At the THOROUGHBRED – A Day at the Races

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 15 Most Memorable/BEST Restaurant DESSERTS in Vancouver:

Miku Restaurant – Blueberry-Lavender Coconut Cream Tart

Of course I had to have a dessert category! I probably eat as many desserts as I do savoury courses. I had better luck finding great desserts in the city this year than last. Sweeten up your day with these!
Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Giovane Cafe + Bar – Sugar Bun, Peanut Butter Hedgehog

2. Miku Restaurant – Blueberry-Lavender Coconut Cream Tart

3. Fratelli Bakery- Saint Honoré Cake

4. Kitchening with Carly – Almond Macaron with Rosemary Salted Caramel and Vanilla Cream

5. Chef Kev Cookies & Chocolate – Gluten Free Marzipan Ginger Cookies

6. TacoFino Cantina – Chocolate Diablo Cookie

7. Savary Island Pie Company – Lemon Buttermilk Pie

8. Be ‘wiched Cafe – Triple Cream Cheese Citrus Bar

9. Faubourg – Lemon Tart

10. Café Régalade – Monaco Torte

11. Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill – Olive Oil

12. ManCakes Bakery – Breakfast ManCake, Buffalo Wing ManCake

13. Gorilla Food – Avocado Pie

14. Seasonal 56 – Squash Ice Cream and Ginger Cookie Sandwich

15. Thomas Haas – Stollen

See “Follow Me Foodie Best of 2010 Desserts” here.

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

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.

Estrella’s Montreal Smoked Meat – Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

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 10 BEST Sandwiches/Burgers in Vancouver!

Finch’s Tea & Coffee House – Pear, Blue Brie, Prosciutto Baguette

Sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and food carts dominated the Vancouver food scene last year and this. The following sandwiches and burgers are limited to the ones I tried this year, so they’re not necessarily “the best”, but definitely worth mentioning and trying!

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

1. Savary Island Pie Company – Grilled Chicken and Fresh Basil Sandwich

2. Belle’s on Thirty Two Restaurant – Lambwich

3. La Brasserie – Brass Chicken Sandwich

4. Hubbub Sandwiches – Pork Sandwich

5. Finch’s Tea & Coffee House – Pear, Blue Brie, Prosciutto Baguette

6. Coma Food Truck – Kalbi Burger

7. TacoFino Cantina – Pork Gringa

8. Meat & Bread – Porchetta Sandwich

9. Estrella’s Montreal Smoked Meat – Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

10. The Oakwood Canadian Bistro – Burger

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

At the Canadian Red Cross “Red Carpet Soiree” at Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar

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 Most Memorable/BEST Restaurant SAVOURY Dishes & Food in Vancouver!

Cobre Nuevo Latino – Maple Chipotle Tamarind Glazed Wild Boar Belly

The list is limited to what I tried this year. Again, not necessarily “the best”, but very memorable.
Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Be ‘Wiched Cafe – Chain Gang Chili, Apple Pie Stuffed French Toast

2. La Belle Auberge – Seared Foie Gras with Apple Tart Tatin, Pork Belly Spring Roll

3. Café Régalade – Braised Short Ribs in Pepper Sauce

4. Pair Bistro – PAIR Signature Oysters

5. El Barrio Restaurante – Tostada Carnitas

6. Mis Trucos – Sezmu Beef Flatiron Steak

7. C Restaurant – Parsley Veloute, Northern Divine Caviar

8. Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill – Pappardelle

9. L’Abattoir – Poached Egg

10. Cobre Nuevo Latino – Maple Chipotle Tamarind Glazed Wild Boar Belly

11. La Quercia – Stinging Nettle Risotto for 2, Gnocchi

12. Hog Shack Cook House – Burnt Ends

13. Hawksworth Restaurant – Confit Pork Shoulder, Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio

14. Anatolia’s Gate – Iskender Kabob

15. Market by Jean-Georges – French Toast, Sweet Pea Soup

16. The Well – Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict

17. The Apron – Side Stripe Prawn (Change of chefs)

18. EBO Restaurant – Albacore Tuna

19. Mochikas Peruvian Cafe - Chupe de Mariscos

20. Nicli Anitca Pizzeria – Margherita Pizza

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: TCBY (The Country’s Best Yogurt – Frozen Yogurt)
Cuisine: Desserts/FroYo/Ice Cream/Smoothies/Drinks
Last visited: July 1, 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South)
Address: 4700 Kingsway Avenue (3rd floor)
Inside concession of SilverCity Metropolis Theatre at Metrotown Mall
Price Range: $10 or less

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

Food: 5
Service: n/a (concession)
Ambiance: n/a (concession)
Overall: n/a
Additional comments:

• Since 1981
• Franchise
• Soft serve yogurt
• Concession in most Cineplex theatres
• Healthy dessert
• Smoothies
• Variety of frozen desserts
• 96% fat-free
• Low fat
• Small selection of cookies
• Accepts Interac/Visa/MC
• Opens at 9pm
• Closes around 10pm

**Recommendations: Whatever pleases your palate, just get one!

TCBY: The Country’s Best Yogurt. It’s a bold statement, and I must say that I am a major fan. I’m a fan of anything in the category of “ice cream” anyways, so whether it’s ice cream, gelato, or frozen yogurt, you can be sure that I’ll always have room for it.

TCBY is a frozen yogurt franchise that started in the States, but it’s expanded all across Canada although it’s not as popular in Vancouver. It only has one actual stand alone store in West Vancouver, and the rest of its locations are usually concession stands in Cineplex Odeon theatres. The location in West Vancouver has more variety and flavours, but if you see the locations in the States, it puts the Vancouver locations to shame.  The ones in the States just have lots more flavours, toppings and options.

TCBY is pretty much my “must have” anytime I’m going to the movies. Yes, I have a confession. I like it so much that I go to the movie theatre just for TCBY and don’t even watch a movie sometimes. I know, who goes to a movie theatre just for the concession stand? Who else, but me? (Although I have brought friends to do this with me and nobody ever objects to the idea).

So is it really “The Country’s Best Yogurt”? Well it depends on what you like. If you want your frozen yogurt to taste just like ice cream, then yes this is possibly one of “The Country’s Best Yogurts”, but if prefer the tart yogurt like Pinkberry and Qoola, then no, you’ll probably think this is too rich and too much like ice cream. I can honestly say that most people that try TCBY for the first time think it’s ice cream and never believe me when I tell them it’s not. It tastes just like soft serve ice cream and I’m absolutely addicted to it.

