Dynasty

I don't even remember the last time I've been to Dynasty on Broadway.  Seemingly always mentioned in the "best of Vancouver" lists when it comes to Chinese restaurants, I have never actually understood why.  I'm not saying the place isn't good, but there are just so many other places that are better.  Yes, I know this can all be subjective and that is partly why we decided to return for a visit when my cousin was visiting from out-of-town.  The other reason was that they were in the neighbourhood whilst exploring Vancouver, so its location worked for all of us.

Interestingly, they do not employ ordering checklists and one has to do the ol' skool of ordering with the service staff.  This seems very inefficient to me as our server seemed distracted when we were ordering.  In fact, he left part way through to only come back later to finish the order.  Our first dish was the Steamed Spareribs with pumpkin which came in a fairly large portion.  The majority of the pieces were meaty and not overly fatty.  Seasoning was good with enough black bean and garlic hits with a touch of spice.

Normally, there isn't much to say about Steamed Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf because they are all pretty standard.  With that being said, this version was quite good due to the amount of ingredients including salted egg yolk.  This added a nutty saltiness as well as a richness to the sticky rice.  Furthermore, the ground pork was tender and properly sauced so that there was both flavour and moisture.  The sticky rice itself was indeed sticky and had the right texture.

It isn't often that a version of Siu Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumpling) is disappointing in the GVRD, but this one at Dynasty was not very good.  The main issue was the shrimp as it was overly soft and devoid of texture.  This was a shame as the pork was properly prepared exhibiting the classic bounce texture.  With the shrimp being so bad, the flavour profile of the dumpling was a little off where we didn't get the natural sweetness.  There was some shiitake that added texture and umaminess though.

Fortunately, the Ha Gau (Shrimp Dumplings) was much better than the siu mai as the dumpling skin was thin and translucent.  Texturally, it was on point being delicate and tender while retaining a chewy elasticity.  Inside, the shrimp filling was full of whole shrimp which had the desired snap texture.  It was buttery and sweet with the unmistakable hint of aromatic and nutty sesame oil.

Onto some kid favourites, we got the Steamed BBQ Pork Buns.  Surprisingly, my cousin's kids didn't seem interested in them.  Well more for my kids!  These were pretty good with a soft fluffy bun that was just a touch on the drier side.  There was more than enough filling consisting of fairly lean BBQ pork sauced in a sweet sticky glaze.  It was balanced where the sweetness was counteracted by equal parts savouriness.

Another disappointing item was the Braised Beef Tendon with spicy sauce.  The tendons were not cooked enough so that they were not soft in any way.  I mean, we could still chew them, but that was not the desired texture.  Furthermore, the sauce was not that impactful as it was more sweet than actually spicy.  The texture of the tendon was partly the reason for the lack of flavour since the sauce could not penetrate it.

We did enjoy the Steamed Bean Curd Roll with shrimp, even though the shrimp was once again a bit soft.  I found the bean curd skin to be delicate while still offering up an appealing chewiness.  Inside, the pork filling was tender with some rebound texture.  The crunch from the wood ear mushrooms provided some contrast.  I thought the flavour was quite nice being just salty enough without going over.

Since there wasn't any beef tripe on the menu and the tendon was not very good, I was hoping that the Steamed Chicken Feet would make up for it.  That it did with tender deep fried and then braised skin.  A few portions were broken, but it wasn't a huge deal as the cartilage and fat underneath was still intact while still soft.  There was plenty of seasoning in this dish with salty sweet notes accented by garlic and chili flakes.

So if the Panfried Potstickers look rather sad in this picture, it was a proper representation of the final product.  We all hated these since the dumpling wrapper was thick, hard and frankly cold.  There was barely a good sear on the bottom of the dumplings, hence no crunch.  Inside, the pork filling was rather meager and lacking in seasoning.  It was also cold, like the rest of the dumpling.  Also, they could've done something with the plating too.

Even though the Pan-Fried Eggplant stuffed with fish paste was only average, the fact that the potstickers were so poor, we enjoyed this dish.  The fried eggplant was on the mushier side, but at least the exterior was firm enough to hold it together.  I personally like shrimp mousse rather than fish paste, yet this was okay.  It was not too dense and had a nice rebound texture.  The black bean sauce was rather weak and didn't provide much impact to the dish.

