Restaurant: Sushi Garden
Cuisine: Japanese/Sushi
Last visited: December 16, 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South)
Address: 4635 Kingsway
Train: Metrotown Skytrain
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 3
Service: 3
Ambiance: 2
Overall: 3
Additional comments:

• Korean owned/operated
• Bang for your buck sushi
• Extensive menu
• Popular for sushi
• Hot items available
• Local favourite
• Very popular/busy
• Line-ups/wait list at 6pm
• Budget friendly/Cheap eats
• Family friendly
• Serves alcohol
• Same owners as California Sushi in Coquitlam
• Free parking at rear
• Dine in/Take out
• Mon-Sat 11am-10pm
• Sunday 11:30-9:30pm

**Recommendations: Alaska Roll, Tuna Gomae

Sushi Garden in Burnaby, BC is probably one of the busiest sushi restaurants in Metro Vancouver. It’s a large restaurant, but it fills up quickly and there’s a guaranteed line up that usually starts at 6pm. I’ve come here on numerous occasions, and it’s not my favourite sushi restaurant, but it’s bang for your buck sushi and it does the job if you’re in the area… especially after a hard day’s worth of shopping at Metrotown mall across the street.

I wouldn’t say Sushi Garden is high quality, but the food is actually decent especially for the price. I really don’t expect too much and if I take it for what it is, it’s good. Cheap sushi in Metro Vancouver isn’t really hard to find, and I wouldn’t make an effort to come here, but it’s an easy go to place if you’re in the neighbourhood. It’s actually Korean owned an operated and we can forget about “authenticity” because when you’re paying $3-4 for a roll, it doesn’t really matter.

The restaurant is for those who have graduated from All You Can Eat sushi and Samurai Sushi, and I would choose this before I would the other two. Sure AYCE sushi can vary depending on the restaurant, but generally, I’m not crazy about it.

If you can’t get a seat here, which is common, then I would also suggest trying Asakusa Sushi just a block away. It’s pretty much the same deal and that one is Vietnamese owned and operated. I like the menu selection better at Sushi Garden, but Asakusa Sushi offers really cheap bento boxes and nicer presentation. Their stuff has a little bit more care since they’re not as busy as Sushi Garden, but their both good options for cheap sushi in the area that actually tastes decent.

On the table:

**Tuna Gomae – 3.5/6 (Good-Very good)

• $4.95
• The gomae sauce is a bit on the thin side and I prefer mine a bit thicker, but this was still good.
• It was half spinach gomae and half tuna gomae, but the portion was still big and worth the price even if it wasn’t all tuna.
• The sauce was thin in texture, but not in flavour and it was a bit sweet and I prefer mine nuttier with a gritty texture of freshly ground toasted sesame seeds.
• There was some pureed sesame seeds, but not a whole lot.
• The tuna isn’t the highest in quality, but again I don’t expect it for the price. When it’s covered in sauce it doesn’t really matter anyways.
• The best tuna gomae I’ve had so far is at Tokachi Japanese Restaurant.

Tako Yaki – 2.5/6 (Okay-Good)

• Octopus ball, 6 pcs $3.95
• If you’ve never tried tako yaki than these are good, but otherwise they’re pretty standard for tako yaki.
• It’s a popular street food usually made of batter, diced octopus, pickled ginger, green onions and topped with fish/squid shavings, Japanese mayo and okonomiyaki sauce (thicker sweeter Teriyaki like sauce).
• It was creamy, gummy and almost like a glutinous dumpling. It’s like eating a very soft mochi.
• It was a bit mushier than usual with a very tiny piece of octopus and it was a bit tough from being overcooked.
• I wanted more filling, because they were a bit too airy even though they are supposed to be somewhat airy and light.
• I could taste the pickled ginger and onion although it was very little. I appreciated it being in there though when lots of places just ignore it.
• They weren’t amazing here, but they’re not bad either and I wouldn’t mind ordering them again.

Seafood Salad – 3/6 (Good)

• Prawn, smoked salmon, tobiko $5.95
• This was a huge salad and well worth the price.
• It’s definitely not your Hapa Izakaya Sashimi Salad, Guu Sashimi Salad or Nan Chuu Sashimi Salad, but it was also half the price of all of them.
• It was a fresh salad with lots of ingredients and I liked it!
• It was crunchy with lots of fresh cabbage, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce and the chilled and firm Japanese vermicelli noodles (used in sunomono) were unexpected, but appreciated and original.
• The seafood wasn’t all sashimi, but I didn’t expect it for the price.
• There was only one piece of tuna sashimi and then lots of artificial crab meat, some tiny thin slices of salty smoked salmon, a piece of cooked shrimp, a piece of cooked octopus, and a generous amount of tobiko which I loved.
• There was a drizzle of wasabi mayo on top, which I could have used more of, but the best part was the dressing that came with it!

This dressing is their secret house made dressing and it makes everything taste delicious. It’s a vinaigrette and the same one they put on their famous Alaska rolls. It’s a very sharp and tangy Miso like Ponzu-Soy sauce. It’s an orangey-citrus vinaigrette that’s almost like an Asian inspired Italian dressing and it’s a bit savoury and sweet too. It had a grainy texture and you could tell it was made with a fresh puree of onions and apples.

**Alaska Roll – 5.5/6 (Excellent!)

• Avocado, tobiko, salmon $3.95
• This is what they’re famous for and it’s their most popular roll. I order it every time I come.
• I would possibly make the effort to come here just for this roll. It’s one of my favourite sushi rolls in the city.
• It was a perfect one-bite piece of melt in your mouth sushi. You have to love avocado to like this.
• They don’t use the rice to make it look big, but the rice was slightly bland and the seaweed a bit chewy.
• It was super rich and creamy and stuffed with buttery, over ripe, semi mashed avocado that comes across as guacamole.
• There was more avocado than salmon, but I don’t even care because it was good enough to overlook.
• What makes this roll different from all other Alaska Rolls is that they pour a special sauce onto it.
• The special sauce is actually the same home made vinaigrette they served with the seafood salad. I love that dressing!
• The acidity of the sauce really cuts through the richness of the creamy avocado and makes the whole thing pop.
• I wouldn’t mind some crunch of cucumber to break things up, but it’s still excellent!
• The salmon wasn’t great quality, but again, you stop caring because it delivers beyond a $3.95 roll and any other ordinary Alaska roll.
• This roll doesn’t require any soy sauce or wasabi.

Spicy Tuna Roll – 3/6

• $2.95
• Unlike most spicy tuna rolls, where you would just get spicy tuna, this one also had cucumbers, green onion and tobiko. For $2.95 I can accept not having as much tuna.
• The spicy sauce tasted like a Korean chili soybean paste and it could have been Gochujung sauce which I love.
• They don’t use the rice to make it look big, but the rice was slightly bland and the seaweed a bit chewy.
• It was a bit sweet and slightly spicy and I could have used more spicy tuna sauce.
• The best spicy tuna roll from a cheap eats sushi place I’ve had so far is still from Tokyo Joe’s Sushi Factory.

Toro Sashimi (Tuna Belly) – 2/6 (Okay)

• $9.95
• So this is the section I prefer to skip – the sashimi. It’s quantity over quality.
• Toro is one of my favourite sashimi so I just wanted to give it a try here.
• Most cheap sushi places don’t specialize in sashimi since it’s expensive, so it’s really not the place to indulge in sashimi although it’s still very popular with their customers.
• The cut was quite random and it seemed previously frozen and thawed because it was colder than being simply chilled.
• It wasn’t as oily and a bit firm rather than buttery, and it wasn’t toro I wanted to finish.
• The flavour just reminded me of very mediocre tuna sashimi which I’m not keen on.
• I could appreciate this toro sashimi much more if it were in a roll context (eg: Negitoro – tuna belly roll) because then the quality doesn’t become as important and the flavour would be more forgivable and somewhat masked.

Island Roll – 2/6 (Okay)

• Cooked tuna, fish flake with fresh kiwi sauce $4.95
• This was from a previous visit. It sounded the most original and interesting, but I wouldn’t order it again.
• It was basically something you might attempt at home, but I appreciate the creativity.
• It was a bit dry because the tuna was jut a canned tuna and I think it needed to be marinated more. They just marinated it in mayo and not enough of it either.
• The kiwi sauce was mashed kiwi with perhaps some lemon juice for tang.
• The roll was salty and sweet, but more on the sweet side, and the kiwi was a bit overpowering and the roll could have been saltier.
• There was also tamago in it, but it got lost in the mixture and kiwi and tuna was basically all I could taste.
• This roll is actually better if you dip it in soy sauce and wasabi… yes even with the kiwi sauce. It works!

