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What's the best Bubble Waffle in the GVRD? Sounds like a simple question, yet, if you really think about it, there are not a whole lot of places to get one. Well, I guess people have noticed, hence the opening of a new joint in Landsdowne Mall. Having tried most of the other places in town already, The BBT Shop looked a bit different from the rest. Unfortunately, being located within the Superstore complex in Richmond, I had to build up the courage to pay it a visit. Well, I didn't need to fear for my car's life, rather, I just went late on a weeknight with Choobee (ah... the joys of no traffic).
To start things off, we got the Original which was lightly dusted with icing sugar. Honestly, we could've done without it as the flavour of the waffle was fine by itself. There was an aromatic sweetness that emanated from the griddled batter. It was on the crispier side with a relatively hollow interior. Hence it was light, but missing the usual soft chewiness. With that being said, I wouldn't hesitate to rank it high on my list in terms of BBW in town. Next, we tried the Matcha, which was curiously better texturally. Was the batter thicker? It was lightly crispy on the outside while fluffy and chewy on the inside. Moreover, the matcha taste really came through with an appealing bitterness. It was only semi-sweet which meant the matcha could be at the forefront.
We got one of their special BBW in the Red Velvet topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate. Served on the side was sweetened cream cheese. Again, the waffle had the same texture as the matcha (maybe the original batter was too thin with the original?). The chocolate drizzle was not necessary in our opinion as it made things too sweet. The side of cream cheese was tangy and purposefully sweet. Of course we couldn't leave the place without trying out a beverage, so I got a Real Mango Slush with popping pearls. I asked for half-sugar and it was a good choice because the popping pearls were pretty sweet. As for the slush itself, it was blended well with the mild taste of real mango. So despite not serving traditional bubble waffles, the ones at BBT Shop were enjoyable and unique. I would no problem coming back for more.
The Good:
- Lots of choice, including some pretty extravagant ones
- Although not traditional, the textures and taste are appealing
The Bad:
- Prices can get up there with some of the more premium options
- Chaotic parking lot at peak times
Continuing on with my search for the best Beef Pancake Roll, it brought Viv and I to Chef Hung out in West Van. Actually, we were already in West Van and were in search for eats. So to kill 3 birds with one stone (yes, 3 birds), we could eat, I could try a beef pancake roll and do a blog post. Talk about efficiency! It's like losing your parking spot, place in line and temper in Richmond! Wait... Anyways, we settled for a low-key dinner on a weekday in sleepy West Van.
We started with the Marinated Cucumbers which were crunchy and vibrant. There was a good balance of acidity with sweetness where each bite started off tart, then sweet and ended off tart. There was also a significant sharp garlic hit that was appetizing. Next, the Chicken Nuggets arrived in surprisingly large chunks. Therefore, each piece retained their juices. In turn, the meat was succulent due to being cooked just enough. With minimal skin, the exterior was still crispy and light. Although adequately seasoned, I would've liked to see more pepper.
As for the noodles, we ended up with the Award Winning Beef, Tendon and Tripe with flat noodles. Strangely, there was 2 pieces of each meat except for the beef. Too bad since the beef was the best part as it was firm to the touch from our chopstick, yet moist with each bite. The tendon and tripe were a bit too soft in our opinion as they merely melted in our mouths. Toothsome and appealingly chewy, the flat noodles were on point. We found the soup to be rather light, but clean. It had sufficient impact, but nothing particularly strong. Arriving in 8 pieces, the Beef Pancake Roll was pretty decent. Crispy and only a touch flaky, the pancake was a bit dense and doughy on the inside. Plentiful and moist, the beef retained a slight chew and was accented nicely by the crunchy cucumbers and scallions. The concentrated hoisin was quite powerful despite being modest in application.
Taking somewhat of a chance, we had the Xiao Long Bao. For a non-Shanghainese joint, these were okay with a relatively thin dumpling skin except for the twirl on the top. Inside, there was no soup to be found, but the meat was moist and gingery (where there was an absence of shaoxing wine essence). Viv also added a Bubble Milk Tea with coconut jelly as her beverage. The tea itself was rather mild and indeed milky. It wasn't too sweet, but the coconut jelly put it over the edge where it ultimately was pretty sugary. Thinking back to my original visit to Chef Hung's Richmond location, I feel that the meal in West Van was more consistent. Could it be purely on location or have they straightened things out? Whatever the case, it did the job without much incident.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Fairly comfortable
The Bad:
- On the pricier side
- Service can be a bit hot and cold (depends who is serving you)
Remember the Curry Challenge where I decided to incorporate actual blog visits into the my tasting commitments? Well, here I am at it again trying to multi-task so I can free-up some time to do absolutely nothing. Yes, absolutely nothing is something I have been aspiring to do since my high-school days. I haven't seen much of that since then and I guess it is all a part of growing up... *sigh*... Anyways, as part of being on the Blogger's Judging Panel for the Chinese Restaurant Awards, we needed to eat at various places starting with Delicious Cuisine.
