Your Guide to the Panda Market (2016)

July 11, 2016July 11, 20162 Comments

NOTE: As part of the ChineseBites media event, all food and beverages were free, but all opinions are based on my own experience.

Thanks to ChineseBites, we were invited along with other food bloggers to sample over 20 items at the Panda Market. Thanks to the rebranding, you can now clearly figure out which night market is which. The Panda Market is the one near Ikea (also known as the older one). We were invited in 2015 as well, and you can read about it here.

The Panda Market has really shrunk this year in terms of food stalls (down to only one lane!). Admission is free although parking does cost money, but round up your friends and carpool and it’ll come to a dollar per person.

I also liked how there were less people here so you can actually stand around and eat or even find tables in the back alley to sit down and enjoy your food. We checked out the Richmond Night Market by River Rock and there was no chance of that! You could barely move there and the line ups were crazy long…

Xin Jiang A Fan Ti Halal BBQ

I was paired up with Areta from Foodgressing to indulge in our night market adventure. We started off at Xin Jiang A Fan Ti Halal BBQ.

Chicken Skewers, Lamb Skewers

We were able to sample the Chicken Skewers and Lamb Skewers which may be one of my favourite items of the night. The chicken was my favourite because it still remained moist inside. The lamb was good but the one I had had a lot of fat stuck on so those parts were inedible. I loved the spices they used though and you can ask for spicy to get more kick.

BBQ Squid

There are two stands that sell squid at this night market. The one we sampled from was called BBQ Squid.

Fried and Grilled Mix Squid

We tried the Fried and Grilled Mix which as the name says, comes with a variety of grilled and fried squid rings and tentacles. The grilled squid comes with a sweet chili sauce but I found it to be more chewy, although not gummy. My favourite was the fried one as the texture had more bounce to it. This plate is priced at around $8.

Shake Shake

Getting thirsty, we headed to Shake Shake which has the trendiest drinks, including lightbulb drinks, watermelon and pineapple juice in the actual fruit, and liquid nitrogen drinks.

Watermelon Juice

We tried the Watermelon Juice which had liquid nitrogen fuming out on the side making it very picture worthy. The smoke actually lasted for quite a few minutes too. We added some popping balls in the drink, but I found that tasted a little odd. The watermelon juice itself was okay but the watermelon itself clearly wasn’t very sweet. They also have a pineapple version.

Cheese Tarts: Lavender and Original

Next to Shake Shake is Cheese Tarts which sells out fast so may be a stall that you want to check out first. They sell the popular cheese tarts that are the hype in Japan and Asia. Here, you can choose between Lavender and Original and they heat them up for you. I found the center to not be as runny as the ones in Japan but I did enjoy the lavender flavour. Great for those who enjoy floral flavours.

Top Dough

Top Dough brings Czech pastries to Richmond and features Trdelník also known as chimney cakes.

Chimney Cake

They feature three versions: the original, one filled with nutella, and one filled with nutella, whipped cream and topped with a slice of strawberry. We got the last and this one is cone shaped in order to hold all the cream. I liked how the outside was crunchy, but the inside was gooey and I felt like it was undercooked. This is not as good as the ones I had in Prague for sure, but I guess it’s decent for what we have in Richmond.

Mini Doughnuts: Oreo

At Mini Doughnuts, you can get your favourite carnival snacks and mini doughnuts! You can have them plain with just cinnamon and sugar or have them dressed up with some interesting flavours. Each order normally comes with 12 doughnuts, but they were able to give us 6 of each flavour instead. The first was the Oreo which was dressed with icing sugar and topped with crushed Oreo cookies.

Birthday Cake

The second was the Birthday Cake which comes with icing sugar and topped with rainbow sprinkles. They also have a S’mores version. The doughnut itself was great but I find that the ones with icing sugar get quite sweet after a couple. I would order these with just cinnamon sugar instead.

Shanghai Special: Pork Schnitzel

At Shanghai Special, they serve Shanghai food but also Pork Schnitzel! Sort of random, but it turned out to be quite good with the pork being only a tad dry but the batter very crispy.

