Wicked Spoon – Las Vegas (revisit)

February 19, 2015February 19, 2015Leave a comment

On Sunday morning, we decided to hit up the Wicked Spoon for some buffet at the Cosmopolitan. I ate here when they first opened and really enjoyed it, and I heard that it has kept up its standards, so it was time to do a revisit.

I heard there are always long line ups, but surprisingly, there was no line and we were seated right away. The buffet for brunch and lunch is around $38USD after tax, which is pretty reasonable for buffets in Las Vegas.

During their lunch buffet, they have a variety of items from different cuisines. Here, there is sushi.

Then they have some Thai curries and Chinese food. I love how everything comes in little pans and they even had Chinese take out boxes!

Then there’s your typical American food. Their pizzas had some pretty good toppings like smoked salmon. There’s also a variety of breakfast foods, a prime rib and other meats section, and a salad bar.

Then, there’s the dessert section. A variety of pastries. Probably one of the better buffets for dessert.

Red velvet cupcakes and cheesecakes were just some of the desserts.

So many choices for cakes!

Cakes are well presented.

My first round included a mix of food. Eggs bennedict, sausauges, bacon, mussels, bone marrow, fried chicken wings, pizza, and even takoyaki. I also liked how they had fresh juice in the salad bar. It was a strawberry kiwi juice and was very refreshing.

Second round included some smoked salmon, fresh fruits, and lamb curry.

S got some baked potatoes, gnocchi, bone marrow, kale salad, and eggs benedict.

Then came the desserts. I got the white chocolate mousse cone, white chocolate and orange mousse cake, pistachio eclair, coffee cake, and blood orange sorbet. They have a huge ice cream bar with a variety of flavours. One of my favourite parts of the buffet.

S got the chocolate dipped strawberries, cheesecake, molten lava cake and passion fruit sorbet. Their cheesecake is so good!

Overall, we were quite happy with Wicked Spoon. The price for lunch is quite reasonable, but if you’re looking for seafood, then it may not be the best for you. Great buffet if you like desserts though. They do a good job in plating everything and the ambiance is very modern.

Pros:
– Good variety of food
– Great dessert section

Cons:
– Some dishes are just average
– May have long waits during peak hours

Price Range: $40-50

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Parking: N/A
Overall: 4

LA Chicken (revisit)

January 25, 2015January 25, 20152 Comments

I hadn’t been to LA Chicken in over 2 years, so when S wanted fried chicken, I thought it would be time to go for a revisit. LA Chicken is a hidden gem in Richmond, in a small complex off Cambie and No. 5 Road. You probably wouldn’t blindly walk into this shop unless you’ve heard about all the good stuff. Nothing is fancy about the exterior or interior. Old school menu board with ambiance that does not make you want to stay, but the fried chicken is probably the best in town. Run by a family, most people say LA Chicken is better than KFC or Church’s, and I have to agree.

We got the Dinner Combo for 2, which includes 6 pieces of fried chicken, a medium order of fries and gravy. You can choose between spicy or regular, or have a mix of each. We went for the regular and the skin was super crispy and the meat was moist. Tender and juicy in the inside, and crispy on the outside. It also wasn’t overly salty. However, 2 weeks later, we went for the same combo, and we found it to be overly salty. It seems to normally be less on the salty side, but I’m not sure what happened with that batch.

As for the fries, they were underwhelming. Fries weren’t crispy and they were well under-seasoned. Unless you use the gravy, the fries are pretty bland. The fries were just not good. Stick with the chicken and skip the fries. Gravy was alright, but I found it a little too salty.

Prices are a bit higher than your fried chicken chains, but it’s still reasonable. Service is also really friendly, but expect some waiting time since there are always line ups during dinner time. Get the chicken to go as the ambiance really isn’t that great. Parking is also a bit of a nightmare in that small complex, but you can park near the residential areas and take a short walk over.

Pros:
– Chicken is moist and crispy
– Service is very friendly

Cons:
– No ambiance whatsoever
– Always a line up

Price Range: $10-20

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 1
Parking: 3
Overall: 3

Earls Kitchen + Bar (Richmond) – revisit

January 13, 2015January 13, 2015Leave a comment

Fish and Chips

Making reservations on the day of New Year’s Eve proved to be a difficult task. In the end, we resorted to Earls Kitchen and Bar in Richmond since they had more seating compared to other restaurants. A short wait and we were seated. It seemed that people were rushing to their New Year’s Eve parties. S got the Fish and Chips, which came with two pieces of beer battered Icelandic cod, house tartar, coleslaw, and a side of fries. S said the fish was moist and the fries were crispy. He said Earls does fish and chips pretty well and probably better than most places he’s been to.

Fettuccini Alfredo

K got the Fettuccini Alfredo, which came with the classic cream sauce and topped with grana padano parmesan. It looked rather plain, but she said it was pretty good.

