Baan Lao

Fine dining and Thai cuisine are not normally a thing in the GVRD, but there is a place in Steveston that takes Thai food to a whole new level.  Baan Lao, located right on the water, offers up not only refined dishes, it also affords a complete dining experience with white glove service.  You won't find the standard Thai fare here.  Rather, they only offer their Signature Dining Experience for $190.00pp.  Ophilia and I checked out this unique tasting menu out in beautiful Steveston.

As an amuse bouche, we were started off with the Maa Haaw. It consisted of stir fried minced Berkshire pork, Thai herbs and bird’s eye chili atop fresh pineapple marinated for 24 with kaffir lime leaves.  This little bite was a flavour bomb while being delicate at the same time.  There was definite sweetness to go with the spice from the chili.  Loved the texture of the meat as it was akin to being candied.  Lots of subtle flavours at play here and it came on in layers with each chew.

We were served a pair of little bites next. The Sohm Dtam sported fresh green papaya tossed in a zesty lime dressing with chillies, garlic and tomato.  Don't let the portion size fool you, it was packed with plenty of punch and as the menu stated - sweet, salty, spicy and sour.  On the next spoon, we found the Thoong Thaawn aka "money bags" with minced pork and prawns, fresh herbs and tied with fresh chive.  The outer wrapper was super crunchy and stayed as such even though it sat in a sweet and sour sauce.  Inside, the meats were discernible and fully seasoned with definite herb aftertaste.

Presented in a hollow glass bowl, the Yam Neuua was actually a salad that featured Sumas Mountain tenderloin with fresh herbs grape and fresh mint.  Yes, it could be confusing to some (that this is a salad) as the prominent part of the dish was the tender and beautifully prepared medium-rare tenderloin.  Well, if all my salads were like this, I would eat salads exclusively!   The flavours were bright being tangy which made this dish appetizing.

Before we progressed to some bigger dishes, we were served Naam Dta Khrai Baitoey which is a Thai medicinal elixir.  At Baan Lao, they combined fresh lemongrass and pandan juices to create a palate cleanser that was mild and subtle.  We got the unmistakable essence of lemongrass which was accented by the aromatic sweetness of the pandan. 

Now onto something that most people would be familiar with but not necessarily with the presentation - Phat Thai Goong.  With this version, it was immediately obvious that there was more care put into this dish than the usual.  The stir-fried rice noodles were encased in an egg lattice (I've actually had it this way before) which made for a striking visual as well as added texture.  As for the noodles, they were al dente, not clumpy and blessed with the beautiful sweetness and tang of palm sugar and fresh tamarind.  The proverbial icing on the cake was the perfectly-prepared tiger prawn.

One of my favourite items of the meal was the Dthom Yam Goong Laai Seuua featuring a spicy broth with mushrooms, fresh lemongrass, bird's eye chili and fresh tiger prawns.  I'll go ahead and say it - this is the best version of this soup I've ever had.  It was so clean, yet complex at the same time.  Layers of aromatics were intermittently available between the jolts of spice from the chili.  Even though the spice was impactful, we could still get the sweetness, tanginess and light seafoodiness of the broth.

Continuing with the hits, we had the Bpet Yang Sauce Gaaeng Phet served with Khaao Haawm Mali & Khaao Riceberry.  This featured sous vide Sumas Mountain Organic Farm duck with red curry, fresh pineapple and cherry tomato.  The duck was indeed succulent from the sous vide, but the fat could've been rendered just a touch more.  The star of this dish was the truly exceptional red curry.  It was rich, spicy and full-bodied.  There was real heat to it but the creaminess of the coconut milk and sweetness from the palm sugar helped balance things.

Moving to the last savoury course, we had the Bplaa Salmon Sauce Khaaio Waan. The delicate wild sockeye salmon was just barely cooked through, hence it was flaky and moist.  It sat atop green curry sauce and was topped with Ocean Wise Acadian Caviar and Manetti edible 23k Italian gold leaf.  I found the curry to be once again, full of heat with the creaminess of coconut milk.  There was just enough sweetness to balance.  On the side, the basil crumbs added texture and more aromatics.

As an interlude before we got to the dessert, we were presented with the Sorbet Ma Naao or Organic Lime Sorbet.  This meant business with the lime as the sorbet was bursting with tanginess.  This really woke up my taste buds and washed away the strong flavours and heat of the previous dishes. 

So for dessert, we had the Khaao Niaao Ma Muaang, Ice Cream Gathi and Woon Gathi.  The pressed on-site coconut glutinous rice was aromatic and lightly chewy in texture. The ripe mango flower on top was tender and sweet.  On the side, the coconut milk ice cream was sweet and lightly creamy.  Lastly, the coconut milk jelly was another texture on the plate that was aromatic and akin to coconut pudding.