Of course we had to get the Deep Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls with taro as well (had to get 2 orders due to all the kids!).  These were good where the wrapper was crunchy and easy on the grease.  Ample in amount, the shrimp filling was well-seasoned and featured a nice bounce texture.  The addition of taro added some body and aromatics.  There was just enough of it where it didn't interfere with the shrimp.

We ordered a plate of the Yeung Chow Fried Rice and asked for the green onions to be omitted since the kids didn't want any.  Not sure if it was read wrong by the kitchen, but there was an abnormal amount of green onions...  Oh well.  The rice was decent, but lacked wok hei and hence wasn't nutty nor exhibited much caramelization.  Seasoning was too mild, so the rice didn't really taste like anything.  The lack of BBQ pork didn't help things either.

Luckily, we also got the Sweet & Sour Pork, which helped with the bland fried rice.  Now this was excellent.  Probably one of the better versions of this dish I've had in quite some time.  Each piece of pork was tender and moist with a crisp batter.  There was just enough sauce to coat each chunk (which is the right way to do it, not drown it).  We could taste the balance of flavours including sweet, tangy and a touch of saltiness.  Really good.

Off to the sweets, we had the Steamed Bun with salted egg yolk.  The bun was like the BBQ pork bun being soft with a touch of dryness.   Inside, the salted egg yolk filling was very runny, if not too runny.  I've made this at home before and personally I prefer it with a thicker viscosity.  It was pretty sweet, yet the aromatic nuttiness of the salted egg yolk did come through.

Just like we always do, we also had the Baked Egg Tarts.  I thought they were pretty solid featuring a flaky and buttery (more like lardy) tart shell which was lightly browned.  There was some nuttiness from the tart shell that made this aromatic.  The egg filling was silky and delicate where the sweetness level was moderate.  I felt that was well-balanced and overall done right.

We had one more dessert in the form of Steamed Sponge Cake.  By employing brown sugar (which seems to be the trend these days), the sponge had a deep sweetness that wasn't necessarily sugary.  Texturally, it was soft and airy which made it easy to eat.  Now in terms of the overall Dim Sum service, we felt it was hit and miss.  Considering its reputation, price point and class of Chinese restaurant, we expected more consistency.  I would say there are many choices for Dim Sum in town and they need to step it up to stand out.

The Good:
- Generally good service
- Nice dining space with natural light
- Validated parking (only 2 hours, be careful or you will get a ticket)

The Bad:
- Hit and miss food
- For this price range, it should've been more consistent

 

Chicko Chicken (Guildford)

I really do love KFC.  No, not the Kentucky version, rather Korean Fried Chicken.  It has something to do with the delicious flavours that are available and also the juiciness of the chicken itself.  Now if you haven't noticed, there has been a rush on these places as they seem to be popping up all over the place.  That included dedicated KFC joints as well as full-service restaurants dishing up KFC as well.  One of the more well-known takeout spots is Chicko Chicken, which boasts 14 locations in BC itself.  I finally made it out to the Guildford store to pick up some of the more popular flavours.

Of course, we had to order the Original to get a baseline as well as choosing the Cheese Snow (because who doesn't like cheese?).  Gotta say that the original was pretty solid with juicy chunks of boneless chicken.  It was nicely seasoned where the meat was tender and flavourful.  The batter was crunchy and also seasoned.  I found the cheese snow to be sweet with some saltiness.  There was no absence of cheese powder coating each piece.

The consensus favourite as voted by the kids was the boneless Soy Garlic.  Although I also enjoyed the spicier flavours (next paragraph down), the soy garlic was quite good too.  Building on the same good things about the original, there was a sweet glaze that did have a good amount of garlickiness.  There was just enough sauce on the outside of each piece for effect without being too sticky and wet.