Haru Maki – 3/6 (Good)

• Vegetable, Tobiko, crab meat $4.50
• This is from a previous visit. From the description I would never think to order it, but I’m glad I did because it was unexpected and good.
• It was almost like a Vietnamese salad roll, but instead of vermicelli it was all artificial crab meat. There was a lot of it!
• It was creamy from the avocado and crunchy from the fresh vegetables which included a red pepper, one asparagus, a little lettuce, lots of cucumber and a little bit of tobiko.
• They served it with a Teriyaki Hoisin like sauce which was great.
• There was another Japanese salad dressing that tasted like Thousand Island dressing and I wasn’t keen on that.
• The two sauces didn’t really complement and I liked it better with the Teriyaki Hoisin sauce, which I ended up asking for more of (no charge).

Prawn & Sweet Potato Tempura – n/a

• $7.50
• This wasn’t my order, but I had to snap a photo just in case you’re interested to see what it looks like.

Restaurant: Nan Chuu Japanese Izakaya 南廚
Cuisine: Japanese/Tapas
Last visited: January 3, 2012
Location: Richmond, BC (Richmond Central)
Address: 1160-8391 Alexandra Rd
Train: Lansdowne Station Northbound
Price Range: $10-20+

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 3.5 - 4
Service: 2.5
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Gyoza King Group
• Japanese chefs
• Izakaya/tapas
• Traditional menu
• Authentic
• Very casual
• Good for sharing
• Ramen available
• Reasonably priced
• Beer/cocktails/wine
• Reservations recommended
• Mon-Sat 5:30pm – 1am (often later)
• Sunday 5:30pm-11:30pm
• Closed Wednesday

**Recommendations: Negi Chashu, Salmon Nanban, Saba Shioyaki, Gyoza, Tori Karaage, Deep Fried Oysters

Nan Chuu is part of the Gyoza King Group which also owns Gyo-O in Richmond and Chicco Cafe and Gyoza King in downtown Vancouver, BC. They used to own G-Men Ramen in Richmond too, but due to rent issues they recently closed shop. It was quite a shocker since G-Men Ramen was always busy with line ups, but the ramen menu is now being served at Nan Chuu.

I think the owners of Gyoza King are actually Chinese, but the food at all their restaurants are prepared authentically by Japanese chefs. Each of their restaurants are very different, and not like how each Guu or Hapa Izakaya is different. Each Gyoza King Group restaurant specializes in a specific category of Japanese cuisine like ramen (G-Men), seafood/sashimi (Gyo-O), Japanese desserts (Chicco Cafe), traditional izakaya (Nan Chuu) and fusion izakaya (Gyoza King). I’ve tried all of their restaurants and generally I do like them. Of course I can’t clump them all together, but so far I haven’t had a bad experience.

Located on Richmond’s famous “eating street”, Alexandra Road, is Nan Chuu Japanese Izakaya. I’ve been waiting ages to try this place and after several unsuccessful attempts and unforeseen closures it is finally reopen. It was closed the whole summer for apparent renovations, but I’m not sure what has really changed besides the signage.

The restaurant is really long and narrow with a small bar, some tight booths and group dining in the back. At first glace it really took on that traditional Japanese izakaya feel, but it wasn’t until later that it felt a bit enclosed. The on again and off again quirky jazz music alternating with the at times working silence just didn’t seem as lively or ideal for this style of dining.

Izakayas are Japanese pubs, so they’re supposed to be casual and fun watering holes for people to drink and eat tapas until wee hours. In the context of Vancouver they’re usually quite glorified and pricey, but it wasn’t the case here. The menu makes it one of the more traditional izakayas I’ve been to so far with reasonable prices and portions.

The food isn’t fancy or creative, so it might not be as exciting or interesting, but it is simple and authentic. Guu with Garlic is also great, but the menu items are more fusion and modern. If I forget about authenticity and focus on what I like, I personally like Suika, but overall izakaya is one of my favourite styles of dining and I like a lot of them. There are way more than the few I mentioned and generally the izakaya scene is solid in Metro Vancouver.

On the table:

Asahi Black

• $5
• A good izakaya place should have an extensive and affordable drink list featuring beer, cocktails and sake.
• I’m not a beer drinker, but you should drink beer with izakaya. It’s like having champagne on New Years.
• Izakaya food is more or less catered for it.

Goma-Ae - 2.5/6 (Okay-Good)

• Spinach salad in sesame sauce $3.50
• I almost always order goma-ae. This one is considered cheap.
• The spinach was very watery and that affected the sesame sauce and made it runny, so overall it was too wet.
• The sesame sauce was house made with freshly toasted sesame seeds, but it was on the salty side and I have a high tolerance for salt already.
• I prefer a bit more sweet salty balance and more sesame seeds and flavour.

Seafood & Avocado Salad – 3.5/6 (Good-Very good)

• Shoyu dressing $11.95
• This was a huge salad and it was enough for 4.
• The romaine leaves were cut in huge pieces so it was really messy to eat. I would have preferred the standard mixed greens, but this was fine.
• It came with a good amount of ahi tuna, salmon sashimi, a few pieces of scallop sashimi, and 6 wedges of avocado sprinkled with tobiko.
• It was pretty standard with some shredded daikon and a few julienne red bell peppers.
• The shoyu dressing was sweet, salty and tangy, but it tasted like shoyu-ponzu (citrus) dressing.
• The other dressing was a sweet Japanese mayo, but it wasn’t that tangy and usually that sauce would taste like Thousand Island dressing.
• I prefer the sashimi salad at Guu with Garlic or even better at Hapa Izakaya with the deep fried prawn heads (see here).

**____ Negi Chashu – 5.5/6 (Excellent!)

• BBQ pork slice, and thin cut green onion $7.50
• It was simple, but still something I wouldn’t be able to make at home.
• It was almost like a BBQ pork salad that was served room temperature. It was my kind of salad.
• The pork was the BBQ pork used for their ramen and it was incredibly tender and flavourful and not too salty.
• The pork was on the leaner side and it wasn’t juicy, but not dry or chewy either.
• The fatty parts of the pork were all chopped up, not gelatinous and practically unnoticeable. They came across as creamy bits mixed with BBQ pork slices.
• The spicy raw green onions helped cut the grease, but it wasn’t even greasy. It just lightened up the dish.
• It was all lightly dressed in a sweet soy sauce (shoyu?) mixed with sesame oil, which was really strong and aromatic.
• I just wish this had crispy garlic bits on top for more texture, but at least there was a refreshing crunch of onions.

Takoyaki – 3.5/6 (Good-Very good)

• Grilled octopus balls 4 pcs $3.75, 8 pcs $7
• These were a bit smaller than normal and about the size of golf balls.
• They were generously sauced with sweet Japanese mayo and sweet and tangy Takoyaki sauce.
• It was topped with bonito flakes which is standard.

• These are rich one biters and basically lightly grilled balls of creamy fluffy Japanese pancake batter.
• They were melt in your mouth, pillowy and creamy, but not potatoey or floury.
• Each one is stuffed with a little piece of octopus tentacle.
• Authentically there should be some flavour of pickled ginger or green onion, but this one had none and I missed that.
• They are lighter than croquettes and great as hot snacks.
• Nan Chuu’s sister restaurant Gyo-O Japanese Restaurant (also in Richmond) used to make a stellar takoyaki, but I haven’t had them in a while.

**Saba Shioyaki – 4/6 (Very good)

• Grilled mackerel $6.75
• I always get Black Cod/Sablefish, but it wasn’t on the menu, however it’s not in season anyways.
• For mackerel, it actually didn’t taste that fishy and I really enjoyed this. I do like mackerel though.
• This was a very traditional version of a saba shioyaki and it was very good, but I was hoping for more robata (grill) aromatics/flavour.
• The skin was crispy, but I prefer it a bit more charred.
• It was marinated in sake and soy sauce, but it wasn’t too salty at all.
• The meat was incredibly juicy, moist and tender and it was almost flaking like cod.
• The juices were leaking onto the plate and it was likely one of the juiciest mackerel I’ve had.
• It was traditionally served with grated radish and lemon and overall this was very good.
• I prefer the Grilled “Saba” Mackerel from Guu with Garlic (see here), but that version is fusion.

**Gyoza – 4.5/6 (Very good-Excellent)

• $5.25
• The gyoza is signature to the restaurant brand, so it’s almost a must try.
• As a gyoza, it was better than most gyoza, but it was still just a gyoza.
• They were house made and fried pretty perfectly with nice crispy bottoms. However I think they sat a bit before serving because they weren’t as crispy as they looked.

