch the meat on the first go-around, everything ends up well-done
- Dinner is pricey (although the meats are better and a steak somewhere else will cost that much anyways)

Potter's Garden

It always seems like a never ending cycle on Fridays. Go to work, eat, get home, eat, go play hockey, eat wonton noodles and sleep. Yes, it's very sad. We go for wonton noodles way too often after Friday hockey. Given that our games end late, it leaves us with very little choice really. We only have Denny's, Knight & Day or Chinese food to choose from. However, it's getting a bit boring and honestly, wonton noodles and hockey don't seem to roll off the tongue very well. Another issue with all these Chinese restaurants late at night, the staff and other customers seemed a bit unnerved at my picture-taking. Hey, I'm a little nervous myself! After all, we really don't know the clientele at these places late at night! Polka King gets really nervous and insists we don't sit by the window. C'mon, he's a German-singing Chinese guy. Wait... I guess he could be a target...

So with limited food choices, I reached deep into my subconscious and remembered that a Korean restaurant on Kingsway is open until 2:00am. However, I didn't recall the name. Using streetview on my iPhone, I was able to show everyone the place. Problem was that the name had changed. While driving there, there was some a**hole that kept tailgating me. Turns out it was Lionel Hutz. Yah, it was an a**hole alright. LOL... When we pulled up to the intersection of Willingdon and Moscrop, he took the right lane and I took the left turning bay. Polka King started throwing obscenities at him in jest; but the poor person between us thought it was real. They looked really scared... I guess they thought they were about to be the middleman in a road rage incident. We had a good laugh about that. By virtue of using the back road method, I arrived first. In all honesty, there was no rush since we were the only customers there... for the entirety of our meal.

Joining us a little bit later were Milhouse and Special K. We had a bit of difficulty figuring what we were going to order since the menu had a decent selection. Furthermore, we weren't sure whether to go for one of their hot pots. At $40.00 for a large, we figured it would be too much food and too much money. However, most of their other items are moderately-priced. We started with the Banchan which included bean sprouts, kimchi, broccoli and mashed potato salad. We felt they were okay but not great. The one that we didn't like was the mashed potato salad. Texturally, it just wasn't easy to share or enjoy. Once again, we did ordered the "usual" starting with the Japchae. Packed with plenty of ingredients exhibiting a hint of sesame oil and sweetness, taste wise, this dish was a hit. However, the noodles were a bit clumpy. This is good and bad since that means there is less oil; but then again, the noodles should not be clumpy either.

Continuing on our standard Korean dishes with the Dolset Bibimbap, we actually ordered two. Arriving sizzling hot, I quickly took a picture and proceeded to mix in the kochujang. This dish was a winner with plenty of ingredients and properly cooked rice. I particularly liked the tender pieces of beef; rather than the ground beef that we sometimes see. Polka King was a bit resistant to the idea of ordering the Seafood Pancake since its generally quite greasy. Yes, it does usually give a Pizza Hut pan pizza a run for its money. However, in this case, it was only moderately oily on the bottom. I liked this pancake for it's crisp texture and fluffy interior. It's too bad that it lacked seafood. Oddly, the Jin Mandu (steamed dumplings) arrived last. These were pretty good with a predominantly green onion and pork filling. The dumpling skin was a bit on the dry and chewy side; but the dipping sauce helped alleviate that somewhat.

After we got our order in, Emilicious showed up and that made me very happy. No, she wasn't wearing something provocative; rather, that meant another dish! Thanks to her, we got the Haemul Bokum Udon, which is fried udon with seafood and flying fish eggs. This dish reminded me of the one I had at Hapa Izakaya a while back. However, this one wasn't slimy or fishy tasting. Instead, it was sweet and full of seafood. I liked that the udon retained some chewiness. Now, for some reason or another, they brought out some complimentary Mul Mandu for us to try. Was it my camera? Very much like the other dumplings, these were smaller and boiled. Thus, the skin was softer. I like these more than the steamed ones. Overall, we were quite satisfied with the food here. It was strange to be the only table, although it was past 1:00am when we left. For me, I would return, probably a little bit earlier in the evening next time.