On this occasion I came to TCBY twice in one day. It was my dessert after lunch and my dessert after dinner. The funny thing is, is that where I had lunch and dinner was also at the same restaurant, which was Anatolia’s Gate. I know. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. I went to lunch at Anatolia’s Gate, then to TCBY, then back to Anatolia’s Gate for dinner to make a bigger dent in the menu, and then back to TCBY… but I also watched a movie the second time around.

Yeah, and that’s not all. Are you ready for some even more ridiculous news? I actually had 4 frozen yogurts in this one day. I guess you could call it a Follow Me Foodie self-guided tour to all the frozen yogurt available at Metrotown Mall. Metrotown Mall has three frozen yogurt places, so in order to complete my frozen yogurt research, I tried them all… back to back. Thank god they’re spread out though, the exercise walking to one from the other helped me make room, not that it was difficult.

So after Anatolia’s Gate I actually went to Qoola first, followed by Yogen Früz, and then TCBY. It wasn’t my intentions to save the best for last, but for me, it was. I actually really enjoy the self-serve Qoola as well, but they close earlier, so TCBY is always a great plan B. So later on that night I came back to celebrate my winner with another TCBY.

On the table:

**Vanilla Frozen Yogurt – 5/6

• About $3
• This is the most basic you can go, and I love it.
• The main ingredients are milk, sugar, and probiotics.
• It’s smooth and creamy, but not thick or as rich as ice cream so it’s not hard to finish like how some ice creams can be.
• It’s not as rich as Dairy Queen, Marble Slab Creamery or Cold Stone Creamery because of course it is frozen yogurt and not ice cream.
• It’s only 96% fat free as opposed to the 99% fat free yogurts so the texture is a bit creamier and closer to soft serve McDonald’s ice cream (which I love as well).
• The sugar content is maybe a 1/3 more than Qoola, so the yogurt is much sweeter and closer to ice cream.
• It’s not overly sweet though if you get the basic vanilla and chocolate, but if you add toppings, then of course it could get much sweeter.
• It doesn’t melt as fast as the fat free frozen yogurts as well because it has more dairy content as opposed to water content.
• It’s creamier and sweeter than Qoola and Yogen Früz, but also has more flavour and doesn’t melt as fast as both of those.

**Vanilla & Chocolate Twist with Reese’s Pieces – 5/6

• About $3.75
• This is my favourite.
• I’m not even crazy about Reese’s Pieces and never even really eat the chocolate bar or any of their candies, but for some reason they taste amazing with TCBY frozen yogurt.
• I can’t even look at the photo without wanting to make a drive out.

Skor Shiver with Chocolate Frozen Yogurt - 3/6

• About $6 (Large + 1 topping)
• The “Shiver” is basically a McDonald’s McFlurry or a Dairy Queen Blizzard, but less thick.
• I’m not a fan of Skor candy bars, because I find them too sweet and I’m not huge on toffee, therefore this is too sweet for my tastes. Yes, I love dessert, but I’m not a fan of things that are too sweet.
• They blend the Skor toppings in the frozen yogurt and then upon serving it they top it off with another spoonful.
• The chocolate doesn’t even really taste as chocolatey as how some other places can make it, and it’s not like it’s going to be made with the best quality chocolate, but it doesn’t bother me.
• This pretty much tasted like a Wendy’s Frosty with Skor pieces, or a frozen chocolate malt, but it’s perhaps a bit creamier and not as icy.

Blueberry Fruit Parfait – 3.5/6

• About $5
• I’m not a fan of their fruits here. They are frozen and thawed so they have a very wrinkly texture and I prefer them fresh.
• I’m also not a fan of the parfaits because of the shape of the plastic container. The bottom is completely melted by the time you get to it… and I eat fast!
• Of course the yogurt part is as delicious as ever, but the parfaits just don’t work as well.

Restaurant: Anatolia’s Gate
Cuisine: Turkish/Halal/Middle Eastern
Last visited: July 1, 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South)
Address: 7084 Kingsway
Price Range: $10-2

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

Food: 4.5
Service: 4.5
Ambiance: 2.5
Overall: 4.5
Additional comments:

• Authentic Turkish cuisine
• Turkish family owned/operated
• Fire wood clay oven
• Famous for lavash bread
• Home made sauces/dips/marinade
• Extensive menu
• Hidden gem
• Hole in the wall
• 100% Halal
• Healthy options
• Popular to locals
• Quick/casual
• Affordable
• Family friendly
• Under $10 lunches (wraps)
• Dine in/Take out
• Accepts MC/Visa/Interac
• Monday to Thursday 11am-9pm
• Friday to Saturday 11am-10pm
• Closed Sundays

**Recommendations: Lavash Bread, Mixed Plate, Lahmajun, Beef Iskender Kabob, Idana Kebab, Chicken Guvech

In a city known for its diversity and multi-cultural cuisine, there’s still some areas where Vancouver lacks. Turkish cuisine is one of them. It’s kind of sad that the extent of Turkish food really goes as far as kebabs and fast food donairs in downtown Vancouver. It’s barely a representation of Turkish cuisine, and actually it’s not even really since many are Persian.

Quite often it’s summed up into one umbrella category of “Middle Eastern” or “Mediterranean” cuisine, but to group Lebanese, Persian, Armenian, Greek, and Turkish in one category is barely fair. Sure there are similarities, and if you like one, you’ll likely like the other, but the styles are quite different and it’s worth exploring each one individually.

So where can you find authentic and traditional Turkish cuisine? I introduce to you Anatolia’s Gate in Burnaby, BC! Make the drive, it will be worth it. There’s nowhere else that I know of yet that can bring you homestyle Turkish cuisine like this. (There’s also Divan Kitchen in North Vancouver, but I haven’t been yet). I’m not Turkish, so I don’t know how “authentic” Anatolia’s Gate is, but for what’s available in Metro Vancouver, it’s closer than a fast food donair shop (but those are still very good, and not necessarily less authentic either).

It’s a hole in the wall eatery that’s owned and operated by a Turkish family. It’s been around for about four years and I discovered it when it first opened, but for some reason I always let it slip from my radar. Well I couldn’t wait any longer, and to make up for putting it on the back burner, I actually ended up going twice that day! Once for lunch, and then again for dinner. That’s how much I couldn’t wait to go back! I enjoyed lunch so much that I was way too curious to try the rest of the menu! The menu is extensive, and I’ll keep coming back for more.

This is what they’re known for. This is the famous Lavash bread (famous gigantic ballooned Turkish flat bread) making station. The fire wood clay oven is required to bake the bread and it was once listed as part of the “Hundred Things to Try in Vancouver Before You Die” list. You pretty much can’t find it anywhere else in the city, at least not made like this. They also make Turkish style pizza here, but that’s not what I’d come here for personally.