• The skins were nice and thin and not too chewy or doughy and they were stuffed with a good quality pork mixture and big pieces of chives.
• The pork was lightly seasoned with soy, tender and moist, but not super juicy either.
• It wasn’t strong with sesame oil or ginger and they tasted a bit better than normal, but I wouldn’t guess it was their signature.
• They have more varieties of gyoza at their downtown restaurant Gyoza King – see here.

Ebi Mayo – 2/6 (Okay)

• 6 pcs Deep fried fresh tiger prawns dipped in mayo sauce $6.50
• This is one of the favourites here, but unfortunately I didn’t get it.
• They came out quite soggy and the batter was really thick and doughy.
• They were heavily sauced with sweet Japanese mayo and I missed a chili kick and spice.
• As a non spicy ebi mayo, usually the mayo would still have a bit of a tang to it, but this one had no tang either.
• It was just super intense with mayo and the prawn was crunchy, but hidden by the heavy batter.
• I prefer the ones at Hapa Izakaya – see here.

Deep Fried Oysters – 4/6 (Very good)

• $7.50
• It was what it was, but they did a great job with them!
• I’m not keen on cooked oysters, but I’ll eat them.
• These were medium sized, plump, and juicy and perfect as is or for a Po Boy Sandwich.
• They were crunchy and panko crusted and fried until golden brown.
• They weren’t even that oily for being deep fried and the white paper they sat on wasn’t clear at the end.
• The dipping sauces were sweet Japanese mayo and Tonkatsu sauce (Japanese style BBQ sauce with Worcestershire kick).
• A squeeze of lemon and dip of each sauce was the best way to enjoy these.
• They kind of reminded me of the deep fried oysters from Rodney’s Oyster Bar in Yaletown, and I remember liking those too.

**Salmon Nanban – 5.5/6 (Excellent!)

• Deep fried salmon marinated in “nanban” vinaigrette with onions and carrots $4.50
• This was likely my favourite dish of the night.
• It was a big portion for the price and it was the daily special.
• It was about 7-8 pieces of boneless salmon and they had a soggy skin due to the sauce.
• I wish they removed the skins and deep fried them separately and sprinkled them on top.
• The salmon pieces were slightly dry, but after you dip them in the delicious vinaigrette it was easily forgotten.
• The Nanban sauce was amazing enough to forgive the slight dryness.
• Nanban sauce is made with rice wine vinegar, mirin, soy, sugar, Worcestershire, boiled radish/konbu seaweed and a bit of chili so it has depth and it’s not just regular vinaigrette. This one didn’t taste spicy though.
• It was super citrusy, tangy and salty and intense with lots of flavour and it just made the dish pop and come alive. I was drinking it alone! (Dying of thirst after)
• It was a juicy dish and the crunch of raw spicy onions was refreshing and made it like a salad.
• The Chicken Nanban at Miku Restaurant is my favourite “Nanban” dish, but this is a serious competitor!

Assorted Sashimi – 4/6 (Very good)

• Fresh tuna tataki, salmon & scallop sashimi $12.50
• This isn’t a place for sashimi so the selection is very limited, but I needed a break from the fried stuff.
• For not specializing in sashimi it was a bit more pricey, but the quality was actually pretty good and I liked it.
• The salmon was surprisingly buttery and good.
• The scallops were fresh and sweet and topped with tobiko.
• The tuna tataki (ahi tuna) had a salt and pepper crust, but it wasn’t done that well.
• The tuna was good tuna though, but it seemed more like ahi tuna than tuna tataki.
• My favourite tuna tataki so far is from Suika – see Tuna Tataki or Taka’s Take-Out – see Peppered Tuna Tataki.

Beef Yukke – 3/6 (Good)

• Fresh beef sashimi marinated in yukke sauce topped with quail egg $7.50
• This was best eaten immediately. No surprise there.
• It’s Japanese beef tartar, but it didn’t look appetizing.
• I have no problems with beef sashimi, but the way this one looked was a bit unsettling.
• It actually looked like raw ground beef ready to be made into patties and I thought it would be cut into mini cubes or slices.
• Mixed together it was better, but it was all quite slimy and texturally acquired.
• There were a few pine nuts which helped, and the spicy onions broke things up a bit, but that was about it.
• The yukke sauce is a predominantly sweet and syrupy garlic soy sauce with sesame oil and it absorbed into the meat well.
• It should have been served with crostini, prawn crackers, or lotus chips because it was a bit repetitive and excessive alone.
• I’ve tried their Salmon Yukke at the Gyoza King location and Guu does one as well – see Salmon Yuke. If you want to be even more adventurous try the Salmon with 7 Friends from Guu with Otokomae. (That was totally an unintended play on words)

Dessert – There was only ice cream ($3) so I passed. It wasn’t homemade or anything, so I just had dessert at home.

Restaurant: Mazazu Crepe
Cuisine: Japanese/Desserts/Ice Cream
Last visited: January 7, 2012
Location: Richmond, BC (Richmond Central)
Address: Unit 3110, 4151 Hazelbridge Way (In Aberdeen food court)
Train: Aberdeen Station Northbound
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 2
Service: n/a (food court)
Ambiance: n/a (food court)
Overall: 2
Additional comments:

• Franchise
• Japanese style crepes
• Crepes only
• Sweet and savoury crepes
• Made upon order
• Soft serve ice cream
• Snack
• Food on the go
• Budget friendly/cheap eats
• Lunch/Dinner

**Recommendations: Soft serve ice cream in a cone.

The Aberdeen Centre food court in Richmond, BC is one of my favourite shopping mall food courts in Metro Vancouver, let alone Richmond. It’s predominantly Asian cuisine with a random Vera’s Burger Shack. The set up is clean with a good variety and the prices are affordable. After Vietnamese food at Pho Lan I was up for dessert (no surprise there), and in the context of Richmond, this is actually one of my go-to places for it.

I’ve wanted to try Mazazu Crepe since it opened, but I always get distracted with Frappe Bliss (my fav) and Qoola. On this occasion I almost got distracted again, but I finally decided to just try the crepe and settle my curiosity once and for all. I wish I didn’t mean that so literally too.

Mazazu Crepe is a franchise in Japan under the name of Mother’s Crepe. It’s a crepe only shop, but it’s not your traditional French crepe so don’t expect authenticity. The crepes are basically wannabes of French crepes, but with the occasional Japanese toppings and ingredients. The franchise could be better in Japan, but it just didn’t work here.

The sweet crepes come with either custard, soft serve ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, bananas, chocolate brownies (not house made), Japanese cheesecake, glutinous rice cakes or red bean. It’s actually just a switch up of the same ingredients so there’s really not much selection.

The savoury crepes include ham, cheese, tuna salad, hard boiled eggs and sausage. Again it’s just a switch up of limited ingredients so there is not much selection for savoury crepes either. All the crepes are around $3.50-4.95 and they’re quite large and cheap, and unfortunately so are the ingredients. You do pay for what you get.

Personally the crepes just came across as poor imitations of French style crepes. The only thing I would come back for is the soft serve ice cream, which I actually liked, but I’d ask for it in a waffle cone.

On the table:

I ordered the Green Tea Shiratama Azuki Soft Ice Cream crepe because it was the most unique, even though I dislike red bean.

This is what I got.

Green Tea Shiratama Azuki Soft Ice Cream - 2/6 (Okay)

• $4.95
• It’s served with your choice of milk, green tea or twist soft serve ice cream. I ordered twist.
• It’s only served wrapped up to-go and they don’t offer it served on plates.
• The crepe is made upon order so it was still warm.
• It’s filled with soft serve ice cream, glutinous rice balls, red bean, whipped cream and sprinkled with matcha powder.
• She tried alternating the layers, but there was only one scoop of red bean at the top.
• The whipped cream was really thick, rich and greasy and not that sweet, and I wasn’t digging it.
• The red bean paste (azuki) was really thick and creamy and pretty sweet, but I’ve never been a fan of red bean.
• There were some actual red beans in it and it wasn’t completely smooth. It’s actually not bad for what it was.
• The 3 glutinous rice balls (shiratama) were chewy, squishy and plain (naturally that way). They’re filling and dense and traditionally served with azuki.
• Shiratama have a very neutral flavour and they taste like nothing and they’re one texture throughout.
• I would have preferred mochi which is at least a bit sweet and lighter.

Needless to say, they were incredibly messy and drippy to eat. Soft service ice cream in a warm crepe ends up being a soggy mess. I love crepes and ice cream, but not like this.