It’s Toasty: French Toast

It’s Toasty served French Toast which we thought was deep fried tofu at first. It was served with a side of condensed milk and this was again surprisingly very good. The outside was crispy and the center pillowy soft and fluffy!

Pie Pie Okonomiyaki: Squid Okonomiyaki

At Pie Pie Okonomiyaki, they serve variations of Okonomiyaki filled with different ingredients such as pork and beef. We chose the Squid Okonomiyaki which was topped with Japanese mayo and bonito flakes. I found the inside to be rather gooey and doughy and would’ve liked it crispier.

Be Fabulous: Corn Pancake

Be Fabulous served us Corn Pancake along with a side of sweet chili sauce. It was well seasoned but something about it was quite underwhelming.

Orr Street: Green Apple Slush with Pearls

Areta got the Green Apple Slush with Pearls from Orr Street and we found the Mr. Panda to feature our drink. Yes, you’ll find a couple of these pandas walking around!

Twist Potato

There are two stands that sell the famous hurricane potatoes. The first stand was Twist Potato.

Bavarian Cream Korean Waffle

Twist Potato is also the only stand that sells the Korean Taiyaki fish waffles. We filled ours with Bavarian Cream. I found this to be underwhelming and the cream was like a custard which I found too sweet. I’d much rather get the ones at Snowy Village!

J&J Hurricane Potato Fries: Barbecue; Twist Potato: Garlic Mayo

The other stand is J&J Hurricane Potato Fries. Let’s compare it to Twist Potato! By the looks of it, Twist Potato (on the left) is much taller and so you get way more potato, but at the same time it’s more thinly sliced. After trying both, I actualy enjoyed the one from J&J more because of the thick cut texture. However, based on the flavours we tried, we enjoyed the Garlic Mayo from Twist Potato more than the Barbecue at J&J. But then again, you can choose from a variety of flavours so at the end of the day, I would probably go with J&J. J&J also allows you to choose two flavours.

Mr. Pretzels: Neapolitan Pretzel

Next we tried the Neapolitan Pretzel from Mr. Pretzels. This was topped with Parmesan and some Italian herbs and must be eaten when warm! It was very soft and great for sharing.

Totoro: Mango Bubble Tea; Happy Lemon: Passionfruit Lemonade

Onto more drinks because night market food can make you very thirsty! Areta got the Mango Bubble Tea from Totoro, while I got the Passionfruit Lemonade from Happy Lemon. I love how you can flavour your classic lemonade and this was just the right sweet and tart.

TW Traditional Snacks: Taiwanese Sausage

Yup, this looks funny… but TW Traditional Snacks ran out of popcorn chicken and I had already tried their stinky tofu last year, so I tried their Taiwanese Sausage this time around. Quite typical and is sweet in flavour. Nothing too special. I would stick to their Stinky Tofu or Popcorn Chicken!

Sea Monster

A new addition is the Sea Monster which seemed to be a big hit.

Sweet Onion

They literally deep fry a whole squid on a stick and you can choose a seasoning to go with it of which we chose the sweet onion. This is difficult to eat and can get very messy, but I actually quite enjoyed this. The squid itself was very tender and I loved the crunchy batter and seasoning.

Takoyaki: Squid Takoyaki

Takoyoki is another popular item and here you can choose to add other ingreidents again such as pork. We stuck with the traditional and got Squid. Crispy on the outside and gooey inside. Not bad.

Cocoro: Deep Fried Oreos

Onto some desserts at Cocoro, we tried the Deep Fried Oreos which I had first tried at the PNE. I always found these to be good, so it was no surprise here either. They’re on the sweeter side, so definitely share them.

Mangoholic: Mango Shaved Iced

Mangoholic served us their Mango Shaved Ice, which is perfect for a sunny day. The mangoes were ripe and sweet and came with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. Not bad!

Ying Kee: Bubble Waffle

Last but not least, Ying Kee served us Bubble Waffles and I went for the classic original although they have other flavours. The outside was crispy but I wished the inside was more chewy.

