Follow Me Foodie to An Introduction to Indian Cuisine at Feast Tofino!

An Introduction to Indian Cuisine, A Cooking Class with Khalil Akhtar & Chaat Recipe.

I was invited to the 2nd Annual Feast Tofino  by Tourism Tofino which is a culinary celebration of the West Coast and Vancouver Island boat-to-table cuisine. Restaurants feature set menus throughout the month ($29, $39, $49) and special events take place every weekend. Given how I feel about price fixe menus I was naturally more interested in the one off special events. Besides The Saturday Dockside Festival and West Coast Paella on the Beach, I had the pleasure of attending this event, Introduction to Indian Cuisine, A Cooking Class with Khalil Akhtar. The Feast Tofino events were a highlight to Follow Me Foodie to Tofino.

Khalil is a CBC journalist, food writer and culinary instructor in Victoria, BC. During this event he demonstrated a five course Indian inspired seafood lunch for an intimate group of about 16. Of course we got to eat it afterward, but Khalil also walked us through his ingredients which were both Indian and local (West Coast).

I am Asian, born and raised in Vancouver, and I am reporting back on an Indian cooking class I attended in Tofino from an Indian guy who lives in Victoria. The benefits of living in BC. It was random, multi-cultural, eclectic and great!

The first thing Khalil stressed was to abandon the yellow curry powder. American influenced Indian recipes often call for yellow curry powder, but to use it for every dish would be inauthentic to Indian cuisine. Khalil’s approach to Indian cuisine was not traditional either, but the concepts and flavours were inspired by his Indian roots and palate.

Being in Tofino, meant an emphasis on seafood which was my craving the whole time I was there. Seafood is more popular in Southern Indian cuisine, but luckily Khalil was putting a “Boat-to-Table Twist” on his menu.

I actually wish Vancouver would offer more “Boat-to-Table” cuisine. In Vancouver there is growing support for Ocean Wise and sustainable seafood, but in Tofino it almost goes without saying. The seafood is conveniently caught in their backyards and it doesn’t have to be frozen at sea or travel far before making it onto your plate.

The lunch was hosted at Cathie’s Cottage Vacation Villa on Chesterman Beach. It was an entertaining and social afternoon event with a substantial lunch, and the only way to improve it was to eat it outside… because this was the view from the dinner table.

Khalil Akhtar’s Introduction to Indian Cuisine with a Boat-To-Table Twist

Fresh Oysters with Tamarind Chutney

Chili-Lime Spot Prawns with Seasonal Fruit Chaat

Chickpea Crusted Halibut Cheeks with Tomato-Ginger Curry & Papadums

Kichiri with Smoked Pink Salmon, Hard Boiled Eggs, Raita, Mint & Cilantro

Sheer Khurma (Milk with Dates, Vermicelli, Rose Water, Saffron and Pistachios)

Spot Prawns with Potato and Fruit Chaat Recipe

Recipe by: Khalil Akhtar

Think of this dish as a salad. Put away your measuring cups and use your instincts. Chaat should be assembled to taste. If Spot Prawns are unavailable, regular prawns or tandoori roasted paneer is an appropriate substitution. Often, chaat is served with various types of kebabs or tandoori dishes.

Ingredients

• Boiled potatoes, peeled and diced
• Sprouted pulses (available in the produce aisle near the green sprouts)
• Diced mangoes, apples and peaches
• Live spot prawns (regular prawns or roasted paneer works too)
• Lime juice
• Lime wedges for serving
• Chaat masala
• Hari chutney
• Tamarind-date chutney
• Cilantro leaves

Method

1. In a saute pan over very high heat, add a few drops of oil. Saute the sprouted pulses until they are slightly charred and crisp. Set aside.

2. Steam the spot prawns until cooked — a couple of minutes, depending on size. Place them in a bowl, sprinkle with lime juice and chaat masala to taste. Set aside.

       3. Toss the diced potatoes in chaat masala to taste along with some lime juice. Add the crispy pulses.

4. On a big platter or wooden bowl (or on individual plates), pile the potatoes and pulses. Scatter the fruit on top. Sprinkle with more chaat masala.

5. Finally, scatter the chaat with the whole spot prawns. Drizzle with both chutneys, garnish with cilantro and additional lime wedges. Serve with additional chutney.

Chaat Masala

Hundreds of versions of this blend exist. Every cook has their own preference. Take my recommendations with a grain of salt. Every good Indian cookbook will have several more versions. A quick search on the internet will lead to hundreds more. Here, I only give possible ingredients. Not all of them are always used. The proportions are left to taste, but keep in mind this is a sour and savory spice… not a hot one. Grind the ingredients together in a spice grinder. There are many good quality versions of this masala available pre-mixed, including the Monsoon Coast brand from Salt Spring Island.

Ingredients

• Dried pomegranate seeds
• Black salt
• Dried mango powder (amchoor)
• Black pepper
• Roasted cumin seeds
• Dried ginger
• Cayenne
• Cloves
• Nutmeg
• Dried mint leaves
• Fennel seeds
• Ajwain seeds

Hari Chutney

• 1 small bunch cilantro, including stems
• 1 bunch mint, tough stems removed
• 1 stem of rhubarb, tough outer skin removed
• 3 serrano chilies
• juice of one lemon
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree completely. You may need to scrape the sides several times. Keeps for several days in the refrigerator, but will lose its vivid green colour within an hour or so.

Tamarind-Date Chutney

• One block of dried tamarind
• 12 medjool dates
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp cumin seed, dry roasted and ground

1. Place the tamarind block and the dates in a bowl. Add six cups of bowling water and allow to rest overnight.
2. Stir the mixture well and push it through a fine mesh strainer. You may need to add more liquid part way through to extract as much chutney as possible from the pulp and pits.
3. Discard the pulp and pits from the strainer. Season the chutney with salt and roasted cumin seed. Add water or lemon juice to thin if necessary. The chutney should be thin enough to drizzle.

Follow Me Foodie’s Recap of the 1st Annual Brewery & The Beast in Vancouver, BC!

So you thought how much seafood I could eat in 48 hours was good? Wait until you see how much meat I can eat in 3… uhh that sounded a lot better in my head. Okay, stop it. Anyway it was the 1st Annual Festival of Meat – Brewery & The Beast in Vancouver, BC and it was freaking fantastic! The anticipation was like Christmas. I kept seeing the tweets and I felt like every restaurant in the city was on board. It was a festival for carnivores featuring all you can eat meat and all you can drink beer. I probably ate 1/3 cow, 1/3 of a pig, 1/4 lamb, 1/2 a chicken, 1/8 of a duck and 1/1000 of a bison. This was a meat marathon.

Hello my friends.

And hello my friends. If what I did there just offended you, than this post is not for you. It is a realistic before and after.

In a time where the vegetarian movement is gaining momentum, it is rare to come across events promoting meat. Generally speaking, meat sales are down and people are eating healthier and welcoming vegetarian focused menus and diets. All the power salads to you, but let’s not forget about our local farmers who still need to put their kids to school. Let’s also not forget that there is such a thing as ethically raised, all natural, organic, and sustainable meats, so this whole “Vegetarian VS Carnivore” thing can relax a bit. Each have their place and we can celebrate both at the same time without making either into “a thing”. Besides, vegetarians and/or vegetables already get their celebration in Vancouver, and it’s every week too! It’s called the Vancouver Farmers Market and yes, I went there before coming to this.

On that note, this post is going to take the tone of a meat-eater, because I am one. I’m not a hardcore carnivore, but I like meat and I eat it. I also like seafood, vegetables, wine and desserts, and I’m a a fan of good food done right. I support businesses, farmers, producers and chefs who are passionate and good at what they do, and it was exciting to have so much talent and energy in one space.

Brewery & The Beast was a 19+ outdoor event which took place on Sunday June 16th from 1:00pm – 4:00pm at the Concord Pacific Place parking lot in Vancouver. It was fun to get into the meat-eating spirit and 800 others joined, but it never felt like 800 people at once.

Based on my experience, line ups at each station were maybe a 5-8 person wait, if even, and there was more than enough meat and beer to satisfy even the biggest appetites.