• Even alone the crepe was not good and it was likely the only home made part.
• For a crepe place they should have nailed the crepe.
• The crepe was very thick and doughy and I could still taste the flour in the batter.
• The crepe batter wasn’t sweet or eggy and it just tasted like flour and water.
• It wasn’t crispy or browned at all and ended up being really chewy and almost stretchy.
• The best part was the soft serve green tea ice cream. I love soft serve ice cream in general though.
• The soft serve ice cream was quite light which I liked, but it was richer than McDonald’s soft serve which I still like!
• It wasn’t icy, overly rich, creamy or sweet (like Dairy Queen) and I would actually come back for it. I’d order it in a waffle cone next time for sure.
• The Milk flavoured soft serve ice cream is $2.86 and the Green Tea flavoured soft serve ice cream is $3.10.
• On a similar note, the best soft serve ice cream I’ve had so far was at Dessert Club, ChikaLicious.

Follow Me Foodie On Dine Out Vancouver 2012!

My thoughts on Dine Out Vancouver & A Preview of the Hapa Umi & Cento Notti Dine Out Menus!

It’s that time of year again. It’s the 10th Annual Dine Out Vancouver from January 20 – February 5, 2012. I don’t know if it really needs any explanation, but it’s basically Canada’s largest restaurant festival featuring 231 restaurants offering a set menu for $18, $28 or $38 – see the full list of restaurants and menus here. Adding to the festival this year are 70 culinary-focused events, tours and activities.

The original purpose of the event was to help give restaurants a boost during a slow time of the year… when most people are still trying to save money and loose weight from the holidays. It’s a bit ironic, but it works and people still love it, or it wouldn’t be on its 10th year.

This is quite an interesting post for me to write and I’ll be totally honest about it. I wrote a semi-controversial post about it last year stating why “I Don’t Dine Out Vancouver” (see here) and basically my thoughts haven’t really changed. I could easily make this into an even longer essay, because I have so many thoughts about it, but I’ll keep it in a Follow Me Foodie oversized “nutshell”.

There’s nothing wrong with Dine Out Vancouver, but I’m actually not the target market for it. Personally I prefer going on a regular night because I find it more representable of the restaurant. I usually find it even better too since it’s not as busy or rushed and I’m not limited to the prix fixe menu. I’ve also found some restaurants to jeopardize the ingredients or portions to meet the cost of the price fixe so I rather just go on a regular night. Last but not least I do like a good deal, but I’m willing to pay for food at a restaurant that I want to try regardless of the extra incentives. I’m not saying I wouldn’t participate in any Dine Outs, and I’ve done them before in the past, but I enjoyed them more for the company than the food.

I appreciate Dine Out Vancouver more as a food festival and I’m happy if it gets people trying restaurants and enjoying food. However I still highly recommend people to go back to their favourites on a regular night because Dine Out is really more or less just a sample. I wouldn’t really base my opinions on a restaurant solely on their Dine Out Vancouver menu. Personally, I’m more interested in the 70 culinary-focused Dine Out Vancouver Events which include Street Food City (Jan. 24-26), Dine Academy, Secret Supper Soirée, and Brasserie Mystère.

If you’re looking for Dine Out recommendations I can pass on what I know since I was invited to the Dine Out Vancouver 2012 media preview. Each group was taken to two surprise restaurants and mine were Hapa Umi and Cento Notti. However my thoughts are just for their Dine Out 2012 menus and not for the restaurant on a regular night.

I have tried Hapa Umi in the past and I still enjoyed it more on a regular night, but their portions were quite generous for the Dine Out menu and I saw the value (depending on what 3 courses you end up choosing). As for new Italian pop-up restaurant Cento Notti in Yaletown, I found it more of a hit and miss and I expected it to be in the $28 category (Update! It is now $28!), but I have yet to try it on a regular night for comparisons sake.

Other suggestions I heard from friends who tried different restaurants on the media preview was that Bitter Tasting Room ($18) was well worth it and impressive. I also heard there was amazing food and portions at Kitsilano Daily Kitchen, and raving reviews about Salmon n’ Bannock Bistro ($28) which I’ve been meaning to try since last year. We didn’t try all the restaurants and I didn’t get feedback from everyone, but those were some highlights.

Hapa Umi – Dine Out Vancouver 2012 – $38 Menu

Appetizers Choice:

Albacore Tuna Tataki – Salsa verde, crispy tortilla ribbons

• I found the portion generous and the quality of the tuna was very fresh and high.
• I could taste the infused smokiness in the sear and there was a slight heat from the Shisito seasoning on the crust, but it wasn’t spicy.
• The salsa verde wasn’t meant to be traditional and it was a nice switch up from an expected avocado puree.
• There may have been a bit of avocado, but it tasted mostly of lime and cilantro.
• The tortilla chips added a great crispy texture and I think it would be fun to see those as crispy fried ramen noodles.

OR

Tofu Salad – Citrus Soy Dressing

• This was even healthier and lighter than the ahi tuna choice and the tofu is organic. It was a huge salad too.
• I probably would have preferred firm smoky soy marinated tofu as opposed to this soft one which kind of fell apart in the salad.
• The tofu seemed like an imitation of fresh mozzarella and I just needed a stronger dressing.
• There were nice crunchy textures, deep fried lotus root, crisp sweet matchstick apples and fresh green beans, but it was a bit bland overall for my tastes and I like tofu.

OR

Edamame Potage Soup – Grilled Sake Sausage

• Oh god. I really hope this is on the regular menu because I would go back to order this a la carte. This again was a good portion.
• This was the richest and heaviest choice for the appetizers which also makes it my favourite. It really tasted the best too though.
• If you like pea soups, this was similar and it was almost like a pommes puree or velouté, which is my favourite kind of soup.
• It was creamy and velvety smooth and was thick enough to coat the roof of your mouth and stick to your spoon.
• I bet the soup was made with dashi (Japanese stock) and it just had a wonderfully rich and developed flavour throughout.
• The sausage was juicy and flavourful with snappy skins and I think there was a hint of mint in the soup to keep it bright and fresh.

Entree Choice:

Umi “Salisbury” Steak – Pork and beef steak, ume emulsion, sweet potato crema, corn-butter poached vegetables

• This dish and steak wasn’t that big, but the steak was full of flavours and it would be fantastic in a burger bun.
• It was cooked perfectly with the juices locked inside and the mixture of pork and beef made for an incredibly tender and flavourful patty.
• There were also crunchy bits of water chestnuts in the patty to give texture.
• There were some nice crispy leeks on top and the ume (Japanese plum) sauce gave it a sweetness similar to apple sauce, but also much sharper.
• The corn-butter poached vegetables were slightly random and perhaps a bit too sweet. Since corn is out of season it would be nice to see butternut squash being used as an alternative to achieve the same sweetness.
• The spoonful of sweet potato crema on the side was cold though and I wish it was plated underneath the steak so it would still stay warm from the heat of the meat.
• Overall all the sauces were sweet, so I did miss some savoury components and even some tang or heat for more balance.

Poached Ling Cod – Yuzu Kosho gel, vegetable and umeshiso fritters, nori paint

• I loved the quality of the flaky ling cod, but I really missed having the skin. I did expect the skin at a restaurant as sophisticated as Hapa Umi too.
• The fish seemed steamed and quite Chinese in style.
• The plate had a lot of components and sauces so I was almost eating everything separately.
• I love nori sauce, but this one seemed pureed with little bits of seaweed rather than smooth and melted like the ones I’ve often had.
• The yuzu kosho gel had good flavour, but it ended up being almost like a gelatinous clear sheet of sauce and it would be great if it was executed as gel capsules. I find gels are best presented in capsules when using molecular gastronomy.
• I wasn’t too keen on the umeshiso fritters because the rice ended up being a bit mushy, but the flavour was there.
• The daikon was juicy and well infused with dashi (Japanese stock) and that was prepared excellent.
• Again there were interesting textures and colours to the overall dish, but it was perhaps a bit overly ambitious.

Tofu Steak – 8 grain risotto, scallion-ginger soy

• This was the vegetarian option and although I do like tofu and vegetarian dishes, I would enjoy this more as a side. It would be a great side to that Salisbury steak.
• The tofu looked like a giant toasted marshmallow and it was lightly deep fried and crispy with a soft and silky middle.
• The risotto had a lot of texture and it was nutty from all the various grains, but it was a lot of one thing.
• Usually a risotto is creamy, but this one was very firm and it contrasted the tofu nicely, but I felt like it was missing an ingredient.
• There were some onions, zucchini, and eggplant sauteed into the risotto and I was more favorable to the concept.