This is the other item they’re most popular for. The Beef Iskender! It’s not something you likely haven’t seen before, but they’re known to make it really well here. I only saw it rotating like this during lunch time, but when I came back for dinner it wasn’t there, although still available. I don’t know if that means it’s fresher during lunch… ?

Despite the empty room, it actually has okay business during lunch, but dinner time is when it gets pretty busy. Having Turkish families fill up the room in the evening is certainly convincing that it’s a good find for Turkish food. It’s just really satisfying when there’s actually people of that culture dining there too. It wasn’t even on this one occasion when I’ve witnessed it, but if you drive by it in the evenings it’s usually quite busy. It’s truly a hidden gem and neighbourhood favourite and it’s popular with every culture in general.

This is authentic Turkish decor and it represents the traditional activities in Turkish culture.

This place may be a secret, but there’s no secret how I feel about it. I mean who goes to a restaurant twice in one day?! Well actually lots of people might, but it’s not common for me when I usually like to try out a new place. I had maybe a five hour break in between and I filled that space with three frozen yogurts at Metrotown…

Anyways, not everything I ordered was amazing, but most of it was great and very affordable. The mom makes the curries, dips and vegetables, dad makes the bread, and father and son take charge of the meats. I don’t have much to compare to, but they offer some Turkish specialties you won’t find anywhere else in Metro Vancouver. I also think they hold back on some of the items and I bet they make it better at home, but whatever, I’ll take it as is!

It’s great for family style eating so bring a team of people… or just me! I can hold my own. The food is relatively healthy, but filling. All the meat, starches and bread will put you straight to bed… or send you to frozen yogurt…

On the table:
**Lavash Bread (Whole Wheat) – 5/6

• White or whole wheat $2/$4/$6 (Depends on size, most mains will come with it)
• This is what they’re famous for and it’s a must try.
• It’s a massive, oval shaped, airy light, handmade, puffed pita bread baked in the fire wood clay oven.
• It’s drizzled with olive oil and topped with sesame seeds, although I wish there were more.
• It’s pretty much as good as tandoori baked roti at an Indian restaurant, but it’s visually more exciting.
• It doesn’t particularly taste amazing, but it’s incredibly fresh, excellent for what it is, and just impressive to look at.
• It’s also the only place in Metro Vancouver that makes it like this, so for that reason alone it’s a treat and must try!

It’s thin, pliable, soft, and chewy and tastes like home made pita with some crispy edges. The inside is hollow.

Cacik Dip

• It comes complimentary with the mains and I think the lavash bread too.
• The dip is often compared to the Greek tzatziki, and although similar, they are different.
• It’s much thinner and more like a diluted yogurt, however I think this was a short cut recipe.
• This one is more like a dressing than a thick and creamy dip and it doesn’t have cucumber, but instead dill.
• Traditionally it would have cucumber, dill and mint leaves, but this one just tasted like yogurt and dill.
• It’s nice and tangy and it’s an “all-purpose” dip. It’s especially great with kebabs and the lavash bread.

**Lavash Bread (White) - 5/6

• White or whole wheat $2/$4/$6 (Depends on size, most mains will come with it)
• I had to try both for comparisons sake.
• If you want flavour go for white, but the whole wheat is obviously healthier and a bit nuttier in flavour.
• The textures are very different and the whole wheat one is thicker, a bit denser, tougher and chewier. The white one was soft and somewhat fluffier.

Mixed Plate (clockwise from 12 o’clock): Babaghannush, Barbunya, Carrot Salad, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Eggplant Salad, Humus, Ajuka (Acuka), Stuffed Grape Leaves, and Olive Medley and Feta Cheese in the centre.

**Mixed Plate – 5/6

• A mixed potburry of cold salads. Small $11.95 Large $15.95
• I ordered the small, and it’s a great sample of everything I wanted to try.
• Some things were mediocre, and most of it you just know they make better at home, but it’s still a must order.
• I still thoroughly enjoyed the plate and they’re great condiments with the mains too.

Left to right: Ajuka (Acuka), Humus, Eggplant Salad

• Ajuka (Acuka) – 4/6
  • Roasted eggplants, red pepper with walnuts $5.95 a la carte
  • It tasted like pureed roasted red pepper dip and it was sweet initially, nice and smoky, and a bit spicy at the end.
  • It’s the only spicy dip and it’s not that spicy, but the heat catches up and it’s a mild spicy.
  • There are little crumbs of walnuts and I could have used more, but I liked the nutty texture and flavour it brought to the dip.
  • This was great with the kebab and I think traditionally they have it spicier.
• Humus - 3/4
  • Chick peas, tahini, garlic, lemon, etc. $5.95 a la carte
  • The hummus was good, a bit smoky, but just nothing particularly special.
  • It was quite standard, but not that lemony or garlicky and I missed a bit of the tang.
  • I wished they drizzled it with olive oil, and they might if it’s ordered separately.
• Eggplant Salad – 3/6
  • Oven roasted eggplants, tomato, parsley $5.95 a la carte
  • This really reminded me of a Russian eggplant salad that tastes almost the same.
  • It was pureed creamy smoky eggplant with roughly chopped tomatoes and it was actually quite refreshing and light despite the smokiness.
  • It was almost like a light salad and it was bright in flavours with parsley and I enjoyed it. It tastes better than it looked.

Left to right: Carrot Salad, Barbunya, Babaghannush (Eggplant Dip)

• Carrot Salad - 2.5/6
  • Shredded carrots lightly panned & mix with olive oil mayonnaise $5.95 a la carte
  • This was a very wet salad and it tasted better than it looked. It’s quite good, but I wouldn’t order a bowl of it either.
  • It was shredded carrots smothered in a watery mayo like dressing. It was a bit tangy and it was tastier than I expected.
• Barbunya - 2/6
  • Giant Lima beans or Red Kidney beans with olive oil, tomato sauce & lemon $5.95 a la carte
  • This one tasted exactly like the description – a kidney bean salad.
• Babaghannush (Eggplant Dip) - 4/6
  • Eggplant, tahini, garlic, lemon, etc. $5.95 a la carte
  • This was delicious, but a very basic recipe for baba ghanoush. I generally prefer the Persian Kashke Bademjoon better, although it’s comparing apples to oranges.
  • This was very creamy, completely smooth and incredibly smokey throughout. I prefer my baba ghanoush a bit chunkier.
  • It actually wasn’t that tangy or garlicky, and it tastes like hummus, but it was much smokier than the hummus. It was heavy with the tahini.
  • I’d order this alone because it went well with other dishes too.

