Pidgin

November 5, 2014Leave a comment

I swear I’ve walked on this street many times, yet I’ve always passed by without noticing Pidgin. The outside decor makes it look sort of like a cage, while the inside is hip and modern. There’s a bar table since they have a long list of drinks, but there’s also regular seating for those who are ready for a meal. Pidgin is known for their sharing plates. Since we wanted to try a bit of everything, we went with their Prix Fixe menu, which comes with 8 dishes to share for $55 a person.

Sakehitosuji “plum sake” Junbaishi and Kozaemon, Junmai Umeshu

We started off with two drinks which were outside the prix fixe menu. I’m a huge fan of plum wine, so we decided to try both of their Plum Sakes. If I remember correctly, the Kozaemon was pricier, but also much sweeter. Really good!

Daily Pickles and Oyster Shot

The first dish that came were the Daily Pickles. It came with beets, cabbage, and something similar to oshinko. They were all sour but my favourite was probably the beets. The rest were too sour for my liking. To be honest, the dish wasn’t too exciting and was a bit disappointing. On the right, was the second dish which was the Oyster Shot. A mini raw oyster topped with apple horseradish. Super cleansing and fresh!

Cured Sockeye Salmon

The third dish was the Cured Sockeye Salmon. It was plated beautifully with a radish and herb salad. I didn’t really like the salad, but the salmon was nice. Nothing too special again.

Raw Scallops

Next was probably my favourite dish. It was the Raw Scallops, which came with pomegranate, red curry oil, daikon, and julienned green apple. I loved the acidity of the green apple against the freshness of the seafood. Very flavourful!

Mushrooms and Snap Peas

The fifth dish was the Mushrooms and Snap Peas. We were told to mix everything together and dip the mushroom into the soft boiled egg. The dish was also flavoured with soy yuzu brown butter. Pretty good, but I wouldn’t say it was amazing.

Pan Roasted Halibut

Finally, something that seemed more like entree came. It was the Pan Roasted Halibut, which came with a side of pine nut raisin mix and some cauliflower puree. The halibut was moist and I loved the cauliflower puree that it was paired with. Not bad!

Half Duck

The last entree was the Half Duck, which was a huge dish! It came with a carrot cake puree with orange and spices. I found that the meat was way too salty though. This was a huge dish too, and it was almost too much to eat alone, especially since each course comes out one by one. I felt like it needed some sort of a side to go with it. We ended up packing more than half of it to take home.

Meringue

The last course was the Meringue. Again, it was plated really nicely, with yuzu curd, vanilla cream and coconut on the side. The meringue was quite sweet though, and was only good when balanced with the yuzu curd.

Overall, I found Pidgin to be just average. Was the food good? Yes, but nothing extraordinary or memorable. The plating is really nice and the portions will actually get you filled up, but it’s also quite pricey. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service though.

Forage

November 3, 2014Leave a comment

Grilled Kale Salad – Agassiz hazelnuts, Jersey blue and honey dressing, dried fruit preserve

Forage is one of those sustainable restaurants who offer the farm to table experience. I heard good things about it, and good thing we had reservations, because it was packed on a Friday night. We started off with the Grilled Kale Salad. A large portion and dressed in a blue cheese and honey dressing, I was surprised that I actually really enjoyed it. I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese, but it wasn’t very pungent in the dish. You could taste it slightly, but it wasn’t overpowering. Plus, the dried fruit preserve evened it out.

Featured Grilled Salmon – with kale and mushrooms

Next, we got the featured entree of the night, which was Grilled Salmon. It came with the skin on and grilled to a perfection where the meat was still moist. On the side, there was another kale salad with mushrooms and potatoes. It also came with a dressing on the side, which I can’t quite remember what our server described it as. I didn’t find that the dressing was anything too special though. It wasn’t something that was necessary.

Spicy Sawmill Bay Clams – kimchi, frites, charred fennel and bone marrow aioli

Our last entree was one of my favourites. It was the Spicy Sawmill Bay Clams, which came soaked in a spicy kimchi broth with bone marrow aioli. The fries were crispy, but when soaked in the broth, they were addicting! A must order.

