skip to main |
skip to sidebar
In reference to my media preview of the 2015 Dine Out Festival, I mentioned that the event has adapted to changing trends since its inception in 2002. Back then, diners were relegated to menus that were almost afterthoughts. Now, we are not only treated to better options and more restaurants, there are several associated events that have offered up even more choice than before. From food tours to Mijune's 6-Course Discourse, there is a little of something for everyone. On that note, I was invited to try one of these in the form of the Kitsilano Brunch Crawl presented by Vanfoodster and Tourism Vancouver.
Whipping Girl ended up joining me on this food adventure because brunch is her middle name (Whipping Brunch Girl? Sounds alright...). So, we started at Novo Pizzeria with the Novo Breakfast Pizza with fontina, fior di latte, Aleppo pepper, red onions, smoked pancetta, sous vide quail egg, Iberian salumi and chives. Let me keep this short - the pizza was really good. With a thin crispy crust (all the way through) and just enough toppings for impact (including the not-too-big yolk), this had a mildly spicy savoury thing going on. The side salad of arugula, blood orange, frisee, oil-cured olives, candied almonds, parmigiano reggiano and grapefruit vinaigrette was refreshing, sweet and purposefully acidic. I found the Sicilian Canoli remarkably better than the last time I had it since the riccotta filling was significantly smoother.
Onto our next stop, we headed over to Linh Cafe where we were presented with a large plate consisting of 2 Spring Rolls (with shrimp, pork, wood-ear mushrooms and glass noodles) and Spicy Baguette Sticks (with liver pate, fried shallots and house made-sriracha). As with my last visit to Linh, the baguette sticks were money. Hidden within the petite crusty and slightly chewy baguettes was a nice combination of smooth pate combined with the aromatics of the shallots and the swift kick of the sriracha. The well-fried spring rolls, although greasy, were crispy and somewhat dark golden brown. Inside, the ample pork filling was juicy and moist with a considerable amount of green onion. As if this wasn't enough, we were treated to Peanut Macarons at the end. Unfortunately, these were a complete fail as these had the texture akin to a fudge brownie. Good if it was a brownie, but not for a macaron. It did taste good though with a lightly sweet aromatic flavour.
Taking a stroll a few steps away, we visited Darby's Public House for a plate that included Eggs Benny with Dijon IPA ham, poached egg and house-make Hollandaise, Hangover Hash with breakfast sausage, bacon, mushroom, potato and onion, and Mini Huevos Rancheros with 2 corn tortillas, cheddar, edam, beans, corn, tomato, house-made jalapeno ginger sauce and poached egg. Both eggs were expertly soft-poached with runny yolks. The Hollandaise was rather light with enough acidity. We found the hash to be pretty typical while the mini Huevos Rancheros suffered from really hard tortillas which made it difficult to eat. After this, we conveniently crossed the street over to Momento Coffee for a hot beverage and some treats. The Panama La Esmeralda Geisha itself was smooth, a touch fruity with a light finish of tartness. Supplied by La Baguette, the Croissant and Pain au Chocolate were buttery with a light crispy exterior. The Yogurt concoction consisting of oatmeal, chia seeds, cocoa powder and chocolate chips was surprisingly creamy and thick. It wasn't particularly sweet where it took on the flavours of the tangy yogurt.
Already stuffed and having packed the spring rolls to go, we couldn't pass up a visit to Rain or Shine Ice Cream. We had one each of the London Fog and Blueberry Balsamic, both with waffle pieces underneath. The first thing that hit us was literally the flavours as they danced on our palates with full force (but not in a overwhelming way). Purposeful and almost aromatic the Earl Grey was apparent in the London Fog, while the vanilla wasn't relegated to the background. I particularly liked the blueberry as it was only sweet enough with appealing hits of balsamic which only helped bring out the blueberry flavours. This was in addition to the firm creaminess of the ice cream itself. I would say this is better than Earnest. Lastly, we ended things at Krokodile Pear where we sampled 2 items including the English Bay (orange, cucumber, grapefruit, lemon & mint) and The Rockies (almond, Brazil nuts, raw vanilla, maple syrup, Himalayan rock salt and chia gel. Refreshing, lightly sweet with a bright cucumber essence, the English Bay had impact without being too bold. A touch gritty, the Rockies was very mild with a raw nutty flavour. This was a light end to our brunch crawl which consisted of more than enough food and a decent variety.
