Restaurant: Cactus Club Cafe
Cuisine: International/American/West Coast/Pacific Northwest
Last visited: August 27, 2011
Location: Delta, BC (Surrey Newton)
Address: 7907 120th Street
Price Range: $20-30 (Mains $20-25)

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

Food: 4-4.5 (for a chain)
Service: n/a
Ambiance: 4
Overall: n/a
Additional comments:

• Canadian chain restaurant
• Very popular to locals
• Started in Vancouver, BC
• Bar/TV area
• Celebrity Chef Rob Feenie menu items
• Friendly service
• Lively atmosphere
• Casual fine dining
• Moderately priced
• Patio seating
• Open late

**Recommendations: Butternut Squash + Prawn Ravioli or Ravioli + Prawn Trio, Rocket Salad, Potato Skins, Raincoast Greens, Rob’s Hunter Chicken, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bar

A chain restaurant? Really? What kind of food blogger blogs about a chain? Actually a lot do, and I’m one of them! I’ve blogged about White Spot, Joey’s, and many more, so why not the most popular one of all? Well one of the most popular and well recognized in Metro Vancouver at least. Cactus Club.

You hear the name and you either love it or hate it, but chances are everyone knows about it. It was the chain that was popular as a teenager, and somehow it never lost its cool factor. That is if you deem “cool” as a restaurant with good looking staff in a modern and sexy yet relaxed atmosphere. Well that’s what Cactus Club is, and whether you’re the clientele that appreciates this or not, it doesn’t matter because it’s successful with or without you. That was a bit blunt, but it’s true.

What used to be an affordable burger joint has now turned into a casual fine dining restaurant. I guess the $14 burgers are still affordable, but it’s not what their focusing on… and I blame Rob Feenie. No, I’m kidding… sort of. The food got better, but the prices didn’t. Almost 50% of the menu items are “Rob Feenie Signatures” and they are pricey. Sure there are royalties and branding etc., but I just want it to be good and still somewhat worth it.

Cactus Club and Celebrity Chef Rob Feenie are a pretty unstoppable team and they’ve done great things for each other. It’s no surprise why a lot of restaurants model themselves after them. They found a formula that works.

As for me, I have one foot on board and the other foot off. I actually enjoy the food and menu at Cactus Club, it’s just pricey for what you’re getting. I’m pretty sure the food cost is 1/4, not even 1/3 like most restaurants aim for. But I can’t deny that it’s one of the few places where the food didn’t get worse as my tastes matured. On the other hand you can get something similar at better prices elsewhere, but you don’t really come here for just the food anyways.

Personally, I’d rather support a local independent restaurant, but that’s the food blogger side of me too. However if I was to choose a chain restaurant to dine at, it would either be Cactus Club or Joey’s and that’s based on food, not just on convenience. There are bad chains and there are good chains, and I find Cactus Club one of the better ones.

On this occasion I was at the Delta location and I did know some of the staff, but regardless the service is never really a problem at any of the Cactus Clubs I’ve been too. Everything I ordered was a Rob Feenie Signature, just because they really do appeal to my tastes more. The regular Cactus items just sound so ordinary especially next to the Feenie items. It was literally like “crispy dry ribs” or “beef carpaccio“… I’ll take the latter.

It’s smart though. Keep the traditional favourites that we all have grown to love, and then put them next to the pricier Rob Feenie Signatures that sound more exciting. That technique actually sells the Feenie items even more. It’s almost like a 2 in 1 restaurant and it caters to every type of diner.

On the table:

Tuna Tataki (Rob Feenie Signature) – 3.5/6

• Locally caught ocean wise seared albacore tuna, green papaya slaw, orange, avocado, pine nuts, yuzu vinaigrette $14
• “The yuzu juice in the vinaigrette is 100% pure, bottled in Japan and made from an Asian citrus fruit with a flavour combination of a mandarin orange and grapefruit.”
• They have to explain what yuzu is on the menu. As a foodie, that breaks my heart, but I hope it does encourage people to try “new” things.
• This is actually a take on a dish Chef Feenie used for “Battle Crab” against Chef Morimoto on Food Network’s Iron Chef America.
• This is good, but I’ll leave it for a Japanese restaurant. I know this is usually the case, but I still wanted to give it a chance.
• I’m not comparing it to traditional Japanese food, but many fusion style Japanese restaurants would make this too.
• It was a very fresh, zesty, fruity, bright and summery dish with sweet, savoury and tangy flavours and a subtle hint of licorice from the yuzu.
• The yuzu vinaigrette was very citrusy from maybe some added lemon or lime juice and also quite salty from perhaps some added soy sauce.
• The tuna was lightly seared albacore tuna, not ahi (yellow fin), so it was naturally more white in colour than bright pink or red. It was well seasoned with salt and pepper, but not crusted.
• There were little pieces of fresh cantaloupe, which I wish was mango, and then some tobiko which was very fishy tasting instead of salty and I wasn’t keen on the quality.
• I did like the crunch from the green papaya and carrot slaw, but I would have preferred it more delicate and finely shredded.
• There were a few tiny pieces of orange and I did like the fruit and seafood theme, but it just could have been better executed, although well presented.
• I was missing pine nuts and they skimped on the avocado and used it as garnish and I was hoping for wedges.
• I missed my wasabi mayo drizzle and crispy garlic chips, but let’s just say I’m not the market for this.
• Although different, but still a bit similar, I prefer the Ahi Tuna Tacos from Joey’s.

**Ravioli + Prawn Trio (Rob Feenie Signature) – 6/6

• Butternut squash ravioli, sauteed jumbo prawns $13
• I love this! If you’ve never tried it, you’re missing out. It will always be one of my favourites from their menu.
• It’s one of the first items Rob Feenie introduced to the Cactus Club menu and it was featured at his fine dining restaurant Lumière.
• This is the real “Rob Feenie Signature”. It’s his pride and joy.
• It’s super simple, incredibly rich and indulgent, but it’s amazing! It’s probably one of the heaviest things on the menu, but I order it often.
• It’s a standard beurre blanc sauce (emulsified butter and reduced white wine) with a touch of truffle oil at the end which gives it the perfect accent.
• The wine is a bit acidic so it does bring a tang to the buttery sauce, but it’s still creamy and very rich.
• The prawns were tender and well cooked, but the crispy sage is too minimal to really make a difference. It would be great if their flavour was infused into the sauce as well.

• The ravioli is made especially for Cactus Club by Zara’s, and they are frozen, but that doesn’t bother me.
• They were glistening with butter, cooked al dente and the skins were firm with a bite. Every location I’ve been to has cooked them right.
• The ravioli is equally as incredible as the sauce, and together they are heavenly.
• The butternut squash is actually picked at peak season so they’re very sweet, and Chef Feenie is apparently very specific about this.
• It’s a modest amount of filling, but it’s smooth and extremely creamy and the sauce just enhanced the richness of the whole ravioli.
• Since the ravioli is sweet the sauce gives it the savoury and tangy notes.
• The buttery pine nuts add texture, but they don’t give you many.
• Usually this should come with amaretti crumbs on top, but they forgot them.

I’ve ordered it as an entree a few times ($24.75), but the appetizer does the job because it’s that rich.

Korean Style BBQ Pork Lettuce Wraps (Rob Feenie Signature) – 3.5/6

• Braised pork shoulder, asian slaw, kimchi, chopped ginger and green onion, korean chili bean sauce, spicy yogurt $15
• This is one of their hottest new Rob Feenie Signature menu items. People tend to love them.
• “Lettuce Wraps” are usually the last thing I would order because often it’s an overpriced bastardization, but the hype for it got to me.
• I ordered it once at the Richmond Cactus Club Cafe and the rice was an epic fail (clumpy, dry and cold), but here it was actually fine, although room temperature.
• Nonetheless I liked them better the second time around, and the fact that I didn’t oppose to re-ordering them says something.
• I’ll try not to compare this to traditional Chinese lettuce wraps, because they’re completely different and not trying to be like them either.
• This is likely better enjoyed if you don’t know any of the ingredients well.
• This was actually very well priced, and although it’s an appetizer it could easily be an entree. It came with about 9-10 lettuce leaves.
• I warn you, this is an extremely messy lettuce wrap and it’s very saucy, drippy and wet. It’s not “order on a first date” food.
• This is a bit picky, but the lettuce is cut oddly. They’re almost cutting them lengthwise so they’re long pieces instead of round.
• This was Korean, Chinese, Thai and American put into one plate. It was kind of a delicious disaster of everything “wrong”.