The Good:
- Generally well-executed food
- Friendly, if not sparse, service
- Open late

The Bad:
- Decent pricing; but some items are quite expensive (similar to other Korean restaurants though)
- It's nit-picking, but the banchan is a bit average

White Spot (Burnaby Kingsway)

Okay, before the "you're at White Spot again???" comments come flying my way, you need to understand why I am here. Just like when I was a little one, my son loves White Spot. He may not "love" the food per se; but he really digs the gold coin in the Pirate Pak. Yah, call it what you want, but anything that provokes any form of interest in eating is good enough for me. So for his birthday, we asked him where he wanted to go and yes, it was White Spot. Just like I've said many times, I am thankful he is not enamored with ABC, Ricky's or the Pantry. Despite some of its questionable "featured" items, I love White Spot. I grew up on it. There is something about being familiar with the Legendary Burger, Chicken Pot Pie and the beloved Pirate Pak. For people who did not grow up with White Spot, it can be admittedly confusing.

Since I've already done 2 separate posts on the North Road White Spot and Lougheed & Gilmore locations, I thought for my visit to the Kingsway location in Burnaby, we'd order some different items. Specifically, for myself, I wanted to try one of their dishes "inspired" by local celebrity chefs. Furthermore, since they are currently promoting their Bella Italia menu inspired by Pino Postero, we got some items off that menu as well. We started with one of their most popular appetizers - Nobashi Shrimp. Similar to shrimp tempura; but with a panko coating, these are actually quite good. I'd prefer that they would use some sort of chili mayo dip rather than the ho-hum bottled sweet chili sauce. But, the shrimp were a good size and the coating was crisp. For our second appetizer, we went for something that is new on the menu. A little on the expensive end of the scale, we got 3 Bacon & Cheese Sliders for $10.00. Little more than mini-versions of their popular burgers, these were a nice little bite for those not wanting to eat a full-sized burger. Laced with an obscene amount of mayo and Triple-O sauce, these sliders exhibit the same messy quality as their bigger cousins.

For my main, I ventured off the standard burger path and went for the Chicken Curry inspired by John Bishop. I'm not really sure what curry and John Bishop have in common; but it was $14.00, I guess he inspired the price then. Although the components of the dish itself were not bad, there is no mistaking that it is a watered-down curry meant for non-curry eaters. One particular component was quite perplexing. The 2 pieces of "naan" resembled grilled pita bread than anything. Not bad to eat; but it ain't naan. There were lots of red and green peppers, onions and chicken; yet unlike a real curry, the peppers were quite crunchy. I didn't necessarily dislike the curry per se, it just wasn't what I'm used to eating (especially since I eat at Indian restaurants in Surrey).

Viv went for one of the features in the Bella Italia menu which was the Roma Burger. As described on the menu - it's a 6oz beef burger with crispy baked prosciutto, vine-ripened Amorosa tomato basil salsa, provolone cheese and basil aioli. Since we already like the burgers at White Spot, it was not a stretch for Viv to like this one too. With the beef still pink and the burger stuffed with so many ingredients, it was a messy; yet tasty eat. The only thing was that the tomatoes in the salsa were cut too big making it hard to eat and keep within the bun. My dad chose the Caprese Chicken Salad which is also on the featured menu. Well, it is a salad and as you can see, everything is fresh. However, there was a lack of dressing and the chicken was pathetically thin and small. Predictably, my mom had the CBC or Chicken, Broccoli and Cheese. That's her favourite dish here and it's not often she strays from it. It's essentially a baked light curry cream sauce consisting of chicken, broccoli and cheese. If you like food in creamy sauces, this one is for you.

Of course we wouldn't even be at White Spot if it weren't for the birthday boy. My son likes the Pirate Pak and honestly, I'm not even sure if he really cares about the food. He keeps talking about the chocolate coin... Whatever the case, he got the Mac 'n Cheese while my daughter got the Cheeseburger. Both come with fries, beverage, ice cream and the precious chocolate coin. It's all served in a paper vessel (literally) that resembles a pirate ship. Brings back memories for myself and Viv for sure. In terms of service, it was efficient and attentive despite being quite busy. Once again, this visit to White Spot proves that the ol' standbys (burgers) are solid. But those featured items inspired by local celebrity chefs are hit and miss.

The Good:
- Good for families as usual
- Moderately-priced
- If you stick with the classic stuff here, it's good

The Bad:
- If you stray from the regular stuff, it gets a bit hit and miss
- They really like to use mayo here

Bonchaz

Despite the availability of different pastries available in Vancouver, I often go for the ol' standby - Chinese bakeries. Yah, I know, there is generally very little refinement found in a BBQ Pork Bun or a Cream Bun (think what you want about that one). Furthermore, their attempts at European pastries can be just downright laughable. However, due to my upbringing, I am biased. Nothing like a Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun as a snack. I'd take that over a twice-baked almond croissant any day. Now consider my reaction to the latest addition to the pastry scene in Vancouver... Bonchaz out on Hastings claims to be a pastry that is a little bit Asian and a whole lot of Mexican. Wait a minute, isn't there a "Mexican Bun" at Chinese Bakeries? Yah, and they look and taste very similar to Pineapple Buns (there is no pineapple in them). It appears that the inspiration for these Mexican buns might originate from an actual Mexican pastry. Now in a twist, we have a reverse Asian fusion of sorts with Bonchaz.