Tickets were $82.95 for good quality all-you-can-eat meat and beer and it was well worth it.

There were 30+ stations featuring some of the city’s favourite restaurants and chefs, and I didn’t even know where to start. I already knew I was going to try them all and I had 3 hours to complete my mission. Mission impossible? Not unless they ran out… but they didn’t.

Note: Due to the nature and context of the event I’m not going into detail about the food. The items may or may not be representable of what the restaurant/chef can do on a regular day.

How much meat can I eat in 3 hours?

Bull Chip House and Meating Place

Bull Chip House and Meating Place is in Gibsons, BC and I haven’t been there yet, but it was nice to meat them. ”Blah blah blah BACON yada yada”… you know how I feel about the bacon band wagon, but I still like it. It just has to be good quality, used with proper application, and well executed.

It was hipster road kill… meaning it looked like plaid. Kudos for the knitting and the entire sheet was crispy. It was a “BLT” without the carbs, so instead of bread they used bacon and sandwiched lettuce and tomato inside.

Pourhouse Restaurant

“Please let it be the burger. Please let it be the burger.” I had my fingers crossed they would showcase their signature Pourhouse burger from their regular menu, but wishful thinking. If they did they would have really showed many restaurants offering burgers at the event.

Instead they featured a Corned Beef Tongue Sandwich – onion slaw, fresh horseradish, pickled cukes, and grainy dijon. The beef tongue was cured and executed like pastrami and it was good, but no Pourhouse Burger. On the other hand there were a few stations featuring burgers already, and in this context their delicious burger might not be as appreciated as it would be at the restaurant. It is one of my top 5 favourite burgers in the city.

The Cove Neighbourhood Pub

I thought it was another restaurant in Gibson, but little did I know it has been around for 30+ years in Kitsilano. I don’t get out to pubs much, but the team had some energy!

The Cove featured Fraser Valley Dry Age Beef Sliders – mini dry aged sliders served on brioche topper with butter lettuce, basil and garlic roma tomatoes, pancetta crisps, chimchurri aioli and Philips Blue Buck braised onions. The brioche was more like a milk bun, and they don’t offer this exact burger on their regular menu, but they offer burgers.

Hawksworth Restaurant

Hey, that’s not Hawksworth! No, no that isn’t. Meet Kristian Eligh. He is the Chef de Cuisine at Hawksworth Restaurant and he’s always in the trenches. It was actually my first time meeting him too. He is a big part in holding down the fort at the restaurant.

Okay, but nobody likes the guy who brings celery to the Superbowl… unless it’s next to chicken wings and blue cheese dip. I need the description card. “Charred pork jowl, crunchy pig ear, smoked avocado, jalapeno, cilantro”… ah, that’s better. You had me at “charred pork jowl” and then at “pig ear”. All is forgiven, and welcome to the party! Smart to leave out the “celery stick”.

It was fancy food, and I really like fancy food, but it was almost too pretty for this party. On that note, it had great texture and an unexpected depth of smoky and savoury flavours. The crispy pig ear was a refreshing change from bacon too and they use it on their Seared Yellowfin Tuna at the restaurant.

Meat & Bread

Meat & Bread is one of Vancouver’s favourite sandwich shops, but they didn’t feature a sandwich. Instead they featured meat they would use in a sandwich which is even better at this event. Less carbs means more space for more meat. I’m not sure if that was their intention, but regardless, thanks for thinking a step ahead!

They featured a Burmese Chicken – ginger, garlic, turmeric, fish sauce, chili, palm sugar, and herbs. The marinade and sauce was aromatic, savoury, sweet, acidic and spicy which is typical in most South East Asian cuisine. The flavourful sauce would have showcased perhaps better on chicken wings since it was a thin vinaigrette, but it still tasted great. My drumstick could have used a few more minutes on the grill to get a clean bone, but it was still safe to eat.

EBO Restaurant

I didn’t even notice the rebrand until now. Ebo originally stood for “East of Boundary”, but “experience beyond ordinary” is much better and more marketable.

If you’ve never tried Chef Daniel Craig’s food, you’re missing out. He’s an incredibly talented and underrated chef in the city. EBO Restaurant is located at The Delta Burnaby hotel and it’s not the the most convenient location, but it’s good. The menu reads a bit traditional and safe, and I really wish they offered a Chef’s Tasting Menu which would be more representable of who Dan is as a chef. He’s one to watch out for… if only people knew.

This Grilled Peace Country Lamb with Sweetbread Stuffing and Salsa Verde was probably my favourite thing at the whole festival. Top 3 for sure. I couldn’t taste the sweetbread stuffing, but the meat was sous-vide and incredibly tender and buttery. I want to cry just looking at it again. It was a thing of beauty.

He also made Gelderman Farm’s Pork Terrine with dijon and cornichon. The smaller piece of crostini on top was way better than putting it on the bottom. It helped with texture, and again less carbs, more meat, and it was a well made terrine. Ebo showed up to bat.

Cibo Trattoria

Hunter Style Bison Short Rib – red wine braised, charcoal grilled rosemary, garlic, and black pepper finish. The meat slipped off the bone in one piece, but the meat itself wasn’t quite tender yet so cooking time and temperature needed adjusting. Bison is leaner than beef and has the tendency to dry out easily, so it’s a bit tricky to work with. It wasn’t dry though and the sauce was good.

Black & Blue

They were doing Seared Steak Bites with ponzu sauce. I’ve never been a fan of the blocks of pink Himalayan salt as plates, but I know people get excited for that stuff.

Lolita’s

I haven’t been to Lolita’s in ages, but it’s a popular neighbourhood restaurant in the West End of downtown Vancouver. They also just opened a Peruvian restaurant called Chicha which is a rather new concept for Vancouver.

Pemberton Meadows ground beef and chorizo taco served with pomegranate demi-glace and garden fresh pico de gallo salsa. They are West Coast style tacos and it wasn’t particularly memorable, but it tasted fine.

West Restaurant 

Executive Chef Quang Dang and his Sous Chef Alex Hon making lettuce wraps.

BBQ Duck Lettuce Wraps – It’s not really representable of West and Quang’s artistic plating skills and talent, but the duck was tender and good. It would have been great in a banh mi and it reminded me of one with the pickled daikon and carrots.

Bestie

It’s a new sausage and beer parlour specializing in currywurst (Germany’s favourite street food) and they open today (June 17) in Chinatown.

The brats are from Two Rivers Specialty Meats and they make their own currywurst sauce. This was their free range pork Thüringer Bratwurst with curry spiced Ketchup, farmer bread, and sauerkraut.

Traditionally, Thüringer bratwursts are grilled over a wood fire on a bacon fat greased grill. I’m not quite sure how labeling works, but to be called an official “Thüringer Bratwurst” 51% of the ingredients have to come from Thuringia, Germany. The sausage is made with finely minced pork, beef and/or veal, but this one was just pork. It is also traditionally eaten with mustard, but their currywurst sauce was nice. It was a delicious bratwurst, but just leave traditions and authenticity aside. This is a Vancouver-style Thüringer Bratwurst.

Forage

I see Forage at almost all food events and they always have a station these days. Chef Chris Whittaker is also always there and I don’t know if he ever takes a break. Forage is a leader in sustainable and local dining in Vancouver.

Peace Country Lamb Belly with radish salad and wild green chimmichurri. Lamb belly (sometimes called lamb breast) is literally and figuratively a different beast than pork belly. Just because you like one, doesn’t mean you’ll like the other. It cooks differently and they don’t taste similar. This one looked like a rib and it’s a super tough cut of meat that takes a long time to cook. This one could have been more tender, and the cooking time and temperature needed a bit of adjusting, but the chimmichurri sauce was nice.

Memphis Blue BBQ

BBQ Pulled Pork – They had the cole slaw, but no bun which I think is great because so many people were ditching the buns and I’m not a fan of wasting food.

Vij’s

He serves the food, but does he cook it? Kidding, Vij! All the recipes are his, but he has a talented kitchen of female chefs and cooks who execute his vision. It was nice to have a local celebrity chef at the event and I don’t think people were expecting it. If you want to see or meet him, you’ll have better luck catching him at an event where he has a table rather than at his restaurant. He’s a busy man, but he still comes out.