• A few of the fixings are from wholesalers who actually specialize in that particular cuisine, so it’s somewhat fair to compare them to the “real deal”.
• Alone, each component isn’t great in flavour or quality, except for the braised pork shoulder, which is delicious!
• The braised pork was pretty much pulled pork and it was soppy, juicy, moist and tender and I could taste some sweet Hoisin in it. It was the sweet aspect of the dish and there was enough for at least 8 wraps.
• The kimchi is wholesale from a Korean company, but the quality isn’t that great. It actually carried a good amount of spice, but if you know kimchi this won’t cut it. In the context of the wrap, it was fine though.
• The chopped ginger and green onion sauce was likely wholesale, but again, it won’t cut it if you know the real deal. It was dry and quite bitter, not savoury or finely minced enough so the ginger skins really stood out and it was a bit spicy from it. It’s just not balanced and the real thing is so much better.
• The green papaya and carrot slaw was the same as the one used in the Tuna Tataki appetizer. It’s not that pickled and I would have preferred it finely shred, but in the context of the wrap it was okay.
• The rice was fine, but room temperature, and as mentioned, at the Richmond location it was very dry and inedible.
• The Korean chili bean sauce tasted like pure vinegar. It was also very oily, but I couldn’t taste anything but salt and vinegar. It was way too sharp and watery and I would have preferred Gochujang (Korean soy bean paste), but that’s perhaps getting too traditional.
• The spicy yogurt is the favourite Cactus Club sauce. It was the cooling sauce that cut the tang and spiciness, although it was tangy and spicy too.
• When everything was wrapped up it was pretty good, but there were a lot of flavours going on and you couldn’t taste the individual components.
• It was just very saucy, tangy, and spicy and all the flavours get really mixed up and lost.
• Each of them are so bold and strong and usually enjoyed as individual condiments.
• Just to put it into perspective, I’ll use more familiar flavours. It would be like putting chipotle mayo, spicy ketchup, hot salsa, Tobasco, and  hot BBQ sauce in one thing. It’s a mumble and jumble of sauce and flavours, but at least you can customize it.
• There were so many “no he didn’t (s)” running through my head, but if I let go of my culture and what I know, I can’t deny that it still tasted good as a lettuce wrap and it was worth it.
• I’d be curious to see how Coma Food Truck would interpret this.

BBQ Duck Clubhouse (Rob Feenie Signature) – 3.5/6

• BBQ duck, pan seared chicken and crisp prosciutto on pecan fruit bread. $17.75 (+$1.50 for Yam fries)
• The yam fries are crispy and pretty good and served with garlic aioli. The garlic aioli is made with mayo and there’s a noticeable amount of dill in it.
• I ordered this BBQ Duck Clubhouse when it was first introduced to the menu and I’m not sure if the recipe has changed, or if it was just my tastes, but it wasn’t as amazing as I remember it being.
• It’s pretty pricey and I can’t say I saw the value.

• The sandwich is small, but it’s stacked really high.
• The price is likely due to the pecan fruit bread, which there’s barely any of.
• It was probably the thinnest piece of bread I’ve seen cut for a sandwich, other than panini bread after it’s been pressed.
• It was nice and crispy and chewy though and I did love the sweet dates and nutty pecan flavours it brought to the sandwich.
• The pecan fruit bread is actually one of my favourite breads and it’s from Terra Breads in Vancouver.

• It was no doubt a meaty sandwich packed with layers of meat, but it was all really dry. The only moist part was the mayo, but there wasn’t much of that either.
• If I break down the layers it was prosciutto, layers of sliced chicken, BBQ duck, more layers of sliced chicken and then prosciutto, so it was mostly chicken and that’s mainly what I could taste.
• I think it was a pan seared soy sauce chicken, but it was very dry and not hot, and the prosciutto was thick, chewy and a bit jerky like rather than crisp.
• The duck was also chewy and a bit jerky like as well, but it was lost in the sandwich.
• The meats were well seasoned and not too salty, but I’m not sure if it’s always dry like this… ?
• I’d call this a chicken sandwich before I would a BBQ duck sandwich.
• It might be better off as a chicken BLT with some nice avocado and just scrap the duck.

**Peanut Butter Crunch Bar - 6/6

• With Tahitian vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and crunchy chocolate pearls $7.75
• I’ve had various versions of this, and this isn’t “the best”, but it’s my one of my favourite desserts from a chain restaurant – hence the 6/6.
• This photo is actually from another dining experience at the Cactus Club Cafe location in Richmond.
• I had it when it first came out on the menu a couple years ago when it was served with sour cream ice cream… and I miss that so much! I guess it was too adventurous for the clientele though.
• This peanut butter crunch bar is amazing.
• It’s creamy and moussey with a soft chocolate ganache and a crispy hazelnut bottom and it’s a bit salty too.
• The crispy hazelnut wafer crust makes it! It always does. I love that crust and then the added crunchy chocolate pearls top it off.
• Even “I’m not a fan of peanut butter” people would like this. It’s delicious!
• It’s made by another company, but I don’t care.
• For more gourmet versions of this dessert that are similar, try the EBO Chocolate P-Nut Butter Bar at Ebo Restaurant, the Chocolate Raspberry at Miku Restaurant, or Thomas Haas makes one too.

Cactus Club Cafe (Broadway & Ash)

These are samples of other dishes I had from an invited event at Cactus Club Cafe on Broadway & Ash. The dinner showcased their exclusive room in the back available for private events and dinner parties. It’s actually really nice, and the photo doesn’t do it justice.

Due to the portion size and it not being really representable of what would actually be served, my rating will be n/a. I can’t see the full portion size, so I can’t judge the value, overall flavour, or execution of the protein etc. I do know that I enjoyed each one, especially the halibut and the chicken, but for the price, you can find better at other places too.

On the table:

Seared Ocean Wise Saffron Halibut (Rob Feenie Signature) – n/a

• Orange fennel salad, asparagus and peas, herb spaghettini, light saffron cream $25.50
• This was new to the spring/summer 2011 menu.
• I prefer fish with the skin, but being that it’s Cactus Club, I didn’t expect fish skin.
• The sauce was quite buttery and citrusy and the saffron was stronger than expected from a chain restaurant.
• It was a nice summery dish with orange notes and it had that tangy, sweet and savoury combination going on.
• The fennel gave it some crunchy texture and hint of licorice which complements orange flavours so well.

Rob Hunter’s Chicken (Rob Feenie Signature) – n/a

• Portabello, crimini, button and shiitake mushrooms, demi-glace, green beans, herb fingerling potatoes $23.25
• It was a classic chicken and mushroom dish, but it was done well.
• The sauce was actually quite gourmet and it was made with chicken stock, reduced red wine, demi glace, shallots and garlic. There was also some fresh herbs and a touch of butter to finish it off and give it that syrupy richness and shine.
• I just wish the skin on the chicken had been crispy.
• You could find this somewhere else, but for what it is, they actually do a fine job with it here.

Peppercorn New York Striploin (Rob Feenie Signature) – n/a

• 12oz certified angus beef striploin with pernod peppercorn demi-glace $34.75
• Personally I like to order steaks at steakhouses.
• This wasn’t anything you couldn’t find anywhere else, but if you’re at Cactus Club and you want a decent steak, it does the job.

Restaurant: La Belle Auberge
Cuisine: French/Fine Dining
Last visited: June 23, 2011
Location: Delta, BC (Ladner)
Address: 4856 48 Ave
Price Range: $50+

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

Food: 5.5 – 6
Service: n/a
Ambiance: 6
Overall: n/a
Additional comments:

• Award winning
• Authentic French
• World Champion Chef Bruno G. Marti
• Executive Chef Tobias MacDonald
• Fine dining
• Hidden gem
• 4 star restaurant
• Top Rated Zagat Restaurant
• Cooking classes
• Tues-Sat from 6 pm
• La Belle Auberge – Review/Visit 1

**Recommendations: Global Chef’s Manu, Seared Foie Gras with Apple Tart Tatin, Do It Yourself Spring Roll, Wenzel Farms Roasted Duck Breast & Panko Crusted Duck Confit, Slow Cooked Lamb Sirloin marinated with Dijon, Kalamansi Explosion

It was a long time waiting, but after three months of postponing with the girls from Tourism Richmond, our dinner date finally arrived. It was a trek out into the real suburbs of Vancouver and it’s not even in the “downtown” area of the suburb, but in the residential area. It was a return to La Belle Auberge and a return to greatness – see my first visit here.

