Ajishou Japanese Cuisine

So here we are, my son's second birthday meal of the day.  Again, lucky kid.  He has plenty of favourites, but Japanese food is one of his go-to cuisines.  We ended up choosing Ajishou in The Amazing Brentwood (adjacent to Neptune Palace on the same floor) due to a couple of factors.  We mainly liked the location as it is close to us and it does have plenty of parking.  Also, it is a step above the regular sushi spots (this is for his bday after all).  I won't get into the debate whether Ajishou is authentic or not because there aren't many Japanese-owned and operated restaurants in the Lower Mainland in general.

Honestly, I ordered the Ajishou Sampler Box for the gram.  However, the selection of 9 items were not bad.  They included Takoyaki, Hiyayakko, Wakame, Chicken Karaage, Tai, Tako Wasabi, Seared Scallop, Cucumber Roll and Marinated Sea Snails.  I found the tako wasabi to be quite good with lots of wasabi flavour.  The scallop was buttery and sweet while the snails had a nice bite and were well-seasoned.  Also loved the cold tofu where it was silky smooth.

We got a few more small appies to share including the Chikuwa Cheese.  Interestingly, the chikuwa was stuffed with a cheese string.  It was fine and ultimately was stringy and cheesy.  Just looked a bit strange.   Since one piece of Chicken Karaage in the sampler box didn't cut it, we got a separate order.  In the end, it was not very good where the chicken was dry and chewy.  The exterior was nicely crunchy though.  Essentially yam tempura, the Yam Fries were good with a light crispy batter with a tender interior.

So that we had enough to go around the table, we got 3 orders of Chawanmushi.  In general, these were quite good with a silky texture and subtle flavours from the dashi.  There was the requisite piece of chicken, prawn and mushroom hidden within, but a bit too much veg in my opinion.  I thought that completely broke up the appealing texture of the egg and added chewy stringiness that was counter-intuitive to the dish.

Attractively-plated, the Chef's Choice Sashimi consisted of Kanpachi, Nishin, Hamachi, Ebi, Hotate, Shimaaji, Bluefin Akami and Salmon Belly.  As you can see, this was a premium assortment of sashimi that exhibited a nice sheen.  The assortment smelled fresh and ultimately, the slices of sashimi were fresh.  I particularly enjoyed the hamachi and kanpachi as well as the bluefin.  Sure, it wasn't the best part of the fish, but it was still sweet and delicate.

Although the selection of sashimi within the Chef's Choice was good, we still got a single order of the Sockeye Salmon Sashimi (since it was not part of the aforementioned dish).  Once again, this was both fresh in appearance as well as in texture and taste.  The cuts were a bit clunky for this one, but it still ate well.  We also got a selection of Nigiri including my son's favourite - Chopped Scallop.  This was solid with actual pieces of chopped large scallops.  We often see smaller bay scallops, but due the use of large scallops, the texture was much more buttery.  They were also supremely sweet.

Of course my son wouldn't be happy with just 3 pieces of nigiri, so we also got 3 each of the Tamago, Unagi and Atlantic Salmon.  Once again, this was an attractive plate with a good ingredient-to-rice ratio.  Loved that the tamago was not some generic version while the unagi was buttery soft and lacquered with enough sauce.  As for the salmon, it was buttery and soft.  Underneath, the sushi rice was chewy and mildly seasoned.

To get a taste of their aburi sushi, we ordered both the Salmon Hako and Tuna Hako.  We were pleasantly surprised at how good these were.  As you can see, these looked legit with enough a decent torching on top.  Beyond the nicely textured sushi rice (just moist enough, but still chewy with discernible grains), the fish was fresh and well-portioned.  I thought the sauces were flavourful enough without taking over the dish.

We ended up with 2 rolls including the Spider Roll and the Red Dragon Roll.  Naturally, there was nothing unusual about the spider roll as it consisted of a deep fried soft-shelled crab.  It was crispy while the crab itself was fluffy.  It was rolled tightly enough that everything stayed intact.  The red dragon consisted of ebi tempura and cucumber on the inside with fried unagi and avocado on the outside.  This was pleasant and full of textures and flavours.  We ended up with this one mainly because my mom doesn't eat raw things.