Centre: Olive Medley & Feta cheese

• Olive Medley – 3/6
  • Different kinds of olives from Turkey mixed with grape tomatoes, feta cheese, olive oil. $6.95 a la carte
  • It’s two cubes of salty feta cheese and a variety of salty Turkish olives. It was what it was and it was good.

• Stuffed Grape Leaves- 1.5/6
  • $5.95 a la carte
  • I’ve never been a fan of these and I found them a bit mushy here. They’re similar to Greek dolmades.
  • The rice was very mushy and infused with mint leaves so there was a pretty strong minty flavour.
  • They sometimes have currants and pine nuts in them, but these ones were plain.
  • It wasn’t that lemony and it was a bit too oily and wet for me.
  • You just know they make these better at home.

Soup of the Day – 1.5/6

• Red lentil soup $4.95 (without meat)
• I didn’t really care for this and it was a bit watered down and runny. I bet it’s usually pretty good, but just not a specialty here.
• It was just a plain lentil soup and it was really thin and one dimensional and there’s no other flavours really going on.
• It wasn’t sweet, tangy, or spicy, but just a lentil soup with perhaps a bit of smoky cumin in it.

**Lahmajun – 5/6

• Anatolia’s ground meat spread on a thin crust. Served on a bed of salad. $9.95
• This is one of their really authentic Turkish appetizers, so I had to order it.
• It looked like a Turkish pizza or flat bread, but it was the way you ate it that made it unique.
• It was almost like a baked pita salad roll and I love it! It’s much better hot, so eat it right away.
• It’s a thin and crunchy home made pita baked with a juicy minced beef spread that’s mixed with I think paprika, chili, cumin, parsley, garlic and other Turkish spices.
• There was also pureed tomatoes to give it some acidity and juiciness.
• It tasted like a juicy garlicky sausage spread and it had some heat, but it’s not quite spicy.

• The salad in the middle is not just garnish.
• It’s a very crunchy pickled red cabbage salad treated with olive oil and lemon and there’s also raw white onions, romaine lettuce and diced raw tomatoes.
• Traditionally there should be parsley too.

You squeeze fresh lemon over the “pizza”, top it with salad in the middle, and roll it up in a wrap to eat it.

• It was very crunchy, refreshing from the tangy pickled cabbage salad and still savoury and juicy from the creamy meat puree.
• I found this good if you put a layer of the baba ghanoush or humus in it.
• It was also good with the yogurt dip, but it didn’t need it as it’s tangy enough already.

Cheese Lovers Pide – n/a

• Anatolia’s Feta cheese mix with mozzarella $9.95
• Okay, I did it again. The table behind me ordered it so I asked for a photo. I haven’t tried it though, that’s why I ordered the Meat Pide later this evening.

Meat Lovers Pide – 4/6

• Anatolia’s ground meat, Turkish pastrami, tomatoes, cheese & egg $10.95
• This reminded me of a Turkish style open faced pizza pocket. It was very similar to a flat bread pizza and it was very good, but maybe not as special as other things they offer.

• It was a super thin and crunchy whole wheat lavash bread crust.
• The middle was layered with a little bit of minced beef spread, a layer of Turkish pastrami, egg and lots of melted mozzarella cheese. I could taste each layer, except for the egg, and also a lot of unexpected leek flavour.
• I could taste the cheese the most and the egg got lost. I think the egg was lightly mixed before it was baked underneath the cheese, but I couldn’t taste or really even see the yolk. It just blended in.

• The Turkish pastrami tasted like cured meat, or chewier and thicker prosciutto. It’s obviously not pork though, it’s made out of turkey.
• It’s not crispy, but a bit tougher since it was baked too, and it’s quite lean.
• It brought bacon like flavours to the “pizza” and nice salty bites, but overall the pita was very juicy with a strong leek flavour. I don’t think there’s any leeks in it though.

The bottom had some okay leoparding and their oven just makes for a good pizza oven – hence their Turkish pizza menu.

**Iskender Kabob – 5.5/6

• Freshly sliced beef marinated with Anatolia’s special spices cooked on a vertical broiler with yogurt and tomato sauce, rice & salad. $11.95
• This is their star of the show and most recommended item. I loved it!
• Iskender is usually made with lamb, but I prefer beef anyways.
• It’s thin slices of incredibly well marinated grilled beef and it’s drizzled with tomato sauce and hot butter oil which really does the trick!
• The hot butter oil is the traditional way of serving it. It keeps it so moist, tender and flavourful and it wasn’t too oily or greasy.
• The beef could be more naturally juicy, because at times it’s a bit dry, but mixed with all the sauces, it’s certainly overlooked.
• The beef has a mild game flavour and you’ll only taste it if you’re extremely sensitive to game. I’m not sure why there’s a game flavour since it’s not lamb, but it’s very faint, but there.

• The beef slices sit on top of cubes of homemade pita bread that were soft and spongy and very juicy and absorbent. They were soaked and smothered with tomato sauce and yogurt and I loved them! It taste like tangy melted cream cheese sauce. It was delicious!
• The yogurt might have been goat’s or sheep’s yogurt and that might have been giving that very mild game flavour.
• The salad is ordinary and the rice is chewy as Turkish rice is, but there is better Turkish rice than this one.

**Adana Kabob – 4/6

• Anatolia’s special ground beef mix grilled in a skewer, served on top of Anatolia’s Lavash Bread with salad, rice and yogurt sauce $11.95
• This was also highly recommended and it was also delicious. It’s named after the city Adana.
• Traditionally it’s supposed to be made with ground lamb and a little bit of ground fat from lamb tail, but this was 100% beef. Now I’m really curious to try an authentic one though. They do have lamb kabobs as well.

• It was very well marinated and incredibly moist and juicy that the juices oozes out as you cut the kebob.
• It was almost sausage like with ground beef and it was a bit smoky and aromatic from garlic, cumin, paprika(?) and herby from some parsley.
• There was also heat, but it wasn’t spicy. I think there’s a bit of chili powder or red pepper in it too.
• The flavours weren’t that complex, and it’s generally savoury, but it was well flavoured and just good!
• The salad is ordinary and the rice is chewy as Turkish rice is, but there is better Turkish rice than this one.
• For this type of food and that size of kabob it’s actually considered quite pricey.

Shepard’s Guvech – 4/6

• Beef strips with oven roasted veggies, tomato sauce & cheese baked in oven served with lavash $11.95
• This was recommended along with the Chicken Guvech, which I ended up ordering later on that night for dinner.
• This is pretty much a casserole, but it’s supposed to be a stew. I think it’s modernized, but it’s still good!
• Although the rotisserie beef is the specialty here, it was the best to try it on their Beef Iskender Kabob when you could taste its flavours the most.