Charming is probably an understatement for this thirty year old hidden gem in Ladner, BC. Just to refresh the memory La Belle Auberge is the top rated Zagat Restaurant in Metro Vancouver, one of four Mobil Exxon 4-stars in Vancouver, and led by culinary world masters chef and owner Bruno Marti and Executive Chef Tobias MacDonald. It is a world renowned and multiple award winning restaurant, and as much as it’s a “best kept secret” it really shouldn’t be as it has much to show off. It is in a class and even area of its own.

It’s located in a 100 year old Victorian style heritage home. Pulling up to the driveway and stepping into the homey atmosphere reminded me of restaurants like Le Gavroche, Lupo Restaurant + Vinoteca, Old Surrey Restaurant, The Hart House Restaurant and Mis Trucos. It’s very intimate and cozy with an Old English feel and it serves classic French cuisine made with traditional French techniques. There’s also a few courses with West Coast and Pacific Northwest influences, but it is generally French throughout.

I felt like Belle from Beauty and the Beast and the last time that happened was at my visit to Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Las Vegas – see here. Well since I was walking through a secret garden instead of corridors I actually felt more like Alice from Alice in Wonderland.

I walked into the doll house and then I felt like Rory Gilmore from the Gilmore Girls visiting Grandma at the mansion. With prestigious culinary awards decorating each corner, “don’t touch” memorabilia, and the music of a symphony orchestra playing in the background, I immediately straightened up my posture. It is no place for a Mad Hatter.

Whether you deem this atmosphere as quaint or pretentious, it’s worth the visit and drive if you value the talent of culinary legends. I must add that I did not expect to see Bruno Marti this evening and when he popped out of nowhere to greet each table, I almost fainted. It was an honour.

My timing could not have been better. My eyes lit up with excitement as I noticed that the featured tasting course was Chef Tobias MacDonald’s award winning Global Chef’s Menu. It’s a 4 course menu for $100 and only offered for a limited of time. It is quite pricey, but it also includes a grand amuse bouche, palate cleanser and foie gras for an additional $10. So it’s almost a 7 course for $100 (without the foie… but get the foie).

This menu made my heart weak, figuratively and literally. I felt like eating a bar of soap to reduce my size at the end (Alice in Wonderland reference), but it was so incredibly worth it. I’m so in love with this menu and I could barely pick out the flavours in anything because it was so complex, yet presented rather simply and elegantly. I couldn’t concentrate on anything but the components of the food, and I was in awe in how developed all the flavours were.

Honestly I’m a bit intimidated talking about this menu. It has already won Gold in the WACS Global Chef’s Challenge and Tobias is already going to be representing the continental Americas at the World Championship in May 2012 in Daejon, Korea.

So where does a foodie like me stand in all this? Well easy, I don’t. And that’s why I took a seat, closed my eyes and let my senses guide me through a gastronomical experience around the globe. I now present to you the award winning Global Chef’s menu from Chef Tobias MacDonald himself.

Before I get there though, one more note! Chef Tobias has actually been on the same team with Chef Hamid Salimian as they represented Canada in world culinary competitions. Chef Hamid is the Executive Chef at one of my favourite restaurants The Apron. It’s no surprise to see some aspects of their cooking styles cross over. They have trained with culinary masters and also train up and coming young chefs in Vancouver.

On the table:

The wine list in not extensive, but they keep a few selections that generally go well with the style of food they serve. We ended up taking the 2009 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay ($45) which was bright, crisp and citrusy and great for the warmer weather. It was balanced with acidity and sweetness and it wasn’t too dry, but it played well as a starter wine and went best with the Halibut wrapped with Side Striped Shrimp.

Complimentary Bread & Butter

• It’s not the rustic, chewy, crusty, traditional French baguette one might expect.
• It’s served warm with a creamy whipped butter and the middle of the baguette is soft and fluffy.

Chef Tobias’ Selection Amuse Bouche

• If this is any indication of what their Braised Shortrib with Potato Foam & Tomato Confit appetizer is like, I would very likely order it a la carte as well.
• This was amazing! It was a mini pot of diced braised beef short rib with little bits of tender bacon and juicy mushrooms. It’s covered with gravy, topped with an indulgent, rich, and creamy smooth layer of potato foam, and drizzled with herb infused oil.

• This one had no tomato confit, but it was two bites of what seemed like the most amazing Shepherd’s Pie.
• The beef was melt in your mouth tender and graced with this potato foam that was more like a buttery pommes puree. It’s almost like a creamy rich melted potato sauce.
• It was absolutely decadent with little pieces of juicy sweet mushrooms and a natural beef au jus gravy reduced with some red wine so it was almost stew like.
• This was only the beginning too!

Chef Tobias’ Selection Amuse Bouche - 5/6

• Goat Cheese Terrine with Apple and Blackberry Gelée, Cured Smoked Salmon, Potato Wrapped Prawn, Seared Scallop, Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
• The amuse bouche was quite grand and the plating of the platter gradually increased in heavier proteins and flavours.
• Goat Cheese Terrine with Apple and Blackberry Gelée - 6/6 – This was my personal favourite on the platter. It was a creamy, rich goat cheese mousse and it wasn’t too gamey, but well balanced with a tangy and sweet fresh fruit gelée. I could taste each layer and the cheese was whipped lightly, but the flavours were distinct and almost dessert like. It was a  fruit and cheese platter in one decadent bite.
• Cured Smoked Salmon – 3/6 - The salmon wasn’t actually that salty or smoky, and it was cured with a hint of grainy mustard. Since it was so mild, it was actually lovely eaten with the goat cheese terrine too.
• Potato Wrapped Prawn – 4.5/6 – This was delicious and I wish they made ebi mayo like this. It was a prawn wrapped in a shoe string potato chip and it was crunchier than any Panko, breaded, or flour batter. It was served with a tangy aioli that looked like mustard, but the flavour was lemony.

• Seared Scallop with Avocado – 4/6 – It was a tender and buttery scallop that was seared crispy on both sides. It sat on a bed of minced avocado and I actually found the flavours quite mild and simple. It was generous to see a scallop served as an amuse bouche.
• Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin – 5/6 - The pork was tender (perhaps sous vide) and there was a crunch of sauteed apple underneath to give it some sweet and tangy flavour. The bacon came rather unnoticed but there was also a layer of pork and herb pate on top. I could even taste some mint and lime infused into one of the components and it was much more complex than it seemed.

Halibut wrapped with Side Striped Shrimp – 6/6

• Pastry crusted halibut with brown butter sauce, golden beet with red curry lobster oil, build your own pork belly summer spring roll.
• I was ecstatic to see the spring roll since it was one of my favourites from last time – see Do It Yourself Spring Roll.
• It does catch me off guard to have an item that requires hands at a fine dining restaurant though.
• This was an Euro-Asian inspired plate and it kept tricking me into looking for Asian seasonings even though they may not have been in every component.
• The only thing that didn’t taste like it had an Asian aspect to it was the Halibut wrapped with Side Striped Shrimp.
• This is one of the few times Asian fusion or “modern Asian” has been done exceptionally well for me.

• Pastry crusted halibut with brown butter sauce – 5/6
  • It was a tender piece of halibut topped with a pastry crisp made of shredded deep fried phyllo strands. It was almost like a crispy potato chip.
  • It sat on a bed of garlic sauteed spinach surrounded with a brown butter sauce that was wonderfully savoury and even nutty. It reminded me of the Japanese goma-ae.
  • It was a creamy brown butter gravy like sauce. It was nutty from being browned, but I don’t think there was sesame sauce in it.
  • It was incredibly reduced and perhaps thickened with cream and it’s one of the best “brown butter” sauces I’ve had.