On that note, we also got the Assorted Tempura because it was more cooked food.  This was on point with a crunchy and light batter that was not greasy.  We found ebi, sweet potato, green bean, zucchini and eggplant.  Every piece was cooked properly where the green bean was still crunchy while the eggplant and zucchini were not overcooked.  Shrimp were a decent size while having a cold-water crunch.

Our last dish was also cooked in the form of the Chicken Yakisoba, served on a sizzling cast iron hot plate.  I found the noodles a bit too soft, but the veggies were perfectly crunchy.  There was enough seasoning to give the dish a savoury, sweet and tangy flavour.  There was also plenty of tender chicken hidden within the noodles.  Overall, the food at Ajishou was good except chicken karaage.  Pricing was fair considering the quality, level of service and dining ambiance.  It wouldn't be the top of my list for this type of restaurant, but I certainly wouldn't be opposed to going back either.

The Good:

- Above average eats

- Nice dining space

- Excellent service

The Bad:

- A bit pricier than "regular" Japanese restaurants, but this also features a nice location and a more extensive menu

- Could upset a few "authentic-police" customers, but didn't bother me

Sho Bu Japanese Noodle

My son really wanted to go for ramen as his birthday dinner.  Loved that he didn't pick something exorbitant, but at the same time, ramen isn't an experience that lasts very long.  Also, we go for ramen all the time and it was more of an "everyday" meal.  So he chose Japanese for dinner instead.  However, to keep him happy, we ended up grabbing some ramen for his birthday lunch.  Lucky kid, 2 birthday meals in one day!  We ended up going somewhere obscure in Sho Bu in Henderson Centre.

Sure, there are more obvious and "better" ramen spots to choose from, but we weren't going into Downtown nor did we want to visit the usual places.  So we got a couple of appies to start including the Gyoza.  These could've been seared a bit more aggressively, but they were fine nonetheless.  Dumpling skin was fairly thin and delicate.  Although the sauce could've been bottled (not sure, could be house-made too), it didn't matter because it was very good with nice tanginess.

We also got the Chicken Karaage and it was excellent.  Not sure if they used any rice flour as part of the batter, but it had an appealing hard crunch and was not greasy.  Underneath, the chicken skin was rendered properly so no flabby portions.  The boneless leg meat was juicy and tender.  It had been marinated enough that we didn't need any dip.  But it was served with kewpie mayo with togarashi on top.

I decided to get the baseline ramen choice in the Chashu Ramen featuring tonkotsu base, chashu, green onions, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and 1/2 egg.  I found the broth to be on the lighter side, yet not devoid of flavour.  I would've preferred more depth, but this was completely serviceable.  As for the noodles, they were al dente, but on the softer side.  The chashu was fatty, yet not buttery, it was more meaty in texture.  Egg was on point with a custardy centre and being flavourful.

My son went for the Cha Ku Ramen that featured both chashu and kakuni (hence "cha ku").  This was essentially the same as my bowl of ramen except with the addition of the stewed pork belly and wood ear mushrooms.  Therefore, the broth was also tonkotsu and the chashu was the same texture.  As for the kukuni, it was fatty and tender with penetrated saltiness.  Of course the wood ear added some crunch.

My daughter ended up with the Kimchi Ramen in "1" spice level (on a scale of 0-5 with 5 being the hottest).  It featured a miso base with hot oil added for the heat.  It essentially had the same items as my bowl except with the addition of kimchi.  Even though this was only at a 1, this was still spicy enough to create an impact.  The miso was definitely there, but due to the lighter base, it was not super rich.

Viv went big with the Spicy Beef Ramen off the house special ramen section.  This was at least a half size bigger than our bowls.  It sported beef, cabbage, carrots, onions, woodear, bak choy, sprouts, spinach and swirled egg.  This, by default, was a spice level "3" and it was definitely spicy.  With all of the ingredients, it ate very hearty and could feed some big appetites.  There was a lot of veg and if you like that, this is for you.

As part of my ramen, I got it as a combo with a Pork Belly Bowl for an extra $5.95.  This had a strong dark soy flavour, but it was appealing and full of depth.  The pork belly was on the drier side, but when combined with the softer rice, it worked.  The pops of sweetness from the corn as well as the pickles added layers of flavour to each bite.  So as you can see, this ramen spot has Korean influences and for those bowls, they were good.  I would have to say there are better ramen spots around for sure, but his was more than serviceable at a reasonable price.  Loved the people there, they are so nice!