And there you have it! We tried almost every single food stall at the Panda Night Market! I have to say, I did appreciate how the line ups and wait times were way shorter than the one at the Richmond Night Market.

Of course, you won’t find as many innovative items here as they tend to open at the Richmond Night Market, but if you are looking for your classics, then I think the Panda Night Market does a pretty good job.

There are also fun and games for the kids and live entertainment. But I mean, I think I most of us go the night market for the food, right?

Yuan’s Shanghai Serendipity Cuisine

July 7, 2016July 7, 2016Leave a comment

Yuan’s Shanghai Serendipity Cuisine is one of the newer additions to Richmond’s Shanghai/ dim sum options. It took over the spot of a Korean restaurant and has renovated.

The decor is probably one of the fanciest in Richmond for Chinese food. There are blue velvet chairs, vases, and statues. Somehow we ended up in a private room too which was pretty cool as you got a lot of privacy.

Even their chinaware is nicer than most Chinese restaurants. With such nice ambiance, you would expect the prices to be rather high, but they were actually quite reasonable and in line with other restaurants.

Soy Braised Kaofu with Assorted Mushrooms

We started off with the Soy Braised Kaofu with Assorted Mushrooms. I really enjoyed the flavours of this dish and it was not overly salty. Loved the abundance of peanuts mixed in to give it some crunch.

Smoked Duck (half)

The half order of Smoked Duck was glazed in a plum sauce with the skin being crispy while the meat remaining moist.

Xiao Long Bao

The Xiao Long Bao may make it on the list of one of the best in Richmond for me. The skin was extremely thin while the pork still remaining very moist and filled with lots of broth! A must order!

Pan Fried Juicy Pork Buns

Another favourite was the Pan Fried Juicy Pork Buns. These were decorated with white sesame seeds on the bottom and the inside was piping hot and filled with a lot of broth once again. I find that these can easily be dry in the center, but not these!

Shredded Chicken and Mung Bean Pasta Salad

Another cold appetizer we ordered was the Shredded Chicken and Mung Bean Pasta Salad. Not really a pasta salad, but Shanghai cuisine likes to use mung bean to make these clear jelly which are delicious when mixed with chicken, cucumber and a delicious peanut sauce. these had just the right amount of sauce and the texture was spot on.

Wok Fried Shanghai Round Noodle

Lastly, we tried the Wok Fried Shanghai Round Noodle which is a staple in Shanghainese cuisine. These were surprisingly not very oily like they usually tend to be. However, it lacked the wok flavour.

Overall, we not only impressed by the decor but also the quality of the food. Service, on the other hand, was slightly rude. We had a hostess come into the room initially accusing us of going in when another host had asked us to. The waiters also just drop off food without saying anything which is unfortunate as you would expect more at a restaurant that looks upscale.

Pros:
– Great dim sum items
– Beautiful decor

Cons:
– Service is lacking
– Some dishes are on the pricier side

Price Range: $15-25/person

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

Food:4 Service: 1.5 Ambiance: 4.5 Parking: 3 Overall: 3.5

Anh + Chi

July 6, 2016July 5, 2016Leave a comment

Anh and Chi is the new hip and modern Vietnamese spot that took over the prior space, Pho Hoang. The restaurant is owned by the same family but the children now run the restaurant.

The restaurant is clean and modern with natural sunlight shining in to make picture taking effortless. Be aware of the long line ups and no reservations here. We came here closer to 2pm and got a seat within 15 minutes.

They’ve really vamped up the decor and everything inside just has a modern flare to it.

Soda Ép: Hand-Craft Soda – Fresh Lime, Dragon Fruit Tonic, Salty Plum

We started off with their Hand-Craft Sodas which the servers recommended. From left to right is the Fresh Lime, Dragon Fruit Tonic, and Salty Plum. The Salty Plum really wowed us with the drink not being overly salty or tart. It had a nice balance and was very appetizing. A must order!