• Halibut wrapped with Side Striped Prawn – 4/6
  • It wasn’t the actual halibut and side striped prawn I enjoyed alone, but it was the whole thing together and if you got a bite of everything at once, it was delicious!
  • The seafood didn’t carry much flavour or pizazz, but the crunch of green beans and tender sweet spaghetti squash on the side gave it amazing flavour and texture. I was hoping for more of them.
  • It was crunchy and tender with compressed juicy prawns and tender halibut. The flavours were natural and I’m assuming the whole thing was sous vide.
  • At first I thought it was lacking in flavour, but when I had it with the creamy sweetened caramelized eggplant strands it sat on, the flavours came alive.
  • The syrupy eggplant was almost the sauce and I appreciated it much more with it.
  • The wine (2009 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay) really helped with this dish in particular.

• Golden beet with red curry lobster oil – 6/6
  • I thought I was saving the best for last (spring roll), but this was actually the best! This is one of the most memorable parts of the menu!
  • This was amazing! I tend to love gel liquid bubbles of sauce executed with molecular gastronomy though.
  • I popped the whole thing in my mouth, broke the skin of the gel and out burst this juicy, thick, creamy, rich river of smooth coconut Thai curry sauce with the essence of lobster aroma. It was a magical moment.
  • There was quite the spicy heat and the sweet and tender compacted golden beet underneath balanced out the spice.
  • I tasted more red curry sauce than I did lobster, but it was one of the most delicious bites I’ve had regardless.
  • I almost wanted a couple salmon roe on top just to bring a little savouriness and a double pop of flavour and texture.
  • Other things that have been executed like this that I love are the Mango Ravioli from The YEW, “Tomato Sauce” (Inflated cherry tomato) from Central City Brewing, the soya gel liquids from the Ahi Tuna at Ebo Restaurant, and the Rose Water syrup bubbles from the Shattered Baklava at The Apron.

• Build your own pork belly summer spring roll – 5.5/6
  • This is a modern twist to a Vietnamese salad roll.
  • I had something similar last time, but it was called the “Do It Yourself Spring Roll” and the filling was curry chicken and mushroom. It was my favourite dish and I think I preferred that one to this pork belly version, but I’d gladly have either on any day.
  • It wasn’t a roasted suckling pork’s belly, but it was pieces of braised pork belly.
  • It was a saucy soy marinated, tender, and melt in your mouth pork belly and it seemed to have the skin removed.
  • It was less fatty than I’m used to and a couple times the meat was a bit dry.
  • The rice wrapper is home made and very soft, thin and tender with added texture from thinly sliced Shiitake mushrooms and some edible flowers and herbs.
  • You top the roll with with green onions, deep fried garlic chips, compressed cucumber, toasted peanuts, and fresh lime segments.
  • It was crispy from the garlic, crunchy from the peanuts, nutty, and aromatic with sudden bursts of fresh lime juice and refreshing cucumber that balanced out the rich pork belly.
  • Despite it being pork belly, it was a rather light and summery roll that was not only beautiful to look at, but very enjoyable to eat.

Trio of Beef Flat Iron – 5/6

• Beef tartare with avocado and quail’s egg, carpaccio with parmesan and pickled gala apple, medium rare beef with sauteed fennel
• Following the seafood plate was the beef course, which eased nicely into the main course.
• The line up for this plate was interesting and it was a progressive build up to the beef flavour.
• It went from aromatic beef, to sweet and tangy beef, to savoury beef.
• I thought the steak would be executed in 3 ways, but it was almost 2 since the carpaccio came sliced from the medium rare beef.
• This one didn’t look as Asian inspired as the previous course, but it actually was.

• Beef tartare with avocado and quail’s egg – 4/6
  • This was an Euro-Asian inspired beef tartare.
  • I personally would have liked the quail’s egg raw or less cooked. This one was more like a creamy soft egg yolk and it didn’t ooze, but was almost like a soft buttery paste. It could have used a touch of Maldon salt too.
  • The beef tartare tower was creamy and rich with the aroma of ginger, but not really the flavour.
  • I could taste some salty bits of smashed capers and some grainy mustard and perhaps a touch of freshly grated wasabi for a kick at the end.
  • It was a bit nutty from maybe sesame oil and I was hoping for a tang to brighten up the flavours more.
  • Compared to many Asian styles of beef tartare, the flavours were rather subtle.
  • I was also hoping for a crispy or crunchy texture either from a garnish or some type of crostini too.

• Carpaccio with parmesan and pickled gala apple – 5/6
  • This was more flavourful than the tartare, although less rich and it actually tasted very Vietnamese.
  • Apple and parm go together and parm and beef go together, but all three at once was a first time for me, and it worked!
  • It’s sweet and savoury and it helped that everything was sliced so thinly so that nothing was overpowering. The flavours layered very nicely.
  • It was finding the perfect balance of each ingredient in one solid bite and it helped that it was all deconstructed.
  • It was paper thin slices of beef marinated with Vietnamese nuom choc sauce. It is a tangy, savoury and sweet orange vinaigrette made from fish sauce, sugar, and vinegar.
  • The salty bits of Parmesan was an interesting match to the sweet and tangy gala apples, but the apples brightened the dish up giving it a juicy sweetness.
  • I loved the contrast of textures and flavours with the buttery melt in your mouth beef and refreshing crunch of preserved apple that was tender, but not soggy.
  • It sat on a bed of watercress which gave it more of an Asian twist.
  • There was some freshly grated wasabi mayo on the side that acted as a binder to the carpaccio and it gave it a nice creaminess and kick.
• Medium rare beef with sauteed fennel - 4.5/6
  • This was the most basic and savoury of the trio and it carried the heavier flavours.
  • It was incredibly tender beef topped with sea salt served with sauteed fennel that came off as radish, and it didn’t have much licorice fennel flavour.
  • There was also some sauteed apple in the mix to give it sweetness and it was covered in a savoury beef au jus.
  • It wasn’t necessarily juicy, but still tender and there was no crust, heavy seasonings, herbs or spices.
  • It was the more predictable of the three, but still excellent and well executed.

**Seared Foie Gras with Apple Tart Tatin – 6/6

• +$10 supplement with Global Chef’s Menu (I think $25 a la carte)
• This is probably the best foie gras I’ve ever had. Mind you, I try not to order foie gras unless it’s recommended. This one was highly recommended as their most prized dish, and I am highly recommending it.
• Oh god… this is glorious. I’m melting just thinking about it. This could have been a meal in itself!
• This was the highlight of the whole dinner, and definitely a highlight of the food I’ve had this year.
• This is incredibly rich, very traditional French, and a must try.
• It was a lovely piece of buttery, melt in your mouth, pan seared foie gras. It had a slightly crispy exterior and the rest just melted like butter on a hot pan.
• The foie was swimming in a pool of port wine sauce and sat on an apple tart tatin.
• It was bursting with sweet and tart flavours, but definitely more sweet than tart.
• The whole thing was ultra saucy and incredibly syrupy and like a sweet and savoury dessert.
• The apple tart tatin was composed of pieces of soft apples and pieces of buttery soft and tender old fashioned pastry dough mixed together.
• The apple tart was almost like a diced and sauteed apple pie and it was soaking in a very sweet and syrupy caramel syrup.
• I thought it was sauteed in bacon because there were little crispy bits which were actually crystallized caramel. With the savoury and sweet port wine sauce it came across as little crumbs of caramelized bacon.
• Everything just melted in my mouth and I was so happy to have some peas to give it some textural contrast.
• The sweet green peas gave it a nice pop of fresh flavour and it was also served with preserved white and red berries that were so tart that it striped your saliva away.
• The berries were required to cut the richness of the foie gras, but I definitely wanted to end my last bite with the foie gras. The flavours just lingered long after it was gone.
• Foie gras is one of my guilty indulgences. No, it’s not because it’s basically eating pure fat, but it’s the ethical stuff behind it. Of coarse I love it, but I just try not to initiate ordering it unless it’s highly recommended or stated “sustainable”. You pick and choose your battles as a “foodie”.

