Kurrywala Indian Restaurant

Sometimes, I cut through New West on my way home and go up 6th and onto Edmonds.  Therefore, I must have drive past Kurrywala many times over without ever thinking of stopping to eat there.  All I know is that it used to be Big 6 diner and I enjoyed their burgers.  Well, we finally made it out there since they wanted us to check out their buffet as well as some a la carte items.  More on the buffet later, but I'll start with the regular menu first!

Arriving on an extremely hot sizzling cast iron plate, the Tandoori Prawns were excellent being charred, but not burnt.  The smokiness really came through while the marinate ensured that each prawn was spiced and had some heat.  They were cooked perfectly where the meat was still juicy.  Even though the plate was super hot, the prawns were perfectly placed atop onions to ensure they didn't overcook.

Nicely plated on a long plate, the Fish Pakora came in huge pieces.  The fish they used was basa and personally, I didn't mind it.  Naturally, most people would prefer a cod of some kind, but that would make the dish ultra-expensive.  Back to the fish, the pieces were lightly coated and fried until crispy.  The fish was buttery soft and  there was a nice earthiness to the batter.  Served on the side, we found tartar sauce, which went well with the pakora.  Some people would prefer a chutney and I'm sure you could substitute. 

We tried the Vegetarian Momos, partly due to the fact they were out of the meat ones.  No matter as the dumpling skin was really good.  Being house-made and never frozen, it meant the skin was moist and not dry.  It had a nice chew to it, but ultimately was tender.  Inside, the fresh veggies offered up natural sweetness and that fresh crunch which would never be found in a frozen dumpling.  Really solid and I didn't miss the meat at all here.

We tried an array of curries including the Smoked Butter Chicken was creamy and mildly tangy with noticeable depth.  It wasn't just that it was smoky, but the richness of the flavour created a lingering effect.  The chicken was tender and moist where it had taken on the impact of the sauce. The Palak Paneer was noticeably darker in colour and as a result was also quite a bit more layered.  Rather than being one-note with just onion and ginger, this had a stronger earthiness and background sweetness. The Coconut Chicken was creamy, yet not heavy.  It was definitely aromatic and purposefully sweet. Surprisingly, I really liked the Mushroom Curry.  The problem with mushrooms is that they make most things soggy due to their moisture content.  It wasn't like this here where the flavours were still full of depth and spice.

For our carbs, we had the Garlic Naan first and it was a pretty fluffy version of the flatbread.  Most of it was pillowy soft while other parts had a nice elasticity.  On the bottom, it was slightly crispy.  There was enough ghee and garlic for impact.  We also had the Keema Kulcha featuring soft and fluffy bread while paired with a chicken curry and of course, butter.  I joyfully applied the butter generously on the bread while dipping it into the rich gravy.

Sure, usually we would get some basmati rice to pair with all of our curries and naan, but to make it more interesting, we selected the Chicken Biryani instead.  This featured some perfectly-prepared rice which was chewy, nutty and dry enough that it wasn't clumpy.  It had taken on all of the wonderful sweetness of the chicken as well as the spices.  This gave it a bit of heat as well as some earthy notes.

We also tried their buffet and we loaded up our dish with rice and a selection of curries including Goat Curry, Chicken Curry, Yellow Dal Tadka, Rajma and Makhni Paneer.  On the next plate, we had Samosas, Pasta Salad, Green Salad and Raita.  They also had Gulab Jamun, but didn't get any.  Obviously, the a-la-carte dishes we had were superior to the buffet, but the curries were still good and if you are hungry, it is a good value.  I enjoyed the goat curry and paneer the most.  Overall, the food at Kurrywala is delicious with good portions and fair pricing.  I prefer ordering off the regular menu than the buffet though.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Large portions

- Generally on point execution

- Well-priced buffet

The Bad:

- Buffet could use a few more appies

Tozen Sushi Bar

With so many Japanese restaurants in town, it is sometimes hard to wade through the mediocre to find that superior spot.  Now we aren't talking about the higher-end places such as Okeya Kyujiro and Masayoshi.  We are referring to the ones that are less pricey than the aforementioned restaurants, but also more premium than the value, mass-produced places such as Sushi Garden (nothing wrong with eating there, just using it as an example!).  Tozen Sushi Bar is one of these spots where they offer more premium ingredients, but still accessible to many.