I can’t remember exactly what this was, but I think it was a pan fried chicken patty with curry sauce. He called it “This is Not Butter Chicken” and I remember it carried some heat and I wanted it over rice.

Maenam

It is a local favourite for a modern Thai dining experience and they just opened Long Tail Kitchen in New Westminster.

Dry Red Curry of Tri-Tip Sirloin – It was topped with a chunky peanut and red curry paste like sauce with some honey. I would have loved it with duck rather than beef, but the sirloin was really tender. The sauce was almost like the peanut satay sauce that comes with meat skewers. It was a dish I forgot about, but actually really enjoyed.

The Refinery

What is that? Salad?? Is that quinoa?? Wrong event.

Oh, I see! There is a part B.

Lamb Kofta Kebab with organic quinoa, tabbouleh and yogurt mint sauce. The kebabs were moist and well seasoned, but the yogurt was on the thin side.

Two Rivers Specialty Meats (Meat Candy Shop)

So they don’t actually have a meat candy shop, but it was a fun idea for the event.

It was a cup full of candied meat chips: house cured pork chips, salami, prosciutto crudo.

Wildebeest

Executive Chef Wesley Young

They had enough short rib to feed a small village.

This is their signature. People seem to love it, but I’m on the fence. It can be hit and miss and the cut varies from fatty and delicious to too much fat. This is also available on their regular menu (my post here), so you can decide for yourself.

Donnelly Group

Beef  Heart Nachos.

Smoken Bones Cookshack (Victoria, BC)

Dorkwurst – Alder smoked duck and apricot sausage with Tang & Bang rhubarb mustard. It’s not the most appetizing, but it tasted okay.

Campagnolo

Campagnolo really set up shop and if there was a prize for best display, I’d give it to them.

… and wrapping paper off.

Chef Robert Belcham and Executive Chef Ted Anderson

Whole Roasted Sloping Hills Pork, salsa verde, ciabatta. It would have been great with the pork cracklings, but the pork was very good.

Peckinpah

This corner of the festival had restaurants who brought some heavy duty equipment. They really had something to display and I appreciated the effort.

Peckinpah’s Carolina Style Pork Side Ribs. This is a Northern Carolina style dry rib so if you like the super saucy sticky ribs, than Peckinpah might not be for you.

The Bottleneck

Pemberton Meadows House Pastrami, Blue Buck biscuits and naturally fermented sauerkraut.

Darby’s Pub

Mini Bacon Cheeseburger with caramelized onions – This was a bit lackluster.

Pidgin

Korean BBQ Chicken Wings – I would have loved the wings to be marinated and glazed with the sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce rather than drizzled on top, but they tasted fine.

Bison Tataki, Grilled Potato, Smoked Tomato Aioli

Smoked Tomato Gazpacho

Big Lou’s Butcher Shop

Hog Wild Specialties boar terrine, in house made English relish, sauteed mushrooms in a Terra Bread baguette. Having this near the end was hard because it was such a substantial sandwich. The boar terrine was really dense and chunky and since it’s a lean meat it dries out easily.

Glowbal Grill

Glowbal Grill roasting their lamb.

Wood Fired Lamb – Tomato fennel marinade on grilled baguette.

House Guest

Executive Chef Jimmy Stewart (3rd man from left) and his team

Pork Cheek Steam Bun with Miso Mustard and Siu Choi Slaw – I was actually pretty impressed with the steam bun (mantou) and it was super soft and still moist. Siu Choy is a Chinese cabbage and it’s soft compared to American cabbage, so overall I lost some texture and colour in this, but the pork jowl was tender and good. On that note: beef cheek and pork jowl… not a big deal, but just the proper names. Correction: there is pork jowl and pork cheek, I’m not sure which one this was though.

Tap & Barrel

Coiled sausage getting some love.

North Shore Coiled Brat, pretzel slider, bacon sauerkraut, bacon chips

Who doesn’t love the guy who brings a huge bin of bacon chips?? If you’re religious, don’t answer… and if you’re vegetarian, you’re not invited anyway. Kidding, but “help yourself” doesn’t make it any better, does it?

Tuc Craft Kitchen

There was some torching action happening here, and it didn’t really make a difference on the end result. I was a bit nervous since it was a paper cup too, but it turned out okay.

Hanger Steak A la Bourguignon - braised Double H. Ranch hanger, gruyere gratin potatoes. Yes, I know I have meat under my nails… it’s a BBQ. Knives and forks are almost a crime at a BBQ, but these mini plastic ones were super cute! I felt like a giant. By the way, I liked this. It was really nothing too fancy, but it was hearty and comforting meat and potatoes with sauce. The hanger steak was executed like a short rib and it was done well.

Dirty Apron Cooking School

Korean Galbi Quail, 5 spiced flatbread mango – The Korean galbi quail was butterflied and only partially deboned so it was hard to eat with the flat bread. It was the only restaurant serving quail. It had a soy, sugar, garlic and onion marinade (Galbi or Kalbi marinade) and traditionally Galbi is used for grilled beef short ribs.

Fairmont Pacific Rim

Grilled Mortadella Slider – Quick pickled cucumber, house made kimchi, hoisin aioli and Confit Whole Pig On a Bun – Organic & fennel relish, pickled red onion, house made mustard.

The confit whole pig was perhaps my favourite pulled pork-style pork at the event. The flavour was incredible, but the bun took away from the attention it deserved. It was hard to stand out if you were serving burgers and sliders, but the confit pig in these was super moist, juicy and flavourful. It had whole mustard seeds and a bright acidity to cut through the richness. I loved it. I recently went to Fairmont Pacific Rim for dinner though and it was okay, and I was hoping for more. If they had this pork on the menu, I would be there tomorrow.

Nuba

Baharat Spiced Lamb with Date Reduction and Hummus – This was a surprising one for me and I wasn’t expecting much from it. I really liked it though. The hummus was thick and creamy and the reduction was sweet and tangy. The lamb chops were moist and tender and it was just good.

Two Rivers Specialty Meats

Two Rivers Specialty Meats was a huge sponsor in making Brewery &  The Beast successful, and they went all out.

I expected nothing less.

It was various cuts of beef and pork.

Elements Urban Tapas Parlour (Whistler, BC)

Smoked Philly Cheese Steak – Organic beef inside round, sauteed peppers and onions, Blue Buck cheese sauce on a soft pretzel bun. I wasn’t at “meat coma” yet, but this was really hard to do as a last stop.

So here’s a game! Until now, I had not taken a sip of any drink. No beer, no water, nothing. I was dying of thirst. So what’s the game? Try opening a plastic water bottle after eating 40+ pieces of greasy meat with pretty much your hands. Impossible. Thanks to the guy at The Refinery for giving me a hand… literally.

Don’t worry, I didn’t neglect my liquids completely. This was the unlimited fountain of beer.

And a big shout out to Namasthe Wild Roots Beer Iced Tea which made me question any “root beer” I’ve ever had.

The Phillips Brewing Company, Vancouver Urban Winery, and Left Field Cider were also there to help quench your thirst.

Bittered Sling

And I can’t forget about Vancouver Magazine’s “Supplier of the Year 2013″ Kale & Nori Culinary Arts by Chef Jonathan Chovancek and Mixologist/Sommelier Lauren Mote (on his right). I visited them last because they were the one and only dessert table. I don’t buy that “real men don’t like dessert” crap, just admit it, you love it.

Chocolate whisky cake with buttermilk, bitters, strawberries, whipped cream and crispy meringue.

Technically this was my last plate. The guys at Tap & Barrel gave me a basket of bacon chips to go, and in the middle was a pile of Fairmont Pacific Rim’s confit pulled pork. On the left is the chocolate cake. I wasn’t surprised to find only one dessert station at a male dominated meat festival, but I was surprised it didn’t have meat in it…

… although easily fixed.

All the meats at Brewery & The Beast were hormone and antibiotic free, ethically raised, and sourced from farms on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, the Fraser Valley, and select farms in Northern Alberta. Partial proceeds also went to The BC Hospitality Foundation and I can’t wait for next year!

Follow Me Foodie to West Coast Paella on the Beach at Feast Tofino!