Chả Giò – Crispy Spring Rolls

Onto the appies of which included the Crispy Spring Rolls which comes in a beautiful woven basket. They really know how to play with presentation here and hence their high prices. $7 for two rolls is not cheap. The spring rolls are filled with pork, prawn, carrot, taro, bean thread vermicelli and black mushroom. Many of their dishes are served with lettuce, mixed herbs and a chili fish sauce of which you then wrap around. I have to say, the flavours of these spring rolls are very modernized but I loved it!

Sài Gòn – Prawn Salad Rolls

The Prawn Salad Rolls were also presented beautifully. Each order comes with one roll cut in half (pictured is two orders). You can also choose from grilled pork or chicken. The rolls were filled with lettuce, bean sprouts, rice vermicelli and my favourite ingredient was the mint which gave it a very fresh taste. It was served with a delicious peanut sauce.

Cánh Gà – Fried Chicken Wings

The Fried Chicken Wings were a hit at our table with a marinade of chili fish sauce, butter, garlic, and green onion. The outside was crispy with the inside moist. We did find that this dish was slightly on the saltier side though.

Phở Hoàng

We got a taste of their predecessors by ordering the Phở Hoàng but it still came at the new prices at $11 for a normal bowl of pho. This came with sliced beef sirloin, brisket, tripe, tendon and meatballs. The broth was actually pretty good but I wouldn’t pay the price for it when I can get the same or better at a cheaper joint.

Bánh Xèo – Vietnamese Crêpe

I’ve been seeing the Vietnamese Crêpe all over social media so I suggested we try this as it’s not something I would usually order at Vietnamese restaurants. Filled in a crispy egg omelette was pork, prawn, bean sprouts, and mung bean. This was served with the same lettuce, mixed herbs and chili fish sauce so you could wrap the egg in. I really liked how crispy the outside was but found the inside ingredients to be under-seasoned.

Khay Bánh Hỏi Lụi Nướng – Street-Side Platter

The Street-Side Platter is great for sharing and consisted of house-made pork sausage, beef in betel leaf, grilled chicken, fried spring roll & grilled prawn. It was served with fresh lettuce, mixed herbs, pickled carrots and daikon, fine rice vermicelli, rice paper and chili fish sauce. We were given a warm bowl of water to soak the rice paper in to wrap our grilled meats so you got some DIY fun. However, I found it quite messy to do and would’ve prefered to have the assembly already done for me. All the meats were grilled just right and flavoured very well. The only one that lacked flavour would be the prawn.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nlhQ26XCd7c/V3rY7_aon_I/AAAAAAAAB2w/YAnGr6hgdJUKL64JOxDOCPfpCbB6JJE1gCCo/s640/10.jpg

Bún Thịt Nướng Chả Giò Tôm – Vermicelli Bowl

Lastly, we got the Vermicelli Bowl which was very similar to the previous dishes as they consisted of the same ingredients. I would skip this if you already ordered the above dishes. We chose to have grilled chicken and it also came with a grilled whole prawn, fried spring rolls, a bed of greens, mixed herbs & chili fish sauce.

Overall, we were quite happy with Anh and Chi but found that many of the flavours in their main dishes were very similar after a while. Still, it’s great to see Vietnamese cuisine go from the typical cheap eats to becoming modern and upscale. Of course, this comes with a price, but you are paying for the overall experience. Service was also extremely friendly which is a huge change from the usual pho joints.

Pros:
– Great modern twist and presentation
– Service is great and ambiance is beautiful

Cons:
– Pricey
– Some dishes become very similar in flavour

Price Range: $20-30/person

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

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

Kinome

July 5, 2016Leave a comment

K loves soba noodles, so for our family outing, we decided to check out Kinome which has been much talked about for their handmade buckwheat soba noodles. They are only open for dinner and are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Be sure to make reservations as it is usually full.

The decor inside is simple but gives an authentic Japanese feel. They have a fresh sheet that changes up.