For me, the best flavour was the Buldak as it was slightly sweet, but also rather spicy.  The kick was noticeable but not painful, so it was enjoyable.  For those who wanted something milder, the Yangyeom did it's sweet and tangy thing with only a touch of spice from the gochujang.  We got these flavours with the bone-in and that was a good idea, where the bigger pieces of meat stood up to the stronger flavorus.  Overall, Chicko Chicken was pretty solid and I would order from them again.  I thought it was on the pricier end of the KFC spectrum, but then again, it is mostly meat

The Good:
- Many locations
- Online ordering, so it was easy to just go pick up
- Buldak had good spice

The Bad:
- On the pricier end, but most KFC joints are around there
- Cheese was a bit sweet for me  

Oca Pastificio

The last time I had visited Oca Pastificio was back when they first opened before the pandemic.  We absolutely loved the place as they served the freshest pasta.  In fact, pastificio means "pasta factory" and they indeed make your pasta to order (as in making the actual pasta itself).  Can't get any fresher than that!  Fresh is one thing, but execution is another.  They nail that too with expertly hand-made pasta that I would say is best in town.  So I was more than happy to do a return visit with Steph and Ceci.

Once again, we went for the Tasting Menu at $70.00 per person.  I could be wrong, but it seems to me that ordering a la carte with 3 people might've been more cost efficient?  Well, I didn't mind because we could try nearly all of the available pastas on the menu.  But before that, we started with some Cured Meats consisting of Cinghiale, Soppresssata, Speck and Salami with pickled eggplant and cucumber.  A nice way to start the meal with a nice variety of different flavours and textures.

Next, we had the Beef Tongue Salad with celery root and pickled raisins dressed with an apple horseradish vinaigrette.  This was my type of salad as the beef tongue was tender and full of umaminess.   The greens were crisp where the celery rooted added extra crunch.  Those raisins provided pops of sweetness and tang which was appetizing.  Moreover, the dressing was lightly acidic, sweet and a bit sharp.

Onto our first pasta, the Rotolo was stunning and filled with 2 types of roasted squash and rested on a base of smoked caciocavallo cheese.  The result was a subtle smokiness that Steph immediately picked up.  It complimented the sweet squash well.  As for the pasta itself, the texture was so appealingly al dente with a firm chew but still gave way without being too hard.  There was a certain robust delicateness about it.

We moved onto the Spaghetti with mussels, saffron and bottarga next.  This was nicely plated with height which made for a good picture!  As for the pasta itself, the texture was appealingly chewy while still being delicate.  You really have to try the pasta here yourself to experience the mouthfeel.  This was aromatic with some brininess from the mussels.  There was a background sweetness to go with the extra seafoodiness from the bottarga.

Bathed in a beautiful red tomato sauce with basil, the Orecchiette was also a textural delight. This was topped with a generous amount of burrata which made things creamy and aromatic.  Although the orecchiette appeared to be thicker than other versions I've had, it didn't eat heavy.  Rather, it was had the same resistance as the other pastas offering up a chew.  The sauce was bright and mildly tangy with the bonus of fresh basil.

Probably my favourite of the meal was the Pappardelle with duck ragu, parmesan and pistachio.  Oh wow, this was so delicious!  Somewhat similar to the rotolo, the pappardelle was firmly al dente, but with a more tender texture overall.  It was bathed in a rich duck ragu which was aromatic and meaty.  It was flavourful on its own where the silky ragu coated each ribbon of pasta.  The parm on top added more nutty saltiness.

We ended things off with the Vanilla Semifreddo with caramelized almond and shaved chocolate.  I found this to be creamy and light while only mildly sweet.  There was some nuttiness to go with the aromatics of the vanilla.  This was just enough dessert to end off another fabulous meal at Oca Pastificio.  Honestly, I can't rave enough about the pasta here.  Nothing is perfect in this world, but this comes pretty close.  If you want to visit, be sure to arrive before opening to secure a table, they do not take resos.

The Good:

- Excellent house-made-to-order pasta

- Sauces/seasoning are on point and never drown the pasta

- Efficient and friendly service

The Bad:

- They do not take reservations, so you will have to come early or be prepared to wait

- Small dining space

Pokey Okey (Kingsway)

So I haven't done a poke post in quite some time.  To be honest, I don't really follow the coming and goings of poke joints since the explosion of such restaurants 5+ years ago.  There are just too many and most can be interchangeable with each other.  Sure, there are a few that stand out, so I do end up going back to them for the occasional meal.  One example of this is Pokey Okey.  I've actually been here a few times and even though I enjoy their bowls, I never got around to posting about it.  Well, I guess it was meant to be because they invited me to try some of their signature creations.  I gladly accepted as I was confident that I would enjoy their food.

