Cardero's

Usually, after Friday night hockey, we go for eats that are located centrally and appeal to most people.   Yes, I normally appease everyone, hence, the eats are sometimes less-than-stellar.  However, I was going to be selfish this time around.  It was my birthday and I was going to exploit it.  So there after the game, it was suggested we eat somewhere near.  But no.  I played the "it's-my-birthday" card and put my foot down.  We were going Downtown to eat and I wouldn't take no as an answer.  Well, if no one agreed to go, I guess that would've backfired!  Fortunately, my friends would never do that to me (or at least I hope not) and joined me for some late night eats at Cardero's. The last of the Sequoia Group restaurants that I have yet to blog about, Cardero's is situated right on the waterfront in Coal Harbour.  Considering its location and "class" of restaurant, the prices are surprisingly reasonable.

Gadget Girl and Emilicious ordered some healthier items, but that only made me guilty as to what I chose to eat (more on that later). They started with the BC Albacore Tuna crusted with sesame served with soy and wasabi.  This was a pretty straightforward dish with the tuna being rare in the middle.  Nothing amiss with the tuna and the black/white sesame added some good aromatics.  They also had the Westcoast Fish Tacos with salsa fresca and chipotle served in white corn tortillas.  With the amount of moisture in the taco, the tortillas became rather wet on the bottom, yet didn't break apart.  They felt the moist fish was mostly lost with the amount of cabbage and salsa. Milhouse went for his usual being a burger, specifically the Coal Harbour Burger with aged white cheddar.  He tried to make the meal healthier by choosing salad instead of fries. He thought the burger was moist and meaty while being a bit mild in flavour.  He liked the bun as it wasn't dense, yet ultimately, the bottom bun got quite moist.

Lionel Hutz opted for the Cajun Chicken Burger with bourbon BBQ sauce and coleslaw.  Although the chicken was moist, he felt there wasn't enough of it and/or it was overwhelmed by the coleslaw which had raw onion (which he didn't prefer because it was too strong of a taste).  Furthermore, the bourbon was not very impactful.  The fries were good though being crispy and potatoey on the inside.  Now, for myself, I ended up sharing 3 mains with Gordo.  Yes, we are gluttons and aren't afraid to show it!  First, we had the Duck Confit Pizza with arugula.  The thin crust was crispy and light with a proper amount of seasoning.  There was also a decent amount of moist duck confit, but it was mostly in the centre of the pizza which meant after the first few bites, there was no more duck.  We felt the pizza was missing something as it was bordering on flavourless.  Maybe some Parm or salt would've helped?

The pizza was one of their featured items of the day and the next 2 were as well.  Arriving looking more like soup than pasta, the Smoked Salmon Fettuccine was also lacking in flavour.  What it wasn't lacking was ingredients.  There was a good amount of moist smoked salmon as well as sweet peas.  The lemon dill cream sauce didn't have much oomph as the only flavour I could pick out was dill.  At least the pasta was al dente (yet started to get soft with all the sauce).  Lastly, we had the Lamb Shank with lemon saffron rice and vegetables (broccolini, carrots and red pepper).  Decently-sized and properly prepared, the lamb shank was tender, moist and "lamby".  Although I enjoyed the mild and silky sauce, there was a bit too much of it, which essentially drowned the rice.  With that being said, the rice was good though, not being overcooked and I did get the hint of saffron. As you can already guess, the food was decent, yet could be refined in each dish.  That's not to say we didn't enjoy our visit. Considering the location, ambiance along with the relatively reasonable prices, Cardero's is an option in the area.

The Good:
- Location, location, location
- Reasonably priced considering everything
- Good ambiance and service

The Bad:
- Food needs refinement

CinCin Ristorante + Bar

My birthday again eh?  Geez, how come it just seemed like yesterday I was 20???  Well, I think maturity-wise, I could get away with it, but not physically...  I think my knees and back tell me that after each hockey game.  So where to eat, in particular, with the whole family including kids and grandparents?  5 Sails?  Nope, not really kid-friendly.  West?  Ditto.  Man, I really wanted a nice meal, without needing to settle for a mediocre kid-friendly hotel restaurant (however, some of them can be really nice).  After humming and hawing for about a week, I finally decided on CinCin.  Hey, they have pasta on the menu.  The kids would eat that, or at least I hoped so.  Better than trying to sell them on sweet breads or foie gras...