We started our meal at Tozen with some more usual dishes in the Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki and Corn Karaage.  These were all very good with the okonomiyaki featuring a slightly crispy exterior giving way to a soft and fluffy interior.  There was a balanced amount of cabbage that was not overdone.  Yakoyaki was pretty typical, but the corn karaage was the star of the 3 dishes.  The clusters of corn niblets had pops of sweetness.  It was only lightly battered, being crispy.

We were presented with 2 platters of sashimi next including the Assorted Sashimi and the Tozen Special Sashimi.  Obviously, the latter of the 2 was bigger and cost more.  The first platter featured salmon, tuna, hamachi, amaebi and madai.  The larger platter consisted of akami, chutoro, otoro, hirame, kanpachi, shima aji, salmon belly, hotate, amaebi, and saba.  By looks alone, you can tell this was fresh and vibrant.  Naturally, the 3 types of bluefin sashimi stole the show, but the rest were sweet and texturally on point.

Moving onto our next few dishes, we had the Salmon Jalapeno Aburi Hako as well as 3 different Chawanmushi (mushroom, madai and dungeness crab).  The aburi was nicely seared where the sauce was creamy with a touch of tanginess.  Jalapeno was sliced thin enough so it wasn't too intrusive.  Rice had a nice texture, being chewy but not dry.  Silky and slightly briny, the chawanmushi was delicious.  I liked the dungeness crab version the most.

Continuing on with more sushi, we had the Negi Kanpa Hama and the Tuna Bomb.  I found both of these to be very appealing and tasty.  Bright and fresh-tasting, the kanpachi was complimented by the balanced amount of chives.  Now that was good, but the tuna bomb was my favourite with its flavourful and buttery mix of tuna.  There was nice spice to it and spreading it onto the crispy rice, it created a nice textural contrast.  There was also a good mix of warm and cold.

Okay, the tuna bomb was well, bomb, but the Bluefin Nigiri Set was truly the best thing we ate.  It consisted of Akami, Chutoro, Otoro and Negi Bluefin.  Similar to the one found at Sushi Hil, this was every bit as good.  Naturally, the best piece was the buttery and melty otoro.  It had the unmistakable umaminess and natural sweetness.  Of course the other pieces were good in their own way with the akami being meatier, but still soft and full-flavoured. 

Featuring some more akami, chutoro and bluefin negi, the Premium Nigiri Set also had hamachi, amaebi, tamago, saba, hirame, kanpachi and anago.  Neatly constructed with a balanced amount of chewy seasoned sushi rice, the nigiri was good.  Particularly enjoyed the large piece of buttery eel (and of course the bluefin).  For our roll selection, we had the Saba Bou featuring house-marinated saba with rice and shiso.  Loved how the saba was mild-tasting but still full-flavoured.  Rice was on point and the shiso added its usual herbaeousness.

We finished off the meal with 2 beef dishes.  The more luxurious of the 2 was the A5 Wagyu Nigiri.  This was served with a lid and once removed, it revealed the smoke.  Hence, beyond the butteriness of the meat, it was also slightly smoky.  Super delicious!  Last item was the Beef Yukke Salad that was quite the big portion.  I thought the beef was buttery and well-seasoned, however, maybe a bit too salad?  I prefer my yukke as it is with some crunchy vessel of some sort.  However, that is a personal preference and I'm sure others would like this as the meat was excellent and it was a fairly light dish (despite the generous amount of beef).  Overall, the food at Tozen was really good.  Things were fresh, prepared properly and visually appealing.  Yes, the food was delicious too.  Sure, the pricing will be more than the usual neighbourhood restaurant, but Tozen is not that.  Splurge a little and you will notice the higher quality of ingredients and attention to detail.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Quality ingredients
- Careful preparation
- Nice dining space

The Bad:
- Parking in the area a little difficult due to Skytrain construction
- You will be paying a bit more than the usual neighbourhood Japanese resto, but well worth it

 

Par4 Kitchen & Bar

As you know, Vancouver has a few days of rain a year...  In fact, an average of 169 per year!  So when you feel a little blue sometimes, especially during the months of October - April, I don't blame you!  So even though we boast that we can play a round of golf 365 days a year, there are many of us who are fairweather golfers.  Not to fear, we now have a new place where we can play on a golf simulator while enjoying beverages and food, even before we hit holes 9 and 18.  Located in the former location of Big Ridge Brewing in Surrey, we find Par4 Kitchen & Bar.  We checked out both the simulator and food one night.