White Peach Sorbet with Kalamansi Explosion - 6/6

• This was the palate cleanser.
• The white peach sorbet was incredibly fresh, naturally sweet, a bit icy and it tasted like pure frozen white peach pulp. It was topped with a caramelized sugar crisp.
• The Kalamansi Explosion is a house signature. It was actually one of the items we featured on the Vancouver Foodie Feast menu, a fundraiser for the Vancouver Food Bank.
• You pop the whole Kalamnsi Explosion in your mouth at once and keep your lips closed.
• It’s a thin and hard white chocolate shell filled with very tangy and slightly sweetened kalamansi juice (Filipino orange that tastes like a lime).
• The Kalamnsi Explosion just wakes up your palate and literally cleanses your tongue with a burst of citrusy liquid.

Slow Cooked Lamb Sirloin - 4.5/6

• With Dijon mustard jus, roasted new potatoes, anise scented carrots
• This was the main course to the Global Menu and it was the most ordinary and predictable, although still delicious.
• Almost everything had Asian influence up until this point, so I missed having the flow of theme and flavours.
• It was very traditional French in execution and the lamb wasn’t heavily crusted with any spices, herbs or many noticeably distinct flavours.
• The lamb was likely sous vide and it was closer to medium for me although it was as melt in your mouth tender and as buttery as medium rare.
• It had a very subtle game flavour that was enjoyable, and it was well balanced with the sweeter sauce. I’m not a fan of very strong game flavour and this wasn’t.
• It was tender, but not juicy and the au jus was syrupy and sweet and well reduced, but the Dijon mustard was very muted.
• The sauce wasn’t really anything you haven’t had before at a fine dining establishment.
• It was served with a side of sweet, plump, juicy and meaty morels that just soaked up the sauce like absorbent sponges.
• There was some very sweet shredded braised red beets, crunchy green beans, buttery lemon and herb roasted new potatoes, and then some anise scented carrots, which tasted more like honey glazed carrots.
• The beets and carrots had an enhanced sweetness and the side of vegetables were topped with a potato crisp.

Dacquoise & Hazelnut Cream – 4.5/6

• Parfait Grand Marnier, strawberry coulis and compressed pineapple
• This was the final course to the award winning Global Chef’s Menu.
• The components were well balanced and it was served with a slice of semi-freddo that tasted like a creamy rich hazelnut liquer infused frozen custard.
• The chocolate dacquoise & hazelnut cream was sweeter than expected and there was a layer of crispy hazelnut wafer crunch at the bottom to give it textural contrast.
• It was bitter sweet chocolate and it was quite rich and there were layers of rich chocolaty hazelnut cream in between. It was similar to Nutella and I could also taste a bit of salt to bring out all the flavours.
• I couldn’t taste much Grand Marnier, which I’m not really a fan of anyways in chocolate, so I didn’t mind.
• The compressed pineapple gave it some tang and the presentation and use of them reminded me of the Pan Roasted Scallop dish from The Apron.
• It was a good balance of tart and sweet, but I wasn’t as wow’d with this dessert as I was with everything else, although still very good.

A La Carte Menu

Heirloom Tomato Salad – 4/5

• It was what it was. This was a very simple, but perfectly executed heirloom tomato garden salad.
• There’s not much room to be creative, but it showcased the introduction to summer and the salty pieces of goat’s cheese added a bit of richness to what was quite light.
• The tomatoes were well seasoned, juicy, plump and sweet, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• The row of seasoning on the side was almost like the Japanese pepper spice and it did have an aspect of ground chili in it to give it some heat.

Lobster Bisque – n/a

• With poached lobster ball & crab $15
• This wasn’t my order, although I did try a spoonful of the bisque, so I can’t speak for the dish as a whole.
• I was immediately brought back to the Atlantic Lobster Globe I had at The Apron, and I’m curious to who inspired the idea. (Both chefs are friends and compete together in culinary competitions).
• This lobster bisque was intense with rich lobster flavour and I could taste the crustaceans infused throughout.
• It wasn’t a thick and creamy bisque, and to be honest I wouldn’t have minded it a bit thicker to give that silky smoothness and coat your throat texture.

Spring Salmon - n/a

• Poached in saffron tomato soup served with seasonal vegetables $25
• This was also not my dish, but I did try it.
• I found the portion as an entree to be incredibly small though, and it’s a “need a dinner #2″ dish. I just wish it had more components and it wasn’t particularly exciting.
• The salmon was sous vide and incredibly moist, tender and almost buttery. It was medium rare to  rare and the execution was something that put me in awe. It was perfect.
• The  soup was very strong with saffron flavour and the tomatoes brought it some acidity which was nice, but it was a bit simple with few ingredients for me.
• There was a crispy potato or phyllo chip on top and overall I didn’t find it worth it, although still delicious.

This was the side of seasonal vegetables served with the salmon.

Butter Fried Veal Escalopes with Morel Sauce – n/a

• Served with Morels seasonal vegetables $34
• This was not my dish, but I did try a slice, but it’s not representable enough to “rate”.
• When I have veal, it’s mainly Italian, but this was very traditional French.
• It was incredibly tender and well made, but the veal came across as almost pork tenderloin and it didn’t taste like veal.
• It was very similar to my Slow Cooked Lamb Sirloin, but I preferred the lamb to this.
• Again it wasn’t heavily crusted with herbs or much seasoning, but the sauce was terrific.
• The sauce was a savoury and sweet creamy buttery gravy with a hint of grainy mustard and sauteed morels.
• The sauce was bolder and thicker than the Dijon mustard au jus from the lamb, but they were quite similar.
• The portion for this dish was quite large and the side vegetables were the same as the ones from the lamb entree.
• I was hoping for a more creative side, or at least more difference in the offered side dishes.
• The entrees here are a bit steep, even for fine dining, but if you consider the generous amuse bouche it balances out somewhat.

Fresh Fruit Mille Feuille – 3.5/6

• $11
• I found their desserts to be quite pricey and this one wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was good.
• It wasn’t that sweet and it’s very light, but I didn’t find it anything particularly special or exciting.
• It was a bit simple and I thought the fruits (kiwi, pineapple, strawberry) would be more thinly sliced to create more layers for a “Fresh Fruit Mille Feuille”.
• It was alternating with fresh fruit, a few thin sheets of phyllo and a dollop of pastry cream in between each layer. It’s served with fresh strawberry coulis and kiwi coulis.
• I thought it would have more flavours of a napoleon with many more intricate layers, more pastry cream, and even more sheets of thin flaky phyllo in between.
• It was only a few thin sheets of phyllo and I missed the nuttiness it can bring. I missed the almonds it can sometimes have too.
• It wasn’t a traditional French Mille Feuille and the execution just wasn’t as detailed or exotic as I was hoping for.

La Belle Auberge Coffee ($9) – Espresso, Grand Marnier, Coffee Liquer and fresh whipped cream.

Complimentary Treats

• It’s a home made chocolate bar with crispy hazelnut wafer crust and sea salt.
• It tastes like Nutella ganache or the creamy hazelnut filling in a Ferrero Rocher.
• It’s decadent, rich, sweet and nutty with the perfect amount of sea salt on top to give it a savoury accent.
• Better than any mint or fortune cookie is a home made chocolate bar.
• Very similar to this is The Chocolate Bar at The Apron and another fun homemade chocolate bar is the Mis Trucos Chocolate Bar.

Restaurant: La Belle Auberge
Cuisine: French/Fine Dining
Last visited: March 10, 2011
Location: Delta, BC (Ladner)
Address: 4856 48 Ave
Price Range: $30-50, $50+

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

Food: n/a
Service: n/a
Ambiance: 6
Overall: n/a
Additional comments:

• Award winning
• Authentic French
• World Champion Chef Bruno G. Marti
• Executive Chef Tobias MacDonald
• Fine dining
• Hidden gem
• 4 star restaurant
• Top Rated Zagat Restaurant
• Cooking classes
• Tues-Sat from 6 pm

**Recommendations: n/a

This is probably one of the biggest kept secrets and oldest hidden gems in Metro Vancouver that most locals probably don’t even know about. And that’s referring to the restaurant, not Ladner! Yeah I don’t even remember the last time I came to Ladner to eat, let alone set foot in Ladner in general. However tucked away in a rather small residential area is the ever so quaint and charming La Belle Auberge.