It was Follow Me Foodie to Tofino & Feast Tofino and I had 48 hours to indulge in as much seafood as possible. As you can see here, I didn’t do too bad.

I had just come from an Introduction to Indian Cuisine, A Cooking Class with Khalil Akhtar where he featured a 5 course Indian inspired seafood lunch, so it was time to burn it off with some outdoor activity. My choice? Paella cooked over an open fire right on the beach. Burn baby, burn.

I was invited to the 2nd Annual Feast Tofino which is a culinary celebration of the West Coast and Vancouver Island boat-to-table cuisine. Restaurants feature set menus throughout the month ($29, $39, $49) and special events take place every weekend. Given how I feel about price fixe menus I was naturally more interested in the one off special events. All of the events sounded unique and were created especially for Feast Tofino, but unfortunately I couldn’t stay the whole month to try them all.

One event that caught my attention was West Coast Paella on the Beach featuring Vancouver Island Chef Kunal Ghose from Food Network’s Top Chef Canada Season 2. It is hard enough to find a good paella in Vancouver, so I’ll jump at any opportunity I can get, but the experience is what had me. An event like this doesn’t happen anywhere and it was special to Feast Tofino and Tofino.

Chef Ghose cooked a West Coast paella over an open fire on the shores of MacKenzie Beach for around 50 people. Forget long walks on the beach, I want paella on a beach! This was probably one of my favourite events in the 48 hours I was there, and who knew I could be the outdoorsy type?

Honestly, it was the biggest paella party featuring the biggest paella I’ve ever seen in my life.

Well technically this is the world’s biggest paella ever made. It happened in Madrid, Spain in 2001 and they used a 21m diameter pan and cooked 6000kg of rice, but it’s no fun when I didn’t get to actually eat from it. Therefore this paella in Tofino was more fun, although it might not look so big now.

Guests of West Coast Paella on the Beach were invited to come at 3:30pm for Chef Ghoses’ cooking tutorial on seafood, and after they could watch him prepare the paella. It was a very casual event, but it delivered on a grand scale. Tickets were only $10 too and it was a major bargain for what you got.

I would highly recommend this event for next year (if they do it again) and it’s a great way to spend an afternoon relaxing on the beach while someone cooks a giant paella loaded with seafood for you. I don’t even know where you get a paella pan that size… and he had two going.

This West Coast style paella put a Tofino twist on Spain’s national dish and featured local and sustainable seafood. I wasn’t aware of how much seafood was going in this, but he started with huge pieces of fresh halibut and line caught salmon…

… and then continued with fresh parsley and herbs….

… followed by a generous amount of shrimp and BC Spot Prawns. I thought he was going to stop here…

… but no, he kept on adding seafood! More the merrier.

He finished with mussels, handfuls of dungeness crabmeat, whole pieces of dungeness crab legs and cockles (small salt water clams). I rarely, if ever, see cockles in Vancouver so it was a treat to get them here.

And bon appetite! Or buen apetito!

Just look at all that glorious fresh seafood!

You certainly got more than $10 worth of seafood and second helpings were welcomed.

And to eat it here with a view like that… was simply priceless.

The paella was served at 5pm and it was more than enough to tie most down for dinner, but it was my last night in Tofino and I had to eat more seafood. So ♫ heigh-ho, heigh-ho ♫, it’s off to SoBo (restaurant) I go!

Follow Me Foodie to Tofino & Feast Tofino!

Follow Me Foodie to Seafood Madness in Tofino!

I’m born and raised in Vancouver, BC and I haven’t been to Tofino until now. My interest in it peaked a couple years ago when I started researching it as a BC food and travel destination, and I am happy to say the post card images were even better in reality. I’ve visited beach towns and I’ve seen waves, but I’ve never heard them crash like the ones here. It wasn’t a tropical paradise, but it was BC’s rustic and wild paradise. Welcome to Tofino.

I’m not naturally an outdoorsy type although I can appreciate it, and family vacations never brought me here although it is certainly family appropriate. Most people would associate it as a town for surfers, nature lovers, whale watching and outdoor activities, but I associated it with TacoFino Cantina (from their food truck presence in Vancouver), Wildside Grill (from recommendations and requests from readers for a post on it), and The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn (winner of “Best Vancouver Island Restaurant” at the Vancouver Magazine Awards 2013)… and oh yes, seafood! Lots and lots of seafood.

I was invited by Tourism Tofino and The Wickaninnish Inn to explore the culinary scene in Tofino during the 2nd Annual Feast Tofino. Feast Tofino happened during the month of May and I didn’t even know about it until this year. Now that I know about it though, it is something I am already anticipating for next year.

Feast Tofino is a culinary celebration of the West Coast and Vancouver Island boat-to-table cuisine. Restaurants feature set menus throughout the month ($29, $39, $49) and special events take place every weekend. Local Tofino chefs also collaborate with some of Vancouver’s top chefs to create unique dinner concepts especially for the occasion.

I was lucky enough to go to three of them including The Saturday Dockside Festival, Introduction to Indian Cuisine, A Cooking Class with Khalil Akhtar, and West Coast Paella on the Beach with Vancouver Island Chef Kunal Ghose (from Food Network’s Top Chef Canada Season 2). I tried to pre-plan and I looked through Feast Tofino events to see ones of interest and it tempted me to stay the whole month. The price of the events were also very reasonable and at times underpriced. Given I had 48 hours after all the traveling time, there was only so much I could try, and Feast Tofino was a fantastic taste of Tofino and highlight of my first time there.

Speaking of traveling time, Tofino is about a 6 hour commute from Vancouver, BC. There is about a 2.5 ferry ride (BC Ferries) each way and the road is a bit windy, but it’s worth it. And if you stay at The Wickaninnish Inn it comes with views like this.

Whether it is breakfast in bed…

… or on a private patio…

… or at The Pointe Restaurant overlooking the water, Tofino does not have to try very hard to impress.

In a small laid back town of 2000 people I wasn’t expecting a cutting edge or modern dining scene, and to be fair it is not what they are really known for. They have a food scene, but it is limited given the population. Therefore it was actually the simple things that interested me most, like the smoked salmon and simply grilled fish. In fact, if I had more time there I would have loved to just buy my own fish and seafood and call on a neighbourhood potluck. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming in Tofino that nobody would think it was weird, and I can already imagine the night ending with a bonfire and someone bringing out their acoustic guitar… and me suggesting s’mores.

In Tofino, they take pride in preparing seafood and on the whole it was fresher than what I could find in Vancouver. My chances of getting overcooked seafood was much lower in Tofino as well. I know it is only a 6 hour commute away, but the seafood tasted better and was treated differently.

In Vancouver, where there is a large Asian demographic, high quality seafood is often showcased as sashimi (raw), but in Tofino it was often cured and/or smoked. The styles are incomparable and some would argue the best seafood is always served sashimi, but that tends to apply only in the context of Japanese cuisine. Most of the seafood I had in Tofino was cooked or cured, but it was done properly and I had more confidence ordering it there.

Even in Vancouver, where it is known for its seafood, I tend to hesitate ordering fish like salmon and halibut because it’s almost always overcooked, but here it wasn’t. I’m not basing that statement on a few occasions either. I ate a lot of seafood in Tofino, and about 90% of the time it was cooked right. I could have been lucky, but I doubt it, and credit to their chefs for knowing their product and making their fishermen proud.

Taking into account all the travelling time, I ended up having about 48 hours to explore Tofino’s food scene. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much salmon in such a short time period. I was going to town on it like it was my first time having it and it just tasted better there. I wanted to plan a truck load home, but unfortunately I didn’t have a cooler prepared. I’ll be ready next time though, and The Fish Store better stock up on their smoked salmon belly when I am. I felt like I had at least 5lbs of seafood a day and I was surprised I didn’t turn into a mermaid… or a salmon belly.

How much seafood can I eat in Tofino in 48 hours?

Welcome platter of hot and cold smoked salmon from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Halibut Ceviche Tacos from GFS

Octopus from Spotted Bear Bistro

Candied Salmon from Trilogy Fish Co.