So beyond playing the Golf Simulator, they also have other games such as hockey, football, soccer, handball and shooting zombies.  They have all the equipment necessary including golf clubs (L&R), hockey stick, football, soccer ball and a ball for handball and throwing at those aforementioned zombies.  There is bar seating for your friends to watch you shank that golf ball as well as a place to have drinks and share some snacks.  Good call on the hand sanitizer at the table.  When you are done playing, you can move to the dining room and enjoy more food!

About that food, we did get started on some shareables because we were busy making fools of ourselves with the games.  To start off, we had the Albatross Nachos with beef.  These were quite good with crispy chips that had enough cheese on them.  On the side, we found sour cream, guac and salsa.  The one thing that made these nachos was the braised beef brisket.  It was super tender, meaty and full-flavoured.  It was another $7.00, but well worth it.

Next, we shared the Bubba Platter featuring fried chicken, dry ribs, corn ribs, fries and slaw.  I really enjoyed the corn ribs as they were crispy but still had the sweet juicy pop of each niblet.  They were nicely spiced too.  The dry ribs were typical being crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside.  The fried chicken skewers were like chicken strips with Cajun spice and ranch dressing.  I didn't mind them but the batter was a bit thick.  Fries were fantastic, they were hot, crispy and with tender potato inside.  Slaw was pretty solid being crunchy and not overdressed.  Although there was a nice mix of appies, this was a bit pricey at $55.00.

Since we were here on a Tuesday, they were offering all their pizzas for $15.00 each.  We decided to try the Donair Pizza with shaved beef, za'atar, onion, tomato donair sauce and chili oil.  In terms of concept and flavour, this met the challenge.  There was an array of earthy and tang spices, meatiness and slight heat.  The crust was crispy and a bit chewy.  However, one thing that we would've liked to see was softer beef.  Since it was double-cooked, it ended up being chewy.  Maybe add it on after the fact?  Not sure...

We really had no choice but to order the Masters Club Burger as Par4 Kitchen is a bar/pub restaurant (you need to try the burger!).  This also passed the test as sported afresh seasoned ground beef patty, bacon, burger sauce, aged cheddar, tomato, onions, pickles and iceberg lettuce on a brioche bun.  We added an extra patty to make this even better.  About that patty, the beef was moist and nicely seared.  The texture was naturally meaty and the flavour was beefy.  The toasted brioche was perfect.  Solid burger.

We didn't end there with the handhelds as we also went for the Korean Fried Chicken Burger.  By virtue of using a chicken thigh, the meat remained moist and juicy.  The batter was a bit thick, yet worked in this case offering up a firmly crunchy coating.  They were conservative with the gochujang, hence it wasn't dripping with sauce.  As a result it wasn't super spicy either.  The crunchy slaw worked in this burger but I would've liked to see some kimchi instead.

We tried the one pasta option on the menu in the Basil Pesto Fettuccine.  We added a grilled chicken breast for $7.00 extra.   Although a bit saucy, the pasta was quite good.  It was creamy and rich with the definite taste of basil.  The addition of mushrooms and truffle oil did provide the usual earthiness.  Glad they didn't overdo it with the truffle oil.  The pasta was a little past al dente, but that might've been due to our picture-taking.  Chicken was charred and smoky.

Although looking more like a pork chop, I can assure you that the picture is of the Big Easy 8oz Ribeye.  We chose it to be prepared blackened with Cajun butter.  This was perfectly medium-rare being super tender and juicy.  The outside was smoky and charred while the Cajun butter was nicely spiced.  The accompanying mashed potatoes were starchy and potatoey.  Also, charred, the broccolini was still vibrant and crunchy.  Although a delicious dish, it was a bit pricey at $52.00.