As a bonus, we finished the meal off with Phohn La Maai, Luuk Choop and Chaa Mint.  The hand-carved watermelon was sweet and full of juice.  In front, the "chili" was actually made of luuk choop which is like marizpan, but made with mung bean paste coated with agar.  Very whimsical indeed and overall, a finely prepared meal that to me at least, worth the cost.  In addition, the ambiance and the service was equal to the task as well.

The Good:
- Chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng puts plenty of care and finesse into her food
- Service is top-notch and professional
- Outstanding location on the water

The Bad:
- Well, it isn't cheap, but worth it for a special occasion

Feel City BBQ

For all the Chinese food that is available in the GVRD, the dominant cuisine is Cantonese.  Much like the dominant Indian cuisine is Punjabi, this is due to the predominant immigrants from a specific region into the Lower Mainland.  We get a smattering of Shanghainese, Taiwanese and Northern Chinese here, but something that really is under-represented the food from the Xinshiang region of China (aka Uyghur cuisine).  Influenced by the travelers along the Silk Road, there is definitely Muslin influences.  Recently, I was invited to try out one of the few places that serve this type of food, Feel City BBQ, along with Maggi and Grace. 

We were started off with the Red Willow Lamb Skewers.  Much like the ones I had at Beijiang, the use of real sticks added a nice visual.  Did it add more smoky wood flavour?  Possibly, in the faintest of background finish.  As for the lamb itself, the seasoning was balanced with just enough cumin and a bit of spice.  The lamb was tender, surprisingly lean and cooked just enough.

Next, we were served the Sesame Oil Free-Range Chicken that featured chilis and Sichuan peppercorns.  Even though the dish looked spicy, it really was mild with only intermittent hits of heat and numbingness. I didn't mind that it wasn't too spicy because often, food can be too hot and we don't get any of the subtle flavours.  This I did with the aromatic sesame oil and the natural flavour of the chicken itself.  The chicken was prepared well too being gelatinized and lean due to being free-range.

Now, we can't be dining on Xinshiang cuisine without having their signature item can we?  So yes, we were presented with the Big Plate Chicken consisting of bone-in chicken, potatoes and peppers.  Once again, this was a mild version of the dish where I could've possibly used more spice.  However, it wasn't as if there wasn't enough inherent flavour either.  There was a good balance of aromatics, sweetness and saltiness.  The chicken was also free-range, so it was more lean, yet still tender.  Loved the classic belt noodles underneath as they soaked up all the flavours.

The most striking item we had was the Smoked Lamb on a metal rack.  It was exactly that with various pieces of lamb smoked directly skewered on the rack.  They were fatty and super tender, literally melting in my mouth.  Good lamb flavour without being super gamy while the side of chili flakes, cumin and onion allowed us to customize the taste.  We were provided gloves to eat this as it got rather messy.

We finished of our meal with Yogurt with honey and nuts.  For those who haven't tried this before, consider it plain yogurt that is very tart and devoid of sweetness.  Hence the addition of honey on top.  Even with that, this was probably needed even more honey as it was extremely tangy.  Mind you, this was probably the intention as it was a good soothing end to the meal.  Overall, the food was good and interesting enough for me to consider coming back for.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Unique food, not only because of the presentation, but the scarcity of Uyghur cuisine

- Modern and spacious dining space

- Well-prepared proteins

The Bad:

- On the pricier side, but portions are large

New Fishport Seafood Bistro

Before the recent rise in Covid numbers due to the Omnicron variant, I met up with my foodie fam to have a multiple birthday dinner at New Fishport Seafood Bistro on Marine Drive in South Van.  It was funny how we sang happy birthday 4 times and merely replaced the placard on the cake for each different person.  Yes, we are cheap like that...  Anyways, New Fishport has been around since the pandemic started, but we finally thought it was a good time to check it out (however David had been here already).

Unfortunately, a few of the items we wanted to order were not available.  So being a seafood bistro, we made sure we got at least the Baked Lobster with glutinous rice on lotus leaf.  This was decent with moist and chewy sticky rice underneath a medium-sized lobster.  There was enough starch-thickened consomme sauce to flavour the rice.  As for the lobster, it was fried properly where the meat had a nice bounce while being sweet.

Next, we had the Taiwanese Cauliflower with cured pork belly and Chinese cured sausage.  I actually make this dish at home often and this one was pretty good.  There was decent wok hei where minimal moisture was on the bottom of the plate.  The salty and fattiness from the cured meats did coat the cauliflower adding depth of flavour.  We found the cauliflower retained a crunch while being cooked through.