Dessert Choice:

White Sesame Panna cotta – black sesame ice cream

OR

Matcha Mille Fuille – puff pastry, matcha custard

OR

Chocolate Mousse Roll Cake – Chocolate genoise, cinnamon ice cream

We actually ran out of time for dessert and had to make it to the next restaurant

**My thoughts are just for the Hapa Umi Dine Out 2012 menu and not for the restaurant on a regular night.

Cento Notti – Dine Out Vancouver 2012 – $38 Menu (Update! Now $28!)

Mocktail – Agri Dolve Fresh puree of blood orange, white cranberry juice and ginger ale $5

Appetizers Choice:

Baby Beet – Arugula salad, house cured goats cheese, candied hazelnuts

• It was quite a typical beet and goats cheese salad.
• The cheese was quite thick and dense rather than fluffy and soft and it wasn’t that heavy and gamey in flavour, but still noticeably a goat’s cheese.
• I liked the beet chips and the tender sweet red and golden baby beets underneath.
• It brought me back to memories of the Pistachio crusted goat cheese croquettes I had in Quebec City – see Vegetarian Plate (Chevré).

OR

Fontina Ravioli – Sweet onion and thyme broth

• This was very similar to a French onion soup.
• It was a very flavourful soup with a very strong thyme flavour, but I’m not sure how I feel about the little bits of what seemed like dehydrated garlic or onion bits floating on top.
• There were also some minced carrots and I guess I expected the carrots to be infused in the stock rather than visually and texturally there.
• There was one giant ravioli floating in the centre and it was super creamy and rich with a polenta like filling flavoured with melted cheese.
• The filling just oozed out of the ravioli and the skin was also nice and firm which I liked too.

Entree Choice:

Braised Lamb Cheek mafalda pasta – saffron beech mushrooms, tomato concasse

• This was a very saucy and rich dish.
• It was perhaps slightly over sauced, but the noodles were really firm and al dente which I liked.
• The lamb cheeks were decadent, melt in your mouth and delicious!
• They were incredibly tender and glazed with a sweet and tangy demi glace or red wine reduction, and it was nice and syrupy.
• I could see some finding the dish salty, but I have a high tolerance for salt so it was okay for me.
• I also really like sauce so I’m not too bothered by the amount, but it was a lot of sauce.

OR

Lois Lake Steelhead Trout – Tomato/Basil risotto, pickled zucchini salad

• I love Steelhead Trout and I loved that they served it with a crispy skin, but I question how it will turn out when Dine Out hits and they get really busy.
• This was moist and juicy, especially since it had some of the belly, so I hope they can keep the execution consistent.
• I think there are going to be complaints that there are some bones in it though.
• Chef explained that the bones were difficult to remove due to the cut of trout and how it had to be presented, but without being told this, there might be some issues.
• It was topped with an escovitch (pickled salad) which is really common in Hispanic cultures and the Caribbean, but it’s more common to have it with deep fried fish.
• The risotto was al dente, creamy, and strong with Parmesan cheese with a little acidity of tomato and I enjoyed it. I hope this is consistent too since risotto isn’t forgiving.

OR

Roasted Porchetta – Cannellini bean puree, braised pork cheek arancini

• I love porchetta, but I found this one quite dry and tough to cut through.
• I usually look forward to the crunchy crackling skin, but this one was just the roasted loin.
• It was stuffed with dried apricots and there was a lot going on, but it was hard to look past the dryness.
• The bean puree was nice and it reminded me of pureed chestnuts which always goes well with pork.
• The braised pork cheek arancini was my favourite part and it was almost like a deep fried creamy and cheesy risotto croquette.

Dessert Choice:

Cento Classic Frozen Tiramisu

• Everyone raves about this and loves it, but I’ve been eating frozen tiramisu and frozen fruit cakes since I was a kid, so it wasn’t particularly new for me although I did still like it!
• It was almost like a semifreddo and if you like tiramisu for the rich creamy texture, fluffy marscapone and slightly cheesy flavour, that’s not what you’re going to get here.
• This was strong with chocolate and coffee more than heavy with marscapone in flavour.
• The whip was also more like whipped cream than marscapone too, so I did miss the marscapone which is the best part of a tiramisu for me.
• At times the lady fingers can be dry due to the freezing, so I did miss the moisture of a soaked lady finger from a non-frozen tiramisu.
• The bar on top looked like a brownie, but it was actually a very light and dry espresso like biscotti.

OR

Lemon Tart – Marscarpone Creme

• The lemon tart was sweeter than it was tangy and it was actually not very tart at all. I do prefer a zing in lemon tarts.
• I did love the creme brulee crispy top it had and the tart contrast of plump and juicy Amerena cherries (?) were a nice alternative to a typical raspberry coulis.
• The dollop of marscarpone creme was much stronger with marscarpone flavour than the one served on the tiramisu and I really liked it with the lemon tart. I do wish it was the same one served with the tiramisu too though.

**My thoughts are just for the Cento Notti Dine Out 2012 menu and not for the restaurant on a regular night.

Follow Me Foodie to Healthy & Cheap Eats in Vancouver!

Fat and broke from the holidays?

Yes? Well it just means you enjoyed yourself so don’t look back. It’s okay, we’re all in the same boat… or sinking the same boat? If you’re not in this category than pass this post on to your friends that could benefit. It may be insulting, but it’ll be a true test of friendship. If you missed my Foodie Friday segment on NEWS 1130AM radio this morning (11am every other Friday) here’s a quick recap.

Healthy and cheap are surprisingly hard to find, and healthy, cheap and good is even harder. Sure there are your salad bars and under 6 grams of fat Subway sandwiches, but eating healthy and cheap doesn’t have to be boring either. I’m not saying salad bars and Subway are boring (Jared Fogle ate it for how many years?), but there are more options and cuisines to explore.

Sure I could give you a list of vegan/vegetarian places, or you could just google those? Personally I’m a lover of rich, indulgent and heavy foods and could never really count a smoothie as lunch, but at this time of year, “healthy and cheap” is in demand. It’s okay, I get it, and who doesn’t want to save a penny?

I’m also not going to generalize everyone in one giant “fat and broke” category, so the following are just some suggestions for healthier and more affordable options. You decide which quote suits your current situation and bon appetit!

PS: I don’t think you’re fat… and I really hate that word.

Follow Me Foodie’s Healthy & Cheap Eats in Vancouver!

“I want something quick, healthy and cheap, and I’m not vegetarian or vegan.”

Photo from Something Healthy website

Try Something Healthy Wholesome Meals & Juice Bar – Menu items include whole wheat thin crust pizzas with skim cheese, baked sockeye salmon fillet with side of brown rice/quinoa & roasted veggies and freshly squeezed juices and smoothies. It’s quick healthy fast food, with items under 400 calories and less than $10.

Address: 660 Abbott Street, Vancouver, BC (Gastown)

“I ate one too many chocolate calenders and there was only December. I’m a step away from an acne commercial and I’m wearing elastic pants. I don’t mind having a smoothie for lunch and I still have cash for my gym membership… and/or yoga classes.”

Try The Juice Truck – It sounds like you may need a major detox. Menu items include The Pineapple Beat juice (Pineapple pressed with strawberry, apple, beet & ginger), The Strawberry Coconut smoothie (Strawberry blended with coconut meat, coconut milk, banana, raw cacao nibs, vanilla & agave) and there’s even a daily soup special if a drink just won’t cut it. It’s about $6-8 per drink, but the quality of ingredients are high. It’s not necessarily cheap, but who cares when you still have money for yoga!

Address: 200 Abbott Street, Vancouver, BC (Gastown)

“Eating turkey over the holidays is what I called “dieting”, I want my meat without feeling too guilty. Fries are vegetables because potatoes are vegetables.”

Bamboo-Charcoal Dark Miso Ramen

Try Motomachi Shokudo – Craving ramen and think it’s healthy? Not exactly, but here’s a healthier option for it. Motomachi Shokudo is a healthier take on ramen offering lighter broths. The Bamboo-Charcoal Dark Miso Ramen is a blackened soup made with powdered bamboo charcoal and miso ($9.75) and it’s the healthiest option on the menu.

Address: 740 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC (West End/Robson)

“Isn’t there anything more adventurous than brown rice and a salad? I don’t count calories, and my pants are slightly tighter than my cash… “

Photo from Dine Out There

Try Nuba -  It’s Lebanese and Middle Eastern healthy fast food at reasonable prices. It’s not really “cheap eats”, but it’s not expensive either. I’m sure if you count the calories, starches and fat it’s certainly not as healthy as a garden salad, but how many garden salads can you really eat? This is relatively healthy, a bit different, and full of spices and flavour.

Address: 4 locations in Vancouver, BC – see here

“I’m living in an apartment I can’t afford and went boxing day shopping on a line of credit… but I still fit my clothes!”