For dessert, we tried 3 of them including the Carrot Cake and the New York Cheesecake.  Although fairly moist, the carrot cake was still a bit crumbly.  It was super sweet, especially with the cream cheese frosting on top.  As for the cheesecake, it was pretty dense, but typical for New York Style.  It was plenty cheesy and somewhat aromatic.  I found it to be purposefully sweet, so it was fine.  Both of these desserts were okay, but the next one was my favourite.

That favourite happened to be Stubby's Cookie Skillet.  Crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle, the cookie was on the sweeter side, but the texture really was the key.  On top, we found vanilla gelato and a salted caramel drizzle.  This really didn't need to be sweeter, but hey, it is a dessert.   Overall, the food at Par 4 Kitchen & Bar is decent with some highlights.  Prices are on the higher end, but things aren't cheap these day anywhere.  The golf simulator is fun and a great way to spend some time with friends before, after or during food.  Even better given we are heading into the rainy months.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Golf simulator and other games are a great way to pass the time with friends

- Food is decent

- Nice dining space

The Bad:

- Some items seemed to be too expensive?

- Desserts are pretty sweet, but if you like that, then ignore this comment

Ask For Luigi

There are just some restaurants I haven't revisited for quite some time and one of them is the popular Ask for Luigi.  Yes, it has been 10 years since I've dined on their Michelin-recommended food.  Not sure why it has taken me so long to return, but Jess made a reservation for us to grab some lunch.  I'm glad she did so because I probably would've been running off to try the latest and greatest, but forgetting places that have been around and continue to be awesome.

As if I needed anymore Burrata especially since I had it the night before at Bar Corso.  Hey Jess wanted it and honestly, I wasn't complaining.  Absolutely love burrata!  This one here came with tomatoes, strawberry vinaigrette & pistachio.  I thought the heirloom tomatoes were fresh and sweet.  Nice firmness on them while still being ripe.  This came with a whole burrata that we cut open to reveal the creamy insides.  I thought the vinaigrette was balanced and provided both sweetness and acidity.  The one thing I would've liked was a few flakes of fleur de sel to elevate the flavours.

We ended up with the Mussels with nduja sausage, fennel & pomodoro because they were out of the cauliflower.  No problem as these mussels were so on point.  They were plump and buttery with everyone of them opened.  It sat it a tangy pomodoro amped by the addition of nduja.  This added depth and a meatiness that wasn't overbearing.  There was some spice but generally it was mild with the aromatics of the fennel coming through.  That grilled bread on the side was both necessary and utterly awesome.

On another visit with Roanna, we went for the other appies I didn't have last time including the elusive Fried Cauliflower.  Last time, we didn't get to try it because they were sold out.  I remember from the first time I visited Ask for Luigi that they were very good.  Turns out my memory was right as the cauliflower was cooked-through but still firm.  It was drizzled with aioli and topped with a considerable amount of parm.  Sneakily, the star of the dish was the fried chickpeas as they provided complimentary texture.

We weren't really into ordering a salad this time around, so we went big with Luigi's Meatballs sitting in a fresh tomato sauce.  These benefited immensely from the sultanas and pine nuts as it broke up the meat texture with plump sweetness and a sweet nuttiness.  As for the meat, it was a bit firmer than I remembered, but I haven't had these in awhile so am not sure.  Now that didn't impact the eating enjoyment we had as the meat was moist and lacking in filler.  That tomato sauce was perfect being only lightly tangy with natural sweetness.  Very bright flavours.

We had the pasta of the day being the Duck Ragu in a light pomodoro.  This was absolute money with mildly tangy tomato sauce that was complimented by the richness of the duck ragu.  There was plenty of tender morsels of meat that had the gaminess of duck that was also well-seasoned by the stewing with the herbs and tomato paste.  Again, the tanginess of the pomodoro provided a certain brightness to break up the heaviness of the ragu.  The gamelli pasta was perfectly al dente and held onto the ragu beautifully.

The other pasta we had was the Bigoli Nero with frutti di mare and uni butter.  Oh this was so rich and buttery.  It exhibited further luxury with the creaminess of the sweet uni mixed into that butter.  There was definite brininess to the dish but also the seasoning was on point where everything was properly salted including the pasta.  Seafood was perfect too with delicate prawns that had a snap and buttery mussels.  The pasta itself was firmly al dente.