• This was good, but I found the beef dried out with the additional baking process so that’s why I preferred the Beef Iskender Kabob.
• It was a layered stew like dish, but the sauce is light and a bit runny and also a tad oily.
• It was a baked casserole with a layer of pre-sauteed eggplant, zucchini, minimal mushrooms, and very minimal red bell pepper, topped with a layer of beef strips and then covered with mozzarella cheese.
• I actually found this dish better as it cooled down (to the point of even room temperature) because I could taste the flavour of the beef much more.
• It was very good, but I enjoyed it more when I used it as filling with the lavash bread and topped it with hummus, salad, or the other spreads and dips.

You eat the Guvech with lavish bread.

**Chicken Guvech – 4.5/6

• Chicken breast pieces with oven roasted veggies, tomato sauce & cheese baked in a oven served with lavash $11.95
• Again it’s supposed to be a stew, but it’s made like a casserole and I think it’s “Westernized”, but I still enjoyed it a lot.
• I really thought the beef one would be better since the beef is their specialty, but the chicken was unassumingly awesome! It was also recommended.

• This tasted just like a chicken parmigiana or a chicken and eggplant parmigiana, except instead of Parmesan cheese it was mozzarella cheese.
• It almost tasted more Italian than it did Turkish to me, but it’s not as rich, heavy, or strong as Italian food.
• The chicken was incredibly moist, juicy, and tender and there was a decent amount of them.
• It’s marinated overnight in paprika and I wouldn’t have minded more of a lemony tang, but it was a bit peppery from black pepper that was infused into the meat.

• It’s a very wet and almost watery dish and the sauce is just tomato sauce with the natural juices that release from the vegetables.
• It tasted like a bed of pre sauteed zucchini, eggplant, and a couple mushrooms and minimal red bell pepper, layered with chicken and mozzarella cheese and baked in the oven.
• It was almost like a vegetable and chicken casserole and it was a very home style dish.
• I liked the chicken version better than the beef because the chicken didn’t dry out and it was just really tender.

Baklavah – 1.5/6

• Sweet Turkish pastry made of thin dough sheets & walnuts $4.95 (1/2 order $2.95)
• I found this pretty expensive for baklava, but I think they’ll give it complimentary sometimes. They’re nice people.
• It depends when you get it, if it’s fresh or a few days old. I’d just ask and hope they’re honest. Day old baklavah is best.
• I had a batch for lunch and I think a fresher batch at dinner. Either way they weren’t too my liking, and I normally do like baklavah.
• I found these too soggy and too wet and they lacked pistachios and a walnut filling.
• They were also oily and overly soaked in syrup so they were sweeter than I like and I couldn’t taste much cinnamon or warm spices.

Turkish Tea – 2.5/6

• Special blend of imported Turkish Tea $1.95
• It’s brewed in house and it’s traditional to finish any meal with tea, so I had one.
• It tasted like Chinese black tea and it was similar to Bo Li tea, a traditional tea ordered during dim sum.
• It was good, but nothing I feel like I never had.

Restaurant: Yogen Früz
Cuisine: Desserts/FroYo/Ice Cream/Smoothies/Drinks
Last visited: July 1, 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South)
Address: #1213 – 4700 Kingsway (In Metrotown Mall)
Price Range: $10 or less

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

Food: n/a (didn’t try enough)
Service: 3
Ambiance: n/a
Overall: n/a
Additional comments:

• Since 1986
• Franchise
• Started in Toronto
• Specializes in frozen yogurt
• Frozen & fresh fruits
• Real fruit frozen yogurt
• Fresh fruit toppings
• Low fat/non fat options
• Probiotic yogurt
• Healthy desserts
• Sugar free option
• Smoothies
• Ice cream available
• Mall hours

**Recommendations: Old fashioned real fruit frozen yogurt

I have very fond memories of Yogen Früz. It used to always be my treat at the shopping mall and something I would look forward to. Unfortunately I’m going to have to hold on to those precious memories, because this experience left a sour taste in my mouth. Pun intended.

For this post I’m going to refer to the old fashioned frozen yogurt at Yogen Früz as “frozen yogurt” (where they use real fruit to make the frozen yogurt), and then I’m going to call the ‘new generation’ frozen yogurt “fro-yo” (where they use pre packaged yogurt mix).

Yogen Früz is what I consider one of the original frozen yogurt franchises. It was there before frozen yogurt became such a trend, although what they offered was different from the “new age, probiotic, one hundred thousand trillion bacteria, fat free, super healthy, fro-yo” they have nowadays.

I actually like both versions and it’s almost like comparing apples to oranges. The flavour and texture is completely different. It’s quite obvious that the “new generation” fro-yo is here to stay though, and that’s probably why Yogen Früz has recently rebranded themselves and broadened their menu to keep up with the times. They now offer a soft serve low fat, non-fat, fat free, etc. etc. “fro-yo” with a toppings counter!
I admit, they were in desperate need of an update, but I’m glad they kept the original old fashioned stuff too. The biggest difference is that Yogen Früz uses real fruit and real yogurt to make their frozen yogurt, whereas the new “fro-yo” places will use pre-packaged mixes of frozen yogurt. They both carry the healthy probiotic bacteria though. My go-to place for real fruit frozen yogurt like Yogen Früz will usually be Timothy’s Frozen Yogurt in Steveston Village.

I had just finished a fro-yo from Qoola upstairs, and I don’t know what inspired my friend and I, but we decided to go for more “fro-yo”. Actually, I probably “inspired” that decision. I brought up wanting to try Yogen Früz after they rebranded, so we decided to check it out.

We hesitated for about 3 seconds on whether we should get one, but they’re Nü Mixes seemed way too tempting to pass up. Sadly, the Nü Mixes we ordered really didn’t work, and they sounded a lot better on the menu than they tasted. Maybe it was because both flavours we ordered were cinnamon based, but they really didn’t work with the yogurt. Even my cinnamon lover friend didn’t like them. However if their original real fruit frozen yogurt is still the same, then I give the benefit of the doubt that their old fashioned stuff is still a solid bet. I haven’t tried one in years so I have to come back to be sure, and I will! Just not today…

I have to add that after this we ended up getting yet another “frozen yogurt”, but this time from TCBY. It’s at the concession stands inside the mall movie theatre. Hey walking there counted as exercise! It was epic… three frozen yogurt desserts AND I came back later that night and had another TCBY! Four frozen yogurts in one day is more than a girl can ask for… just not this girl. I pretty much always have room for any ice cream-like dessert.