Chocolate Custard – raspberry cheese mousse, vanilla cream, pecan crumbs

We ended the night with some desserts to share. First, we got the Chocolate Custard, which I found just average. I thought it was too rich.

Lemon Verbena Neufchatel Cheese Puff – ice cream, cordial

The second was the Lemon Verbena Neufchatel Cheese Puff, which is a cream puff filled with lemon cream and Neufchatel cheese. This is one of the oldest cheese in France. Surprisingly, it wasn’t very strong in cheese flavour. It tasted more like lemon custard. Pretty interesting.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend trying Forage. It’s a little on the pricey side, but it’s well worth it, especially knowing that the restaurant is all about sustainability. Service was also extremely attentive and friendly. Can’t wait to come back to try the rest of their menu!

Shirakawa

November 1, 2014Leave a comment

After Greedy Pig, we decided to look around for more food. We came across Shirakawa, which is tucked away behind some other boutiques. It’s definitely easy to walk past and not even notice that there is a walkway where more shops are located. It’s an Itoh Dining company, and one of the first in Vancouver. Itoh Dining is a high end Japanese restaurant company in Japan. Shirakawa is actually famous for their high quality beef, especially their Kuroge Wagyu beef. However, we came for their happy hour menu, which was offered from 5:30-6:30pm.

Mint Sake Lemonade

I went for their featured drink, which was also discounted for happy hour. It was the Mint Sake Lemonade, which I found very refreshing. It definitely was strong in the minty flavour.

Kome Dry, Honjozo, Yoshi no Gawa, Niigata Sake

We also decided to share the Niigata Sake. It was described to have notes of mild tropical fruit, and distinctively dry lending to an ultra-clean finish. I could definitely feel that dry feeling, which I wasn’t too fond of. Very strong for sure.

Kakuni

All their happy hour dishes are $5, which is quite a good deal. We decided to just order every dish on their happy hour menu, since there weren’t that many. First up, we had the Kakuni, which was slow cooked pork belly, with a teppan finish. It had a sweet soy reduction and on the side of the plate, there was some spicy mustard. This was probably one of my favourite dishes. The pork belly had a good amount of fat and meat, and the teppan finish made it have sort of a smoky flavour. Along with the spicy mustard, it was very appetizing!

Buta Katsu

Next was the Buta Katsu, which I thought was just average. It’s essentially panko-breaded pork cutlet. It is then topped with harvati cheese and black miso. I found that the sauce wasn’t very effective and didn’t bring too much flavour to the dish.

Teba

Next were the Teba, which our server highly recommended. It’s fried ginger soy marinated chicken wings, and they were definitely very yummy! I liked their batter as it was just the right amount and it didn’t feel oily.

Gastown Gyoza

The Gastown Gyoza was also a highly recommended dish by our server. The gyozas were filled with pork and mixed vegetables. It came with a jalapeno miso sauce which was very good. Definitely had a kick in the sauce.

Spicy Tofu

The last item on their happy hour menu was the Spicy Tofu. It was deep fried tofu with vegetable garnish and a spicy dashi broth. Contrary to what the name says, and that spicy dashi broth, it really wasn’t spicy at all. We ended up dipping the tofu in the jalapeno miso sauce that came with the gyozas. The tofu were deep fried to a nice golden brown though.

Amakaki

Since we were still sort of hungry, we ordered some items off their regular dinner menu. First, we got the Amakaki, which are house marinated oysters on a bed of ume dressed onions. The oysters were plump and fresh. The marinade was also very flavourful and refreshing with the oysters.

Kani Cream Croquette

We also ordered the Kani Cream Croquettes, which are cream croquettes filled with crab. The dish normally comes with only three croquettes, but we paid extra to add an additional. They remind me of risotto balls but filled with crab. Not bad!