Try Ba Le Deli & Bakery or Au Petit Cafe – A Banh Mi (Vietnamese sub) is the ultimate in cheap eats. For around $3 it’s one of the biggest bangs for your buck! Ba Le Deli & Bakery and Au Petit Cafe are the two institutions and local favourites for them. The Vietnamese cold cuts, pate or dark meat chicken (depends what you choose) and the French baguette might not be healthy, but you still fit your clothes and are blessed with great genes… and probably look great in a pair of jeans! FYI you can’t use a line of credit for these because most likely the restaurants accept cash only.

Ba Le Deli & Bakery address: 701 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC, or 633 Main Street, Vancouver, BC, or #101A 15277 100th Ave, Surrey, BC

Au Petit Cafe address: 4851 Main Street, Vancouver, BC

Miku Restaurant – Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi

2011 Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Yearblog

Happy New Year! Welcome to my Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2011! This is a recap and yearbook/yearblog of the BEST Follow Me Foodie (FMF) Food and FMF Foodie Moments in 2011.

I wrote a Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2010, so I decided to do another one this year. I don’t even know where to start. It’s been a crazy year, and I’m so grateful for everything that has happened with this blog. I’ve loved every minute of it (even the parts where it hurt to laugh because I was so full) and I’m so happy to have shared these delicious moments with you. Thank you for following me foodie and cheers to another year of gastronomic indulgence!

NOTE: IT’S NOT NECESSARILY “THE BEST“, BECAUSE FOOD IS PERSONAL AND I CAN ONLY DISCOVER SO MUCH IN A YEAR. THESE ARE JUST SOME WORTH MENTIONING IN MY BOOKS… OR BLOG? BLOG. IT’S MORE OF A 2011 RECAP/SUMMARY. ALL EXPERIENCES ARE FROM 2011 ONLY.

Top 20 BEST ASIAN/FUSION Restaurant Dishes & Food in Vancouver:

Suika – Beef Short Rib

Being in Vancouver, we’re spoiled by great Asian/Asian Fusion cuisine, so I decided to make it a separate category. Vancouver dominates and excels when it comes to Asian/Asian fusion cuisine.

Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Suika – Beef Short Rib

2. Aki Japanese Restaurant – Black Cod (Sable Fish)

3. Pho Tam – House Special Pho

4. Wing Kee – Fresh Steamed Scallops with Vermicelli and Garlic

5. Dan Japanese – Tuna Chili Sashimi

6. Wang’s Beef Noodle House – Beef Brisket Noodle

7. Kirin Seafood Restaurant – Black Cod Braised with Squash and Roasted Pork Belly

8. Jade Seafood Restaurant – Steamed Mushroom Dumpling

9. Rainflower Restaurant – Pan Fried Tiger Prawns with Basil

10. Tokyo Joe’s Sushi Factory – Volcano Roll

11. Empire Chinese Cuisine – Alaskan King Crab Dinner – 4 ways

12. Red Star Seafood – Dungeness Crab with Wild Rice

13. Motomachi Shokudo – Bamboo-Charcoal Dark Miso Ramen

14. Tokachi Japanese – Tuna Gomaae

15. Empire Chinese Cuisine – Deep Fried Alaskan King Crab Knuckles

16. Ichiro Japanese – Dragon Roll

17. Delicious Cuisine – Deep Fried Shrimp with Salted Egg Yolk

18. Hapa Izakaya (Kistilano) – Salmon Shooter

19. Suhang Restaurant – Steamed Soup Buns with Pork Filling (XLB)

20. Jade Seafood Restaurant – Jade Smoked Grandpa Chicken

Honorary Mentions from 2010 list: Miku Restaurant – Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi, Top Gun J & C Restaurant – Baked BBQ Pork Bun, Hakkaido Ramen Santouka – Toroniku Shio Ramen

See “Follow Me Foodie Best of 2010 Asian/Fusion Dishes” here.

See the full “Follow Me Foodie Best of 2011″ here.

Making Croissants at Bouchon in Las Vegas

2011 Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Yearblog

Happy New Year! Welcome to my Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2011! This is a recap and yearbook/yearblog of the BEST Follow Me Foodie (FMF) Food and FMF Foodie Moments in 2011.

I wrote a Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2010, so I decided to do another one this year. I don’t even know where to start. It’s been a crazy year, and I’m so grateful for everything that has happened with this blog. I’ve loved every minute of it (even the parts where it hurt to laugh because I was so full) and I’m so happy to have shared these delicious moments with you. Thank you for following me foodie and cheers to another year of gastronomic indulgence!

NOTE: IT’S NOT NECESSARILY “THE BEST“, BECAUSE FOOD IS PERSONAL AND I CAN ONLY DISCOVER SO MUCH IN A YEAR. THESE ARE JUST SOME WORTH MENTIONING IN MY BOOKS… OR BLOG? BLOG. IT’S MORE OF A 2011 RECAP/SUMMARY. ALL EXPERIENCES ARE FROM 2011 ONLY.

Top 25 Most Memorable/BEST Dishes Internationally:

At the 5th day of the opening for the first ever Ladurée in the United States in New York

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee on Blue Mountain, Jamaica

Food is undeniably a focus when I’m traveling. This year I was grateful to take Follow Me Foodie to Bowen Island, Seattle, Las Vegas, New York, Portland, Los Angeles, Montreal, Quebec City and Jamaica.  Here are some of my best international indulgences this year. So Follow Me Foodie to some of my favourite foods and restaurants abroad with just one click!

Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Pine State Biscuits – The Reggie Deluxe Biscuit Sandwich – Portland, Oregon

2. Pambiche – Masitas – Portland, Oregon

3. Local 360 – Fried Chicken – Seattle, Washington

4. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Cafe – World’s Best” Mac & Cheese – Seattle, Washington

5. Nove Italiano - Shrimp Francaise – Las Vegas, Nevada

6. Bouchon – Truite Grenobloise – Las Vegas, Nevada

7. Traif – Crispy Pork Belly – Brooklyn, New York

8. The Spotted Pig – Gnudi – Manhattan, New York

9. Katz Deli – Pastrami Sandwich on Rye – Manhattan, New York

10. Jean-Georges – Manhattan, New York

11. BonChon Chicken – BonChon Chicken Wings – Manhattan, New York

12. Peasant – Cannolichi, Suckling Pig (Porchetta) – Manhattan, New York

13. Boqueria – Croquetas Cremosas – Manhattan, New York

14. Blue Hill – Chilled Corn Soup, Berkshire Pig - Manhattan, New York

15. Scotchies – Jerk Chicken – Ocho Rios, Jamaica

16. Blue Mountain Coffee – Blue Mountain, Jamaica

17. Schwartz’s – Smoked Meat Sandwich – Montreal, Quebec

18. Le St-Urbain – Coffee Glazed Sweetbread – Montreal, Quebec

19. Van Horne – Melon Canari (Canary Melon) – Montreal, Quebec

20. Le Bremner – Kimchi Snow Crab, Lobster Toast Au Gratin – Montreal, Quebec

21. Café Clocher Penché – Duck Confit – Quebec City, Quebec

22. Laurie Raphaël – Apple Crumble, Carrot Cake – Quebec City, Quebec

23. La Traite – Wendake, Quebec

24. Au Goût d’Autrefois (Dining at the Duck Farm), Quebec

25. North End Caffe – Kahlua Pig Egg Rolls – Los Angeles, California

Restaurant: Asakusa Sushi
Cuisine: Japanese/Sushi
Last visited: December 17, 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South)
Address: 4729 Kingsway
Train: Metrotown Skytrain
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3
Service: 2
Ambiance: 2
Overall: 3
Additional comments:

• Vietnamese owned/operated
• Popular for sushi
• Cheap bento boxes
• Cheap lunch combos
• Casual/quick
• Family friendly
• Budget friendly/cheap eats
• Limited free parking at rear
• Accepts credit cards
• Mon-Sat 11am-10:30pm
• Sunday 5pm-10pm

**Recommendations: Spicy Chopped Tuna. The rolls seemed decent and the bento boxes and lunch specials are cheap.

Basically it’s the cheap sushi restaurant you go to when Sushi Garden turns you down. It’s only a block away and when the line ups are unbearable or Sushi Garden is full, you come here. It’s somewhat plan B, but for many locals it’s often considered as their secret neighbourhood favourite that is still unknown to most.

For me I like the variety and menu better at Sushi Garden, but the execution is a bit more presentable here. Sushi Garden is Korean owned and operated and Asakusa Suhi is Vietnamese owned and operated. It doesn’t really matter who runs it, but it’s not Japanese people in case you’re curious. They’re both cheap hole in the wall sushi joints that aren’t particularly amazing, but they’re good for the price.