The inside is very small. They have around 5 tables of four and the rest is bar seating. Bar seating would be perfect if you order their popular omakase menu. The only downside is there is no air conditioner here so it can get super hot.

Dashi Egg Omelette

We started off with their famous Dashi Egg Omelette. The egg was layered with seaweed and flavoured just enough while remaining a hint of sweetness. So fluffy and moist.

Today’s Sashimi

One order of Today’s Sashimi features whatever the chef believes is most fresh. You can let the server know if you don’t like a specific type of fish. Our order came with 5 types of sashimi. Our selection included Red Tuna (sustainable bluefin tuna), Sockeye Salmon, Tobi-uo (flying fish), Mizu-tako (water octopus) and Shiro-ika (white squid). Flying fish was something new for us and wasn’t too bad! It has a slimier texture but wasn’t too fishy in taste. However, this dish is quite expensive at $30 for very small cuts. Very fresh though!

Grilled Marinated Squid Legs

Next up were Grilled Marinated Squid Legs which came with a side of mayo. I liked how they had a bit of char on the ends and were very tender.

Prawn Tempura

The Prawn Tempura was battered so lightly and the shrimp itself was very fresh because it wasn’t mushy like the ones you get at all you can eat. It had that bounce! It also came with some asparagus.

Braised Berkshire Pork Belly with Grilled Leak & Miso Sauce

The Braised Berkshire Pork Belly was a delicious fatty goodness with the fat melting your mouth.

Chopped Kale & Prawn Kakiage Tempura

A favourite of mine was the Chopped Kale & Prawn Kakiage Tempura. Never though you could tempura kale! It was filled with bits of shrimp and scallop too which was delicious!

Asakusa Soba

Next up was what we came here for – their handmade buckwheat soba! They have three choices. First was the Asakusa Soba which features hand made buckwheat noodle with green onion, tempura bits, radish, seaweed, and sesame. This dish is served cold and you pour a cold broth on top and mix it together. They advise you eat it as quickly as possible so the texture remains. This one was great with a very fresh take on the traditional soba.

Zaru Soba

The Zaru Soba was what I was used to. With this one, you can truly taste how fresh the noodles are. The texture has just the right amount of firmness. I can see why people go crazy over the soba here!

Kamo Seiro Soba

My favourite was the Kamo Seiro Soba though. This was the same handmade buckwheat noodle but served with a warm duck dipping sauce. The sauce was just so flavourful without being too salty. This soba is pricey at $16 but it does come with three tender pieces of duck and is irresistible!

Cold Udon

Kinome’s dishes tend to be smaller in portion size so of course we were still hungry. We decided to try their udon which is new on the menu. There are two choices so we got both. First was the Cold Udon which I absolutely loved. I think I might even like this more than the soba. The udon here is handmade as well and very thin. The cold broth really makes the dish refreshing and keeps that firm texture.

Warm Udon

The Warm Udon featured the same thin noodles, but I felt that because it sat in the broth, the texture of the noodles became slightly soft. Still, I really enjoyed both version of the udon.

Overall, I was very impressed with Kinome’s dishes, especially their soba and udon. Prices are slightly on the higher side for the size of their dishes, but I think it’s well worth it. Plus, they are extremely environmentally friendly which is always a plus. Service was also very friendly.

Pros:
– Handmade buckwheat noodle and udon is a must order!
– Ingredients are extremely fresh

Cons:
– No air conditioning may be a problem in the summer
– Prices are slightly higher for the portions

Price Range: $20-30/person

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

Food:4.5 Service: 3.5 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: 3.5 Overall: 4

Sai Woo

July 3, 2016July 3, 2016Leave a comment

Super late post again but back in early May, us accountants finally celebrated the end of tax season! Our firm treated us to dinner and drinks at Sai Woo in the heart of Chinatown. Sai Woo doesn’t server your typical authentic Chinese food, it’s more of a westernized style of Chinese food.

We basically booked the whole restaurant and the inside decor is beautiful! I loved the fairy lights and the ambiance gave a nice chic and elegant feel.