Italia Pizza

For myself, I got the Italia Pizza, which was topped with Virginia ham, Genoa salami, chorizo, and Provolone cheese. A 10 inch pizza, this was actually quite a lot and could easily feed two. I liked the thin crust and the chorizo made gave it some heat. Pretty good for a chain restaurant, but also a little on the oily side.

Overall, Earls is your typical chain restaurant, but their food is pretty consistent in quality and flavour. Service was also pretty good. Plus, there’s an abundance of parking at Lansdowne which makes things more convenient.

Pros:
– Food is always consistently decent
– Service and ambiance is nice

Cons:
– Your typical Chain restaurant menu
– No reservations ahead of time for parties with less than 6

Price Range: $15-25

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3
Service: 4
Ambiance: 3.5
Parking: 4
Overall: 3.5

Elephant’s Delicatessen – Portland

October 22, 2014October 22, 2014Leave a comment

Elephant’s Delicatessen is a local favourite and dates back to 1979. We decided to go grab breakfast on our last day before heading back to Vancouver.

We thought it would be like a typical deli, but the inside is huge! With different sections and food, like soups, sandwiches, pizzas, and more. They open at 7:00 but many of the hot food sections weren’t open until closer to lunch time. They prize themselves for making all their food from scratch every day so it’s fresh.

What’s cool is that throughout the store, there are a variety of take home goods too. From specialty seasonings to chocolates and wine, there is just tons of stuff to see! It’s definitely a gourmet deli and similar to Whole Foods but even better! They also have a bar area, so they have happy hour deals.

Crab Cakes

There’s a cold food area but filled with typically hot food like fried chicken and more. We decided to get the Crab Cakes, but surprisingly, they didn’t heat up the food. They just placed it on the plate with the dip, so I’m guessing you’re supposed to eat it like how it is. The crab cakes were good – filled with tons of flaky crab, herbs and seasoning, but it just wasn’t the same since it was served cold. I’m sort of confused why this is. Perhaps you’re supposed to purchase these to take home and bake?

Mama Leone’s Soup

I got the Mama Leone’s Soup, which is their famous soup here. They describe it as a creamy Italian chicken soup with tomato, spinach & herbs. It was extremely flavourful and one of the best soups I’ve had. A good medium consistency, but you could really taste the chicken and vegetables. Not those cheap canned soup for sure. Definitely a recommended item!

Overall, Elephant’s Delicatessen is a really cool place to check out for a quick and inexpensive meal. They have seating inside as well, although the rest is self serve. I think it’s worth checking out if you enjoy any gourmet foods as well, since they have many goodies that you probably can’t find in most stores.

Browns Socialhouse (Ironwood)

September 26, 2014September 25, 20141 Comment

Bellini

J and I finally set a date to meet up and we had originally planned to check out the Milestone’s Girls Night Out Menu, which featured 4 appies and 4 drinks for $40. However, taking a look at the menu, nothing really intrigued us. Plus, there wasn’t a Milestones in Richmond. Being lazy, we ended up going to Browns Socialhouse in Ironwood Mall. I’ve been here before, but it’s been years since I revisited. The small patio was full, so we ended up sitting indoors. I started off the Bellini, which is always on special for $5. Pretty good deal, but I found that it was way too sweet for my liking. I felt like I was literally eating the fuzzy peach gummies! As for J, she got the Traditional Mojito, since there was a $2 off special going on.

Chicken Quesadilla

For food, I went with the Chicken Quesadilla, which was surprisingly presented very nicely. It came with three sauces – salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. The tortillas were filled with cheese, chicken, peppers, and jalapeno peppers. A bite into the jalapenos really gave you a hit of spice. The quesadilla was crispy rather than soggy, which I was very pleased with. J went for the Charred Peperoni Pizza, which was a perfect size for one. Plus, on Sundays and Mondays, all their pizzas are for $9 which is a great deal! She said the pizza was really good and had a good amount of toppings.

Overall, Browns Socialhouse is always a great place to grab some drinks and food with friends. It’s casual food with great service and prices. A nice change from always going to say Earls.

White Spot (Ackroyd)

September 22, 2014September 21, 2014Leave a comment

August 13th was Pirate Pak Day at White Spot, so of course we had to go check it out! I haven’t had a Pirate Pak in ages, and today was the day you could relive the past and order an adult sized pirate pak! We decided to go to the one at No. 3 and Ackroyd, hoping there would be less people. A 20 minute wait or so, and we were seated. It was quite busy in there, with families, young adults and teenagers all ready to relive their childhood.

Provolone Veggie Burger

K got the Provolone Veggie Burger, which is the vegetarian option. It came with loads of mushrooms and provolone cheese, which melted perfectly. The bun was also whole wheat, so much more healthy! All pirate paks come with a side of coleslaw, fries, soft drink, and ice cream.