Coconut & Clam Soup from Shelter Restaurant

Salmon Tartare on Papadums from Red Can Gourmet

Smoked Salmon from The Fish Store

Smoked Salmon Belly from The Fish Store

Spicy Sauteed Prawns in Garlic Sambal Butter from The Schooner

Confit Albacore Tuna Belly Sliders from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Dungeness Crab and Smoked Salmon ‘Sushi’ Rolls from Long Beach Lodge Resort

Confit Albacore Tuna Belly from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Local Spot Prawns from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Clams from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Tofino Halibut from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Spring Salmon from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

House Smoked Salmon Lox “Breakfast Sushi” from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Poached Salmon from The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn

Oysters with Tamarind Chutney from Khalil Akhtar’s Indian Cooking Class

Chilli-Lime Spot Prawns from Khalil Akhtar’s Indian Cooking Class (Recipe here)

Chickpea Crusted Halibut Cheeks from Khalil Akhtar’s Indian Cooking Class

Kichiri with Smoked Pink Salmon from Khalil Akhtar’s Indian Cooking Class

Biggest Seafood Paella (mussels, cockles, BC Spot Prawns, Tiger Prawns, crab, shrimp, salmon, halibut)

Albacore Tuna Spring Roll from SoBo Restaurant

Broiled Oyster from SoBo Restaurant

Smoked Salmon Tofu Pocket from SoBo Restaurant

Killer Fish Taco from SoBo Restaurant

Cibolo Shrimp from SoBo Restaurant

Cod Club from Wildside Grill

Follow Me Foodie to Feast Tofino starts soon!

Follow Me Foodie: Try the nigiri

We pretty much all love sushi in Vancouver. In fact, we probably love it as much as the BC Spot Prawn, except it’s even better because we get it all year. We are honoured with our endless sushi options, fresh seafood and talented Japanese chefs, but, sadly, the passion for sushi doesn’t really go beyond the roll.

I’ll talk to self-proclaimed “sushi connoisseurs” and sushi lovers who are proud to say they have been to Japan, but still, many do not know how to order it, let alone eat it. There is a technique and art to making and eating sushi. Mind you, I’m referring to places serving sushi piece by piece, and in some cases places that do not even serve soy sauce for customers to dip as they please. These are the places serving traditional Japanese food.

Confused already? If not, you’re on the right track, but if you are, then it’s time to break down the sushi basics. Read the full article.

See – Rolls VS Nigiri

See more Follow Me Foodie stories from Mijune in the WE Vancouver:

• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: The “Forget-Me-Nots” of Vancouver’s restaurant scene
• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Wild BC spot prawn season begins
• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: The best thing I ever ate…
• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Cooking up a career
• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Father’s Day for Vancouver foodies

Follow Me Foodie to The Sweeter Part of The Mission District in San Francisco!

The Mission: Bakeries, Pastries & Pies… in The Mission.

See – The Mission: Tacos… in The Mission.

The Mission District isn’t necessarily known for its bakeries, pastries and pies, but there are several in the area – old and new. Being that I’m a huge fan of this category, I was not going to miss out in Follow Me Foodie to San Francisco. I came primarily to explore the Mexican food and specifically the taco scene, but the bakeries were on the itinerary from the start.

I did not even have a list narrowed down and I was playing it by ear. The whole Mission District is rather walkable, and it was hard not to stop at every eatery let alone bakery. Unfortunately I did not have enough time to try all the Latin bakeries, which is another category on its own. I actually regret not doing that because who knows how long they will be around for? I already mentioned the issue of gentrification, so I hope these Latin mom and pop bakeries are not displaced or forced to close.

I had a limited time to explore the bakeries, pastries and pies in The Mission. I’m not even obsessed with pies, but there just happened to be so many places specializing in them or offering them. Pies were a “food trend” from a couple years ago, so I wasn’t surprised and they’re still going strong in San Francisco. New places have moved on from the pies though, and I had to try the “old news” bakeries and the new ones to get a better idea of what The Mission bakery and dessert scene had to offer. I wish I had more time to explore, but I tried what I could and hit some worth revisiting spots!

To see more about The Mission District see - Follow Me Foodie to The Mission District in San Francisco (exploring tacos)!

Follow Me Foodie Legend

No diamond – Not recommend (Under 29%)
♦ – Okay, not necessary to try. (30-49%)
♦♦ - Good, with some hits and misses. (50-69%)
♦♦♦ – Very good, dining itinerary worthy. (70-89%)
♦♦♦♦ - Excellent, make a trip out for it. (90-100%)
♦♦♦♦♦ - Follow Me Foodie Must Try! (Bonus marks! 100%+)

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

Follow Me Foodie to Bakeries, Pastries & Pies… in The Mission.

Restaurant: Mission Pie
Cuisine: Bakery/Desserts/Pastries/Pies
Last visited: May 7, 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA (Mission)
Address: 2901 Mission St
Phone: +1 415-282-1500
Transit: 24th St. Mission
Twitter: @MissionPie
Price Range: $10 or less

Mission Pie caught onto the “pie trend” early and opened in 2007. I hadn’t heard much about it, but after tacos at El Gallo Giro Taco Truck and La Taqueria, it was time for something sweet. This wasn’t on my original itinerary but it happened to be just a few stores away from La Taqueria, so why not?

It is a neighbourhood cafe serving old fashioned sweet and savoury pies as well as other casual fare. They source from local farmers and their menus are seasonal and for the health conscious. Their pies have less sugar, use whole wheat flour and they offer a couple vegan options. It is very home style and a bit hippie or granola, so it is nothing fancy, but it’s affordable and good for all ages. It’s a charming pay at cashier restaurant open all day until 10pm.

Banana Cream Pie – 3/6 (Good)

• $4/slice, $22/whole pie
• This is their signature pie that is available all year and it came highly recommended.
• The filling and cream part was fine, but the crust tasted stale and a bit cardboard-like.
• I am not sure if it was stale, or if it was due to the whole wheat flour used.
• The hand rolled all-butter crust is 1/3 white and 2/3 California grown whole wheat pastry flour.
• I couldn’t taste the buttery flavour I enjoy in a pie crust, and if I didn’t know they used whole wheat flour I would have thought it was stale.
• It wasn’t a super banana-y banana cream pie, but there were chunks of sliced firm banana sandwiched between vanilla pudding.
• The vanilla had a few specs of vanilla beans so I wouldn’t have minded a bit more, but it was nice and not too sweet.
• The crust is as important as the filling, so I was only into half of the pie and I just really wish the crust came through.
• Another great Banana Cream Pie I tried was from Emril’s in New Orleans – see Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie.

Menu features/highlights: Popular favourites are the Banana Cream Pie and the coconut macaroons, but I didn’t try the macaroons.

Pros: Clean, comfortable, fast, healthy options, local ingredients, good variety, affordable, family friendly, open late
Cons: The signature item wasn’t too impressive and the healthy aspect sacrificed the flavour a bit.
Tips: Grab a taco at La Taqueria just a few stores away.
Overall Rating: n/a, didn’t try enough

Restaurant: Tartine Bakery & Cafe
Cuisine: Bakery/Desserts/Pastries/Pies
Last visited: May 7, 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA (Mission)
Address: 600 Guerrero St
Phone: +1 415-487-2600
Transit: 18th St & Guerrero St
Twitter: @tartinebaker
Price Range: $10 or less, $10-20

This is perhaps one of the most beloved bakeries in San Francisco. It opened in 2002 and they have a local and international following. I knew about this multiple award winning place from their Tartine recipe book and it was one bakery I just had to try. For local “in the know” San Francisco foodies they might be over the hype of Tartine Bakery & Cafe since there are more choices now, but I would still consider it a local favourite worth checking out.

The place doesn’t even have a sign so it is very discrete and goes by unnoticed. It felt like a “second degree hipster joint” with the wooden communal tables and they specialize in breads and old fashioned desserts with modern twists. It is opened by Pastry chef  Elisabeth Prueitt and her husband, baker Chad Robertson, who won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chefs in 2008.

They serve breakfast and lunch sandwiches that are apparently incredible, but I only got to try their desserts. It is a bakery more so than a patisserie, and the selection is baked goods focused. The menu is rustic with old fashioned American classics, but they are executed with high quality ingredients, French technique and professionalism. I would recommend Tartine to locals and tourists and it is a place I would come back to again.