I’d say it’s steps up from all you can eat sushi and a step up from Samurai. I can’t really think of anything better for the same price in the Metrotown area, but at the same time it doesn’t necessarily make it good. It’s no fuss, bang for your buck sushi, and it does the job on a dime.

On the table:

**Spicy Chopped Tuna - 4/6

• $5.75
• This was my favourite of what I ordered.
• The portion was very generous.
• The spicy sauce tasted different than most spicy tunas I’ve had though. It was almost like a yellow brown peanutty coloured sauce rather than a red one.
• The sauce tasted like the apple and onion Japanese vinaigrette/salad dressing they put on top of the basic Japanese “garden salad”.
• There was some Shichimi (Japanese chili pepper seasoning) mixed into it for heat.
• The tuna was nice and chilled and cut in random pieces and the sauce was sweet and almost seemed like gommae with some sesame seeds too.
• The spiciness takes a while to kick in and it was a mild-medium spicy if anything.

Sashimi & 1 Roll Combo B (BC Roll & Salmon Sashimi) – 4/6

• $8.25
• I added 5 pieces of Toro (Tuna Belly) sashimi $7.25
• You only save $.50 ordering a combo and I just realized that now. I would rather order a la carte.
• I don’t really order combos, but the lunch combos and bento boxes are really popular and cheap here.
• The portions are also bigger than normal, which isn’t authentic, but it’s almost a given at places like these.

BC Roll (Salmon skin) - 3.5/6

• $3.25 a la carte
• The BC Roll was actually pretty good for what it was and the price.
• It was fairly large (2 biter), but not just all sushi rice.
• The rice was moist and sticky, but slightly on the blander side and the seaweed was a bit chewy.
• The salmon was crispy and grilled and the fish was slightly dry, but kind of what it is usually like too.
• I actually don’t order BC rolls often, so I don’t have much to compare to, but I tasted crispy salmon and the rice was passable.
• It was drizzled with a bit of Teriyaki sauce and it was good with clean presentation and pretty cheap.

Salmon Sashimi - 3/6

• 5 pieces $5.50 a la carte
• It was a step up from Samurai, so it’s not great quality, but it’s cheap.
• I would say stick to the rolls, but it’s okay for cheaper kinds of sashimi like salmon and tuna.
• It was huge slices and I prefer the more delicate thinly sliced salmon, but it was edible and still not bad.

Toro (Tuna Belly) Sashimi – 2/6

• 5 pieces $7.25 a la carte
• I love toro and it’s one of my favourite sashimi, but it was only okay here.
• I wasn’t keen on the quality and flavour of this one and it was served almost too chilled, but not frozen.
• You can get away with “okay” salmon sashimi and not have it taste bad, but not really with toro.

Restaurant: Motomachi Shokudo 元町食堂
Cuisine: Japanese/Ramen/Noodle Shop
Last visited: December 4, 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC (Robson Street/West End)
Address: 740 Denman Street
Bus: EB w Georgia St FS Denman St
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5-5 (based on what I tried)
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Authentic Japanese ramen
• Sister to Kintaro
• Small/tight seating
• Limited menu
• Busy at peak hours
• Local favourite
• Healthier ramen
• Casual/quick
• Cheap eats
• Interac accepted
• Mon-Sun 12pm-11pm
• Closed Wednesdays

**Recommendations: Bamboo-Charcoal Dark Miso Ramen

I haven’t had ramen since Momofuku Noodle Bar and the delicious Ippudo in New York, but I’m happy to say Vancouver’s ramen scene is pretty good! My go-to ramen place is always Ramen Santouka just a couple blocks away, so Motomachi Shokudo always slips my mind. I consider it the “hidden gem” and dark horse of ramen in downtown Vancouver, BC.

I just finished watching the Santa Claus parade… okay no, that’s a lie. I just finished watching the parade for about 10 minutes before I got too cold and hungry. Okay, no that’s another lie. I got too cold and I wasn’t necessarily hungry, but a hot bowl of ramen was more appetizing than a hot coffee or tea, so off I was for some ramen.

Motomachi Shokudo is pretty much neighbours with Kintaro Ramen, which already had a line up. Actually not only are they neighbours, but they’re also related… by broth not blood. Motomachi Shokudo came after, but it is sister to Kintaro Ramen which is one of the first ramen shops in Vancouver. Comparing them is really apples and oranges though. They both specialize in ramen, but the styles are very different.

Kintaro Ramen is more casual, has more options, and is much richer and greasier, unless you get the light broth, which I don’t think is that great. Motomachi Shokudo on the other hand is more refined, lighter and healthier, and almost has its own style. I’m a fan of rich foods, but Kintaro Ramen is overkill for me and I find the quality isn’t as great as when it first opened. Everyone has their own tastes, but personally I prefer the style, ambiance, food and value of Motomachi Shokudo. It’s probably my second favourite ramen place in the city after Ramen Santouka so far.

In a way I can’t really compare it to Ramen Santouka either though because even these two have different ramen styles. Ramen Santouka is more representable of the Southern style ramens in Japan where they tend to roast the pork bones. Motomachi Shokudo is more representable of the Northern styles where they don’t roast the pork bones and it’s even chicken-based too. There’s no right or wrong or more authentic etc., it’s just different regions and styles. Therefore Ramen Santouka, Motomachi Shokudo, and Kintaro Ramen may be walking distance apart, but when it comes to their ramen, they’re styles and/or regions apart.

On the table:

**Shio Ramen – 4.5/6

• Angel-haired Japanese leek, Menma (bamboo shoots), green onions, soft-boiled local organic egg, white pepper, BBQ pork, seasonal green vegetable, thinly sliced chili pepper $8.95
• Ramen with light clear soup using all-natural salt imported from either the Himalayas or Mongolia. Best of the best! – Motomachi Shokudo
• Shio is basically the staple ramen, or the “test” for ramen and the chef will pride himself on this broth.
• If this is good, the rest should be too because it’s the purest broth and flavour.
• The broth was served hot, but not piping hot and traditional Japanese ramen isn’t served piping hot.
• The broth here is intentionally lighter and healthier than most places and it’s chicken based not pork. I prefer pork, but this is still great!
• It was clear and noticeably lighter than most Shio Ramen, but it wasn’t bland and there was depth in flavour.
• It wasn’t as rich and milky as Ramen Santouka and not as greasy as Kintaro Ramen.
• I actually liked that it didn’t have fatty floating white bits on top, even though this can be traditional in some Japanese ramen.
• The broth was naturally oily and although it was chicken based, I still felt like it had some pork flavour in it.
• It wasn’t a strong chicken or pork flavour and there’s no roasting of chicken or pork bones either, so it’s a Northern style ramen.
• It wasn’t too salty (not dying for water after) and I could actually taste the white pepper and a gentle heat in it, but it’s not spicy.
• I have a feeling they use either bonito flakes (fish flakes) or some sort of fish in the broth because there’s a slight fishy aftertaste.
• It’s not a fish broth, but there is a subtle fish flavour that is noticeable if you pay attention.

• I liked that it came with some toppings (although not much) because I hate when you have to add everything and at the end your $9 ramen is $17 (happens at Ramen Santouka).
• It came with a couple crunchy strips of bamboo shoots and half an egg.
• The organic egg was pretty good with a creamy soft middle and it was really well marinated and almost sweet.
• It was reminiscent of a soy sauce egg which is rare, but I liked it.
• It came with a big slice of pork that was medium fatty.
• The pork was very tender, soft and moist and well infused with savoury soy sauce flavours.
• The fatty parts were on the whole tender with maybe a couple bites being a bit chewy.
• I really enjoyed the pork and it had its own flavour apart from the broth, but I couldn’t tell it was barbequed or grilled.

• The noodles were nice and chewy and not overcooked.
• I prefer a thinner noodle with Shio ramen and this was a bit thicker, but I still enjoyed it.