The Good:
- Fairly good value
- Decent eats
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Soup base is a bit light

 

Little Beetle

As much as there has been a number of brunch-focused spots opening up around the Lower Mainland, nothing has really captured my imagination.  In fact, with my most recent visit to Coast to Toast, I experienced sticker-shock as to what brunch costs these days.  Yes, we have ol' standbys like Red Wagon, Yolks and Egg & Co, but I just need something that would stir my soul.  Well, I have found that place.  One caveat...  It is in Chilliwack.  Yes, this cute lil' store out in the Wack has a brunch that I'm considering returning for, even though it is over an hour drive away!

Beyond the cute farmhouse-inspired decor, there is a tranquil outdoor dining space.  We ending up enjoying the fresh air and soothing instrumental music.  Our first dish was the Brekkie Croffle with house-baked croissant waffle, avocado, thick bacon, hashbrowns, 2 poached organic eggs, Hollandaise and maple butter.  Oh gawd, this couldn't have been prepared any more perfectly!  The croffle was crispy and super flaky and buttery.  That bacon was thicc while beautifully seared and caramelized.  Eggs were runny and delicate while the cubes of potatoes were crispy, well-seasoned and fluffy inside.

Equally delicious, the Fried Chicken Benny featured 2 buttermilk fried chicken thighs, 2 organic runny poached eggs on lightly-toasted English muffins topped with Hollandaise.  Since the fried chicken was already crispy (in an airy way), the softer English muffin worked.  Otherwise, it would've crunchy on crunchy.  The chicken thigh was juicy while nicely seasoned.  That Hollandaise was rich and creamy with mild acidity.  Crispy and well-seasoned, the potato wedges were soft and fluffy inside.  Even the salad was was on point with fresh organic greens with a sweet acidic vinaigrette, shaved parm and a slice of fig.

Our last dish was something sweet in the Maple Butter French Toast topped with house-made moscato berry compote and accompanied by whipped cream, banana, warm maple butter and farmer's sausage.  The thick-cut French toast was completely soaked through, hence it was almost like bread pudding inside with a soft eggy texture.  Outside, it was well-seared and aromatic.  Sweetness and moisture was added by the compote while the big scoop of whipped cream added cool creaminess.  That maple butter added another layer of sweetness and flavour.  Loved the sausage as it was meaty while juicy with a good amount of herbs.  Absolutely loved the brunch here and especially appreciated the sincere service and gratitude from the family-run business.  We could really tell they cared about their customers, food quality and cleanliness of the restaurant.

The Good:
- Well-prepared and tasty food
- Generous portions
- Lovely people

The Bad:
- Well, far for everyone other than people who live in Abby and the Wack 

Chameleon

Dining with Nikita and Bluebeard always entails a fun time.  Yes, they are good company and that is pretty important, but the fact they pick lesser-known spots outside of the city of Vancouver makes for good social media content!  Anyways, the restaurant du jour happened to be Chameleon out in Maple Ridge.  Upon walking into the place, I was impressed with the modern "Downtown" decor as well as its elevated menu.

After looking over that menu, we decided to get a few appies including the BC Albacore Tuna Tataki atop a carrot and daikon slaw with honey citrus vinaigrette, Tokyo aioli, edamame, pickled serranos and radish.  Sure, tuna tataki isn't anything unusual, but the spicy rub on the outside did make the dish more impactful.  This was nicely balanced by the tanginess of the slaw and chilis.  Beyond the perfectly rare tuna which was buttery and soft, the slaw added the necessary crunch to the dish.

As much as an order of House Fries didn't seem like anything special, it turned out to be really good.  These were starch-covered and due to the perfect deep-frying, they turned out to be light and crispy.  They were tossed with salted rosemary, thyme and sage while topped with freshly grated parm.  That in itself meant the fries were flavourful and aromatic.  However, the side of truffle aioli provided creamy umaminess.