Meeting up with fellow judges Joyce, Chloe and Jesse, we were treated to some dishes we were judging on and others items to complete our meal. We began with the Spicy Pork Offal Stew featuring stomach, intestines and blood. It may seem like a crime scene to some, but totally delicious to us! This was extremely gamy where it might turn some people off, but for me, I didn't mind it much. I found the stomach to be chewy, yet sufficiently soft to eat. The thick sauce was definitely spicy with background sweetness. With a smattering of Szechuan peppercorns, there was some tongue-numbing moments. Next up, we had the Pan Fried Egg with Tiger Prawns. Essentially a fried omelet with prawns, this was a pretty straightforward dish. With a slightly crispy exterior and still fairly fluffy interior, the egg was pretty mild with minimal seasoning. Exhibiting a meaty snap, the prawns added a natural sweetness to the dish.
For some reason, we also ordered the Tiger Prawn & Pineapple with Mayo. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of mayo and fruit, so I didn't eat much of it. Let me rephrase that, if it were a cold dish, I would be more inclined to like it. So with my bias, I would not be the person to properly assess this dish. With that in mind, the prawns were good though with a light crispiness giving way to a gentle snap. Of course the dish was sweet and very mayo-greasy. To cleanse our palates, we had the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic. I found the pea shoots to be a touch soft, yet with still a mild crunch. There was plenty of minced garlic and appropriate seasoning while not being overly salty. There was decent wok heat without excess grease.
Onto one of the dishes we actually needed to judge, we had the classic 3-Cup Chicken. The big pieces of chicken were moist and super-succulent. In terms of chicken texture, this has to be one of the best I've had. However, if we focus strictly on the flavours, it was far too sweet with very little wine which meant that the overall profile of the dish was one-note (except for the apparent basil aroma). I did like how it wasn't overly greasy though. Next, we were served the Bamboo Shoot & Free-Range Chicken Steamed Soup in a large bowl (normally, it is per person). One sip, and it was apparent that they were pretty aggressive with the salt and MSG. Yet, for some reason, I didn't mind it because no one could accuse the soup of being bland. I liked how the bamboo shoots were crunchy without being pungent. Much like the previous dish, the chicken was juicy and moist.
Lastly, we had the Tea-Smoked Duck which announced itself before it hit the table. We could smell the smokiness as it approached. In fact, it was probably too smoky as the tea really didn't come through. With that being said, the smoke penetrated all the meat which meant there was plenty of impact. I liked how the meat was moist, but the skin and fat could've been more rendered. Lastly, we had the Stir-Fried Shredded Pork served with crepes. With no filler, this was a meaty dish consisting of tender julienned pork that retained a natural texture. It was sauced just enough that it wasn't dripping with moisture. Taste-wise, it was sweet with a touch of spice. So, if we looked at the meal as a whole, the food was pretty solid. I wouldn't mind returning for the purposes of trying some different items.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Modern dining space
The Bad:
- A little pricey
- Food came out a bit slow
This re-visit to Tuc Craft Kitchen has been a long time coming. As much as I enjoyed my initial visit, there have been a slew of other restaurants I needed to try (and some I still haven't gotten to). But really, I was pretty anxious to return because the last time, I only tried 4 dishes during their lunch service. I did consider enlisting the help of Whipping Girl, but she has gone MIA as of late (busy whipping? er..) Anyways, thanks to Doc and The Ringer, we checked out Tuc late after the Canucks final game of the season.
We began with their signature dish being the Gelderman Farms Pork Belly Cracklings with coarse salt and on the side, star anise red wine reduction. I felt they executed this better than last time as each nugget of pork belly was firmly crisp on the outside while still retaining a moist meatiness (last time, it was more dry throughout). Of course we couldn't forget about the wine reduction as it provided the nicely tart and aromatic balance to the rich pork belly. Next up, we tried the Parsnip and Smashed Potato Fries with toasted coriander ketchup. The smashed potato fries were pretty much as described being large and potatoey with a lightly crisp exterior. Light and crunchy, the parsnip ate like shoestring fries. Although not a particularly exciting dish, the side of coriander ketchup was money as there was a fragrant tangy sweetness.