They have 3 prominent bowls on the menu named after a colour.  The first is the Yellow Bowl with spicy salmon, scallop salad, seaweed salad, pineapple, sweet corn, purple cabbage, ramen egg, tempura flakes, seaweed flakes and Pokey Okey sauce.  Of the 3 colours, this one is the most mild-tasting even with the spicy salmon.  There was plenty of natural sweetness from the tender scallops to the pops from the corn and pineapple.  We chose a mix of white rice and spring mix and this was lighter than 100% rice.  It is worth mentioning that the ramen egg was perfect where it was runny while not being too salty.

Onto the Green Bowl, we got more impact from the combination of tuna, salmon, capelin roe, seaweed salad, purple cabbage, soybeans, imitation crab, wasabi peas, seaweed flakes and wasabi mayo.  Beyond the big chunks of fresh fish, the wasabi peas were the most prominent ingredient with its sharpness and crunch.  When the entirety of the bowl was combined, there was a lot going on including the crunch and sweetness from the seaweed salad as well as the briny pops from the roe.

If you wanted full-flavoured, then the Red Bowl would be your choice.  Seeing how this was comprised of spicy tuna, spicy salmon, flying fish roe, seaweed salad, kimchi radish, purple cabbage, fried onion, seaweed flakes and spicy mayo sauce, you can imagine the flavour.  However, beyond the obvious with the spice from the fish and sauce, the kimchi radish made this bowl.  It was spicy and tangy while the crunch added a wonderful texture to go with the soft ingredients.

Now ordering a predetermined bowl of ingredients is a convenient and easy way of going about things, yet, you have the option to build your own bowl too.  So that we did with the Torched Salmon Belly Bowl with extra salmon, purple cabbage, soybeans, imitation crab, cucumbers, fried onion, seaweed flakes, tempura flakes and flying fish roe, smokey teriyaki sauce and pokey okey sauce on white rice.  So the torched belly was fatty, delicate and smokey.  To up the smokiness even more, the smokey teriyaki is the sauce to get here.  Add in the crunch components and you have a very unique bowl.

Talking about unique, the one thing about Pokey Okey is that they are not only about poke.  At one time, they had a wonderful Unagi Bowl, but now in its place, they have a Coconut Truffle Udon.  I thought this was pretty good with just enough truffle for effect without going overboard.  I could definitely get the aromatics of the coconut in the creamy sauce.  Veggies added some brightness where the tomatoes burst with tang.  I would've liked the udon to be chewier, but it wasn't mushy either.

Another cooked item on the menu is the Beefy Bowl with braised beef, green onions, pickled ginger, seaweed flakes and rice topped with an onsen egg.  The generous amount of sliced beef on top was melt-in-my-mouth tender and well-seasoned.  We chose brown rice for this bowl since the ingredients were so hearty.  As you can see, the onsen egg was delicate and runny.  Mixed together, this was tasty where the pickled ginger added the brightness and tang to liven up the bowl.  So as you can see, there is more than poke here at Pokey Okey.  However, their poke is indeed solid with a few unique toppings.  I think their Yellow, Green and Red bowls are well thought-out and satisfy a variety of tastes.  Make sure you add some smokey teriyaki because it really adds depth-of-flavour.

*All bowls were complimentary*

The Good:
- Some non-poke items which are incidentally, good
- Good portion size even for a small
- That smokey teriyaki sauce

The Bad:
- No real dine-in option, purely takeout

 

Nonna's Cucina

My first experience with Nonna's Cucina was when I visited their food truck at the Holidays on the Block back in December.  I tried their Numero Uno Panini and came away impressed.  Fast forward to the present and they have opened their B&M store on Hastings at Templeton.  They have expanded their menu to include pastas.  I was invited along with Maggi and Joyce to have a taste of the menu.

Coincidentally, they are currently participating in the Panini Challenge and presented us with their creation - Panino del Nonna.  It consisted of spezzatino, pancetta-onion marmelatta, burrata, pepperonata, and arugula on fresh ciabatta.  The stewed beef was the star of the sandwich where it was tender and full of rich flavours.  Since there was half a burrata in this sandwich, the creaminess really came through.  Loved the marmelatta with its sweet saltiness.  Additionally, the bread was crunchy, yet not dense.  Perfect to keep all the wet ingredients inside without becoming soggy.