For my main, I decided to get the Fraser Valley Duck Breast.  I found the skin to be hard-seared until crispy while topped with maldon salt.  The fat was somewhat rendered.  Cooked to medium, the duck was still moist and tender.  It sat on a bed of braised lentils and ponderosa mushrooms.  This was all surrounded by parsnip chips, roasted parsnip and parsnip puree.  I thought these were all good providing different textures.  Completing the dish was some kale and demi glace.

Viv decided on the Kuttera Salmon and Gnocchi.  Beautifully seared and seasoned, the salmon was barely cooked through.  Hence, it was moist and flaky.  Also nicely pan-fried, the gnocchi were delicate and soft while having a bite.  The lemongrass cream sauce added an Asian herbaceousness to the dish.  As for the veg, we found confit tomatoes as well as crispy kale and brussels sprout leaves.  Finishing everything off was an aromatic tarragon herb oil.

For Nikita and Bluebeard, they *gasp* ordered the same 8oz Prime Rib with mash potatoes and Yorkshire Pudding.  This was actually a Sunday special for a reasonable $32.00.  Interestingly, they could add vegetables for $5.00 (that you see here on the plate).  In my opinion, that wasn't really worth it.  As for the prime rib, they asked for medium-rare and it came as such.  It was tender and was accompanied by a flavourful demi glace.

For dessert, Viv and I shared the Vanilla Sponge with mango gel and passionfruit sorbet.  Okay, there is no getting around this, but the sponge cake was terrible.  It was super dense and dry.  Nothing about it was good.  Fortunately, the mango gel was fruity and the sorbet was flavourful and tangy.  Overall, the food at Chameleon was quite good and well-prepared except for the dessert.  Considering it is located in Maple Ridge, I would say it is worth a try since there aren't many of these spots around the area.

The Good:
- Elevated experience that is not in Downtown Vancouver
- Decent eats
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Dessert could use some work

Shoom (Da Lang Menu)

Boy, I haven't been back to Shoom in ages!  Even though I keep telling everyone that it is one of the best places to grab solid Cantonese cuisine, I keep getting distracted by other newer spots.  I had originally tried the place out after softball way back in 2015 and then returned shortly after with the fam.  Both times, the food was well-prepared and the portion sizes were generous.  I really should've returned sooner, but with an invite to try their Da Lang (late night) menu, I didn't need to be asked twice!

For those who are unfamiliar, Da Lang features smaller dishes (also subsequently priced lower) eaten with a congee (often after 9:00pm and past midnight).  Usually, it is plain congee because the dishes are already flavourful and designed to go well with a neutral-tasting starch.  However, we were served Preserved Egg and Salted Pork Congee for this meal.  The viscosity was on the money being thick while still drinkable.  It was mildly-seasoned with plenty of egg and tender slices of pork.

Personally, I feel that Da Lang is not complete without a plate of Deep Fried Silverfish with chili salt (was "Noodlefish" on the menu).  This goes very well with congee not only due to the salt, but the crunchiness is the perfect textural contrast.  I usually put a spoonful of these crispy little fish right into the plain congee.  These were good with a light crispy batter as well as just enough seasoning.

I don't even recall ordering Cumin Lamb for Da Lang, but it was a good call this time around.  This was a generous portion given this was the late night menu.  Featuring tender chunks of lamb, there was barely any filler in this dish other than onions.    As mentioned, the meat was tender and well-seasoned with complimentary earthiness as well as some spiciness.

One of the best values on the late night menu was the Salted Egg Yolk Prawns with Rice Cake.  For $14.00, this was another good portion that featured plenty of salted egg yolk.  Hence, the flavours popped and were very impactful with nuttiness and saltiness.  Prawns had a meaty snap while having a crispy exterior (even though it was coated with egg yolk).  The slices of rice cake were tender with an appealing chew.

Another typical Da Lang item is the Deep Fried Squid with Chili Salt.  Anything with chili salt goes well with congee!  This featured large pieces of squid that were tender with a moist chewiness (in a good way).  The batter was on point being crispy while not being heavy nor greasy.  They were wok-fried with chilis, garlic and salt which meant the aromatics were apparent in smell and taste.  

For me at least, I always want Sweet & Sour Pork, whether it be breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and/or late night.  Heck, I even eat it at a food court (don't judge me).  Well, the one here was legit with medium-sized chunks of pork.  There was minimal fat with each piece, yet at the same time, the meat was still juicy.  The batter was not overly thick while retaining a crunch despite being coated in sauce.  The sauce itself was tangy with balancing sweetness.