La Belle Auberge has a reputation that is even greater on a global scale since it has won multiple awards on an international level. Known to all, or maybe just to the prestigious culinary scene, it’s actually the top rated Zagat Restaurant in Metro Vancouver, one of four Mobil Exxon 4-stars in Vancouver, and led by culinary world masters chef and owner Bruno Marti and Executive Chef Tobias MacDonald. It almost makes it even more of a shame that not many people know about it in Metro Vancouver, BC.

It’s located in a 100 year old Victorian style heritage home. Pulling up to the driveway and stepping into the homey atmosphere reminded me of restaurants like Le Gavroche, Lupo Restaurant + Vinoteca, Old Surrey Restaurant, The Hart House Restaurant and Mis Trucos, where it feels like you’re going to a formal private dinner party at a friend’s house. It’s very intimate and cozy with an Old English feel and it serves classic French cuisine made with traditional French techniques. There’s also a few courses with West Coast and Pacific Northwest influences, but it is generally French throughout.

I admit that I didn’t know much about La Belle Auberge until it was brought to my attention just last year. It’s been on my itinerary since then, but I haven’t made my way there yet. I also had the honour of being in Chef Bruno Marti’s presence at the 2011 Bocuse d’Or Chef’s Culinary Challenge & Tasting Event, where he was supporting Chef Ryan Stone as the Canadian representative for the competition. Chef Marti is a world renowned and well respected icon in the culinary industry who has also trained countless fine Canadian chefs.

On this occasion the circumstances aren’t representable of a regular night because Sherman and I actually came to sample some courses for Vancouver’s 1st Foodie Feast, an event we’re helping organize for The Vancouver Food Bank. La Belle Auberge is one of our hand selected participating restaurants that we’re honoured to have on board. Being that I hadn’t tried the restaurant yet, it was actually a selection based on Sherman’s trusted recommendation. The photos you see are compliments of him as well.

On the table:

Spot Prawn Terrine with Ponzu Mayonnaise – 4.5/6

• Pea shoot salad
• This was a very light and simple appetizer made with compressed prawns, perhaps marinated with some lemon, and composed into a terrine.
• It almost had the texture of lobster and it was incredibly juicy, naturally sweet and crunchy with snappy green beans in the centre.
• The ponzu mayo added a bright citrus tang and creaminess to balance out the acidity.
• It was served with a pea shoot salad that also had a slice of Gemini tomato, which was amazing. The Gemini tomato almost tasted like a tangy sweet and crunchy watermelon and it was noticeably different from any tomato I’ve ever tasted before.
• The salad was well salted which brought out the sweetness in the tomato and almost made it taste more like watermelon.

Farm Pheasant Breast - 4.5/6

• With apples and yam puree
• This was another very simple and fresh dish with classic pairings like apple and yams and apples and pheasant ( although pork and apples would be a more common example).
• The pheasant seemed like a sous vide terrine and there was some parley compressed between the layers of meat to give it added flavour and brightness.
• The meat was so well executed, tender and soft, with no heavy seasonings, and the sweet yam puree just added to the overall smoothness of the dish.
• The tangy crunch of apples and snappy sweet green beans added for nice texture while the yam puree topped with demi glace added a savoury sweet tang.
• The potent sauce and creamy sweet yams were a nice binder for all the fresh ingredients to be enjoyed at once.

Bacon Wrapped Roasted Lamb – 4.5/6

• With peas and compressed eggplant
• I actually enjoyed the peas and compressed eggplant with Gemini tomatoes more so than I did the bacon wrapped lamb.
• The lamb was tender, and I almost thought it was sous vide again. It’s not very gamey and it had a thin strip of bacon wrapped around it but it wasn’t very smoky in flavour. It was a bit overcooked for me, although still tender and juicy.
• The brightness and sweetness of the freshly shucked peas and crisp Gemini tomatoes really did it for this dish because it cut through the heavier flavours of the lamb as well as what I think was a Burgundy jus.
• I thought the compressed eggplant was actually compressed caramelized onions and turnips because it had the same sweetness, but it was much denser, yet slipeery in texture. It was almost like a sweet tangy jelly and it absorbed the well reduced jus surrounding it.

Wenzel Farms Roasted Duck Breast & Panko Crusted Duck Confit – 5/6

• With Parmesan Crisp and herb oil
• This was my favourite course. I also really love duck confit though and it’s pretty much always on my table if it’s on the menu.
• The duck was a bit overcooked for me again, but it was still tender, but could have been juicier. It was hanging on to a very small strip of duck fat which was roasted so it was almost like porchetta crackling. I think the rest of it may have been used in the croquette it was served with.
• The panko crusted duck confit croquette hidden in the back was my definite highlight of the dish. I actually wonder how it would have tasted if they used the duck skin in the panko breading… ?
• It was perfectly golden brown and crispy with moist and juicy shredded duck confit meat inside and pretty much no additional fillers. It was savoury and tangy and the Parmesan crisp added a salty bite and nutty crunch to the already crispy croquette.
• It was incredibly juicy, sweet and tangy and didn’t even require any sauce because it was so well flavoured and seasoned.

Do It Yourself Spring Roll – 6/6

• Okay, never mind, I forgot about this course! This course was my favourite course!
• It’s Asian inspired and not really French at all, but it was my favourite. It was so enjoyable and one of the best if not the best spring roll I’ve ever had.
• It was so unique and I’ve never seen anything like it before. The presentation, colours and concept were perfect. It was such a beautiful dish it makes me want to cry and the flavour was nothing short of the presentation.
• It was a contemporary style fresh Vietnamese spring roll that was Asian fusion inspired with the ingredients and flavours.
• In between the sheets of rice flour wrappers were shaved Shiitake mushrooms, cabbage and herbs.
• The row of condiments (left to right) were fresh lime segments, scallions, roasted peanuts, fried garlic chips and coarse sea salt.

Curry chicken & mushroom filling

• It was served with a bowl of curry chicken and mushroom filling which tasted like a Thai red curry sauce. I could taste the ginger, lemon grass and savouriness of fish sauce and for a moment I forgot what restaurant I was in.

• Everything went into the roll and it was delicious!
• It was savoury, sweet, tangy, aromatic and there were no overpowering flavours.
• It was saucy and moist with crunchy peanuts, crispy garlic chips, juicy sweet mushrooms, aromatic lemongrass with a mild heat of ginger and juicy plump bursts of citrus lime segments that just made all the flavours pop and come alive.
• It was such an amazing dish with classic flavours that were introduced and matched in a very new way.
• It played with textures and bold ingredients used in a delicate way and it was definitely something I didn’t want to put down, let alone ever want to share.

Kalamansi Explosion – 6/6

• A little molecular gastronomy! These were white chocolate balls filled with Kalamansi juice!
• These were amazing! It was like a new aged Lindt ball and they were served chilled. You pop them in your mouth whole.
• It’s a thin white chocolate shell and then when you bite into the hard exterior you’re hit with an explosion of liquid and a burst of tangy sweet Kalamansi juice.
• Kalamansi is a Filipino orange that tastes like a lime. It was the perfect balance of sweet and tangy and the liquid inside was a fantastic awakening call.
• The Kalamansi explosion was so unexpected and it definitely carried “wow” factor. It’s certainly a memorable way to end a meal and leave a lasting impression too.

Restaurant: Applewood Country Gifts, Tea Room & Bakery – Review 2
Cuisine: Brunch/Lunch/Teatime/Bakery
Last visited: December 26, 09
Area: Delta, BC
Address: #112-6345 120th Street
Price range: $10-20

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

Food: 4 – Sweet; 1.5 – Savoury
Service: 2
Ambiance: 6
Overall: 3
Additional comments:

• New owners, a couple new items eg: Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding
• Very quaint, very cute, traditional country style tearoom
• Child-like tea party feel
• Atmosphere is unreal – literally, and figuratively
• Offers high tea – $20/person (Reservations required)
• Everything is homemade, but also pre-made and sits there until ordered
• Really “just like Grandma’s…” kind of place
• Popular to locals, females, and seniors
• Local/hidden gem (tucked away location)
• Baked goods really good, savoury items – pretty bad
• Baked goods are $1-2 more if you eat in
• Homemade fudge
• Savoury and sweet items available to go
• Part restaurant, part gift shop selling stationary, aprons, tea sets etc.
• Reservations recommended for high tea – gets busy
• Accepts Debit/Visa/MC

Recommendation: Scones with “the works” devonshire cream and homemade jam, Cloverleaf buns, Rhubarb upside down cake, chocolate brownies

This is one of the very few places I keep returning back to even though I’m not impressed with their food, except for a few of their baked goods. The atmosphere is what draws me back and also the lack of options in the area.