Next, we had Nonna's Speciale with fig spread, sopressata, spicy capicollo, Genoa salami, fiore di latte, pepperonata, eggplant, tomato, dijon mayo and arugula on fresh ciabatta.  There was quite a bit going on in this sandwich where the amount of meat added texture as well as saltiness, spice and a bit of nuttiness.  Fig spread provided balancing sweetness while the cheese and tomatoes complimented the saltiness of the meats.

Consisting of 3 large meatballs, Nonna's Meatball Panino could easily satisfy most appetites.  Since the meatballs were slowly braised in Nonna's tomato sauce, they were supremely tender and moist.  We thought the meatballs themselves could've used a bit more salt, but the tangy tomato sauce, provolone and parmigiano added enough flavour to make up for it.  Again, the crusty ciabatta held things together well.

Now here is we got to the pastas and oh what a treat that was.  Chef Darrel Arnault has worked at Il Giardino, Tutto and Cincin, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that the Rigatoni with housemade Italian sausage & fennel ragu was on point.  The pasta was firmly al dente while bathed in a rich fennel forward ragu which also had balanced tang and sweetness.  The sausage was tender with a moist meatiness and was flavourful.

The Chitarra with sidestripe prawns, olives and crispy pancetta in a spicy tomato sauce had a puttanesca-arribbiata vibe going on and it was delicious.  Once again, the pasta was al dente and the sauce was impactful.  There was tang and spice as well as briny-saltiness from the olives.  The ample amount of buttery and meaty sidestripe prawns added a natural sweetness and aroma.  This was one of my favourites.

So now we get to some housemade pastas starting with the Pappardelle with peas & asparagus in a truffle cream sauce.  I found the pasta sheets to be tender with a delicate chew.  That truffle cream sauce was rich and full of subtle aroma that was just right.  The extra sprinkle of parmigiano on top added salt and nuttiness.  Asparagus and peas provided brightness and greens to break up the heaviness.

Their Herb Ricotta Gnocchi is also housemade and I gotta say they were also on point.  They were large, so fluffy and tender, yet at the same time, not mushy.  Instead of a regular pesto, the gnocchi were tossed in a pistachio pesto cream with zucchini, cherry tomato and fennel.  The hits of basil and garlic were intertwined with the bits of pistachio in the rich cream sauce.  This could've used a touch more salt, but overall, it was well-balanced.

We tried one last pasta in the Nonna's Baked Lasagna with classic bolognese.  This also featured fresh made-in-house pasta sheets in between tender meat and cheese.  I found the pasta to be tender while retaining some chewiness.  The bolognese was creamy and rich with balancing mild tomato tang.  This sat on a bed of tangy tomato sauce and EVOO drizzle.  

 

I was so impressed with the pastas that I actually got a bunch for takeout (on my own coin).  This was also a good way to test out the product as it was supposed to be served (since Nonna's is mainly a takeout operation).  Yes, the pastas did soften up a bit, but overall, it held up well and was still tasty when I got them home.  If you have been observant, you will notice that there is an order of the Pappardelle Bolognese (that we didn't have at the restaurant).  This featured the same delicate pasta sheets as the truffle cream version.  The bolognese was rich and meaty while creamy at the same time.  It featured deep flavours from the slow cook down and was aromatic at the same time.

They also featured 2 desserts at the shop including the Cannoli from Cannoli King.  From that you would already know that the shells would be crunchy and light.  The fillings were made in-house though featured classic ricotta.  It was creamy and smooth with just enough sweetness.  These shattered beautifully when bitten into, but were held together by the ample ricotta filling.