Arriving at our last spot to visit for the Curry Challenge, we were a bit nervous. According to many of the online reviews of the place, it all pointed to a mediocre experience. But then again, it is always better to judge for ourselves rather than letting others do it for us. So Whipping Girl and I went in with an open mind and apparently pretty empty stomachs because we went a bit overboard with the menu. Maybe we could give Mijune a run for her money... Nah, no one can out eat here...
Things started off quite nicely with the Cauliflower Poppers served with garlic aioli and red pepper hummus. In manageable-sized nuggets, the poppers were lightly crispy on the outside while tender and not too soft on the inside. These were dusted with some spice to finish. We found the garlic aioli a near-perfect match as it added aromatics and saltiness to the mildly-spiced cauliflower. As for the hummus, it was too flat-tasting and thick for the poppers. Next up, we had the sweet and spicy Ngong Wings with tangy lemon poppy dip and fresh cilantro garnish. These were fried first and then finished off on the grill. Hence, they were both crispy and exhibited a smoky char. They were on the drier side, but for this application, it enabled the wings to have a more concentrated flavour. We found them more sweet than spicy though. Despite not sounding like a match, the dip went well with the wings providing a cooling effect.
With another round of appies, we tried 2 of the hand-rolled Serious Meatballs made with veal and beef meatballs accompanied by fresh tomato sauce, sauteed spinach and Parmesan. Texturally, we found the meatballs to be meaty, dense and slightly chewy. Although we prefer less-processed meat, this could've used a touch more. As for the sauce, it was tart, bright and acidic with noticeable chunks of garlic. Whenever we have Whipping Girl, we also have to order her favourite - Mussels. These were 1 lb of steamed Chilean Blue mussels in classic French white wine and garlic butter. We found the white wine to be present while completely cooked down. A bit salty, the broth did feature a good amount of garlic and onion. Sadly, the mussels themselves were overcooked being dry and chewy.
Off to the Curry Challenge dish, we sampled the being the Moroccan Braised Lamb Shank in a light tomato-based sauce consisting of a house made blend of ginger, garlic, cumin, jalapenos, cinnamon, a mix of smoked paprikas and spices. This was served atop pomegranate dirty rice. The flavour profile was quite mild, yet when I took a big scoop of the veggies along with a piece of lamb, there was a good amount of tartness with a background spice. The lamb itself was moist throughout, including the exterior. For our other entree, we decided on the Flank & Frites comprised of house marinated (24 hour) 8 oz flank steak, arugula salad and house cut Kennebec fries. From the very first bite, it was clear that the marinade had penetrated completely. Hence, the steak was very flavourful bordering on salty. In fact, it had a beef jerky kind of taste to it. Prepared medium-rare, it was sufficiently tender for a flank steak. As for the frites, they were not bad but could've been even more crispy.
For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Mousse served in a jar. We thought the mousse was not aggressively sweet, which was to our liking. Also, it was plenty chocolatey and creamy. The one problem was its viscosity - it could've passed for an ice cream. Other than that, it was fine. And that pretty much summed up the dishes we had at Abode, they were fine. Sure, there were some execution issues, but definitely not worthy of a 54% rating.
*2 main dishes were comped*
The Good:
- Portion sizes are decent
- Fair pricing for dinner in Downtown
The Bad:
- Some execution issues
There once was a small Vietnamese restaurant named Thuan An tucked inside a small little red building. After my initial visit, I wanted to go back since the food was both tasty and inexpensive. Hey, the owner was one cool dude too (yes, by being a cool dude, you got bonus points). But to my utter shock and disappointment, it closed not too long afterwards only to be replaced by Kilimanjaro Snack House. For the next year, I was intrigued at the thought of dining on East African cuisine (as it is not usually found in Vancouver). It didn't happen until they decided to participate in the Curry Challenge. I met up with Whipping Girl to not only try their entry, but to sample some of their other treats as well.
But first things first, for the Curry Challenge we tried their Kuku Paka consisting of coconut cream curry with East African spices, succulent pieces of chicken, hard boiled eggs and potatoes. This was a very mild and creamy concoction that was more about subtleties rather than bold flavours. The chicken came as advertised being tender and somewhat juicy (it helped being dark meat). I enjoyed the texture of the potatoes as they were intact while still being fork tender. Even the egg was properly prepared where it wasn't severely overcooked. Next up, we sampled the Chicken Samosas that were bursting with ground chicken. With a thin exterior shell, there was a firmer crunchiness which revealed chicken that was bordering between moist and dry. With a touch of spice and notable hits of cumin and coriander, there was enough inherent flavour. However, with the accompanying raita, it helped cool things down.