Something I haven't had in awhile is the Oyster Omelette, partly due to the fact it isn't found on all late night menus.  The one here was prepared beautifully where the egg was seared with slightly crispy edges.  Inside, it was still slightly runny and fluffy.  Strewn throughout, we found chunks of buttery, barely-cooked oyster meat.  The brininess sweetness came through while the egg itself was mildly-seasoned.

Normally, I do not order the Deep Fried Pork Large Intestines at any meal.  It isn't because I do not enjoy them.  In fact, I really love intestines (don't judge me), but no one else wants to eat them with me!  Fortunately, @tasteofvancouver was totally game and actually suggested we order the dish.  As you can see, this was uniformly fried with a crispy exterior giving way to a gamy and appealingly chewy interior.

Adding some veggies to our meal, we chose the Angled Loofa with Woodear Mushroom and Pork Cheeks.  Another solid dish where the luffa was cooked through, yet still had a bite to it.  There was plenty of woodear for crunch while the sliced pork cheek was its usual tender bouncy self.  This was one of the more mild items we had sporting a balanced sweet and salty starch-thickened glaze.

When we were looking over the menu, there was a discussion as to which clam dish to order.  The solution?  Order both!  So we started with the Clams with Sake first and it was a more subtle dish allowing the brininess of the clams to come through compared to the usual black bean clams.  Furthermore, the broth had a definite sake essence, but was nicely balanced by equal parts sweetness.  The clams themselves were buttery and all open.

As mentioned above, we also got the Black Bean Clams and yes, this is as classic as it gets when it comes to Cantonese cuisine.  This is another dish that pairs perfectly with congee.  The fermented saltiness of the sauce coupled with garlic and of course the brininess of the clams, it becomes a umami bomb that yells out for something to bring it back down (hence the congee).  This was flavourful with once again, all open clams.

Staying with shells, we got the Wok-Fried Escargots in House Special Sauce.  If you ever had these before, you will know that getting them out of the shell can be a bit tricky.  You can use a toothpick, but best method is just to suck them out (while at the same time removing the hard bottom portion).  These were pretty good and the sauce was a mix between salty and sweet.

Lastly, we ended up with more veggies in the Sautéed Pea Tip Leaves with Garlic.  Frankly, this dish looked more like a regular-sized portion, not that we were complaining!  The pea tips were tender while still maintaining a crunch.  It was mildly seasoned and none-too-greasy.  In the end, the Da Lang experience at Shoom was a positive one that featured all of the good qualities of the place - solid eats and generous portions.  I will be back for this as there are times I get the late night Da Lang cravings.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Well-prepared plates

- Generous portions

- Modern dining space

The Bad:

- On the pricier side, but portions are bigger than most

Hart House

With all the new restaurants available for us to dine at in the GVRD, it is easy to forget about some of the oldies.  Literally and figuratively, the Hart House is one of the oldest restaurants still standing in the Lower Mainland.  Housed in a Tudor-style mansion overlooking Deer Lake, the place is quaint and the setting is beautiful.  I recently came back for brunch and it was pretty good, especially at its reasonable price point.  Hence, my mom picked the place for her birthday dinner.

Looking over the menu, there wasn't a huge selection of appies we could share.  We normally do not order Charcuterie at restaurants because we eat all the time at home, but we got it this time.  It featured sopressata, capicola and salami with manchego and goat cheese brie.  This was a nice selection of meats and cheeses that also included cornichons, crostini and warm olives.

Staying with meat and cheese, we had the Prosciutto & Burrata as well.  There was a generous amount of creamy burrata drizzled with lemon & chili honey vinaigrette atop white asparagus.  That vinaigrette had a nice balance of sweet, spice and acidity.  Other than the parcels of buttery and purposefully salty prosciutto, we also found asparagus ribbons and fresh dill.

Now to some items that required cooking, we had the Seared Diver Scallops with wild garlic puree, pickled ramps, tobiko and garlic & Parm chips. Aesthetically-pleasing, this dish was equal to the task when it came to overall execution.  The scallops were beautifully seared maintaining a rare centre.  They were properly seasoned and buttery soft in texture.  The brightness of the garlic puree was welcomed while the crunch from the chips broke up the softness of the dish.