Kimpira Udon

Lastly, we got the Kimpira Udon, which was probably my least favourite of the night. It was cold udon noodles topped with spicy burdock, renkon, pork bits and drizzled with a house rayu sauce. I didn’t find any of the dish spicy, and the minced pork was a huge fail since they would just fall through. By the end of the dish, there was a bunch of minced pork left on the plate as none of us could grab the noodles with the pork. They need some sort of a thicker sauce to go with it if they want the diners to eat the pork together with the noodles.

Overall, our experience at Shirakawa based mostly on their happy hour menu was very good. I find that their regular menu is quite pricey, so going for happy hour is definitely a good deal. Plus, the service was very attentive and friendly.

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.

Hapa PDX @ Tidbit – Portland

October 21, 2014Leave a comment

I can officially say that our restaurant research pretty much came to a waste while in Portland, since the no reservation policy basically meant we were wasting too much time waiting. Driving to the other side of town, we were eager to try the famous Pok Pok, but of course, it was over an hour wait again. We wandered down the street and found Tidbit Food Farm and Garden, which is actually one of Portland’s newest food cart pod. It just recently opened in the summer and is located at SE 28th Place and Division St.

It’s pretty neat as over 20 food carts gather here and the best part is that there’s actual seating areas so you don’t need to stand around eating.

Super relaxing atmosphere with a fire pit and live music too! I believe this is open every day as well. Perfect when it’s sunny out!

There’s pretty much all types of cuisines here. I usually don’t like to get Asian food when I’m in America because I find that it’s probably not that great. However, I ended up going for a ramen food truck called Hapa PDX. It wasn’t even run by a Japanese, but tons of people were getting ramen here. There must be something good! Their name Hapa describes the fusion of their Japanese cooking techniques and Hawaiian recipes, so it’s pretty interesting! They have your typical miso, shoyu, tonkotsu ramens, and also a variety of rice bowls.

Iced Plantain Tea

For drinks, I got the Iced Plantain Tea, which was like a pineapple infused tea. A little fruity, but not too sweet. It was interesting and great to quench my thirst.

Shaka Bowl – Tsuke-men – pork belly broth, cold dipping noodles, egg, shitake, nori

Instead of getting the typical ramen, I chose the Shaka Bowl. They had a sign saying you could ask for a complimentary sample of the broth, so I did just that. The broth is made from pork belly, so it’s really fatty, but absolutely delicious! It had tons of pork belly slices in it too. The cool thing about this ramen is that you dip the cool ramen noodles into this boiling hot broth.

This was the bowl of cold ramen you get to dip in the broth. It came with shitake mushrooms, half a hard boiled egg, and some nori. A good amount for $8.50. I wouldn’t say it’s the best ramen I’ve had, but the broth was really unique and delicious! Not a bad choice at Tidbit!

Clyde Common – Portland

October 18, 2014October 17, 2014Leave a comment

Clyde Common is located right next to the Ace Hotel, which is known to be super hip and a huge tourist spot. The whole area around here is great for shopping with unique boutiques.

We had done some researching, but the locals also recommended that we go to Clyde Common for happy hour. It’s served every day from 3-6 pm so plenty of time to check it out!

They have an open concept kitchen so it’s pretty neat.

There’s also a bar on one side. Service was pretty good here. Our server was really funny and attentive.

Pacific Standard: vodka, lemon, ginger, honey, soda

Their happy hour menu consists of food and drinks, so it’s pretty good! The drinks are well priced at around $5 for the cocktails. I chose the Pacific Standard, which was sort of like a lemon soda drink. We soon realized that all their drinks are very strong in alcohol. They definitely don’t cheap out on the liquor here! You can taste it heavily for sure.

Daily Punch

J went for the Daily Punch, where I don’t think we figured out what it was still. I liked how it came in a little tea cup though.

Spelling Bee: Reposado tequilla, agave syrup, absinthe, bitters, grapefruit peel

K got the Spelling Bee, which was probably the strongest in alcohol. It’s like all the hard liquor in one drink. I took a sip and all I could taste was alcohol. You’ll get your moneys worth if you order this, but I’m not so sure if I liked how it tasted.