Next up was a couple of fried starchy items beginning with the Nylon Bhajia which were thinly sliced potatoes, lightly battered in chickpea flour with spices. These were crunchy on the outside while soft and slightly greasy on the inside. Truly a great snack that would go well with a cold one. The Mogo or cassava fries were dense as expected, yet fried crispy on the outside. To finished them off, they were dusted with a bit of spice. Lastly, we tried Beef Kebabs consisting of extra lean ground beef mixed with herbs & spices. Exactly as described, these were crispy on the outside. Inside, they were as moist as extra lean beef could get. With a bevy of spices including cumin, cilantro and red pepper flakes, these were pretty tasty. Despite the limited menu at Kilamanjaro (it is a snack house though), we found enough interesting eats to sample. Worth a try if you're in the area.
*All food was complimentary excluding gratuities*
The Good:
- Interesting and unique eats
- Again, they knew we were there for a tasting, but all of the staff were genuinely friendly
The Bad:
- Limited selection
- Due to the nature of the food, it can be somewhat greasy
How much curry can one eat? Well, that was going to be put to the test as I embarked on my 3rd meal in as many nights. This time it was with Miss Y at the Copper Chimney in the Hotel Le Soleil. Yah, the place doesn't scream out Indian food from the outside nor the interior decor, but there are indeed Indian chefs in the kitchen. Since they knew we were there to try their entry into the Curry Challenge, it was no surprise the service was top-notch. However, even with that in mind, it was really friendly and attentive.
The first dish to arrive was the Tiger Prawn Tandoori with sambal, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro and sea salt. These exhibited a meaty snap with plenty of natural prawn essence. Purposefully spicy and sweet with a charred smokiness, these were not longing for any more impact. However, the sambal added another layer with tartness. The only thing we would've liked to see was less salt. Next up was their interpretation of a Canadian classic being the Butter Chicken Poutine with real cheese curds. Thick and lightly spicy, the sauce was more sweet and tart than creamy. We found the skinny fries a poor fit for the dish though as they became soggy quickly. The cheese curds were squeaky though.
Onto the featured item, we dug into the Goa Spicy Pork Vindaloo served with basmati rice and garlic naan. Even with the use of the famed ghost pepper, the restrained spice level let us enjoy the dish as a whole. Don't get me wrong, it was spicy though with gradual heat with a slight tang. As for the pork, it had a nice rebound texture. we found the naan crispy on its surface while alternating between chewy and fluffy on the inside. Moving along, we had the Lamb Lollipops with fenugreek yogurt marinade, naan bread, kachumber slaw. Yes, these were their version of Vij's signature dish. Were they as good? Well, let's just say it was different. It was more tomatoey than creamy while the spice level was mild. The lamb itself was tender while not being overly soft.
As a side, we ordered the Caramelized Cumin Brussel Sprouts which resembled the Glowbal Group's version but with an Indian twist (being the cumin). These were fried up until crispy while retaining a slight chew. A wealth of flavours emanated from the cheese, capers, lemon and spice. There was also a residual smokiness at the tail end. For dessert, we got the Trio of Handmade Macarons (from Soirette). Although not made in-house, they went out and acquired the best-in-town (IMO). So why re-invent the wheel right? From left-to-right, we had the lavender, matcha and raspberry accompanied by a hazelnut stick and berry compote. A lightly crisp outer shell gave way to a soft and marginally chewy interior. The flavours were on point while being only purposefully sweet. This was a nice way to end a relatively decent meal. Naturally, the Indian food we sampled was exposed to some creative interpretation (as in not traditional Indian fare) where it was successful to varying degrees.
*2 main dishes were comped*
The Good:
- Some interesting dishes
- Yes, they knew we were there for the Curry Challenge, but the service was good
The Bad:
- Decent, but not remarkable
- There are creative interpretations, so don't expect ultra-traditional
After my visit to BLTF for the Curry Challenge, Hai Phong was up next with the fam. We ended up at their new location near Stadium Station right across from T&T Supermarket. Since the location is significantly smaller than their original Kingsway store, the menu is also somewhat downsized, yet, all the basics are there. Once again, I decided to do a full post on the place despite having visited their other restaurant. Again, not all are created equal even if they are the same name...