I’ve been here on several occasions and it’s always the same stuff (for the last 7 years… talk about traditional right?!), but I always try to order something new. The last time I came to Applewood Bakery I was really disappointed. Since then they have changed owners, but not much has changed except for a couple new menu items.

The new owner saw me taking pictures of the tearoom and kindly asked what they were for. I told her that it was for a blog, and to my surprise she had already read it and seen my post. I was a bit caught off guard because 1) it wasn’t a good post and 2) it was the 1st time I’ve experienced this situation – but nonetheless, with her permission, she was kind enough to let me continue taking my photos and all.

I’ll be totally honest and say that I’m still not impressed with their savoury foods. Pretty much every time I’ve come the savoury food is always a miss; except for their quiche which is decent and the cloverleaf rolls which are fantastic. Other than those items, they just don’t do it for me. The baked goods on the other hand are usually quite solid. They’re good old fashioned country style “grandma’s homemade baking” and they suit the atmosphere perfectly. However not all their baked goods are a hit and there is better.

The atmosphere is insanely cute! It’s girly, delicate and you feel like Alice in Wonderland. From the tearoom, to the kitchen, and even the bathroom, you just can’t help but to feel like you’re in a life size playhouse. You really won’t find anything else like it.

I spoke briefly with the new owner about the menu and she told me that she would be keeping some old favourites as well as bringing in some new ones. It’s the kind of place that has a niche market and local clientele so I can see how it would be risky to change it around too much. She’s going to be improving some recipes… and thank goodness for this because their savoury foods seriously need some attention. I’ve tried all of them and they’re pretty much all bland and dry.

The owner did ask for some more feedback and I did give it. Personally, I really can’t justify the price for the quality of food here, because it’s surprisingly pricey and the portions are quite small (although they should be for a dainty place like this). The owner seemed to agree and apparently I wasn’t the only one who expressed this concern, so she plans to change this too. Therefore I can’t wait to see what she has in store, and I’m excited for a revisit once things settle in.

On the table:

Quiche Meal – 3/6

• Quiche of the day (almost always ham and cheese), side salad with your choice of raspberry vinaigrette or lemon poppy seed dressing, and cloverleaf roll $9.99
• The quiche is a bigger than this but we shared a quiche and cup of soup so they split it for us in the back before serving it.
• If I’m going to order savoury food here it will probably be the quiche. Nothing else impresses me, and the quiche doesn’t really either, but at least it’s good.

• Cloverleaf roll – 6/6
• This meal starts off with their famous homemade Cloverleaf roll.
• The Cloverleaf roll is a solid 6/6.
• The Cloverleaf roll is 3 types of buns combined to make one bun. The bun has 3 flavours – 1/3 multigrain, 1/3 cheese, 1/3 plain. They come warm with butter. The texture is amazing. Really good bread! The texture is really soft and fluffy; my favourite side is the multigrain side.

• Ham and Broccoli Quiche - 3/6
  • I’ve already done a post on it last time, but again it’s the safest savoury item you can order. I thought it was better this time, hence the +1, but there was more ingredients last time.
  • The quiche isn’t a French-style quiche but more of a country-style quiche. It has chunky pieces of ham, diced broccoli (not much), bell peppers and green onions. It’s quite rustic with lots of roughly chopped ingredients and a layer of cheese on top before they bake it.

  

  • It’s pre-made and warmed up so it has that “been sitting there” look and taste. The cheese layer just lifts right up rather than melting into the quiche. The quiche part is flavourful and moist though, and the veggies are tender.
  • The crust is homemade crust and it’s perfect. It’s not too thick with nice crisp edges. I wonder if it’s the same crust for their pies. It wasn’t really flaky but still tender in texture and buttery in flavour.
  • Green Salad with Homemade dressing – 4/6
  • The salad is romaine, a couple slices of cucumber, tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. Very simple.
  • They should really just buy pre-washed lettuce. W e were biting into sand and it was not the poppy seeds from the dressing. We had to spit it out… very non-lady like, but we had no choice. We let the server know, but the reply was “really?…interesting… “… and nothing else. Yes until now I am as confused as you are.
  • I usually go for the lemon poppy seed dressing over the raspberry vinaigrette. It’s quite sweet more than it is tart, more honey-like than lemony but I like it. It could use the fresh zest of a lemon though. Too bad I couldn’t enjoy it with the salad.

  

  • Lentil Soup – 1/6
  • Soup of the day: lentil soup Cup: $4.50 Bowl: $5.50
  • The soup is made in house and from scratch but it was not good at all.
  • It tasted like an experimental soup and it was the most basic recipe with poor execution.
  • There was no flavour at all. It was so bland and even adding salt and pepper wasn’t helping.
  • It had onions, carrots and celery, but it was all pureed in a food processor not until smooth but just little bits. It was a tomato based soup but it was very watery. All the ingredients were at the bottom and it reminded me of baby food.

Cranberry Scone with “The Works” – 6/6

• Seasonal fruit and cheese scones available $2 to go $4.25 w/butter & jam $5.50 w/”the works”
• They offer around 3-4 flavours that change often: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, cheese, rhubarb pecan (rare), raisin, strawberry etc.
• I’ve had the Raspberry scone last time, and this time I tried the cranberry scone.
• I like the raspberry scone better because I found the cranberries too tart, although I liked the option for the holiday season.

• These are still one of the best scones I’ve had. Nice and big, thick and fluffy. They’re not flaky or crumbly, but almost cakey. They have a slightly crispy and perfectly browned outside, soft inside, buttery flavour and loaded with real fruit. It’s not really sweet either, it’s a perfect recipe.

• This one has whole plump cranberries throughout and extra on top for presentation. It’s served with a light dusting of icing sugar.
• It’s a pretty expensive scone and it’s definitely best enjoyed if you order it with “the works”. This will bring you to $5.50, but it’s a must if you come.
  • “The Works” just means with Devonshire cream and homemade jam. I had it last time too, but I want to correct it because I think it’s actually better than I thought.
  • Devonshire cream: I still doubt it’s real clotted cream (heated up unpasteurized milk), but it’s still really good. I was looking for the cheese taste this time and I found it, but it was hard. It was thick, but still not as thick as the real clotted cream and it wasn’t pale yellow like the real thing is. I’m pretty sure it’s whipped cream mixed with mascarpone, but it still tastes great. It’s lightly sweetened, has a mild cheesy taste, and very slight tang. It could use more mascarpone, if that’s what they’re using.
  • Homemade jam: always great.

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake – 4.5/6

• You can order this with “the works” so we did and it came to $4.95. It’s $4.25 as is and if you get a piece to go it’s $2.95. I don’t think an extra $2 is very reasonable for eating in, an extra $1 is okay.
• It’s not necessary to order “the works” as  it’s just whipped cream from a can. I thought it was going to be their homemade Devonshire cream so I was a bit disappointed.
• It’s a pretty big slice of cake and it’s very moist. That’s what I love about it.

• The cake part is so moist and perfectly baked. It has a cinnamon flavour and it’s a simple coffee cake recipe. There are a few chunks of rhubarb throughout the cake batter which I really enjoyed. It was almost like apples, but tart and nice and stringy from the baking process.

• There’s not much of a rhubarb layer though. The rhubarb is very tender and slightly tart, but also sweet. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and tart for me. I just wanted more rhubarb in the top layer.
• This has nothing to do with the rating I gave, because colour doesn’t affect flavour of rhubarb… but I wish the rhubarb they used was redder in colour. It would simply look nicer.

Tea

• Small pot $2.50
• Large pot $4.50
• They have an extensive tea list, but the teas aren’t house blends. They’re brought in from another company.
• The table sugar is coloured – mix of regular sugar with some pastel pink, blue, and yellow sugar crystals. Really cute touch!