Although their cracklings are addictively good, we felt the Australian Orange Glazed Lamb Ribs were off-the-charts. First of all, the amount of lamb was quite generous. Secondly, the lamb was super moist and succulent. But third and most importantly, the jalapeno pepper orange glaze hit our palates with full force. It started off sweet and citrusy, then moved onto a background spice that was just right. Next, we moved onto a larger dish in the Cabernet Braised Double R Ranch Beef Cheeks with red wine glace, gratin potatoes, shallots & wilted spinach. Don't let the size of the cast iron pan fool you, there was a significant amount of rich, succulent beef cheeks nestled within the creamy and cheesy potatoes. Unlike many other restaurants, they were able to infuse a noticeable amount of flavour in the beef cheeks without being just plain salty. There was depth from the Cabernet to go with the natural gelatinous flavour of the cheeks.
Staying with red meat, the Port Glazed Grass Fed Beef Short Ribs arrived next. This was accompanied by caramelized pearl onions, kohlrabi, herb nugget potatoes and chocolate port sauce. Much like the beef cheeks, the short ribs were fall apart tender while retaining an appealing amount of moisture. Although more mild in flavour, the meat was the beneficiary of a rich reduction which was slightly sweet and a touch smoky. At the same time, we tackled the Braised Pork and Cranberry Chutney consisting of herb roasted Fraser Valley pork shoulder, double smoked bacon, roasted nugget potatoes and cranberry chutney. The pork shoulder itself was somewhat dry, but the ample amount of sauce (which was somewhat similar to the previous dish except more meaty and mild). I found that the tart cranberries helped bring brightness to the dish.
Moving away from the pork and beef, we had the Pacific Seafood Stew with pacific oysters, Lake Louise steelhead trout, manila clams, salt spring island mussels, basmati rice and lemon grass & white wine broth. At first, Viv thought the rice was underdone, but as it began to soak up the ample creamy broth, it was just right. The white wine was not that apparent while we did get a hint of lemongrass. All the seafood was on point, especially the trout as it was moist and flaky. For dessert, we shared the Doughnuts with spiced rum caramel sauce. As much as the doughnuts themselves were greasy and a bit too fried (moist cakiness though), the side of caramel sauce was money. It was purposefully sweet with a touch of booze. Once again, Tuc Craft Kitchen didn't disappoint. Fantastic food at a reasonable price point.
The Good:
- Dependable and solid food
- Reasonably-priced for what you get
- Nice vibe
The Bad:
- Not really a bad, but the menu could diversify a bit as there are very similar dishes
- Dessert selection is small
It's true, I won't deny it. I am a fan of White Spot, in particular their burgers. Yes, I understand that they are not necessarily the fanciest nor sexiest burgers around, but I grew up on them via the Pirate Pak. Every time I have one, it reminds me of my youth and elicits feelings of familiarity and comfort. So when White Spot came calling and asked me try their Burger Guest Stars, there was not much hesitation on my part. To get them all done in one shot, I enlisted some help of Hot Mama, Bubbleberry and Peppermint.
First up was the Sriracha Goat Cheese Turkey Burger with char-grilled BC turkey patty topped with Happy Days goat cheese mixed with sriracha sauce, bacon, apple relish, arugula, tomato and mayo. Sporting a significant char, the patty was really smoky (if not a touch burnt). Inside, the meat was sufficiently moist, but naturally drier due to the lean turkey meat. I thought the chunky apple relish added a natural sweetness to the burger. Next, the Truffled Mushroom Bigger Burger was a take on the classic Monty Mushroom with the addition of with truffled exotic mushrooms, Provolone cheese as well as the standard lettuce, tomato & Triple "O" sauce. This was a messy and saucy concoction that was more woodsy than the Monty Mushroom. It was a good thing that they were conservative with the truffle oil as it could've overwhelmed everything.
Impressively piled high, the Steakhouse Supreme Bigger Burger featured a 6 oz. 100% fresh Canadian beef burger with red wine BBQ sauce, horseradish Cheddar, haystack onions, arugula, tomato & arugula aioli. This was probably the most flavourful of the bunch from the tart BBQ sauce, pepperiness of the arugula and crunchy sweetness of the fried onions. Moving onto more poultry, the Crispy Almond Chicken Burger glazed in sweet & sour sauce, with toasted almonds, iceberg lettuce, red onion and lemon cilantro mayo was something different. It featured a moist chicken breast that sported a thin crispy tempura shell. There was a good balance of flavours including a noticeable sweetness accented by a touch of tartness from the mayo (which also emanated the essence of cilantro).
Lastly, we tried the wild Johnstone Strait Salmon Burger with pickled onions, tartar sauce, BC arugula, vine-ripened tomatoes & mayo. Although cooked all-the-way-through, the salmon filet wasn't too dry as it was slathered in a good amount of dill-spiked tartar sauce. The zing from the pickled onions helped liven things up as well. Overall, we were quite happy with the Burger Guest Stars menu since the choices were unique compared to the regular menu (maybe except for the salmon burger). Furthermore, no one was complaining about being hungry afterwards.