Much like the visit with Jess, Roanna and I went for the pasta of the day which was Vongole Tagliolini in a white wine butter sauce with chili flakes and anchovy breadcrumbs.  This featured all the best things about fresh pasta.  Texturally, it was al dente with a certain dry firmness, unlike dry pasta, which can be gummy or too wet.  As a result, the dish ate a bit dry and possibly could've used just a touch more butter.  The clams were plump and buttery while offering up their usual briny sweetness.  Loved the anchovy breadcrumbs on top as it provided both crunch and saltiness.

Trying to hit the rest of the pastas, we had the Rigatoni alla Bolognese.  This was very good with firm noodles bathed in a creamy bolognese that was not short on tender nuggets of meat.  The rigatoni was the perfect vessel here since it held onto the sauce and kept things moist and flavourful.  It was ever-so-mild with a rich meatiness.  About that meat, it was slow-cooked to the point it was buttery and airy.

Our last pasta was the most surprising as it did not contain any meat.  The Radiatore Verde & Mushroom Trifolati was my favourite on this second visit with Roanna.  Even more effective than the rigatoni, the radiatore held onto the olive oil and garlic beautifully where there was bursts of aromatics.  The plethora of mushrooms added woodsiness as well as moisture and the usual squishiness.

For dessert, I went for my favourite in the Olive Oil Cake with candied orange and whipped ricotta.  This cake is the must order here.  It was soaked in syrup being moist and aromatic.  The whipped ricotta was super light and creamy.  The citrus really came through in a subtle floral manner.  As you can see, the food at Ask for Luigi is as solid as it has ever been.  It certainly continues to be a destination for great pasta.  I will not take another 10 years to be back!

The Good:
- On point pastas
- Prominent flavours
- That banana bread (only available during brunch)

The Bad:
- Super tight in there with limited table space
- Not the best area at night

 

Mr. Japanese Curry

With all the different versions of curry around the world, it is pretty hard to choose a favourite.  I personally love them all in their own way as they are all unique.  One of the most approachable forms of curry is the Japanese one.  It is usually not spicy and has an appealing sweetness to it.  Definitely won't blow your mind like authentic Indian or Thai curries.  Yet, it is much more flavourful than the yellow stuff they call curry in Chinese cuisine.  So it was with much interest that I visited Mr. Japanese Curry on 8th at Cambie.

We tried a bunch of curries including the Beef Curry with Chicken.  Yes, it was only the curry that was beef flavoured while it was paired with chicken.  Interesting contrast between meaty umaminess and buttery soft chicken.  There was lots of depth as I could taste the earthiness of the curry as well as a background sweetness (that was quite muted).  Love the side of pickles as it helped add a sweet crunch to compliment the rich flavours.

Shockingly, I really enjoyed the next curry even though it was vegan!  Yes, the Pumpkin Croquette Curry itself was vegan, but was still silky and rich.   It was more sweet with less spices coming through.  I was surprised at the creaminess, but it was definitely welcomed.  As for the croquettes, they were awesome!  Beyond the uniformly crispy breading, the pumpkin was delicate and soft.  The natural sweetness really came through.

 

Now my favourite item we had was the Omu-Cheese Curry.  Oh where do I begin?  First off, the curry was smooth and had an appealing viscosity.  It was mildly sweet and I could taste the spices.  But the real draw here was the silky soft cooked eggs.  They were fluffy and had a great mouth feel.  Just the right amount of melted cheese graced the dish so it wasn't overwhelming.  Combined with the chewy rice, each bite was a delight.

To get a sense of the other proteins that can be had with the curries, we had the Fried Ebi as well as the Chicken Karaage.  The ebi was crunchy while buttery inside and the karaage was crispy with juicy meat.  Those would've gone well with the curries as well.  All-in-all, I was rather impressed with the food at Mr. Japanese Curry.  It doesn't seem like complex food, but they were able to make distinctive curries that worked well with their accompanying proteins.  I would definitely eat it again.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Delicious curries, well-balanced
- Well-prepared proteins
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Seating is real tight