**Coconut Cream Tart - 5.5/6 (Excellent!)

• Flaky pastry coated in dark chocolate with pastry cream, and lightly sweetened cream. 4”-$7.00 9”-$45, serves 8
• The only Coconut Cream Pie I’ve had that could compete is Tom’s Famous Triple Coconut Cream Pie from Dahlia Bakery in Seattle.
• It was a light and fluffy creamy coconut tart with a super flaky tart shell.
• The tart shell is the same for all their tarts and they use a puff pastry dough.
• The tart shell wasn’t buttery in flavour and the layers were not as tightly packed as they would be in a mille feuille.
• I was surprised it didn’t get soggy, soft or wet.
• It wasn’t a crunchy crust and I would have liked it a bit more crisp, but it was good.
• It was almost like phyllo dough and they drizzled it with a bit of dark chocolate before topping it with coconut custard.
• There was also some buttery soft caramel sauce in between.
• It tasted like Werther’s Originals  and it could have used a touch of salt to bring out the flavour.
• The creamy smooth coconut custard was almost like a pudding and it wasn’t too sweet.
• It was rich from egg yolks and coconutty in flavour, but it wasn’t too heavy.
• There was also a little bit of vanilla bean in the custard so it was a bit floral and aromatic.
• On top of the coconut pastry cream was a lightly sweetened cream which balanced out the richer custard.
• The whole pie was crusted with good quality toasted coconut chips.
• There was a good ratio of all the layers, but the chocolate got a bit lost.
• It looks very filling and indulgent, but it actually wasn’t because the pie crust was like phyllo and the creams were light and not too sweet.
• I would have loved a coconut crust and even more coconut flavour in this, but I would still order it again and recommend it.

Frangipane Tart - 5/6 (Excellent)

• Light almond-cream filling baked in a flaky pastry shell with seasonal fruit. 4”-$6.35 9”-$38, serves 8
• The pie crust is their “gold mine” and they feature it pretty much wherever a tart shell, or pastry crust, is needed.
• This was tart and not too sweet and they didn’t hold back on quality and the amount of ingredients.
• It was a very flaky pastry and it was quite dense even for a frangipane tart which is a bit denser.
• The almond-cream filling (frangipane) is usually my favourite part and I could feel and taste the ground almonds.
• It was decently moist, but I would have loved a thicker layer of it.
• It would be great if it was a bit less crumbly and more cakey too.
• I love almonds so the more the merrier and this one was also garnished with toasted sliced almonds.
• The seasonal fruit were wild berries and currants which were tart, and I was hoping for a sweet and juicier fruit.
• I liked that they were still in their whole form, but I think peaches would have delivered more “wow” factor.
• It was an excellent frangipane tart, but I just wanted more from the frangipane layer.
• It looked amazing, but it was just missing something from making it taste outstanding.

Tres Leches Cake – 3.5/6 (Good-Very good)

• Sweet coconut milk moistened chiffon, layered with cajeta, and crema. Slice – $5.50, Round 6”-$38, serves 8 10”-$64, serves 14
• I like Tres Leches, but often I find it much too sweet so I don’t order it. On this occasion it was recommended.
• Being in the Latin neighbourhood of San Francisco it was smart of them to put this on their American style menu for something a bit different.
• Authentic Tres Leches from Latin places are very sweet, and this one was not authentic, but I did like it better even though it is not comparable.
• Tres Leches is a rich Mexican/Spanish “3 milks cake”.
• The cake is soaked in 3 kinds of milk (evaporated, condensed and whole) and topped with whipped cream.
• Some Tres Leches will use sponge cake and others a butter cake.
• This was a light, airy, and fluffy moist chiffon cake.
• It was mildly sweet and I couldn’t taste the coconut milk, which was a nice switch up from the traditional milks.
• The coconut milk gave it an aromatic sweetness and flavour, but if I didn’t know I doubt I would have guessed it was coconut milk.
• The chiffon cake itself was an excellent recipe for what it was.
• The cake does not have a wet consistency even though it is soaked.
• The top two cake layers were lightly drizzled with cajeta (caramelized milk syrup).
• I could taste subtle flavours of cinnamon and nutmeg, and I think it was from the cajeta, which was actually not too sweet.
• There were 2 thick layers of lightly sweetened well made whipped cream with 3 layers of cake and it was a good ratio.
• The bottom of the cake was their famous flaky Tartine pie crust again.
• This crust is not traditional to a Tres Leches, but I liked it for texture.
• The cake was very light and mild, so it was easy to eat and not decadent.
• Overall it was more ordinary, but fancy for a Tres Leches cake.

This is a close up of the famous Tartine pie crust. For more details on the crust see “flaky tart shell” under my Coconut Cream Tart description above.

Menu features/highlights: Morning Bun (cinnamon bun meets croissant), Banana Cream Tart, Coconut Cream Tart, Brioche Bread Pudding, Frangipane Croissant, Chocolate Hazelnut Tart, Hot Pressed Sandwiches (served from 11:30am), Tartine Country Bread

Pros: High quality ingredients, mostly organic, seasonal menu, professionally made, solid menu, some vegan options, grab and go, open late
Cons: Sells out of popular favourites, limited seating at peak hours
Tips: Check out their recipe book and come early for their popular items.

♦♦♦ – Very good, dining itinerary worthy. (70-89%)

Restaurant: Craftsman & Wolves
Cuisine: Bakery/Desserts/Pastries
Last visited: May 7, 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA (Mission)
Address: 746 Valencia Street (at 18th Street)
Phone: +1 415-913-7713
Transit: 18th St & Valencia St
Twitter: @craftsmanwolves
Price Range: $10 or less, $10-20

Photo from missionlocal.org

This is the new kid on the block killing San Francisco’s pastry/bakery/confectionery scene. With the exposed brick walls, long wooden communal table and ultra cool vibe, it felt like a “first degree hipster joint”. It’s contemporary, edgy, and an eclectic mix of American, French and Japanese in taste in style. At the moment, this is arguably the patisserie hot spot.

Pastry chef and owner William Werner opened Craftsman & Wolves June 2012, and he has quickly turned first time visitors to loyal customers. They offer a full line of savouries, sweets, breads, cakes, and confectioneries available all day. They also feature a contemporary Afternoon Tea Monday-Friday (1-5pm) which includes savoury ginger scallion madeleines, duck confit with onion, red wine jam, and mustard butter on brioche and more.

The menu is funky with things like Thai mango, coconut, green curry and ginger scones, “Pain au Cochon” with prosciutto, asiago, parmesan, and Toasted Chocolate Bread with vanilla ricotta, honey, and almonds. They have standard things like blueberry muffins and croissants as well, but I was most interested in the playful items.

As you can see I came in just before closing and everything was pretty much sold out. His creations and original flavour combinations are right up my alley, so even though I didn’t get to try his “best items“, I am still very interested to visit again for the full experience.

Matcha Vanilla Coconut Cake – 3/6 (Good)

• Around $3.75
• This was the only thing left and it sounded good, but the last item left is rarely a proper representation of a place.
• I don’t think I tried “the best thing” here, but it also means not everything may be amazing.
• It was a moist green tea cake with a strong matcha powder flavour rather than matcha tea leaf flavour.
• In desserts, I prefer matcha powder to green tea leaves, but they each have a different flavour profile.
• The sweetness was honey like and it was almost like a pound cake in consistency.
• The icing was a sugary confectioner’s sugar icing and I was hoping for a white chocolate ganache squiggle.
• The coconut was only the dried coconut shavings on top which I loved, but I wish there was coconut flavour in the cake.
• I think the cake could have been made with coconut milk, but the coconut flavour in the cake was not obvious.
• I also lost the vanilla flavour, so I could have used some vanilla beans and I couldn’t see or taste any.
• It was not oily or too sweet, but I think it sounded a bit more interesting than it perhaps tasted.

Bread (Loaf) - 5/6 (Excellent)

• The bread was excellent. They offer a variety, but this plain one was the only one left.
• I enjoyed it as is, but it was even better toasted and it brought out the nuttiness. 
• It had a chewy thick crust and the inside was also chewy, stretchy, moist and well made.
• The flavour had depth and it tasted like a sourdough or levain style bread.
• It was yeasty and the gluten was well developed and it had great spring.