The Fudge

• Complimentary sample that comes with your bill and you can buy it to go as well.
• This time we got chocolate peppermint fudge and candy cane fudge.
• I still feel like they’re too sweet, not chewy enough and too artificial tasting.

Restaurant: Applewood Country Gifts, Tearoom & Bakery
Cuisine: Brunch/Lunch/Teatime/Bakery

Area: Delta, BC

Price Range: $10-20

Service:2

Overall:4

• Very quaint, very cute, traditional country style tearoom
• Offers high tea – $20/person (Reservations required)
• Homemade foods, freshly baked goods
• Really “just like Grandma’s…” kind of place
• Popular to locals, and female seniors
• Local/hidden gem (tucked away location)
• Baked goods really good, savoury items – pretty bad
• Homemade fudge
• Savoury and sweet items available to go
• Few savoury items seem to be made daily
• Everything is homemade, but also premade and sits there until ordered
• Child-like tea party feel
• Feels like you’re in a movie
• Reservations recommended for high tea – gets busy

**Recommendation: Scones with devonshire cream and homemade jam, Cloverleaf buns, Rhubarb upside down cake, chocolate brownies

This is a local gem. It’s tucked away in a corner and definitely gets it’s business through word-of-mouth and supportive locals…majority retired. when you walk in here, you feel like you’ve entered the set of Gilmore Girls or some little girl’s tea party somewhere in the country. It is a really cute place, with laundry on the walls, fine China, and a homemade bakery counter featuring homemade baked goods. Almost all items are homemade, but that doesn’t mean made daily. The only things that are made daily are probably the cloverleaf rolls and maybe the scones. The savoury items sit pre-made in the counter and are microwaved upon order. I know the crepes are pre-made, because when they’re out they’re out. Nobody makes more of anything because everything is pre-made and simply reheated.

I’ve been here at least 10 times, more for the experience and especially for their scones. My last visit there was incredibly disappointing though, and may keep my away for a while until I can get over it. I try and stay focused on the food, but let me quickly note I had really poor service. the quaint decor is overwhelming that they even included it in my food…I ordered chicken and mushroom crepes and it came with 4 long strands of I think blanket lint? You know when wool blanket pill and you get long strands? Yes, it was really strange and really gross. I’ve never had a problem here until that day…I showed them and sent it back and ordered something else. To compensate for their mistake they gave me my SCONE for free. My SCONE!??! I ordered a $10 main + a scone, and they gave me a free scone? How does that work? They could and should have resolved the issue better – even by just sending out the owner to apologize. I recommend people to still check it out, but I’m very bitter about my last experience there. Before that time I advertised for it all the time.

On the table:

• **Scones “The Works” with Devonshire Cream and Jam 6/6
• Seasonal fruit and cheese scones available $2 to go $4.25 w/butter & jam $5.50 w/”the works”
• They offer around 3-4 flavours that change often: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, cheese, rhubarb pecan (rare), raisin, strawberry etc.
• These scones are delicious. I honestly can’t think of another place that can beat their scones. Their fresh and baked daily.
• They have really perfected their recipe for a great scone. They’re nice and big and full of fruit. It’s kind of cake-like, but not too cakey because there’s surprisingly not that sweet. They sure look sweet, but they aren’t, they must use less sugar. It tastes more biscuit-like, but has the texture of cake/bread rather than biscuit. It’s not that crumbly kind of flaky scone, it’s more soft and moist. The texture is great and they warm it up upon serving. It’s their best baked good for sure.
• Make sure you order the scones with “the works” which means it includes jam and devonshire cream. It’s hands down the best way to experience them!

• Devonshire cream: also know as clotted cream – it’s heated up unpasteurized milk until it’s thick and creamy and pale yellow in colour. The devonshire cream at Applewood is a quick imitation of the real thing. The texture isn’t as thick as the real thing. It tastes like whipped cream mixed with mascarpone and I bet you this is what they did. The texture is too runny, but it still tastes good – it’s just when you know what the real thing is, you can tell this one is a quick fix. It tastes like a slightly tangy whipped cream.

• Homemade jam: They’re homemade jam is fabulous! You can buy it to take home as well. It’s really fresh, but also quite sweet. It goes perfect with the scones because the scones themselves are not that sweet.
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• Ham & Broccoli Quiche 2/6
• All the meals come with a side salad and their popular cloverleaf roll. The portion is pretty small and it’s quite pricey at $10.

• Quiche is the best savoury item you can get there. Trust me I’ve tried almost all of them. It’s homemade with a lot of ingredients. It’s not even THAT good, but everything else is just really not good that this stands out.

• It’s a bit overcooked and can come off a bit rubbery. Sure it’s made in house, but doesn’t mean it hasn’t been sitting around for a while. I feel like they refrigerate it, and when someone orders it they simply throw it in the microwave. The ingredients are also really chunky so you feel like you’re eating an omelette rather than a quiche.
• The Salad & Homemade dressings
• Just plain old pre-watched mixed greens from the grocery store.
• They have 2 options for the dressing. A raspberry vinaigrette and a lemon poppy seed dressing. The lemon poppy seed is much better, I think there’s a touch of honey in it which rounds out all the flavours. Both dressings are homemade and you can buy them to go as well. The raspberry is a big tangy, and not really a vinaigrette – it’s a bit thicker and creamier than a vinaigrette. They definitely used some sort of binder.
• **Cloverleaf Roll 6/6
• I really love these. It’s the only thing I can almost guarantee they make fresh everyday. I am a little skeptical if all their other baked goods are – doesn’t taste like it and they don’t have the volume to make them daily.

• The cloverleaf roll is 3 types of buns combined to make one bun. The bun has 3 flavours – 1/3 multigrain, 1/3 cheese, 1/3 plain. They come warm with butter. The texture is amazing. Really good bread! It’s really soft; my favourite side is the multigrain side.
• Mac n’ Cheese 1/6
• Not good. It looks really really good, I know…which made it even more disappointing. It was flavourless and dry. It wasn’t stringy or cheesy or anything. No cheese flavour at all. It has definitely been sitting there for a while because the top layer was really dry. I could make a better one at home for sure. The breadcrumb crust wasn’t even flavourful. This was the most disappointing, because you expect a place like this to have really good mac n’ cheese.
• Chicken and Mushroom Crepes
• Didn’t try it because I found blanket lint in it…see above for the story if you haven’t read it.
• Chicken Pot Pie 2/6
• Nothing special here. Just chicken pot pie, the Costco ones might be better. Again, these taste like they’re frozen, put in the fridge to thaw, and then warmed in the microwave when ordered. It’s a small round single serving (the size of those single serving frozen ones) and this meal costs $10 with the cloverleaf roll and side salad. Again, quite expensive.
• Spinach and Feta roll 2/6
• Pretty standard recipe, but again a bit dry. I didn’t order it on this occasion and probably won’t order it again.
• Almond Slice 2/6
• Looks better than it tastes. It’s pretty small and costs $2.75.
• The pastry was really dense and not very flaky but really crumbly. Like a hard cookie or hard pie crust. It was also flavorless and really dry. The custard part was pretty good, and the icing was way too sweet and grainy in texture. There wasn’t enough custard either. The ratio was off, too little custard, too much icing (too swet), too much crust (too dry). Too bad, because I love almond slices and almond desserts.
• Lemon Love Note
• Sweet and tart at the same time. More sweet than tart though. I ordered this because you can’t really find it everywhere. It’s one of those traditional classic desserts that people forget about. It was pretty good, but then again I can’t really compare it to anywhere else because it’s rarely on the menu.
• **Brownies
• Not the best brownie you’ve had in your life. But still really good, and very “grandma-like recipe”. It’s a traditional homestyle brownie, not a gourmet one. Rich, moist and chocolaty. People like to order them in multiples.
• The Tea
• They have a large variety of teas, but the quality isn’t the best. The brand is not bad, and I guess for the price you pay it’s reasonable. Not premium teas, but still good.
• Small pot: $2.50 Large pot: $5
• The table sugar is coloured – mix of regular sugar with some pastel pink, blue, and yellow sugar crystals. Really cute touch!
• The Fudge
• Complimentary sample that comes with your bill and you can buy it to go as well.
• I’ve had better fudge. These ones are a bit sugary for my liking and the flavours are too artificial.