Their other dessert item was the Cornetti filled with either lemon ricotta or Nutella.  Now if these look like croissants to you, then you aren't far off base.  The main difference is that cornettis employ eggs in the dough which makes them closer to brioche than the butter-forward dough of a croissant.  So therefore, beyond the crispy exterior, the inside was richer in texture.  I enjoyed the lemon ricotta filling the most due to the fact I'm biased towards the brightness of fruit.  In the end, I was rather impressed with the pastas where they could certainly be served in a Downtown establishment.  Prices are reasonable considering the quality of the product.  I will be back.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Restaurant quality pastas

- Fully-loaded sandwiches with quality ingredients

- Reasonable-prices

The Bad:

- Only 3 seats for dine-in, because eating the pastas immediately would be optimal

Guu with Garlic

Sometimes going back to the classics is not such a bad thing.  Of course we generally are interested in the newest places, but we are always taking a chance with our hard-earned money because we really don't know if it will be good or meh.  So with Izakaya on my mind and meeting up with Sexy Mexi (she was in town and this was a little bit ago), we decided on something that was walking distance from where she was staying - Guu with Garlic (excuse the old stock photo, didn't want to take a new one...).  Yes, this is still one of my favs because it is reasonably-priced and consistent.  We were lucky to score a table pretty quickly.

We kicked off the festivities with the Garlic Soy Marinated Eggplant.  I thought the texture of the eggplant was just right as it was tender yet not mushy.  There was a good sponginess to it and it soaked up the garlic soy so it was full-flavoured.  However, it wasn't too salty nor too sweet.  The addition of garlic chips on top added an aromatic crunch while the green onions provided some brightness.

Continuing on with the cold dishes, we went for the Tuna Tataki as well with ponzu sauce.   Looking at the picture, you can tell that the albacore tuna was uniformly and lightly seared on the outside.  Hence the entirety of the tuna was still soft and raw.  It was fresh with a mild natural sweetness.  Dipping it into the ponzu on the plate added just enough salty tanginess.  This was also topped with garlic chips and green onions.

Now one of the underrated dishes in my opinion is the Chicken Nanban.  For those who aren't familiar, it is merely chicken karaage tossed in sour soy sauce and served with a side of tartar sauce.  Yes, I know tartar is usually a condiment for seafood, but it works here as the chicken merely replaces fish, but is still fried.  You get a salty sour thing going on, then the tartar adds a creamy sweet tanginess.

So probably one of the most predictable items we ordered was the Ebi Mayo.  It isn't a visit to an izakaya without ordering this right?  The shrimp was nicely textured being meaty with a snap while the tempura batter was crunchy and not too thick.  Loved how they didn't overdo it with the spicy mayo.  It was certainly there with its creamy spice, but it wasn't drowning the crunchy shrimp.  Oh and the shrimp chips were a nice bonus.

The largest item we got was the Miso Pork Cutlet with onsen egg, green onion and spicy miso sauce in a hot stone bowl.  I thought the pork cutlet itself was a little stiff, yet at the same time, it was tender.  The panko coating was crunchy and was a nice contrast to the soft egg and chewy rice.  Sizzling hot, the bowl helped from a socarrat on the bottom.  As for the miso sauce, it had a mild kick while exhibiting the usual fermented saltiness.

Not far behind in size (with the rice, the Tokujyo! Harami or grilled premium hanger steak was a beautiful medium rare (the most you should cook this anyways).  There was good flavour as hanger steaks usually have a good meatiness.  It was quite tender and moist.  This was pretty substantial for the $16.80 price tag.  It was finished off with a BBQ sauce which was sweet and salty with a touch of tang.  One of my favourite dishes of the meal.

Another favourite was the Tontoro just because it is one of my preferred cuts of pork.  The appealingly chewy and bouncy texture of the meat has such a beautiful mouth-feel.  Now it also has to be prepared correctly and the tontoro was nicely grilled with a noticeable char.  It was smoky on the outside and slightly crispy.  The texture was exactly how I described it and a simple ponzu was all it needed for seasoning.

Lastly, we went for the Saikyo Miso Marinated Grilled Black Cod.  Yes, it was $26.00 (like most places), but was completely worth it.  The buttery flakiness of the fish was exactly the desired texture.  It was beautifully grilled so that there was caramelization and the miso really came through.  Another favourite of this visit.  Really, all of the food was solid and that is what we expected.  Guu still does it right and it is no wonder they are always busy.

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Generally reasonable pricing

- Decent selection

The Bad:

- Cramped seating but not many izakayas are spacious anyways

- Hard to get a table sometimes