Interestingly enough, there were many, many kids and families the night we went, which made for a boisterous atmosphere.  My kids were pretty quiet, so they just blended into the background, which made for an uneventful dinner (score!).  Since it was my birthday, I was given the task of selecting our dishes.  Wait, don't I do that already even if it wasn't my birthday?  LOL...  Taking the advice of our server, we shared 2 appies including the Salumi Misti consisting of prosciutto di San Daniele, capocollo, finocchiona and black truffle salami served with crostini.  Naturally, the wood block of meats could be considered a simple appetizer, but it was tasty nonetheless.  I particularly enjoyed the black truffle salami as the woodsiness was really impactful.  I found the capacollo to be just spicy enough while the finocchiona was nicely accented by the fennel. For our second appie, the Calamari ai Ferri con Peperoncini (Humboldt County giant pacific neon flying squid, chili, arugula, romano beans lemon and olive oil) was fantastic.  The large pieces of squid were nicely prepared being super tender while exhibiting a hint of smokiness from being grilled. The red pepper vinaigrette added just the right amount of acidity and sweetness that didn't overwhelm the squid. 

We also shared 2 full-sized pastas as part of our appetizers as well.  The first one I tried was the Gnocchi di Ricotta con Funghi consisting of hand rolled ricotta gnocchi with black trumpet and chanterelle mushrooms thyme and truffle boschetto.  I really liked the texture of the ghocchi as it was soft and almost fluffy without being too airy.  There was still a bite and body to the pasta.  One small personal preference would be that the gnocchi could've been a bit bigger in size.  As for the sauce, I liked the combination of mushrooms as they added the usual woodsy flavours without being overpowering.  I found the dish to be flavourful bordering on salty. Without a doubt, our second pasta was going to be the Risotto di Aragosta with organic acquerello carnaroli, lobster, sunchokes and truffle vinaigrette. Risotto is a difficult dish to make properly and they did a good job here.  The rice was just cooked maintaining a bite while there was a nice level of creaminess.  I particularly liked the chives as they added some herbiness as well as a brightness to an otherwise heavy dish.

For our mains, I went with the Pancetta di Maiale which was crisp pork belly with Florence fennel, grilled red kuri squash, young carrots, maple vinegar, honey, mustard and hazelnuts.  I really liked this dish as the pork belly was meaty and had just enough fat for texture and moisture.  The pork itself was not exactly melt-in-my-mouth, but I liked how there was more meat than fat.  The skin was an aesthetically pleasing golden brown which was also crunchy and airy.  The honey mustard along with the maple vinegar was sweet but also afforded a necessary acidity to cut through the richness of the pork belly.  My mom ended up with the Peposo consisting of Tuscan style braised beef short rib, black pepper, red wine and tomato with cannellini beans.  This was a substantial amount of moist and tender meat which was fatty (but made it tasty). There was quite a good amount of black pepper which was prominent, yet did not overwhelm the rest of the tart flavours.  The relatively plain beans were a nice blank canvas for the plethora of sauce. On the other hand, there might've been a bit too much sauce, which again, bordered on salty.

My dad went for the feature item of the day being the Petto d'anatra with polenta, braised red cabbage and raisin balsamic reduction.  The duck was cooked a nice medium while the skin was golden brown.  I liked the duck, but would've preferred to see the fat rendered a bit more as well as the skin being less chewy.  I loved the polenta as it was of a good consistency and soaked up the flavourful sauce.  Viv opted for the Filetto di Carbonaro which was a roast fillet of sablefish from the Haida Gwaii, cipollini onions, mashed sieglinde potatoes with olive oil, braised kale and mushroom essence.  The fish was roasted beautifully being flaky, moist and flavouful. The mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy while the kale was "interesting".  For the kiddies, they shared an order of the Rigatoni alla Bolognese. This was essentially fresh pasta tossed in a bolognese sauce and Parmesan. The pasta was probably prepared softer for the kiddies (or maybe not?).  Anyways, the meat sauce was fantastic.  It was rich, flavourful and well, meaty.  As a side, we got an order of their mushrooms which was not really a big enough portion to share (I guess we should've got 2?).  It was good though with plenty of seasoning and nicely cooked mushrooms).