Being a bit early arriving into Downtown prior to attending the grand opening of Preston's, I decided to do a pit stop at Bonchaz. Since I was going to meet up with Kim and Mijune later, I decided to get a variety of flavours to share. However, I somehow missed the Chocolate Truffle. Due to the time sensitivity of the product, I had to eat one right away. These are not quite the same eaten cold. I decided to try the Original with sea salt. Honestly, it was a "meh" experience for me. I did like the soft, airy pastry. It's akin to a croissant without the fattiness. Flavourwise, it was bland. However, and this is a big however, once I got to try the Banana Walnut, my opinion changed dramatically. The darn thing was very flavourful; yet not necessarily in an overly sweet manner. Rather, it was aromatic from the bananas and walnuts. Combined with the soft pastry, I wanted to eat more of it.

Now, with that being said, the Apple Cinnamon and Matcha Green Tea were "alright". I thought the apple cinnamon was quite standard with an apple pie type of thing going on. While the green tea didn't offer up anything to make it memorable. In fact, it was a bit bland. I must point out that I tried the other 3 flavours at Michi. They were nice enough to reheat them for us. For me, Bonchaz is alright; but when push comes to shove, I'd rather get my ol' standby in the Pineapple Bun with BBQ Pork.

The Good:
- It's super light and easy to eat
- Not overly sweet

The Bad:
- It's not necessarily a "wow" thing
- Not exactly that expensive; but costs more than similar Asian pastries (but that may not necessarily be a relevant comparison for some people)

Michi Waffle & Espresso Bar

You know what I do not like about restaurant "grand openings"? As mentioned in my Society post, the whole charade is just not worth blogging about. Don't get me wrong, I'm a very honoured to be invited to these events. However, how does one "assess" a restaurant based on an organized event meant to impress people with well-thought out food, outstanding service and drinks? In two words - you cannot. Nothing is representative of the actual operation of the restaurant other than the decor. What it turns out to be is mainly a PR event, which once again, I do not blame anyone. Besides, every company, which obviously wants to be successful and known to potential clients, will need to do what it can to promote themselves. Absolutely necessary and completely fair. Just not a good way to get a real feel of the operation. So here we were, Mijune, Kim and myself, at the grand opening of Preston's. An interesting event which I have chosen not to blog about due to my aforementioned rant. Now once we left, it was a quick jaunt over to Robson for some desserts! We made it out to Michi Waffle & Espresso Bar for some treats, drinks and humorous banter.

Now, I threw something out of left field just before we entered the place. Prior to the grand opening, I had dropped by Bonchaz and picked up some treats for everyone. So we had these cold Bonchaz sitting at our table while we waited for our order. Mijune, being the bold woman that she is, walked over to the counter and asked if they could warm them up for us. Not only did they oblige, they plated them as well! Talk about service! Kudos to them... Definite brownie points here.

As for the items we were supposed to be eating, it arrived shortly after. Presented on a large platter, we had 3 types of waffles - Chocolate, Original Liege and Matcha. Included was a sliced whole banana, vanilla gelato and blueberry sauce. One thing that I noticed right away was the density of the waffles. Unlike the ones at Cafe Medina, the ones here were heavy and doughy. Not horrible; yet definitely not light. Maybe this would be tough with a premade waffle; but I would've liked them to have some crispiness as well. Tastewise, I liked the chocolate and the original better than the matcha. Maybe I was expecting more flavour due to the rich green colour.

Admittedly, I'm not much of a dessert person, so it probably takes a lot to wow me. So, the waffles here were okay; but certainly not worth the money personally. I can see how someone, who actually likes desserts, not blinking an eye and paying these prices. Afterall, Michi is located right on Robson with trendy decor, pleasant staff and a unique product. That may be enough for some people; but its just not for me.