We began our meal with the Beef Salad comprised of shredded cabbage mixed with house dressing topped with crispy fried shallots, Vietnamese coriander and roasted peanuts served with ginger fish sauce. Predictably, there was a crunchy, fresh texture from the cabbage, carrots, daikon and fried shallots. The salad was fragrant while hit with the sweet and saltiness from the fish sauce. We liked the ample beef, but it was a bit chewy. Next up was the Garlic Butter Chicken Wings tossed with some hot chili peppers. These were spiked with enough flavour to tickle all of our tastebuds. They were aromatic, spicy and of course, garlicky. Dipped into the lemon-pepper sauce, it added the necessary acidity. The wings themselves weren't exactly juicy, but weren't dry either.
Next we moved onto a bowl of Pho with all the meats (there are no actual set Pho selections, you merely customize it). We found the broth to be clean, light and sweet with a meaty finish. All the meats were okay except for the brisket as it was rather chewy. Noodles were both plentiful and toothsome. We then got to try their entry into the Curry Challenge being the Chicken Curry Noodle Soup. This consisted of boneless chicken and taro simmered in a light curry broth infused with lemongrass and coconut milk. Rather than the regular Pho accompaniments, it was served with vermicelli, bean sprouts, chives, Vietnamese coriander, white and green onions and finely sliced chilli peppers. The result was a sweet and fragrant broth that was mildly spiced (until we added the hot chili peppers). The abundance of moist chicken added body to the dish.
For the kiddies, we got them a plate of Grilled Lemongrass Chicken & Fried Egg with Rice. In a large mound underneath the ingredients, the rice was fluffy, yet chewy. We found the chicken well-charred with good amount of lemongrass. It was moist while not exactly juicy. The kids seemed to like it and that was most important. Overall, we quite liked the meal as well. It wasn't utterly amazing, but it was solid as expected. We didn't see any deviation from their original location so consistency is not an issue.
*Only the Chicken Curry Noodle Soup was comped*
The Good:
- Carefully prepared eats
- Okay pricing for quality/quantity
The Bad:
- Not the most spacious of dining spaces
Awhile back, I was asked to be one of the judges for the Curry Challenge where I had to visit 11 different restaurant and vote on my favourites. It was a daunting task, eating all that food in a short period of time. But something occurred to me... Yes, I know, it's hard to believe, but I do get the occasional bright idea. So, since half of the restaurants on the list were new to me, I figured it would be a great idea to have a complete meal and do a blog post about them. Talk about killing 2 birds with one stone! Wait, poor birdies... If they were pigeons, at the very least, we could make some roast squab...
Anyways, my first full post was on BLTF on Broadway. Okay, this was a bit of new and old because I had visited the original location on Main before. We started with the Chicken Satay which was well-charred and fairly moist for white meat. It wasn't too spicy, yet did have some background heat. The side of peanut sauce was impactful with a combination of flavours including sweet, salty, spicy and aromatic coconut milk. Something quite interesting Bob's Fish & Chips featuring deep fried fish mixed with lemongrass, Asian water olives, red onion, green papaya, basil and peanuts served with fried rice balls of red curry paste, lime leaf and black sesame seeds. The crispy thin fillets were surprisingly moist and flaky. Vinegary and spicy with a touch of sweetness, the salad mixed in with the fish added all the flavour the dish needed. We found the rice balls to be crunchy while firm and dense inside.
We also got an order of the Pad Thai consisting of fried rice noodles with prawns, smoked tofu, pickled turnip, peanuts, egg, bean sprouts and chives, yet most importantly, tamarind. Hence, the flavours were tart with accenting spice and sweetness. There was definitely good wok heat where the noodles were dry (possibly a bit too dry) and toothsoome. We found the egg overly salty and the prawns were a little overdone. For the kiddies, we got them a plate of Pad Si-Ew with fried rice noodle with gai lan, egg, pork and a liberal dusting of pepper on top. As illustrated in the picture, the dish was appetizing to look at and equally good to eat as well. A combination of good wok heat (hence caramelization), enough soy and pepper made this even more enjoyable than the Pad Thai. Only thing we would've liked to see was less chewy pork and a touch less salt.
For the curry challenge, we sampled their jazzed up version of Green Chicken Curry (and yes, I plagiarized myself so they might sound familiar). Despite its plain description, the dish was constructed very differently than the typical version found in Vancouver. With chicken-stuffed portions of tender fried eggplant topped with hot chili peppers, this was purposefully spicy with the aromatics of coconut milk and saltiness of fish sauce. For curiosity's sake, we got a regular Green Chicken Curry for comparison. Naturally, it wasn't plated as nicely and was remarkably different in taste as well. It wasn't as spicy and was less salty for some reason. It was more aromatic and than impactful. After it was all said and done, we were pleased with our meal at BLTF. We felt the flavours were there, albeit a tad salty.