For dessert, my parents shared the Lemon Tart topped with a coconut panna cotta and coconut tuile.  The tart shell was quite firm, which I personally prefer while the lemon curd was tart and rather sweet.  The panna cotta had a mild coconut essence and overall this was a decent dessert.  For myself, I went for the Duomo which was dark chocolate mousse and orange cream encased in dark chocolate accented by hazelnut crunch, candied rind and raspberry sauce.  I liked this dessert as it had an interesting preparation as well as complimentary flavours.  The mousse was smooth and rich while maintaining a lightness to it.  The orange was not a bystander as it really announced itself.  The candied rind as well as the raspberry both added sweetness and tartness which brightened up the flavours.  Viv decided to go simple with the Sorbetti consisting of Apple, Raspberry and Pear.  These were pretty good with the pear being my favourite.  I found them to be pretty sweet, but it was a nice finish to a relatively heavy meal.  Lastly, we were presented with some jellies and walnut cookies at the very end along with the bill.  Oh and about that bill...  Ah yes, this kind of dining comes at a price.   If we ignored the prices, the meal as a whole was pretty good.  Was it worth it?  Naturally, that depends on your spending threshold.  For us, it would be an indulgence only experienced once in awhile.

The Good:
- Uniformly on point execution
- Generally tasty food
- Attentive service

The Bad:
- Expensive
- A bit loud if you care for more quiet surroundings
- A bit aggressive with the salt

Choon Ha Choo Dong

Due to my very busy schedule, I wasn't able to organize our softball year-ender before the onset of Winter.  Yes, I realize that the cold weather and overall dreary surroundings was ironic for a softball party.  However, better late than never right?  Also, what a great excuse to get a bunch of people together for eats?  And generally, a popular choice for a big group would be the dreaded all-u-can-eat.  Hey, it does serve a purpose...  There is a controlled cost, no one would go away hungry and generally, AYCE joints can accommodate big parties.  The place we decided on was Choon Ha Choo Dong.  Yes, quite a mouthful and really hard to spot from a moving car.  No, the restaurant itself is quite visible with "Korean Japanese Restaurant" prominent on its front signage.  The actual name is in little itty bitty letters above the entrance.  There was a time when we used to frequent this place when it used to be Seoul House.  We wondered how the transformation into AYCE Japanese and Korean food would turn out.  A Shabusen or Kyo clone?  We'd have to see...

So the first thing to arrive (and no it wasn't Miss Y, because she is afflicted with "Lateinitis") was the Korean BBQ Meats consisting of chicken, beef and spicy pork.  These were actually not bad.  The chicken was in large pieces and grilled up nicely being tender and full-flavoured.  The beef was sliced relatively thick where it retained some moisture so it wasn't dry.  The spicy pork did have a decent kick, but was a big gloppy when grilled due to the good amount of marinade. Then everything arrived at a furious pace.  I gave the Gomae a try first and it was actually okay considering the fact the spinach was tender, yet not mushy.  The sesame dressing was predictably sweet, but they were conservative with it.  The Agedashi Tofu was predictable as in there was none of the usual condiments other than a dusting of green onion.  It was crispy though and there wasn't too much sauce.  The Ebi Sunomono was graced with a good-sized cold-water shrimp.  However, the vermicelli was weird in texture, almost plasticky.  It was al dente though while the vinegar was quite balanced with sugar. The Fried Gyozas were okay with a crunchy golden exterior giving way to moist ground pork and greens.

Unlike some other lunch AYCE Japanese joints, there was unlimited Sashimi available.  However, it was very average-to-poor.  The tuna was overly mushy and not really all that tasty, while the salmon was acceptable in texture and taste.  Yet, it was cut very poorly along the grain and didn't look that appetizing.  We also ordered some rolls such as the Kappa (not my choice!), Spicy Tuna, California, Dynamite and BC Rolls. They were not bad since they were prepared somewhat carefully.  The rice was on the drier side and not really all that flavourful, but in the end, it was more than acceptable.  The BC Roll could've benefited from less salmon meat. Not surprisingly, the Gyozas were more like korean dumplings (mandoo) since there was an inordinate amount of greens (mostly chives) mixed in with the pork.  There was nothing wrong with these pan-fried mandoos, they just weren't gyozas. Arriving piping hot and seemingly on steriods, the Chicken Karaage consisted of over-sized drumettes and centre wing portions.  They were fried really crispy and were super moist on the inside.  This was probably due to the brining, which made the whole thing far too salty. 