The Rebel Within is his infamous savoury breakfast muffin ($7). If you want one it is best to go before 11am, or you can call ahead and ask them to set one aside for you. They sell out quick and they make a limited amount.

It is a muffin baked with asiago cheese, sausage from Chris Consentino‘s Easton’s Sausage Company, green onion, and a soft poached egg in the centre. Most people are obsessed with it although there are a few “over rated” comments here and there. It was my reason for visiting and unfortunately I missed out, but I will be posting a recipe for it soon (not his recipe though).

Menu features/highlights: The Rebel Within, The Devil Inside (Chocolate almond cake with foie gras-studded ganache), Deviled Eggs

Pros: Creative menu, high quality ingredients, grab and go, lots of variety, healthy options, open late
Cons: Sells out of popular favourites, can be a bit pricey, limited seating at peak hours
Tips: Go early if you want the popular favourites.

Overall Rating: n/a, didn’t try enough

Bi-Rite grocery store (3639 18th St) on left, Bi-Rite Creamery (3692 18th St) on right

I’m a major ice cream advocate and I was planning to visit Bi-Rite Creamery, but after tacos at El Gallo Giro Taco Truck and La Taqueria, pies at Mission Pie and Tartine Bakery & Cafe, I needed to save room for the Tasting Menu at benu. I tried to visit Bi-Rite Creamery again after dinner at State Bird Provisions, but unfortunately I was too late.

The creamery is an extension of Bi-Rite urban grocery store located across the street. It features organic and local produce, goods, and grab and go sweets and savouries.

Photo from Eat A Good Life

Bi-Rite Creamery specializes in hand crafted artisan ice cream with flavours such as cheesecake with rhubarb swirl, and hazelnut with Dandelion Chocolate’s cocoa nibs. They also have soft served ice cream and a limited selection of cookies, cakes and cupcakes. Sam’s Sundae: chocolate ice cream with Bergamot olive oil, maldon sea salt and whipped cream ($4.95), and the Banana Split: vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, caramelized bananas, toasted walnuts and whipped cream ($5.95) is what I wanted to try… and I am crying in pie I missed out.

Bakers at the Skills BC Regional Competition

Faces of Trades: Cooking up a career

You’re funny Quang… and wise. People always say “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”, but it goes both ways. The way to anyone’s heart is through the stomach, so let’s get cooking.

In North America, being a chef is no longer a blue-collar “default job” but a desirable career. Without them, I would not be doing this, and I am incredibly grateful to have met so many talented chefs along the way.

It is pretty amazing how far the title “chef” has come. It is to the point where I do not even know if I’m being disrespectful for not using it. Titles are titles and they might not mean anything to some people, but regardless the idea of a chef isn’t what it once was. It is a new generation, and thanks to inspiring chefs, the rising public interest in food, and food media, cooking is no longer just cooking. It has become a culture of celebrity chefs, cooking competitions, vibrant dining options, food blogs, and more. It’s an expression of creativity as well as a survival skill and I support and encourage it all the way. After all, my work is really based on their work.

Whoever said cooking was a dead end job probably grew up eating horrible food.

Quang is the executive chef at the award-winning fine dining restaurant, West. Chef Dang originally came to Vancouver to continue his engineering degree and fulfill his dream to train for Canada’s national field hockey team. At 16 years old, he started at Joey’s Restaurant washing dishes and he later found himself cooking to help pay the bills. He eventually realized cooking was his true passion and changed his career path entirely.

From washing dishes to creating and cooking the food that goes on them, he has come a long way and hasn’t looked back.

He believes “cooking is [his] ticket to happiness” and encourages youth interested in the industry to pursue it.

I asked Quang for some advice and recommendations on how to get started, since I am no chef, and here was his reply:

Follow Me Foodie to The Sweeter Part of The Mission District in San Francisco!

The Mission: Bakeries, Pastries & Pies… in The Mission.

See – The Mission: Tacos… in The Mission.

The Mission District isn’t necessarily known for its bakeries, pastries and pies, but there are several in the area – old and new. Being that I’m a huge fan of this category, I was not going to miss out in Follow Me Foodie to San Francisco. I came primarily to explore the Mexican food and specifically the taco scene, but the bakeries were on the itinerary from the start.

I did not even have a list narrowed down and I was playing it by ear. The whole Mission District is rather walkable, and it was hard not to stop at every eatery let alone bakery. Unfortunately I did not have enough time to try all the Latin bakeries, which is another category on its own. I actually regret not doing that because who knows how long they will be around for? I already mentioned the issue of gentrification, so I hope these Latin mom and pop bakeries are not displaced or forced to close.

I had a limited time to explore the bakeries, pastries and pies in The Mission. I’m not even obsessed with pies, but there just happened to be so many places specializing in them or offering them. Pies were a “food trend” from a couple years ago, so I wasn’t surprised and they’re still going strong in San Francisco. New places have moved on from the pies though, and I had to try the “old news” bakeries and the new ones to get a better idea of what The Mission bakery and dessert scene had to offer. I wish I had more time to explore, but I tried what I could and hit some worth revisiting spots!

To see more about The Mission District see - Follow Me Foodie to The Mission District in San Francisco (exploring tacos)!

Follow Me Foodie Legend

No diamond – Not recommend (Under 29%)
♦ – Okay, not necessary to try. (30-49%)
♦♦ - Good, with some hits and misses. (50-69%)
♦♦♦ – Very good, dining itinerary worthy. (70-89%)
♦♦♦♦ - Excellent, make a trip out for it. (90-100%)
♦♦♦♦♦ - Follow Me Foodie Must Try! (Bonus marks! 100%+)

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

Follow Me Foodie to Bakeries, Pastries & Pies… in The Mission.

Restaurant: Mission Pie
Cuisine: Bakery/Desserts/Pastries/Pies
Last visited: May 7, 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA (Mission)
Address: 2901 Mission St
Phone: +1 415-282-1500
Transit: 24th St. Mission
Twitter: @MissionPie
Price Range: $10 or less

Mission Pie caught onto the “pie trend” early and opened in 2007. I hadn’t heard much about it, but after tacos at El Gallo Giro Taco Truck and La Taqueria, it was time for something sweet. This wasn’t on my original itinerary but it happened to be just a few stores away from La Taqueria, so why not?

It is a neighbourhood cafe serving old fashioned sweet and savoury pies as well as other casual fare. They source from local farmers and their menus are seasonal and for the health conscious. Their pies have less sugar, use whole wheat flour and they offer a couple vegan options. It is very home style and a bit hippie or granola, so it is nothing fancy, but it’s affordable and good for all ages. It’s a charming pay at cashier restaurant open all day until 10pm.

Banana Cream Pie – 3/6 (Good)

• $4/slice, $22/whole pie
• This is their signature pie that is available all year and it came highly recommended.
• The filling and cream part was fine, but the crust tasted stale and a bit cardboard-like.
• I am not sure if it was stale, or if it was due to the whole wheat flour used.
• The hand rolled all-butter crust is 1/3 white and 2/3 California grown whole wheat pastry flour.
• I couldn’t taste that buttery flavour I enjoy in a pie crust, and if I didn’t know they used whole wheat flour I would have thought it was stale.
• It wasn’t a super banana-y banana cream pie, but there were chunks of sliced firm banana sandwiched between vanilla pudding.
• The vanilla had a few specs of vanilla beans so I wouldn’t have minded a bit more, but it was nice and not too sweet.
• The crust is as important as the filling, so I was only into half of the pie and I just really wish the crust came through.
• Another great Banana Cream Pie I tried was from Emril’s in New Orleans – see Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie.

Menu features/highlights: Popular favourites are the Banana Cream Pie and the coconut macaroons, but I didn’t try the macaroons.

Pros: Clean, comfortable, fast, healthy options, local ingredients, good variety, affordable, family friendly
Cons: The signature item wasn’t too impressive and the healthy aspect sacrificed the flavour a bit.
Tips: Grab a taco at La Taqueria just a few stores away.