Their cocktails are what I would come here for and they have a long bar on one side where you can come in if you want to just enjoy some drinks.

Sai Woo Sour

E and I decided to go all out that night (since we were’ paying!) and tried to go down the list of the cocktail list. Yes, huge headache the next day, but it was fun! We started off with the Sai Woo Sour which featured Bombay Sapphire East, Benedictine, ginger syrup, lemon juice, and egg white.

Elderflower 75

The Elderflower 75 was my favourite and consisted of Finlandia Vodka, St. Germain, lemon juice, and sparkling cava. This was the fruitiest drink and extremely easy to drink. Plus, it’s always classy to have some cava in hand.

Smoking Gun

The Smoking Gun is the men’s drink and the process in making the drink is super cool to watch. They light up the drink and some smoke comes out then they throw in this huge ice cube. The drink consisted of El Dorado 12 year old rum, bitters, brown sugar, oak, and tea smoke. A very bitter drink and great for those who like to drink straight rum. The guys said it was too sweet from the brown sugar though…but us girls found it bitter!

Carioca

Another favourite was the Carioca with Cacha 51, guava juice, orange juice, lime juice, and sloe Gin float. Another one of those lighter and fruitier drinks which I enjoyed.

Tuna Tartare

As we booked the place up for a private event, our menu was already pre-ordered and it included some canapés to start. I didn’t get pictures of all of them but a memorable one was the Tuna Tartare which came with nori on top. Quite yummy! They also seem to enjoy using raw ingredients at Sai Woo.

Wagyu Beef Carpaccio

We were able to choose two appetizers each. For myself, I chose the Wagyu Beef Carpaccio which came with broccoli puree, crudite, rye crumble, sorrel, and candied lime. To be honest, I found this to be just average. The beef lacked flavour and the plate itself was also extremely small for the price.

Beet Salad

E got the Beet Salad which came with buckwheat cracker, yoghurt, blackberry sauce, fermented grapes, and herbs. A colourful dish but E also said it was just average.

Sai Woo Salad

My second appetizer was the Sai Woo Salad which comes with smoked sockeye salmon, gem lettuce, frisee, pickled tomato, blue cheese cream, and fennel. Again, something was off about this dish. It was way too acidic with the pickled tomatoes overbearing the whole dish. The smoked salmon was also more like cooked salmon as it was fully cooked. Everyone agreed this dish was too pickled.

Pressed Lamb

For my entree, I got the Pressed Lamb which was my favourite of the dishes. The lamb was packed into a rectangle and was crispy on the outside while staying very moist in the inside. It came with seasonal vegetables of what appeared to be brocolini, braised shallots, kale, sherry jus and a side of long grain rice.

Ling Cod

Some of the other diners got the Ling Cod which came with oyster mushrooms, green onion puree, greens, and jasmine rice. Apparently this was extremely salty for some while being perfect for others. Seems like they have inconsistencies in seasoning.

Lemongrass Chicken

The other entree option was the Lemongrass Chicken which came with vermicelli noodles, bitter greens, and a sunny side up fried egg.

Baklava

Dessert was just as disappointing. the Baklava was unappealing to look at and consisted of pistachio nuts, toasted nuts, honey rose pearls, and phyllo chips. This was sort of an deconstructed baklava but something about it just didn’t seem right.

Chocolate Cake

The Chocolate Cake came with candied fennel and orange marmalade and it appeared that most diners did not enjoy this. Perhaps it was gluten free and therefore the cake itself was very hard and dry.

Overall, we found the food at Sai Woo to be underwhelming but we think it might be because they aren’t experienced with catering to a large group. Most diners who have gone to Sai Woo on a regular day have had good experiences, so I would probably give them a try during their regular service. I have to say that their drinks are great so I wouldn’t mind coming here to grab a drink. Plus the decor is beautiful inside!

Kamei Royale – Grand Opening at New Location

June 27, 2016Leave a comment

Note: All food and beverages were complimentary, but opinions are based on personal experience.