Also in a relatively big portion, the Tonakatsu was pretty good with a crisp exterior while the meat was relatively tender.  This was probably aided by the fact it was a whole pork cutlet rather than a hacked up puny one (like most other AYCE places). We liked how there wasn't too much sauce either.  The Chicken and Beef Teriyaki were pretty typical being over-sauced.  Therefore, both of them were too sweet and wet, especially the beef. At the very least, the meat was moist and not overcooked.  However, the chicken was a bit too crispy on the outside.  They decided to plate the Fried Smelt and Tempura together which thoroughly confused some people as they couldn't figure out what the long vegetable on top was...  LOL...  I guess it didn't help that they battered the heck out of the smelt where we could not determine what it was.  It was crispy though and seasoned properly.  As for the tempura, it was okay being crispy and not too greasy.  I got an order of the Chicken Udon for my son because I personally would never eat it at an AYCE because it's a filler!!!  It was so-so because the soup was cloudy and strange-tasting while the chicken was quite hard and dry.

So yes, I often do a lot of complaining when I eat at a Japanese AYCE.  But, to be reasonable, expectations must be consistent with the product.  Hence, I do believe that Choon Ha Choo Dong is actually decent for a Korean-Japanese AYCE. If I had to compare it to Shabusen and/or Kyo, it holds its own and if we factor in the price and the good service we received, it comes out ahead.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Attentive service
- Despite some duds, the food is acceptable

The Bad:
- Sashimi was kinda wrong
- More Korean than Japanese (if that matters to you)

Dae Ji Pork Cutlet House

Alright.  I'm sure some of you are familiar with Yoshoku cuisine.  If not, it is Japanese-style Western food, much like a Hong Kong-style cafe.  There aren't a lot of restaurants in town that dedicate solely to this type of cuisine.  29th Avenue Cafe is probably the first one that comes to mind in this regard.  Now, what if we went one step further and took the Korean version of Japanese-style Western food?  Then we have Dae Ji Pork Cutlet House.  Nestled within Korean central in Burquitlam, it serves up Tonkatsu and Hamburg steak in many different iterations - like with curry, cheese and even pizza sauce.  Continuing on with my culinary assault of North Road, Viv and I decided it was time to get our meat-on at Dae Ji.

Naturally, we wouldn't be able to visit a place that has pork cutlet in its name without trying it out.  So we went for the Curry Pork Cutlet to start.  It was a very substantial portion for $8.50 with 2 gigantic cutlets fried ever-so-crispy.  The meat was firm and dense, yet wasn't particularly dry either.  The mild curry was there for moisture rather than spice.  We loved the potatoes as they were soft while retaining their shape.  The dish was completed with some rice, corn, macaroni and shredded cabbage.  Solid dish, nothing outstanding, but we'd eat it again.  Second item was the Hamburger Steak which was equally large with 2 plump patties which probably weighed 1/2 pound each.  Despite the thickness, the meat was cooked all the way through while maintaining a moist and juicy texture.  This was pretty remarkable since the meat itself wasn't particularly greasy.  The sweet onions inside really added a pleasant flavour while the sauce was thick and mild with a slight tang.  I actually loved this dish more than the cutlet.

As if this wasn't enough food for 2 people, we went ahead and got the Kimchi Fried Rice as well.  And of course it was a large portion with a beautifully fried egg on top.  The rice was a bit wet and plenty greasy, however, there was good spice (not too spicy) with a nice amount of kimchi. Again, not an OMG fried rice, but solid nonetheless.  Hey, for the prices they charge, the food in our opinion is a bargain.  Each dish can feed 2 people and overwhelm 1 person.  Despite not being the exact same thing, it makes one wonder how Saboten can charge so much for so little in comparison.  Take it from me, go to Dae Ji, you won't go away disappointed.

The Good:
- Cheap
- Huge portions
- Decent eats

The Bad:
- Despite the many iterations of cutlets, the menu is simple, so you'd better like pork cutlets and hamburger steak!
- Service was friendly, but there may not be a whole lot of staff around

All About Pho

Remember when 7-11 stores were everywhere?  Yah, that was in the 80's.  Then came the 90's and they started disappearing.  All of a sudden, at the turn of the millennium, they began re-appearing.  Like a Richmond driver stuck in a roundabout, the cycle continues with 7-11 locations closing once again.  The latest to disappear was the one on King George Highway and 102nd.  And randomly replacing it is another Vietnamese joint - All About Pho. Since I was in the early stages of a nasty cold, it seemed like a good idea to stop by and inhale a steaming hot bowl of Pho.  That I did.  When I first walked in, I spied a corner table with great lighting and privacy for my incessant picture-taking.  I was flatly denied with the excuse it was spoken for. But the table remained empty for the duration of my meal!  Whatever...