Yes, it is kind of odd ordering Sweet & Sour Pork at a place that specializes in seafood, but on the other hand, this is a Chinese restaurant, so it is fair game.  Well, this version was more than acceptable with tender nuggets of fairly lean pork.  The coating was thin and crispy while there was just enough sauce clinging onto each piece.  I would've liked to see more tang, but it was still full-flavoured.

A somewhat interesting dish we ordered was the Shrimp Omelette (although it wasn't named like that on the menu).  There was quite a bit of cold-water crunchy shrimp hidden within the fried scrambled eggs. However, the whole dish was rather bland and I found the eggs to be a bit rubbery in parts.  It wasn't that flavourful and I guess it was an okay dish, but I wouldn't order this again.

Back to the meat, we had the Pork Belly with shrimp Sauce.  This looked and ate a lot like the classic Sichuan spicy garlic pork belly dish except without the spice.  Sliced medium-thick, the pork belly was gelatinous and fairly tender.  It was on the chewier side, but only slightly.  Flavourwise, I guess I got some fermented shrimp flavour?  It wasn't that apparent and the dish was rather flat in my opinion.

Lastly, we had waited for the Whole Soy Sauce Chicken until we had nearly finished our dinner.  To be fair, this was made to order, so that is why it took so long.  The wait wasn't necessarily worth it as the colour was a little pale and there wasn't enough flavour penetrating the chicken meat.  On a positive note, the meat was moist and tender, even the white meat.  As you can see, the food was alright at New Fishport, but hardly impressive.  It is possibly due to the fact that some of the seafood dishes we wanted to order were not available.  If they were, maybe our experience would've been better.  I am not ruling out coming back to try more seafood though.

The Good:
- Some interesting items on the menu (although weren't available)
- Fairly good service

The Bad:
- Food was okay, but not memorable

 

Jules Bistro

Boy, I've not been back to Jules Bistro in over 10 years!  In fact, the picture you see here is from 2012, 2 years after I last dined here.  I actually took this picture while walking past Jules in 2012 hoping to dine there in the near future.  Well, the near future has brought us to December 2021...  Oh well, better late than never right?  I guess Jules gets lost in the shuffle of newer and glitzier spots in town.  But I assure you, it has been around for awhile because they are still good.

We ended up sharing a few appies including the Chicken Liver Mousse with grape chutney, blinis and pickles.  This was really good featuring a super smooth mousse that was balanced between savoury and sweet.  There was also aromatics to go with background hints of cognac.  As much as I loved the delicate blinis, I personally like something with more textural contrast like crostinis.  Adding more sweetness was the grape chutney.

Seeing how the selections of appetizers were somewhat limited, we got the Salade Niçoise because it was more shareable than the soups and bigger than the escargots.  Okay, the amount of mayonnaise was a bit concerning at first, but the salad turned out to be quite solid.  Potatoes were tender while the green beans were still crisp.  Egg was not overdone and there was a tonne of tuna.  This ended up to be rather filling.

Rather than trying to force ourselves to order one of the remaining appies on the menu, we just went ahead and got a main to share as an appie in the PEI Moules Marinières.  As you can see, this featured unusually plump PEI mussels.  Well, at least the ones I've had, have been scrawny (and that includes the ones I've had in PEI itself).  All of them were open and were the beneficiary of the classic combo of butter, cream, garlic and white wine.  Frites on the side were somewhere between crispy and soft, but in a good way.

For our mains, I went for the Fraser Valley Moulard Duck Confit with potatoes sarladaises, salad, honey glazed bacon and pine nuts.  I enjoyed this dish as the duck was fork tender.  It was also moist and best of all, salted just enough.  Skin was well-rendered as well.  The salad underneath was full-flavoured due to the plethora of bacon.  Now for the potatoes hidden underneath...  They were delicious due to the duck fat and also the fact they were texturally on point.

Viv ended up with the Seared Lois Lake Steelhead Fillet with campari tomatoes, basil oil, and pickled shimeji.  To me at least, the plating seemed a little basic.  Fortunately, the execution was better.  Although the fish didn't appear to be moist, it was actually perfectly cooked even though it wasn't the same thickness throughout.  There was enough seasoning and the shimeji underneath added acidity.  The crispy skin on top was a real treat.  Tomatoes on the side provided a brightness to the dish.