On the table:

Autumn Spice Apple Pie Crumble - 1/6

• Vanilla Fro-yo, Yummy Apples, Autumn Spice, Graham Cracker Crumbs $4.50
• You can choose a base of low fat or non-fat frozen yogurt.
• This certainly caught my eye and I’ve had an apple pie gelato before so I thought this was going to be similar. It wasn’t.
• The frozen yogurt tasted exactly like packaged apple cider, but not in a good way.
• It was incredibly strong with cinnamon flavour and and it wasn’t spicy, but it was quite sweet too.
• It had an underlying tang of yogurt and the apples almost came unnoticed. I didn’t see any frozen or fresh apples available, so I don’t know where the “yummy apple” part really came in.
• There were no pieces of actual apple in it and the method they used to “infuse” the apple flavour just did nothing for texture or flavour.
• The graham crackers were the best part, but overall the frozen yogurt part was not good, and it didn’t taste like an apple pie at all.
• I did like that the frozen yogurt doesn’t melt fast though. Compared to Qoola it’s firmer, holds up for longer, but isn’t as smooth or soft.
• It’s also not as sweet as TCBY, and sweeter than Qoola, but it’s not that noticeable to probably most people.
• I prefer a baked apple pie McFlurry from McDonald’s – that’s when I ask them to whirl a a baked apple pie with ice cream and serve it as an “Apple Pie McFlurry”. It’s delicious, but it melts fast, so you just have to eat it even faster!

Chai Tea Latte - 1.5/6

• Vanilla Yogurt, Chai Spiced Tea, Sliced Almonds $4.50 (or a bit cheaper)
• You can choose a base of low fat or non-fat frozen yogurt.
• I originally wanted to try the Matcha Lychee creation, but they ran out of lychee, so I went for my second choice which was the Chai Tea Latte.
• The best part was the mound of almonds they sprinkled on top.
• It tasted like cinnamon flavoured frozen yogurt and then there was that underlying frozen yogurt tang and it just didn’t work again.
• It was less cinnamon tasting than the apple pie crumble though.

• It didn’t taste like a Chai Tea Latte and I wouldn’t have guessed they were using any infusion of Chai tea leaves at all.
• Again the frozen yogurt doesn’t melt as fast as say Qoola. It’s firmer, not as smooth or soft as Qoola, and sweeter than Qoola, but not as sweet as TCBY.
• I really didn’t enjoy this, and that’s part of the reason why we headed upstairs to TCBY for a guaranteed delicious frozen yogurt after.

And here is my proof and post for TCBY – see here! Delicious!

Restaurant: Tealips Bubble Tea & Coffee
Cuisine: Coffee/Tea/Bubble Tea/Desserts
Last visited: June 24, 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South)
Address: 7139 Arcola Way
Price Range: $10 or less

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

Food: 3 (based on desserts)
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3

Additional comments:

• Modern Chinese style tea bar
• Specializes in loose leaf tea based drinks
• Health and wellness drinks
• Quaint/clean/comfortable
• Home made cookies
• Home made waffles upon order
• Selection of fresh dessert waffles
• Small selection of baked cookies
• Low fat options
• Hot/cold drinks
• Tea/coffee/smoothies/lattes
• Family friendly
• Mon-Sat 11am-11:30pm
• Sun 2pm-11:30pm

**Recommendations: Earl Gray Tea Cookie, Crinkle Chocolate Cookie, and if you like shaved ice they make them really well here.

With a lack of desserts in Burnaby, but dozens of bubble tea houses all along Kingsway, you can now add to the list, another bubble tea place. Don’t roll your eyes just yet though, this one is a bit different. It’s more modern in style and the offerings aren’t your typical bubble teas and coffees. It’s a bit more fancy and they have a small selection of homemade dessert waffles and cookies.

It’s clean, comfortable and open late and you probably wouldn’t know about it unless you lived in the neighborhood. It’s not really a hidden gem, but it’s in a strip mall of a rather residential area and it’s a bit unexpected.

Yes, it is a bubble tea house and they do offer bubble tea, but it’s quality bubble tea and a bit more classy with even a tea bar. The teas are all brewed in house and they don’t have every flavour under the roof like Bubble World does, but they offer fresh fruit flavours, real loose leaf tea flavours, and more sophisticated drinks.

The flavours are limited, but the drink list is still extensive due to the variety of styles in which they’re offered in. With lattes, frappes, smoothies, iced, hot and cold drinks, it’s almost like the Taiwanese version of Starbucks. They even have the soy milk, yogurt, low fat, and ice cream options. It’s definitely more tea and coffee based and although it specializes in drinks, I actually didn’t even try one. I plan on coming back for them though.

This is their “gifts to go” section or “bakery”. It’s not really a bakery or dessert house, but they do offer a selection of packaged home made cookies and Tealips loose leaf tea to go. It’s very charming and it reminded of a Taiwanese bake sale. A lot of their desserts and cookies are Euro-Asian inspired creations, so I was curious to know who was running the show. It also caught me off guard when I saw them making fresh waffles, because that tends to be a Korean thing.

Anyways this was actually my main reason for coming here. I had just come from a disappointing bubble tea experience and I was determined to have the night end on a positive note.

My friend had told me about Tealips “shaved ice” when it first opened, and she was waiting for me to try it. She knew how obsessed I was with the shaved ice milk from Frappe Bliss in Aberdeen Centre in Richmond, and she thought this was offering the same thing. I got the hunch that it was going to be the traditional Taiwanese shaved ice, and it was, but at least it was made a bit gourmet. We were both a little bummed since we had out hearts set on shaved ice milk, but we ended up buying a lot of cookies to make ourselves feel better. Honestly they make pretty good and unique cookies here and sell them at bake sale prices.

Although I wasn’t blown away by anything, Tealips offers up something a bit different than a typical bubble tea place. It kind of reminds me of Michi Waffle & Espresso Bar in downtown Vancouver. Overall Tealips is good for the area and I’d still come back to try their drinks and more of their cookies too!

On the table:

Brussels Waffle – 2/6

• A batter based Belgian waffle, fluffy inside, crispy outside, available eat in only. Served with syrup and house special whipped cream. Single $2.85 Double $5.25
• These were not bad and made fresh upon order, but I’m just not a fan of the flavour of their batter.
• It’s a little bit floury and almost bread like, so I wasn’t feeling it.
• It was more like a breakfast waffle than a dessert waffle and it was eggy and reminded me a bit of Eggo Waffles.

• It was crispy on the outside and soft, fluffy and moist on the inside, but they were a bit bland and you could kind of taste the baking powder.
• They were topped with icing sugar and served with a side of syrup and store bought whipped cream.
• Besides Brussels, the best waffles I’ve actually had are from Korea at Didi’s Gaufres – see here. In Vancouver, I actually really enjoy the waffles at Reflections at the Hilton Hotel in Burnaby.