**Bamboo-Charcoal Dark Miso Ramen – 5/6

• Angel-haired Japanese leek, Menma (bamboo shoots), soft-boiled local organic egg, green onion, BBQ pork, thinly sliced chili pepper, white pepper, seasonal green vegetable, chili pepper powder $9.75
• Our blackened soup is a happy meeting of powdered bamboo charcoal and our rich miso soup, a healthy blend with greater depth of flavour. – Motomachi Shokudo
• This is what I really came for and it’s their specialty.
• So far, it’s the only place offering this Bamboo-Charcoal Ramen that is from Japan.
• The broth doesn’t look great, but it’s delicious and the bamboo-charcoal powder is very healthy for you, so this is their “health-conscious” option.
• It was thicker, richer and fuller in flavour than the Shio broth and back to back you could notice the fishiness in the Shio broth even more.
• I could taste the somewhat mild chicken broth, and again no roasting of bones, and it seemed a tad more oily than the Shio broth.
• I could taste the miso, but it also had an infused tang of menma (bamboo shoot) to it, but it’s not tart.
• It wasn’t as strong as a miso broth in a miso ramen.
• If you like menma you would probably like this because it had a sweet and pickled flavour of menma in the broth. It was light, but it was there.
• It didn’t taste burnt, bitter, or even really smoky, and it didn’t have a powdery mouth feel.
• It didn’t have a nuttiness of black sesame or anything, but it was almost more like a mild Chinese black bean flavour.
• This broth is a bit spicier than the shio broth, but I wouldn’t say it’s spicy. It just has a mild spice.
• All the ingredients in the soup are used rather minimally, but it developed a well layered depth of flavours.

• The noodles were nice and chewy and not overcooked, but a bit softer than they were in the Shio Ramen.
• I’m not sure how consistent their noodles are, so I need to try it again.

• Again, I liked that it came with a selection of toppings and they were the same as the Shio broth.
• For more about the egg and pork, see the “toppings” section in the Shio Ramen description above.

Restaurant: Ippudo
Cuisine: Japanese/Noodle Shop
Last visited: September 7, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (East Village)
Address: 65 4th Ave (Between 9th and 10th Street)
Nearby subway stop: 8 Street – NYU
Price Range: $10-20+ ($14+ ramen)

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• Ramen chain from Japan
• Opened by “ramen king” Shigemi Kawahara
• Famous for ramen
• Lots of variety for ramen
• Modern/sophisticated atmosphere
• Daily specials
• Very popular to locals/tourists
• Long waits/lines
• Very casual
• Beer/wine
• Credit cards accepted
• No take-out/reservations
• Lunch
  Mon – Sat : 11:00 am – 3:30 pm
  Sun : 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Dinner
  Mon – Thu : 5:00 pm – 11:30 pm
  Fri – Sat : 5:00 pm – 12:30 am
  Sun : 5:00 pm – 10:30 pm

**Recommendations: Akamaru Modern Ramen, Wasabi Ramen, Hirata buns (Steamed chicken or pork buns)

Ramen in New York is a big deal much like it is in Vancouver, BC. Chef and owner David Chang of the Momofuku empire was actually first to introduce it to New York through his restaurant Momofuku Noodle Bar. Since then, the ramen scene has exploded and there are now more options than ever.

I thought it was appropriate to start with where it all began, so my first bowl of ramen in New York was actually at Momofuku Noodle Bar. However this isn’t where ramen started, it’s just where it got famous in New York. I can’t say the Momofuku ramen style was for me as it was catered more for Western tastes. I had to appreciate it for a different clientele, but personally when I have ramen I want the authentic Japanese version, which brings me to Ippudo.

Hmm doesn’t this story sound familiar? The same thing happened with New York style pizza. Lombardi’s Pizza felt like the Momofuku and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria felt like the Ippudo.

Anyways, Ippudo is just as popular, if not even more popular for ramen than Momofuku now. It is a ramen chain with over 40 locations in Japan and it was created by “ramen king” Shigemi Kawahara. It’s a famous brand in Japan, and now in New York, and hopefully some day in Vancouver. On the other hand, being from Vancouver, BC, we have a pretty decent ramen scene (outside of Japan) and I actually preferred our Ramen Santouka, which is also from Japan.

Ippudo and Ramen Santouka are both excellent and the differences are quite marginal. It’s really comparing crème de la crème, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out on too much. It was interesting that half, if not more of the staff, chefs/cooks at Ippudo aren’t Japanese though, in Vancouver they’re all Japanese. Regardless, if it’s good it’s good, and I’m very satisfied and happy with what I can get at Ramen Santouka, although I’m glad I tried Ippudo.

Additionally, I do want to give a shout out to Totto Ramen, which was the third ramen place I wanted to try but didn’t have time for. It doesn’t have as much clout as the other two, but it’s supposed to be the underdog that’s possibly even better. It might be better than Ippudo, but I wasn’t on a ramen hunt and I felt satisfied enough in stopping at Ippudo and recommending it for ramen in New York.

On the table:

**Akamaru Modern Ramen – 5/6

• The original “Tonkotsu” noodle soup topped with Ippudo’s secret “Umami Dama” miso paste, pork chashu, cabbage, kikurage, scallions, and fragrant garlic oil Ramen $14 / Set $17
• Menma (Seasoned bamboo shoots) +$3
• This is the most popular ramen noodle bowl and must try item.
• It’s more authentic in style than Momofuku Noodle Bar and it’s much richer, but not overly greasy either.
• It came with traditional Japanese toppings and I added the bamboo shoots which were great quality.
• The bamboo was firm, thick flat strips that were still crunchy, yet tender and not woody. It had a nice and savoury flavour and it was a bit tangy.
• The kikurage (black wood ear mushroom) is traditional, and Momofuku Noodle Bar didn’t have these traditional toppings.
• The round ball of red miso paste in the centre was new to me and usually I’m used to the (yellow/brown) miso paste being infused into the broth.
• This clump of miso paste tasted like miso paste mixed with soybean paste and it was very savoury and pungent since both pastes are fermented.
• The ”Umami Dama” miso paste was delicious, but I did find that it overwhelmed the pork flavour you want in an excellent ramen broth.
• It was a rich, creamy and garlicky soup and it wasn’t as milky from the pork bones as the one from Ramen Santouka. It wasn’t as creamy and rich in flavour as that one either.
• It seemed more like a Northern style ramen because I don’t think they roasted the pork bones to make the stock so it didn’t have that smoky intense pork flavour.
• I found the pork flavour actually a bit masked and I did like the one at Ramen Santouka better.
• I got a lot of smoky garlic flavour thanks to the aromatic black garlic oil they sprinkled on top before serving though.
• The broth tasted good, but I wanted as much pork flavour as there was garlic and miso paste flavour.
• There was a little bit of heat, but it’s definitely not spicy, and the temperature of the broth was hot, but not piping hot, which is ideal for traditional ramen.
• It had two pieces of thinly sliced braised pork belly (kakuni) that was obviously fatty, but not only fat either.
• The fatty layer of the pork didn’t melt in my mouth and instead of being buttery and creamy it was chewy and gelatinous like jellyfish, so I wasn’t liking that part. The leaner part was quite tender though.

• The noodle selection is supposed to match the type of broth.
• The noodles were unexpected and it was a thin round buttery soft noodles instead of the chewy curly typical ramen noodles.
• It was very soft though and perhaps a bit overcooked.
• Since the noodles was less substantial than the curly kind it was appropriate for the somewhat lighter flavoured pork broth.
• On the other hand, I generally prefer the curly ramen noodle with any kind of broth.

**Wasabi Ramen – 5/6

• Our famous Tonkotsu noodle soup infused with wasabi.  Topped with pork loin chashu, fresh chopped wasabi, menma, naruto, sesame, and scallions $15
• Nitamago (Seasoned soft boiled egg) +$2
• I really like wasabi and I found this soup very mild with wasabi and it didn’t hit my nose.
• It wasn’t until I had more of the Akamaru Modern Ramen and went back to this Wasabi Ramen that I could really tell that there was a distinct wasabi flavour.
• It wasn’t a spicy broth, but it was still very rich and creamy and garlicky like the Akamaru Modern Ramen, but that one was stronger, more pungent and more savoury.
• It tasted like wasabi paste or Japanese mustard infused into the standard pork broth and it had that paste like grainy texture, and I really didn’t get any fresh wasabi flavour or texture. It said there was some on the menu, but I didn’t notice any.
• Again there was no roasting of pork bones, so it wasn’t a Southern style ramen bowl, and I still found the pork flavour to be mild in the broth.
• The toasted sesame seeds didn’t play a significant role in flavour, but it was almost more of a garnish.

• It had 2 slices of pork loin rather than the braised pork belly (kakuni) served in the Akamaru Modern Ramen bowl.
• It was lean and still very tender and well infused with soy sauce, but not too salty.
• It wasn’t juicy since there isn’t much fat, but it wasn’t dry either and they were very easy to chew and I enjoyed them.
• I added the soy sauce seasoned soft boiled egg (Nitamago) which I found was a bit overcooked, but flavourful. The yolk should be slightly creamier and runnier – see the Ramen Santouka egg here.

• The noodles were the curly thicker kind and it did suit the soup base especially with the added wasabi and/or Japanese mustard.
• They were chewy and not overcooked and again the ramen bowl was served at the right temperature. It was hot, but not piping hot, which is how ramen is best enjoyed.