Overall Rating: n/a, didn’t try enough

To be continued…

… sneak peek…

Coconut Cream Pie & Mixed Berry Frangipane Tart

Matcha, Vanilla & Coconut Cake

See - The Mission: Bakeries, Pastries & Pies… in The Mission. (Part 2/2)

Sous Vide Asian Pork Ribs with Crispy Pineapples & Roasted Peanuts

Father’s Day is coming up and everyone is thinking “grill”, but have you ever thought sous vide? Depending on where you live (weather-wise), the grill is not always a convenient option. The cooking methods deliver different results and they can’t be compared, but with sous vide nobody has to hover over the grill which is nice.

The following is a guest post, recipe and photos by Brenda (@mightyvanilla) with random Follow Me Foodie input.

Eating meat off the bone is a carnivorous pleasure. I love the saucy meatiness of ribs, and meat cooked on the bone is more flavourful than boneless (don’t get me started on boneless skinless chicken breasts). Rib meat has a fair amount of connective tissue so it requires a longer cooking time at lower temperatures. This makes sous vide an ideal preparation method.

The 5 volume set of Modernist Cuisine contains pages and pages of cooking tables for the cooking times and temperatures of many different types of meat and their cuts. The tables are broken down further by the final texture of the protein, along with their suggestion of which option they prefer the most. For pork ribs, they listed the following options:

• 60C/140F for 48 hours results in a tender, yielding texture (preferred)

• 65C/149F for 48 hours results in a tender, flaky texture

• 75C/167F for 7 hours results in a very flaky texture

(The single volume Modernist at Home also contains cooking tables but only for the more common cuts of meats. The same sous vide times and temperatures are listed for pork ribs, as well as a pressure cooking suggestion of 35 minutes at 15psi.)

I decided to go with Modernist’s preferred choice of 60C/140F for 48 hours. For the flavouring, I wanted to try something a different from the usual BBQ sauce. A quick search on the internet yielded this recipe for Thai glazed pork ribs on the Sous Vide Supreme website. I liked that the glaze ingredients contained some of my favourite Asian seasonings (ginger, garlic, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, lime leaves) and I used it as a starting point to what I had on hand. I also significantly decreased the amount of salty ingredients since the ribs would be cooking for 48 hours. Plus a chamber vacuum sealer was used to seal the ribs in the bags, which meant that the seasonings would flavour the meat more than a regular marinade process would.

Sous vide cooking is truly a set it and forget it technique. The initial preparation is simple: mix the glaze ingredients in a bowl, cut the pork ribs into individual sections, divide the ribs and glaze evenly between sous vide bags, seal in a chamber vacuum sealer. Then comes a leisurely 48 hours of waiting. (Though if you are like me and didn’t get the ribs into the water bath until late at night, you can turn the temperature up a few degrees near the end so that dinner is on the table at a reasonable hour. I’ve found sous vide to be a very forgiving and flexible cooking technique.) When the ribs were fully cooked, the liquid was drained from the bags and reduced to the consistency of a sauce. Some of it was brushed onto the ribs and then the ribs were broiled for 8-10 minutes in the oven (or they could be finished on a hot grill). The heat of the broiler gave the ribs a nice dark caramelization and pulled the meat back from the bones.

The flavour of the marinade had completely penetrated the meat and I could taste the flavours infused throughout. I especially liked that the lime leaf flavour was still present. Due to the long and slow sous vide process, the meat was thoroughly cooked to firm/tender but with a nice pinkish colour.

Since this was an Asian flavoured pork, Mijune suggested playing around with the idea of Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple. I love fresh pineapple, and it pairs extremely well with Asian herbs. To keep things simple, I diced up ripe pineapple and stirred in some chopped mint and Thai basil. Another option is to serve the ribs with a side of crispy pineapple chips, or top them off with crumbled crispy pineapple bits.

The ribs were garnished with chopped mint, Thai basil, cilantro, green onions, chopped roasted peanuts and crispy pineapple chips (optional). The pork was delicious on its own but it was even better with the fresh herbs and pineapple, and the peanuts gave it just enough crunch. I served the pork and pineapple with steamed rice but it would also be delicious with noodles. The meat could also be removed from the bones, shredded, and incorporated into an Asian salad.

Sous Vide Asian Pork Ribs with Crispy Pineapple & Roasted Peanuts

Serves 4-6 as part of a main course or an appetizer

Ingredients

Pork

• 3 lbs (1.5 kg) baby back ribs

Glaze

• 4 cloves (2 Tbsp) garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, preferably thinly sliced but can be left whole
• 1/4 cup (125 ml) light soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
• ¼ cup (60 ml) palm sugar, coconut sugar or light brown sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp chili paste or chili sauce (more if you like it spicier)
• 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 Tbsp tamarind paste plus ¼ cup warm water (optional)
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (add another 1 Tbsp vinegar if tamarind paste is unavailable)

Garnishes

• ¼ cup Thai basil, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp mint, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp green onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup pineapple chips (optional – see recipe below)
• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple (optional)

Notes for success

• Whole lime leaves are easier to remove from the ribs once they’re cooked but thinly sliced leaves add more flavour and are easier to distribute evenly in the sous vide bags.
• Place the ribs in a single layer in the bags for even cooking.
• The garnishes can be prepared ahead of time.

Method:

Mise en place (hoisin and vinegar not shown)

1. Slice the baby back ribs into individual ribs and place them into a large mixing bowl.

2. Soak the tamarind paste in warm water for 5 minutes to soften. If there are seeds and fibers, squeeze them with your fingers to extract as much flavour as possible, then strain the tamarind water into a small saucepan and discard the seeds and fibers.

3. Add the remainder of the glaze ingredients to the saucepan and simmer over medium heat for several minutes until the sugar is dissolved.

4. Pour the glaze over the ribs and stir to coat them evenly.

5. Place the ribs in a single layer into bags and divide the glaze evenly between them.

6. Seal the bags in a chamber vacuum sealer and sous vide the ribs for 48 hours at 60C.

7. Prepare the garnishes. Roughly chop the Thai basil, mint and cilantro. Thinly slice the green onions, and roughly chop the roasted peanuts.

8. When the ribs are cooked, removed the bags from the water and allow them to rest in their liquid and cool slightly.

9. Strain the liquid from the pouches into a small saucepan and reduce the juices over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

10. Remove the lime leaves from the ribs.

11. Place the ribs into a large bowl and pour about half the reduced sauce over the ribs. Stir to coat the ribs evenly with the sauce.

12. Place the ribs onto a cookie sheet in a single layer and broil for 8-10 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. They can also be finished on a hot grill.

13. Garnish the ribs with herbs, peanuts and/or crispy pineapple chips.

Crispy Pineapple Chips

It is tricky to get pineapples crispy, and dehydrating is best, but baking will also work although timing may require adjusting. It takes patience to make pineapple chips and if your pineapple is extra juicy and very ripe, it can take a bit longer. The goal is to remove the moisture which takes a low temperature and a lot of time.

Ingredients

• Fresh pineapples, sliced 1/16th or 1/8th inch thick
• Brown sugar
• Salt, to taste
• 5 spice powder, to taste

Serve the ribs on their own or with steamed rice or noodles. Five spiced pineapple chips or a fresh pineapple salsa tossed with mint is also a great side.

Moms get tea on Mother’s Day. Dads get lots of meat! And there’s lots of it available on Father’s Day in Vancouver.
Photo credit Cliff Hammerschmidt.

Follow Me Foodie: Father’s Day for Vancouver foodies

There is always an abundance of brunches and food events for Mother’s Day, but how about celebrating the other person who brought us here? Happy Father’s Day, dad!

Sometimes he is the one putting our daily bread on the table, so it is only fair that he gets more than French toast on this occasion. 

There are never as many Father’s Day events to show dad we care. However this year, there are unique events not necessarily catered to Father’s Day, but nonetheless appropriate for any dad figure in the family.  - Read the full article.

See more Follow Me Foodie stories from Mijune in the WE Vancouver:

• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: The “Forget-Me-Nots” of Vancouver’s restaurant scene
• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Wild BC spot prawn season begins
• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: The best thing I ever ate…
• FOLLOW ME FOODIE: Cooking up a career