Onto what I was here for...  Despite not looking like a whole lot of food, the large Pho Dac Biet was satisfying enough.  However, it wasn't satisfying in terms of its execution though.  After the initial hit of sweetness, the broth fell flat.  It could've been due to the modest use of MSG, but there wasn't any distinguishing flavours.  Furthermore, the rice noodles were on the softer side while the meats were either dry or a bit chewy.  For all the Pho I've tried in the city, this was a lackluster attempt.  As for my Banh Mi, it was pretty large.  In fact, I would say it was one of the largest ones I've seen at a Vietnamese restaurant.  However, once again, there were shortcomings.  First, the bread was dense and not toasted enough.  Hence, it was chewy and cold.  Second, despite the plethora of meat, the lack of pate and skimpy use of butter-mayo made the sandwich dry and bland.  The fact that the pickled carrots and daikon were not impactful didn't help things either.

Within the same week, I returned to try something else and again asked for the corner table.  And just like last time, I was denied with the same excuse.  Yes, it remained empty for the duration of my meal.  Honestly...  What's up with that table???  I had the Grilled Pork Chop and Chicken with Rice and it was a pretty good portion.  I found the flavours to be somewhat closer to 5-spice rather than lemongrass.  But in the end, it was not bland and the meats were pretty tender.  It just didn't taste like most other Vietnamese restaurants.  Normally, the food could be considered "okay" if there was not much competition nearby, but with Pho Tam just down the street, All About Pho has a lot of improving to do.

The Good:
- Clean and spacious
- Portions are okay

The Bad:
- Food is generally mediocre
- Why can't I sit at that table?

Fuji Sushi

When Fuji Sushi packed up and closed on North Road, many gasped in horror...  including myself!  You see, Fuji was one of the few Japanese-operated restaurants in the GVRD.  Of course, by virtue of being Japanese-run doesn't mean it would be good, but it is a start.  And yes, Fuji was good.  Well, after making room for the new Evergreen Line, Fuji Sushi has re-opened in Port Moody, close to the police station.  Wonder if they will have a donut roll?  Big D actually made the suggestion that we head out to the new location because he and Slick are big fans of the place.  I wasn't going to object since it would mean that I had company when I began snapping pictures of my wasabi...

So we decided to get one each of the lunch specials except for myself.  Yes, I got 2 because I was greedy and had the "eyes-are-bigger-than-my-waist" phenonmenon.  I got both the Sashimi and Tonakatsu meal respectively. The Sashimi was prepared carefully and nicely plated.  It consisted of tuna, salmon, hamachi and red tuna.  Each piece had a nice sheen as well as a fresh taste (as fresh as previously frozen fish can be).  It was accompanied by rice, pickles, potato salad and miso soup. The Tonkatsu was beautifully fried where the exterior was crisp while the pork was relatively moist.  Some portions were drier since the meat was less fatty.  It came with a green salad, cabbage, karashi mustard and tonkatsu sauce.
 
Slick insisting on having the Fried Oysters and for good reason.  He generously passed me one and wow, that was a pretty darn good fried oyster.  It was large, plump and sweet with a really crispy panko coating. Not the most filling plate of food, but I'd order 2 next time. It also came with green salad, cabbage and karashi mustard.  Big D ended up with the Bento Box consisting of Tempura, Nigiri, Tekka Maki, Chicken Teriyaki and Korokke.  I was able to sample the maki sushi and the rice was nicely prepared and flavoured.  The tempura was light and crispy while the rest of the items were solid.  This is what real Japanese food is about.  I'm not saying that I don't enjoy other types of Japanese restaurants, but sometimes, the simple stuff done right hits the spot.

The Good:
- Authentic (if that matters to you)
- Carefully prepared food
- Pretty good service

The Bad:
- Weird seating arrangements (in a former HK-style cafe), kinda too open
- A bit more expensive than other types of Japanese restaurants (but worth it IMO)