*Note - Meal was comped*
The Good:
- Unique compared to the regular menu
- Well-portioned
- An array of different flavours
The Bad:
- Proteins were a bit more done that we would've liked
If you pay attention to my eating patterns while I'm in the States, I try to do at least one buffet. I'm acutely aware of the questionable quality of buffets where quantity definitely reigns supreme (ol' Iron Chef reference!) But with 4 kiddies, an Asian buffet is just what the doctor (well, no doctor would really recommend a buffet...) ordered. We decided on Mika Buffet in Federal Way as the kids were pretty hungry. Let's just say the car ride home would be exponentially more enjoyable without complaining youth.
And on that note, we started with the Sushi Bar. Yah, maybe my daughter might bite, but there is a better chance of being photobombed by the Kayne and Kim Kardashian than my son touching the stuff. As expected, the sushi rolls were all variations of a California or dynamite roll with different toppings and applications. Pretty typical buffet sushi, but not offensive where the rice was actually chewy instead of being dry. The limited nigiri sported thin slices of fish which were a bit spongy, but not in the least fishy tasting.
Moving onto the Chinese Hybrid Asian Food section, some of the stuff wasn't all that impressive. But there were a few gems especially the plump buttery clams. The mussels were not a good as they were overcooked and no longer moist. I found the veggies in this section surprisingly vibrant despite sitting in a chaffing tray for who knows how long. I tended to avoid the fried items as they were rather dry and merely doused with some form of sauce. Off in another section, there was a selection of fried items as well as some Dim Sum including steamed buns. Right next to it was a choice of 3 soups.
Included in the buffet was an udon bar and a Mongolian Grill. We ended up getting a chicken udon for my son, which he dusted off. The soup was pretty laughable as a dashi, but it wasn't offensive. For myself, I decided to try all the meats including some noodles and various veggies. There wasn't really a choice of sauce other than whether I wanted more garlic or not. This was "okay", but the noodles became quite soggy while the beef was really chewy. Other than a small salad bar, there was some various desserts including hard ice cream. For dinner, there would be a chocolate fountain as well. Overall, Mika did the job for us with very little fanfare. Considering lunch only cost us $11.95 per adult and the kids were based on age, we were okay with the mediocrity.
The Good:
- Large selection
- Food is okay for a buffet
- Pretty comfortable seating
The Bad:
- Food is okay, but naturally not great either
- Our plates were beginning to stack up without anyone removing them
As much as a visit to Voodoo Doughnuts is a default thing to do when one is in Portland, there is actually better found elsewhere. Imagine donuts that are less about novelty and more about quality. Then consider that they are made with brioche and have elevated flavors. Yes, they do cost more and while Voodoo represents the everyday donut, Blue Star goes for more of the high end trendy crowd. That was never more evident in the pricing as I could only get a dozen where I got a dozen and a half at Voodoo.
With flavors such as Mexican Chocolate, Chocolate Almond Ganache, Dulce de Leche with hazelnuts, Real Maple Bacon and Original Glazed (clockwise from the left), it was pretty apparent that these donuts meant business. Texturally, the donuts were moist and soft while not appearing to be overly greasy. In terms of sweetness, it really depended which one we ate. For instance, the Mexican chocolate was a bit spicy and bitter but hardly sweet. As much as the dulce de leche was bound to be sugary, they didn't go overboard. However, the maple bacon did register quite high on the sugar meter. Overall, the donut itself (ignoring the glaze and toppings) was not sweet at all, which meant there wasn't an overload of sugar.
On that note, we found the Matcha Green Tea to be mildly sweet where the bitter notes of the green tea really came through. Being a cake donut, the texture was more dense, but still moist and of course not very sweet. Personally, I love anything that has lemon in it and naturally, I really enjoyed the Meyer Lemon & Key Lime Curd donut. Soft, fluffy and light, this was well-balanced with a dusting of confectioners sugar and filled with a semi sweet tart curd. I thought the ratio of donut-to-filling was spot on while the consistency of the curd was just right where it was not runny nor clumpy.
We can't forget their signature item being the Cointreau Crème Brûlée featuring a house-made vanilla custard hidden within the soft brioche donut. With a torched sugary top, the sweet crunch was accented by a pipette of Cointreau syrup. Yes, this was sweet, but definitely different and a nice collection of textures. Ending off with the Blueberry Bourbon Basil, we found a donut that was aggressively glazed, but not sickeningly sweet. Nice mild blueberry notes complimented by only a touch of bourbon and the herbaceous basil notes. As you can clearly see, the donuts at Blue Star are gourmet in terms of ingredients and execution. Sure, they're expensive, but for me, they are worthy every penny.
The Good:
- Light and soft texture
- Sweet, but not too much so
- High-end flavors
The Bad:
- Pricey
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