Bacon Cheddar Bigger Burger

J got the Bacon Cheddar Bigger Burger, which came with a beef patty, but also bacon and cheddar. Looked really yummy!

Legendary Burger

For myself, I got the Legendary Burger and added the cheddar cheese. It looked quite messy, but the special O sauce was so delicious! It was a mix of ketchup and mayo. The patty was moist and cooked nicely.

The coleslaw that came with the pak however, was really gross. It was all dried up and the slaw wasn’t fresh. I also disliked the sauce they used. Barely finished that.

Chocolate Ice Cream

As for the ice cream, it was also quite a disappointment. It came already scooped into a container and was your typical superstore ice cream. You could select from strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla.

Overall, it’s nice to relive your childhood once a year on Pirate Pak Day. However, I wouldn’t say it’s anything special, especially when the adult pirate paks are twice the price. You can actually order children pirate paks online and get take out instead. I’m leaning towards that since they have more varieties in food choices other than burgers!

Burger Bar – Amsterdam

March 11, 2014March 10, 20141 Comment

After a month staying in Barcelona with no out of the country traveling, (which surprisingly felt really good), off I went to Amsterdam! Traveling really gets to you, especially when you’re traveling on budget airlines and having to wake up to rush to the airport after really 4 hours of sleep. We had a huge group in Amsterdam, but we came by different airlines and times, hence we had some fun trying to meet up, especially when we had no data. Finally, we took a train from the Amsterdam airport and arrived in the city center. We were around 30 minutes late, but we luckily found our friends who had taken an earlier flight from BCN as well. Amsterdam is full of canals and the city is quite walkable. You’ll find bikes everywhere as well. The first thing I noticed that was quite different were their houses. They seem to be really wide, or the houses are continuously attached like townhouses. Building up doesn’t seem to be popular, as in apartments, and you’ll find tons of windows on these buildings. Lots of squares and rectangles, contrary to circular shapes.

K also met up with his friend who had been backpacking around Europe the last couple of months. It was his last day here in Amsterdam, and he took us to Burger Bar, which he claimed was really good. At first, I was a little hesitant because I mean, how good can burgers be. But Burger Bar actually surpassed by expectations. The quality of their beef was extremely good, and I love how they make the beef patties right on spot as you order. You first line up at the cash register to order, and there are three types of beef. Irish beef, Black Angus, and Wagyu Beef. They go up by price as Wagyu beef is usually prized as one of the best beef. Each patty also has a choice of either 200 grams or 270 grams. There’s also chicken and portobello mushroom patties for non-beef eaters. Then you let them know which toppings you want to add, which will cost you extra. You can also complete the meal with Belgian fries and a drink.

200 Gram Irish Beef with Cheddar Cheese

I chose the 200 gram Irish Beef Burger. The beef patties are handmade and are 100% beef grilled medium well unless you tell them otherwise. Each burger has lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and a homemade burger sauce. I chose to add cheddar cheese for an extra 0,90 euros. You can also choose to add fries, but I shared the fries with U. The bun was toasted to a crisp at the top and the beef was extremely fresh and juicy! There was beef juice dripping everywhere as I took the bite. Their homemade sauce was also really good. Well worth it for around under 6 euros and I was completely full. I also added a half pint of Heineken beer, since I was in Amsterdam! Of course, go for the Heineken when in Amsterdam! The food did take quite a while to be ready, but I guess it’s because they are freshly made. They give you a number and they call on you when your burger is ready. There are quite a few seats in the bar, and accommodated our large group. Pretty happy with the food!

McCafe – Milan

January 21, 2014December 10, 2014Leave a comment

As students on a budget, we often end up eating on a budget. Milan definitely dug a hole in our wallet as we could not resist the shopping. What ends up happening is we either don’t eat or we eat cheap. Since I don’t like to sacrifice my stomach, I choose to find alternatives for food. And yes, we end up at McCafe. I mean, McCafe isn’t exactly cheap as well, because compared to Canada, McDonalds in Europe is actually quite pricey. But it is probably one of the cheaper options in Milan. We chose to get the dessert combo deal, where you can get a small drink with a dessert for a set price. I ended up getting a Cappuccino with a Tiramisu, while my sister got the Strawberry Cake. The tiramisu was actually really good! It was moist and had a strong coffee flavour. The cake was also not bad, and for the price we paid, we were quite satisfied. It’s always interesting to check out the McCafes in Europe because each city has a different menu!

Every Day is a Food Day

Category: American

Wicked Spoon – Las Vegas (revisit)

LA Chicken (revisit)

Earls Kitchen + Bar (Richmond) – revisit

Elephant’s Delicatessen – Portland

Browns Socialhouse (Ironwood)

White Spot (Ackroyd)

Burger Bar – Amsterdam

McCafe – Milan