Thanks to Loopp Media and Klip Magazine, we were invited to the grand opening of Kamei Royale at their new location in Coal Harbour at 1066 West Hastings. Kamei Royale used to be around Burrard and Georgia if you remember.

The event was packed so it was hard to really capture the interior space. A long bar is on one side.

They have a large selection of beers and wines.

This is only one side of the dining area. The new location is quite large and also features more private dining areas on the other side.

We were able to sample a variety of appetizers, sushi, and oysters.

We also got to watch the chef cut a blue fin tuna which weighed over 100lbs and to sample the melt-in-your mouth tuna!

Unfortunately, the place was packed and I was too short to capture any photos of the actual demonstration. I watched through other people’s camera screens… But here are some parts of the fish.

A Japanese lion dance followed to celebrate the opening.

I loved watching the sake barrel-breaking ceremony.

The chefs smashed the barrel and all those in the front row had a good splash!

Kamei Royale has their own brand of sake and it tasted delicious!

The restaurant is open to the public beginning Monday, June 27 for lunch only. Dinner service begins July 5.

Pink Elephant Thai – 5 for $55

June 22, 2016June 21, 2016Leave a comment

Note: All food and beverages were complimentary, but all opinions are based on my personal experience. Dishes pictured unfortunately have a yellow tint due to a misuse of a camera setting and therefore are not a true representation of the colours of the dishes.

Pink Elephant Thai is celebrating their 5th anniversary and the Alberni location is offering a special menu for a limited time. The anniversary menu allows diners to choose 5 items for $55. To be specific, that’s 2 appetizers and 3 entrees from their select menu. I would say this is perfect for 3 people or 2 if you’re really hungry.

I was invited by Grace along with other food bloggers to check out this anniversary menu specifically. It was actually my first time at Pink Elephant Thai and I was impressed by the ambiance! Those pink cushioned sofas are perfect for a girls night out!

We started off with some virgin drinks, including this citrus tropical drink (which I forgot the name of). Fruity and refreshing, and would’ve been perfect with a shot of alcohol!

Pink Colada

The other drink we were served was the Pink Colada which is their take on a pina colada but flavoured more strongly with cherry. This wasn’t my personal favourite since I don’t like cherry flavoured drinks.

Spring Rolls

Onto the appetizers! The menu has 10 appetizers to choose from so I can imagine choosing just two to be very hard. Luckily, we got to try all of them! Starting off was the Spring Rolls, which I found subpar. I didn’t like the wrapper and found it too chewy. The filling also lacked flavour.

Chicken Satay

I loved the marinade of the Chicken Satays which featured Thai spices and a hint of coconut milk. The satay sauce was also delicious but I found the chicken to be slightly on the drier side.

Fish Cake

The Fish Cakes are home-made with Thai spices and are perfect for those who love spice! I really enjoyed these and liked how it wasn’t mushy.

Thai Shrimp Cake

A personal favourite was the Thai Shrimp Cake which came with a sweet and sour plum sauce. As Sherman would say, the shrimp was “boing” or “bouncy”. You know that texture where this is some bite to it? Yeah, hard to describe, but let’s just say these were delicious!

Thai Style Pork Cheek

Another winner at the table was the Thai Style Pork Cheek which was marinated with Thai herbs and spices and grilled to perfection. This was not tough at all and again had the perfect chew. Highly recommend this!

Crispy Tofu

The Crispy Tofu showcased soft and silky tofu lightly battered and deep fried. As tofu does not have much flavour, you really needed the accompanying sweet chili sauce to go with it.

Som Yum Papaya Salad

The Som Yum Papaya Salad featured green papaya strips seasoned with fresh lime juice and Thai spices. I found this slightly too sour for my liking.

Larb Gai

The Larb Gai was really spicy but I really enjoyed it. This dish consisted of minced chicken mixed with fresh lime juice, roasted rice, and Thai spices.

Yum Neau

Yum Neau is a Thai Style Beef Salad. Pink Elephant Thai used sliced grilled New York beef and mixed it with fresh lime juice and Thai chili. This is again a very spicy and acidic dish, but I wish the beef was more tender. I found it slightly dry.