**Liège Waffle – 2.5/6

• Brioche bread dough base with chunks of pearl sugar Single $2.95 Double $5.75
• This was better than the Brussels waffle, but also more like a dessert.
• I’m super picky with these waffles because I had the pleasure of experiencing many of them in Brussels and The Netherlands.
• If you’ve never had an authentic one then this will be good, but if you’ve had a real one than this does not do it justice. It kind of comes off as a Liège Waffle knock off.
• In Vancouver, the closest authentic Liège Waffle I’ve had so far is from Patisserie Lebeau, which were even better than the excellent ones I had at Didi Gaufres in Korea – see The Basic waffle at Didi’s.

• It’s fresh and made upon order and it’s more like a pastry compared to the Belgian waffle.
• There was barely any “pearl sugar” (clumps of crystallized sugar that don’t melt) in the waffle and that’s the best part.
• The crystal sugar clumps used were also not the right kind and the quality wasn’t as great because they didn’t retain their “clump” like quality and crispy crunch.
• It’s sweet, but not overly sweet and they were decently moist, but they didn’t really have that crispy exterior they should have.
• I could still kind of taste the baking powder flavour, but if you’re not comparing them to the real deal, they are pretty good.
• It’s denser, richer, and chewier than the Belgian waffle and closer to the ones offered at Cafe Medina, but I like Medina’s better, and still Patisserie Lebeau‘s the best so far.

Matcha Shaved Ice – 3/6

• 100% pure Japanese green tea – Matcha shaved ice, fresh fruit, red bean, ice cream, mochi, condensed milk and nuts $7.50
• I don’t really care for shaved ice, so this was a 3/6 for me, but for those who like it, it’s a 4/6.
• For shaved ice, this is actually a very good version of it, and the ice cream is a bonus! However I prefer shaved ice milk from Frappe Bliss any day, although the toppings offered here are better.
• This was a gourmet shaved ice compared to what most Taiwanese bubble tea places will serve.
• It’s basically a fresh fruit sundae served over matcha flavoured crushed ice.
• It was quite pricey, but it was made with care and detail so I guess it’s somewhat justified.
• It comes in a large mug and it’s loaded with toppings and they’re good quality too.
• It had fresh strawberries, blueberries, canned pineapples, and a bit of walnuts and almonds over top.

• There was a ton of red bean and the mochi was their handmade matcha mochi, but they’re not as soft as real mochi should be.
• The matcha mochi was chewy and it was filled with green bean paste and it taste like those store bought ones, but they are made in house.

• The shaved ice actually had green tea powder blended right into it. Almost no bubble tea house that I know of will flavour the ice like this intensely, so I really appreciated it.
• It had a strong matcha flavour and it was even a bit bitter, but it wasn’t really sweet at all.
• The sweet part came from the ingredients and especially the red bean.
• I actually ordered the matcha because I love matcha… but you know how I feel about red bean…

… I politely pushed my red beans to the side and there were a ton of them! They actually weren’t too bad though and I prefer them this way as opposed to red bean soup, paste or syrup.

Cocoa Shaved Ice – 3.5/6

• 100% pure cocoa, no sugar added. Cocoa shaved ice, fresh fruit, condensed milk, ice cream, mochi and nuts $7.50
• It’s a jumbo sized mug, but it’s still pricey. It’s not a dessert I’d particularly crave, hence the 3.5/6, but it’s done well!
• As I said above, for shaved ice, they do a great job with it. However I prefer shaved ice milk from Frappe Bliss any day, although the toppings are higher quality at Tealips.
• This was a fresh fruit sundae served over cocoa flavoured crushed ice.
• It was topped with fresh blueberries, frozen raspberries, frozen blackberries, almonds and walnuts and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.
• I enjoyed the cocoa shaved ice better than the matcha and it really wasn’t that sweet at all.

• The cocoa was really infused into the ice and it tasted like an icy blend of cocoa milkshake especially after the ice cream melted into it.
• This one used house made matcha mochi as well, but I’m just not a fan of the ones they make here. They’re chewy and a bit dense and powdery and filled with green bean paste. It tastes like the store bought ones to me and they just get frozen in the ice.
• It’s actually pretty good if you’re expecting shaved ice and not ice milk. They didn’t lie on the menu, but I should have paid closer attention to what I was ordering.

**Earl Grey Tea Cookie – 4.5/6

• $2.75/pack (6)
• I love Earl Grey flavoured desserts in general, so these caught my eye first.
• These are small and very light cookies and they are the ideal tea time cookie.
• It’s a basic shortbread like cookie with Earl Grey tea leaves, and I enjoyed them!
• They’re very aromatic and floral cookies and they really aren’t that sweet.
• It’s good quality Earl Grey tea leaves and the Earl Grey isn’t overpowering at all, but noticeable.
• They’re similar to shortbread cookies, but not as buttery and they’re crunchy, and the crumb doesn’t melt away as easily as shortbread.
• The tea leaves are roughly crushed throughout and there’s no bitter aftertaste. They’re fine too and not woody so you’re not gnawing on them.
• I do wish the Earl Grey flavour was more infused throughout and perhaps accented with a hint of orange zest.

Homemade Tealips Cookie – 3.5/6

• Handful ingredients of unsweetened coconut & choco chips with walnuts & oats. Low in sodium and calories. $2.95/pack (4)
• I think they meant healthy ingredients, not “handful”… it’s one of their nutritious snacks.
• It’s not greasy or oily and not even that sweet, but I liked them, although they’re not memorable.
• It’s a crispy and nutty cookie with pieces of walnuts and a good amount of soft chocolate chips throughout.
• It almost remind me of a crunchy Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookie meets a Dad’s Oatmeal Cookie, but made with better chocolate.
• The coconut was finely grounded and I couldn’t really taste it and the oatmeal was ground too so that came unnoticed, but you knew both were in there due to the texture.
• I could have used more coconut and even some shredded coconut, and the only sweet thing is really the chocolate chips.

Matcha Walnut Cookie – 4/6

• $2.75/pack (4)
• I love matcha flavoured anything, and with walnuts it’s even better.
• If you have them fresh they’re almost like crispy Danish butter cookies, but if you have them a couple days after they’re soft and tender. I enjoyed them both ways.
• I found the matcha really subtle and I could taste it more in the aftertaste of the cookie.
• It’s not oily or buttery or very sweet and I wished the walnuts were all throughout rather than just on top as a garnish.