Our last appie was the Grilled Humboldt Squid which actually belonged to the Chef's Menu (Taste of the Middle East).  This was a fairly simple dish, but prepared expertly.  The grilled squid was super tender while still having a bite.  Underneath, we found a tabbouleh salad made with quinoa instead of bulgur.  Flavourwise, it was bright and mildly acidic.  A small amount of yogurt on top added creamy tang to the dish.

As part of the tasting menu, the main dish was the Ras el Hanout Braised Lamb Shank.  This was a generous portion of lamb, couscous with Turkish apricots, capers and olives as well as toasted almonds and carrots.  The lamb shank was perfectly cooked as it fell off the bone being moist and gelatinous. I found the flavours to be a bit muted though.  As for the couscous, it was texturally on point with the sweetness of apricots and tangy saltiness of the olives and capers.

My mom decided on the 6oz AAA Beef Tenderloin with braised short rib crepinette, shiitake marmalade, baby carrots, gruyere pomme puree and red wine jus.  She asked for it to be prepared rare and it was exactly that.  Nice sear on the outside of the steak too.  That short rib crepinette was tender and meaty while the pomme puree was smooth with a balanced cheesiness.  Loved the jus, but wish there was more of it (maybe serve some on the side?).

Viv went for the Blackened Lois Lake Steelhead with broccolini, roasted fingerling potatoes, smoked steelhead mousse, cherry tomatoes, trout roe, lemon beurre blanc and herb oil.  Sporting a slightly crispy charred exterior, the steelhead was moist on the inside.  It was well-seasoned with a smoky savouriness.  Veggies were perfectly cooked while the beurre blanc had good acidity.

My dad got the other fish entree in the Pan-Seared Halibut with cherry tomatoes, baby chard, pesto fregola and sauce vierge.  The large piece of halibut was expertly prepared where it was flaky and moist.  The sauce was tangy and aromatic from the herbs.  This was further amped up by the al dente pasta tossed in pesto.  The addition of tomatoes added more brightness as well as acidity.

My daughter loves duck and it was no surprise to anyone she went for the Seared Duck Breast.  It sat atop porcini polenta, pea puree, morels, grilled asparagus and cherry jus.  Prepared medium, the duck was tender and moist.  The skin was semi-rendered while slightly crispy.  Jus was sweet and complimented the duck beautifully.  Loved the morels as it added both earthiness and texture.

 

My son went for the Hart House Burger featuring an AAA beef brisket patty, garlic mayo, smoked caciocavalla cheese, pickles, tomatoes and arugula.  The last time we were here, I had the exact same burger.  Therefore, it was no surprise that it was good.  Well-charred, the beef patty was moist and juicy.  Lots of beef flavour and nicely complimented by the cheese.  Those truffle frites were super crispy with plenty of earthiness and saltiness.

As part of the chef's menu, the dessert was the Baklava with walnuts, candied pistachio and pistachio ice cream.  Normally, I'm not a huge fan of this because it is so sweet.  However, this was just sweet enough so I could actually have more than one bite.  The layers of phyllo were crispy on top while the sweetness of the honey was restrained.  Side of pistachio ice cream added a creamy coolness to the dessert.

Even though we were sharing the desserts, my daughter essentially ate Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Trifle with lavender roasted white chocolate all by herself.  This featured discernible layers of sweet and bitter chocolate intermingled with the tanginess of the raspberries.  It was purposefully sweet and nicely balanced.  It was topped with meringue, chocolate shavings and fresh raspberries.

Our last dessert was the Basque Country Cheesecake with vanilla Chantilly & blueberry compote.  This is very different than a classic NY cheesecake where it was, of course, burnt on the top and also lighter and more custardy than cheesecake-like.  I liked how the cheese flavour still came through, but the texture was a bit more eggy than other versions I've had.  Still loved the texture and the blueberry sauce was mild enough to not add too much sweetness.  Overall, it was a good dinner at The Hart House.  Nothing mind-blowing, but solid and predictable.  A classic experience in a heritage Tudor-style house.

The Good:

- Classic place, classic setting

- Solid food

- Excellent service

The Bad:

- Traditional and safe, so don't expect too many risks here