Tom Yum Gai

The last appetizer was the Tom Yum Gai. This is the perfect appetizer since the spicy and sour flavours open up your appetite. The hot and sour soup consisted of chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass and Thai spices. Only downside of this dish is the chicken being too dry once again.

Red Curry, Yellow Curry, Green Curry

Onto the entrees. Your entrees also come with two bowls of rice because you pretty much need rice to go with the spicy Thai food! First up were three curries: red, yellow, and green. They were all strong in coconut flavours but my favourite was the yellow curry as it was more aromatic.

Thai Basil Stir-Fried

Sautéed with Thai chili, bell peppers, green beans and fresh basil, the Thai Basil Stir-Fried was a great dish to go with rice.

Thai Black Bean Sauce

The Chicken Thai Black Bean Sauce was sautéed with Thai black bean sauce, ginger, fresh pineapple and snap peas. Again, the chicken was slightly on the dry side.

Cashew Nut Stir Fried

I actually found the Chicken Cashew Nut Stir Fried to taste similar to the Thai Black Bean Sauce. I guess they have similar ingredients and spices at the end of the day. I really like cashews in dishes though!

Pad Thai

Stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind sauce, tofu, ground peanuts, egg, green onions and bean sprouts

Pad Kee Mao

The Pad Kee Mao is more commonly known as Drunken Noodles. These rice noodles were stir fried with Thai chili, bell peppers, onions, green beans and fresh basil. Again, I found the flavours to be quite similar to the other entrees.

Chili Pepper Fried Rice

I really liked the Chili Pepper Fried Rice with chili, egg and diced vegetables. This was very spicy, but almost addictive! If you can’t take too much spice, I would suggest letting your server know.

Mixed Seasonal Vegetables

The last entree was the Mixed Seasonal Vegetables which looked underwhelming but tasted delicious soaked in oyster sauce.

Overall, Pink Elephant Thai’s anniversary menu is a pretty good deal to try a variety of their popular dishes. I found I enjoyed their appetizers the most as I found there was more variety in the flavours whereas many of the entrees tasted simliar. I would suggest getting one curry and one noodle or rice dish to get the most variety.

Green Leaf Sushi

June 21, 2016June 19, 20162 Comments

After seeing so many beautiful pictures of aburi sushi on Instagram, I suggested to SP and SK to check out Green Leaf Sushi.

I’ve been hearing there are long line ups so I came a little earlier to grab a seat. Luckily, it still wasn’t very busy on a Sunday for some reason. Ambiance is simple and nothing special.

Aburi Sushi Platter

We decided to get the Aburi Sushi Platter since we could try most of the aburi sushi. This came with the following:

Sime Saba Oshi Sushi
Yukke Tuna Oshi Sushi
Aburi Tobiko Roll
Salmon Oshi Sushi
Hotate Oshi Sushi
Basil Ebi oshi Sushi

This is around $60 so definitely a platter to share. Between three girls, we were beyond full and could barely finish it in the end. The sushi all have a very creamy topping which made it very filling and by the end of it, we felt like each one tasted very similar. I would suggest splitting it with more people so you’ll find each one more satisfying. Our favourite was the Salmon Oshi and of course I had to compare it to the famous Miku’s. Although the price is cheaper, Miku’s is still much better. We found that the rice easily fell apart and the sauce was too creamy at Green Leaf.

Overall, based on the aburi sushi platter we tried, Green Leaf was a good alternative to Miku especially for its price. However, I would still go to Miku if I wanted to treat myself. I would need to revisit and try their other dishes to really comment on the restaurant overall though.

Pros:
– Great variety of aburi sushi
– Prices are quite reasonable

Cons:
– Rice fell apart easily from the items we tried
– Found the aburi sushi to be too creamy

Price Range: $20-25/person

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

Food: 3.5 Service: 3.5 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: 3 Overall: 3.5

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Category: Cuisine

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Green Leaf Sushi