**Crinkle Chocolate Cookie - 4/6

• $2.75/pack (3)
• These reminded me of the Hazelnut Chocolate Sparkle Cookies from Everything Cafe, but they tasted very different.
• If you have them fresh they’re soft and if you have them a couple days after they’re crunchy. They’re much better fresh.

• It’s a soft cookie made with bittersweet cocoa powder so they really aren’t that sweet.
• It was fluffy and almost like a cakey cookie and there was some real chocolate chips throughout. They were chopped up pieces of chocolate, but they were really tiny and blended in with the texture of the crumb.
• The flavour was like those Costco chocolate chip muffins, and they were very good!

Restaurant: Northern Meixi Fast Food
Cuisine: Shanghainese/Chinese
Last visited: May 30, 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South) – Inside Crystal Mall food court
Address: 4500 Kingsway
Price Range: $10 or less

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

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

• Shanghainese owned/operated
• Located inside food court
• Northern Shanghainese cuisine
• Specializes in dumplings
• Handmade dumplings
• Very casual/quick
• Chinese menu (some English)
• Budget friendly/cheap eats
• Cash only
• Lunch/Dinner

**Recommendations: n/a, but if you’re craving Shanghainese or “Shanghainese Juicy Pork Dumplings” then visit the other Shanghainese stand located in the back of the food court called Xu’s Wonton House (previously Wang’s Shanghai Cuisine).

Crystal Mall is an Asian Mall located next to Metrotown and I rarely come here because the parking is horrendous (worse than Aberdeen Mall in Richmond). The food court itself is actually pretty good and if you’re looking for cheap eats and Asian food, it’s a solid bet that you’ll find something satisfying here. It’s busy to Chinese locals in the neighbourhood and you may have to fight for a parking space as well as a seat for lunch, and that is certainly as big of a headache as it sounds. Luckily I was with Sherman who took one for the team and did the driving with almost no complaints!

I’ll just save you the gas and throw it out there early that Northern Meixi Fast Food probably isn’t worth your time unless you’re on foot and in the area anyways. But on that note I’d still suggest another food stand if it’s Shanghainese food you’re craving.

The ordering at Northern Meixi Fast Food was already quite difficult. There are some English translations, but most of it is in Chinese. Thank god there was some photos though! I managed to find out that the specialty here is their hand made dumplings (different than the XLB), so already knowing that I wasn’t expecting great XLB.  The food was hand made and made upon order, but it just wasn’t very impressive and I probably wouldn’t come back for anything I tried. At least it’s dirt cheap though so even the cost of a bad experience is easy to absorb.

I guess it wasn’t inedible, but it also wasn’t good or enjoyable. If I didn’t do a direct comparison of their food with Xu’s Wonton House, which is also located in the same food court, then it might not even be as poor as I am considering it. That was the whole reason for trying this stand though. It was a Shanghainese Juicy Pork Dumpling aka “xiao long bao” (XLB) show down and these are the only two stands in the food court offering them. It was no contest that Xu’s Wonton House XLB’s were better though, which I posted about here.

On the table:

Steamed Shanghainese Pork Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao/XLB) – 2/6

• 6 pieces $4
• It’s already hard to enjoy these dumplings when they’re served this way. Being that it’s food court style, I can overlook it.
• It’s kind of difficult to pick them up without breaking the skins since they were sticking, but they were quite thick anyways so it made it easy. That’s not a good thing either.

• There was barely any soup in them and the skins were doughy and very soft.
• The little broth it had didn’t even really taste like pork broth, but it tasted a bit like mushroom soup.
• The meat wasn’t very tender and overall there was no competition that Xu’s Wonton House had better XLB.

Steamed Pork and Vegetable Dumplings – 2/6

• 10 pieces $4.75
• This is supposed to be their specialty, but there are better versions of it even at other food courts. There’s a place that does a pan-fried version in Admiralty food court, which are pretty decent.
• These are hand made and dirt cheap, but I likely still won’t order it again.

• They were quite juicy and the pork was moist, but bland.
• The skin was really thick and chewy and it overwhelmed the filling. It tends to be thicker since it’s Northern Shanghainese cuisine, but I still found it too much.
• There was also some Napa Cabbage and diced onion in the mix which were kind of the only flavours I could taste.
• I just wanted to eat the inside and leave the skins, which isn’t the proper way to enjoy them either.
• Although it’s not the best, but it is better than this, I’d suggest Beijing Cuisine for these dumplings – see Boiled Pork Dumplings Stuffed with Leeks, Shrimp and Eggs.

Tossed Noodle in Pork Sauce – 2.5/6

• $4.75
• This is one of my favourite noodles, but it just wasn’t done that well here.
• It’s a saucy dish topped with a savoury lean ground pork sauce and gravy and some raw cucumber.
• It should have been spicy, but it wasn’t at all.
• The cucumber should be cut julienne to retain flavour and texture, but this one was either old or grated because it was watery and soggy and lost its crunch.

It’s tossed all together before eating it.

• The handmade noodles were soft, buttery, yet firm and they did have a bite, but I didn’t care for them too much.
• The minced pork sauce was actually quite tasty and well seasoned and it had some diced sweetened potato in it which is unusual. It tasted like the Korean sweet potato appetizer so it had this savoury and sweet balance and good texture.
• The sauce was predominately the savoury soy bean paste sauce and there was a significant amount of it to coat the noodles well.
• Although it’s comparing apples to oranges, I prefer the Cantonese Chinese version of these noodles found at wonton houses – see Lo-Mein with Shredded Pork in Spicy Brown Sauce from Michigan Noodle Shop.

Pancake with Egg and Pork Floss – 1/6

• $3.75
• I usually really love this item, but it was very poorly executed and sloppy here.
• I watched her make it on the spot too and it looked really good. I also think there was something lost in translation because this had no pork floss in it.
• It’s a very thin crepe that was quite carb heavy and filling, but it was very soggy and wet and not enjoyable.
• The crepe is made with a lightly mixed in egg and some green onions.
• The pancake is usually crispy, but this one was closer to a soft and and pliable crepe. It was chewy and a bit bland.
• There should be a slightly crispy and layered aspect to this pancake, but this one was served like a log and it was a very “careless” way of making it.

• The inside was two deep fried savoury donuts (the ones you eat with congee) and some chopped onion and cilantro.
• The worst thing is when these donuts are soggy and they were completely soft and soggy. Yes, it was bound to happen since the crepe is hot, but there are better ways to execute this crepe and it shouldn’t have been like this.
• I could taste some of the egg and then there was some soy bean paste and a bit of sweet and spicy chili paste in it, but it just really didn’t work overall.
• Please don’t veto this item if you see it available on future menus though because it does get much better.