The Good:
- Pleasant staff
- Comfortable lounging space
- Nice drink selection

The Bad:
- If you're not into waffles...
- Pricey

Five Guys Burgers & Fries

The first time I ever heard about Five Guys was last summer in Portland. I had planned to give them a visit; but alas, too much eating and not enough time! Despite what you think, I do have my limits. Originating out of Arlington, Virginia, the name represents the founder and his 4 sons. It started off as a small operation; but as its popularity grew, franchising followed. There have been comparisons made with another popular hamburger chain, In-N-Out. However, in my opinion, they are very different. More on that later... Now, I've been waiting for In-N-Out to come into Canada; but honestly, I think I should settle on Washington State instead. Unlike Five Guys, In-N-Out does not venture far from it's routes in California. So when I saw that Five Guys were coming up to B.C., I was anxious to give them a try. Originally, I was eying the Langley location (which still has yet to open); but the West Vancouver location opened first. Kim had already trekked out there and finally I got my chance. After giving Nimby another chance with their fries, I decided to head over the Lion's Gate to Park Royal.

Exactly like other Five Guys locations, there are bags of potatoes (specially grown for their fries) near the front entrance. Also, complimentary roasted peanuts are there for the taking as well. Honestly, these were pretty good peanuts. Big, with a nice roasted flavour, I could've eaten quite a few of these. But I actually got them after I had finished my meal and I was very full. Looking at the menu, I only had one burger in my sights, the Bacon Cheeseburger (which comes with 2 really large patties). Included with the burger are a multitude of complimentary toppings which include grilled mushrooms and onions. I've seen big burgers in my time; but I have to admit that this one was plenty big. At almost 1000 calories, this is not food for the feint of heart. At the heart of the burger are the 2 aforementioned patties. They are fresh and flame-broiled. They were not juicy per se; yet still somewhat moist and exhibited a noticeable beef flavour (they cooked their meat well-done). I liked how they made the pieces of very crispy bacon "fit" within the burger. Thus, I had bacon in every bite. I did not like the mushrooms very much. Hard to explain; but they almost seemed canned. However, the burger as a whole was quite good and messy. Now back to the comparisons with In-N-Out. I feel that Five Guys offer a more substantial burger much like Vera's and Fatburger. In-N-Out, much like Nimby (a local example), is more focused on the simple burger. No fancy toppings, no humongous patties and a much lower price point.

As for the Fries, there is no need to get any size bigger than a small. They end up cramming the bag full of fries anyways. Fried in peanut oil, the fries certainly have body. They're generally crisp with a definite "potato-ness" to them. I liked them and would've eaten more if I hadn't already had a full order of fries from Nimby. Combined with a large drink, my meal came out to over $15.00. I do understand that I got the most expensive burger and it is more than enough for one person without the fries. However, much like Fatburger, Vera's and the sort, it is becoming the norm to spend that amount of money for gourmet burger and fries. Much like Kim, I feel that if you want a freshly made burger with fresh cut fries and a soft drink, go to Burger Burger. You'll spend 1/3rd of the price.

The Good:
- Meaty, great tasting burgers
- Lots of topping options
- Pretty decent, crispy fries

The Bad:
- It can get pretty pricey
- With such big patties and large amount of fries, it's a lot of calories (well, can be a good thing too I suppose)

Vera's Burger Shack (Surrey)

Isn't it amazing that the humble burger is quickly moving from cheap eat to gourmet? Yes, there are places where we can still get it for less than $5.00. And no, we're not talking about fast food outlets either. However, there are a few worth mentioning such as In-N-Out and locally - Burger Burger. When fine dining establishments from renowned chefs are producing "gourmet" burgers, you know it's going upscale. Today, I'm not focusing on burgers stuff with foie gras and truffles; rather, it's the "better" burger where it is supposedly superior than your average fast food chain. One of Vancouver's favourites is Vera's, which has many locations around the
lower mainland.

I was in a rush today and thought by having a burger, it would take less time. Alas, I forgot that this ain't no McD's and they actually cook the burgers to order. Well, it makes for a better burger right? I decided to go for the daily special which was the V-Mini with fries and a soft drink. Don't let the name fool you, it's still a pretty big burger with a single fresh patty, cheddar, fried onions and mushrooms. I haven't had a Vera's burger in awhile and I gotta admit it was pretty darn good. This time around, the patty was quite moist with nice charring and the copious amounts of toppings made it a slightly messy eat. I got plenty of beef flavour while not running into too much grease. The bun was nicely toasted and the darn thing really filled me up.

The side of fresh cut Fries came prepared exactly how I like them - crispy while not being "crisps". Not oily from the exterior and still some potato-ness on the inside, I ate every last piece. Feeling a bit guilty after this meal, but I gotta admit it hit the spot. Once again, Vera's is not my favourite burger; yet it is certainly better than average.

The Good:
- Big burgers
- Fresh ingredients
- Fries are pretty good

The Bad:
- A bit on the expensive side
- For the price you pay, you don't get much ambiance or service