*Both green curries were comped*
The Good:
- Ample wok heat = development of flavours
- Purposeful spice
The Bad:
- A touch salty
- Don't hate me, but yes, parking sucks
More often than not, the very best food is not found at the largest, most heavily advertised restaurants. The hype, the familiarity and overall safeness of these places often obscure where we really should be eating. Tucked in the corner of the NE corner of 41st and Fraser, Koon Bo is a place that is not really a hidden gem (because they have won awards), but isn't as well-known as it should be. After several great meals in the past, it was about time we revisited the place. Worked out well too as my uncle was back in town and we needed to treat him to a meal.
Now no meal would be complete at Koon Bo without their famed Shredded Chicken Salad. Seemingly something so simple with only shredded chicken, pickled mustard greens, wonton crisps, jellyfish, sesame seeds, sesame oil and hot sauce, it is a dish that begs people to go back for seconds. Although I didn't find the dish outstanding, it was still an enjoyable concoction that included plenty of textures and flavours. There wasn't any shortage of shredded chicken and pickled mustard greens, but it was lacking in jellyfish. Another Koon Bo favourite is their Peking Duck. As evidenced in the picture, the skin arrived in a beautiful rich hue. There was minimal fat underneath the lightly crispy skin. I wasn't a huge fan of the crepes though as they were a bit dense.
Onto the second course of the Peking Duck, we had the Duck Lettuce Wrap. By the looks of the picture, the portion size was pretty large. With plenty of wok heat, the caramelization of flavours was present as well as a good dose of seasoning. The diced veggies were still crunchy while the finely minced duck was plentiful and moist. We also liked the neatly trimmed lettuce cups which weren't dripping with water. We had another favourite at Koon Bo being the Deep Fried Stuffed Bean Curd with Honey Garlic Pork Chops. The pork chops were crunchy on the outside and mostly moist and tender on the inside with barely enough honey garlic to coat each piece. I've had this dish before and I like the pork chop portion, but I've never understood the draw of the fried bean curd. It's crunchy, but the mix of mushroom, veggies and shrimp end up as a mushy mess in my opinion.
Based on our server's suggestion, we tried the Wintermelon with Dried Scallops and Shiitake Mushrooms. Doused in a good amount of watered-down and subsequently thickened oyster-flavoured sauce, the entire dish was actually quite mild. The majority of the Earthy flavours emanated from the scallops and shiitake. Underneath, the wintermelon was soft while not mushy. We enjoyed this dish, but it was hardly memorable. Next up was the Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp. This was a well-executed dish where the egg was silky and soft while not being overly greasy. Despite being small, the shrimp exhibited a cold-water snap. Overall, the dish was a too heavy on the salt though.
With great anticipation, the Lobster atop Stir-Fried Sticky Rice arrived in a large bamboo steamer. This version could give the one served at Ho Yuen Kee and Old Buddies a run for their money. They didn't skimp on the rice nor lobster (but then again, we paid by the pound with that big sucker). We found the rice chewy, but at the same time, it was moistened by the lobster sauce. The lobster itself was cooked just right retaining a bounciness accented by its natural juices. Onto some veggies, we had the Pea Shoots with Bean Curd Skin and Mushrooms. This was another massive dish with tender pea shoots that were still crunchy and vibrant. The flavours were very mild bordering on bland. The ample amount of bean curd skin was excellent being soft with a slight chew. We also enjoyed the plethora of enoki and shiitake mushrooms.
We ended off the meal with the Seafood Tofu Hot Pot and the Fried Fish with Creamed Corn Sauce. Burning hot and sizzling, the hot pot featured properly cooked seafood except for the rubbery shrimp. We liked the squid though as it was tender with some bite. The big pieces of fried tofu were silky with an appealingly fried exterior. To ensure that the fried fish didn't become soggy, we asked for the sauce to be served separately. Hence, the fish was crunchy, but it was pretty dry due to the thinness of the fillets. We found the sauce to be rather runny and more salty than sweet. Once again, Koon Bo offered up a better-than-average meal featuring large portions. However, the place is super cramped which means comfort is kept to a minimum. Also, the prices are definitely on the higher end, especially for this class of restaurant.
The Good:
- Generally good eats
- Their signature dishes are exactly that
- Large portions
The Bad:
- Pricey
- Uncomfortable seating
- Good, but not great
Posts