Elaine decided on a classic in the Boeuf Bourguignon with buttered russet potatoes.  Another solid dish that featured a good amount of beef.  Each large piece was fairly tender and moist (the size probably helped with this).  We found that the dish featured a certain richness and body, but lacking in salt.  However, that was not a deal-breaker as it was still full of umaminess.  The side of potatoes were tender and helped soak up the sauce.

Constanza went for the 63 Acres Bavette A L’ Échalote served with frites on the side.  This was one of the best dishes of the night.  The steak was prepared perfectly medium-rare with a beautiful smoky sear.  Lots of flavour from the steak itself but the sauce added even more aroma and body.  Loved the portion size here as it was more than enough food.  As you can see, the food at Jules is still good as usual.  There is a reason they have been around for so long.  If you are looking for a predictably solid French meal in a casual spot, Jules should be a consideration.

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Good portions

- Unpretentious

The Bad:

- Pricing has increased over the years, but with high food costs, it is like this everywhere

Guacamole Mexican Grill

Mexican food in the Lower Mainland can be a bit hit and miss.  After all, it isn't the hotbed of that particular cuisine in general.  Yes, it has a hard time comparing to food in Mexico, San Diego, L.A. and even in Washington State for all that matters.  But that is all irrelevant since we are talking about the GVRD.  So when I got an invite from Craig to try out Guacamole Mexican Grill, I was intrigued, especially since it replaced one of my past favourites in Taqueria Jalisco in Whalley.

So the picture you see of the restaurant is actually not its location anymore.  They have now moved to 10671A King George Blvd to a bigger and more accessible spot.  Before we got to our food, we were presented with some complimentary house-made Tortilla Chips with freshly mixed guacamole.  Predictably, these chips were fresh and crunchy.  Not greasy and very light in density.  As for the guac, it was bright featuring fresh and ripe avocados mixed with tomato and onions.  Good start to the meal.

Up next, we had something that is completely a thing these days - Birria Tacos.  If you haven't had them before, I highly recommend that you do.  These tacos were stuffed with slow-cooked beef, then soaked in the fat at the top of the stew and deep fried.  This is served with stewing liquid on the side as a dip. I thought these were on point with tender fall-apart beef that was soaked with a multitude of flavours.  The tortilla shells were crunchy and full of impact form the fat.

So I'm sure you probably either had or have seen a Torta before but the problem with Vancouver is that it was probably not very good.  Well, the one here reminded me of the ones I've had in the Mission District in San Francisco.  Sandwiched within crusty French bread, we chose al pastor to go with mayo, avocado, tomatoes, onions and cheese.  Beyond the excellent bread, the pork was so tender and full of flavour and a hint of heat from the spices and a touch of sweetness from the pineapple.

Onto a larger dish, we had the Mar y Teirra, which is essentially surf and turf consisting of marinated grilled steak and seasoned prawns with rice, refried beans, salad and guacamole.  Since this was a thin steak, it was predictably prepared medium.  No problemo since it was still tender and had a good char.  As for the prawns, they were perfectly cooked being meaty with a snap texture.  They were flavourful and sweet.

We also tried the Burrito Banado with rice, beans, cheese and carnitas topped with green salsa and sour cream.  This was absolutely massive and completely stuffed with meat.  Hence, it ate well with tender and moist slow-cooked pork.  Beyond that, the best part of the burrito was the green salsa as it was bright and super flavourful.  It really brought the burrito to life and actually made it less heavy.

Not that it would be my first choice from all the items on the menu at Guacamole Mexican Grill, but we ended up trying the Nacho Deluxe with beef, beans, cheese, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeños and crema.  Turns out that I shouldn't be so judgemental because it was actually quite good.  Well, the housemade tortilla chips made for a good base and since the beef was as good as the other shredded beef dishes we had, then we had something that was delicious.

For dessert, we had the classic Churros with dulce de leche.  These were pretty solid being fried until crispy and light in the middle.  This was a nice finish to a good meal.  Before they moved locations, I would've classified Guacamole Mexican Grill as a hidden gem.  I guess it can still be a gem, but it isn't hidden anymore since it is right on King George Highway.  If you are in the are, I suggest you give it a try for some freshly-made Mexican served in big portions at reasonable prices.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Good portions

- Reasonable prices

The Bad:

- I was going to say the location, but since they moved, I'm not sure anymore

Nightshade

Yes, I admit vegan cuisine isn't something that I normally crave nor care for.  However, after trying 2 vegan meal kits in the past little while, it has shown me that with a bit of creativity, the food can be tasty.  So once again, I went in with an open mind when I got an invite to try out the newly opened Nightshade in Yaletown.  Also, they aren't merely throwing together something like a salad and calling it vegan.  Executive Chef Chanthy Yen brings an elevated experience that borders on fine-dining.

Getting right to it, we started with the excellent Five Spiced Beets with salt roasted beets  five-spiced white balsamic vinaigrette garnished with puffed kasha, citrus, raita, and shiso.  This was bursting with acidity and sweetness.  Texturally, the beets were tender with a gentle bite.  The puffed kasha added the necessary crunch to give some contrast in texture.  Loved the thoughtfulness of the dish where the flavours were bright and balanced as well as the textures.

The Crispy Cassava was my favourite of the night.  It consisted of fried cassava served with lotus root chips, mint puree and spicy red curry aioli.  I thought the cassava couldn't have been prepared any more perfectly.  It was pillowy soft as described on the menu while crispy on the outside.  Flavours were impactful from the herbaceous mint and the promise of spice from the red curry.  I could've eaten several servings of this.

Continuing on with things fried, we tried the Taro Roll featuring rice paper stuffed with a peppery taro, tofu, carrot and vermicelli filling served with mint, basil, butter lettuce and palm sugar dipping sauce.  Looking at the picture, you'll notice much more in the way of carrot, vermicelli and tofu rather than taro.  No matter, these rolls were good with a crispy rice paper wrapper.  It could've been fried just a touch longer though.  Loved the sweet and tangy dip as well as the greens to wrap the rolls.  It added aromatics and some brightness.

We also tried their sushi in the Fire Roll with house-made organic kimchi, sweet shiitake mushrooms, avocado, sambal, tempura crunch and togarashi.  Other than the rice was probably laid on a bit too thick, the roll was quite good.  Rice texture was on point while the combination of ingredients offered up sweet, tang and spiciness.  There was good heat to live up to its namesake.  Adding the tempura crunch was key to providing textural contrast.

The one dish that needed some work was the House Roti scented with fenugreek and garam masala served with vegan garlic butter and raita chutney.  I thought the raita was refreshing with tang and sweetness.  Vegan garlic butter was aromatic.  The roti itself really came through with the Indian flavours but texturally it was far too dense.  I realize it is vegan, but I'm sure they will be able to rectify this in time.

Onto some mains, we tried the Truffle Tteokbokki Gnocchi.  Although I loved the individual components , it seemed like 2 completely different dishes combined into one.  I love rice cake and these were good.  I also loved the sauce as it was full of umaminess and savouriness.  I also enjoyed the wild mushrooms, they were sauteed perfectly and seasoned well.  However, this would've probably been better with vegan gnocchi as the components didn't go with each other. 

Something I was excited about trying was the Braised Burdock cooked in a green curry base and served with pickled snow fungus, sautéed wild rice, sunchoke puree, salisfy and charcoal infused garlic oil.  Texturally, I enjoyed the contrast between the tender burdock and the crisp salsify.  I didn't get a lot of green curry flavour, so the dish ate a bit plain.  However, the garlic oil did help add some aromatics.

My favourite entree was the Grilled Mushroom on Toast sporting local mushrooms cooked 3 ways served on house made focaccia layered with Maggi butter and mushroom pate then garnished with Miso pickled Daikon.  I thought the mushrooms were prepared perfectly with a smoky sear and not bleeding moisture.  The pate was full of umaminess.  Loved the addition of Maggi.  However, the toast itself was too thick and dense.  Split that in half and have 2 crunchier toasts would've been preferable.

Onto dessert, we had the Rosewater Apple Tart with Pink Lady apples garnished with hibiscus and spiced milk foam.   For a vegan tart shell, this was pretty good.  It was firm and was not dry breaking apart like a regular tart shell.  Loved how they layered the sliced apples, it was pretty.  Texturally, the apples were tender while still retaining a crunch.  The foam was light and airy with just enough hibiscus and sweetness.

We ended with the Creme Brulee with lavender vegan custard topped with raspberry hibiscus coulis and candied hazelnuts topped with micro mint and freeze-dried raspberry powder.   Although the custard was on the thinner side, it wasn't a deal-breaker.  It was creamy and purposefully sweet.  I liked how the use of lavender was restrained.  Hence the raspberry powder was able to come through as well as the hazelnuts.  Overall, we felt that the effort put into the food at Nightshade is commendable.  Trying to refine and provide a dining experience that is purely vegan can be challenging.  The small plates were quite impressive and so were the desserts.  We felt the entrees needed some work but definitely has potential.  I can positively say that I would be be open to returning to check out some other dishes and seeing what refinements are instituted with existing items.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Carefully prepared food

- Appies that will make you forget about meat

- Elevated vegan dining experience

The Bad:

- Some further refinement needed with the mains