Smoked Mussels, Crackers

We then moved on to their appies. They don’t have a huge list and some of them sound quite ordinary. We went for the Smoked Mussels with Crackers, and it was surprisingly really good! The mussels were so tender and not tough at all. It paired really nicely with simply crackers! Yum!

Pickled Devil Eggs

Next up were the Pickled Devil Eggs, which were very delicious! I liked how they seasoned the egg yolks. It was a little sour due to the pickling, so it was very appetizing.

Meatballs, Bordelaise

We also ordered the Meatballs with Bordelaise Sauce. These little meatballs didn’t look too appealing, but they were very interesting! They had carrot bits inside and a beautiful red wine sauce which made it very flavourful.

6 oz. Hamburger, Cheddar, Bacon, Pickled Onion, Lettuce and Aioli

The server recommended that we get the 6oz Hamburger, which he said is something you will want more of. We decided to share it anyways, and it was just as good as he described it! The ingredients were simple with just cheddar, bacon, pickled onion, lettuce and aioli, but the meat patty itself was so juicy! It was served medium so the meat wasn’t tough. The mustard seed sauce was also delicious with the burger.

French Fries, Pepper Aioli

Lastly, we simply shared the French Fries, which came with a pepper aioli. Such a simple dish, but the fries were fresh and deep fried to a nice golden yellow. Crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. The pepper aioli was also very delicious. It gave it a bit of a kick.

Overall, we were very impressed with Clyde Common. It’s definitely one of my favourite spots in Portland from the places I tried. The atmosphere is nice, and the prices are quite reasonable for happy hour. Best of all, there was no line up!

Korean Twist – Portland

October 17, 2014October 14, 2014Leave a comment

Near S.W. 10th Ave. & Alder St., you’ll find Portland’s largest hub of food carts. However, when we arrived it was noon and there weren’t large line ups like the ones we have in Vancouver. Taking a stroll along the food carts, nothing really struck me either. I’m sure the food is good, but there weren’t really unique menu items that made me desperately want to try.

Anyways, I ended up going for Korean Twist, which seemed slightly more interesting. It’s run by two young men and there was a steady customer base. They essentially sell tacos, burritos and rice bowls with a Korean twist to it.

Chicken Burrito

J and K shared the Chicken Burrito, which was huge! They said it was flavourful and very filling.

Spicy Pork, Bulgogi Beef, Tofu Taco

For myself, I shared the taco set with K. The taco set comes with 3 tacos, but we added an additional taco at regular price. She got two of the Tofu Tacos, while I got the Spicy Pork and Bulgogi Beef Taco. Both of the meats were super flavourful! It’s the sauce that really does it for me. A mix of coleslaw and cilantro, but they fill the tacos with a lot of meat. You definitely get your money’s worth as these tacos aren’t small!

Overall, I think Korean Twist is a great place to try if you want to get value out of your money. You’ll be full and the flavours are great if you want some Asian flare.

Tasty n Alder – Portland

October 15, 2014October 15, 2014Leave a comment

Before our trip, we did some research on where to eat to save time and get the most out of our trip. Tasty n Alder was one of the picks and it was located conveniently in the downtown area. We arrived at around 7pm, and it was packed! They don’t take reservations, but they do take down your name and number when you arrive. You can then go elsewhere and they will call you when your table is ready. However, since we didn’t have any US minutes, we had to check up on our table every half an hour. We ended up waiting a good 2 hours until we got a table. I’ve never waited so long to eat… It’s pretty ridiculous because you would see people who are already done eating, but they would lounge around for a long time. In Vancouver, the servers would probably be trying to kick you out by then, if there’s a huge line up for the next round of diners. Not here. Luckily, they ended up serving us some complementary bubbles to thank us for waiting.

The restaurant is dimly lit inside, and is quite hip. Sort of like a bar, but a bit more fancy. It’s Pacific Northwest food with some European twists. There are small and large plates, and I find that they are all great for sharing. By the time we got in, the restaurant was already quite empty.

Fried Oysters with Remoulade

First up, we got the Fried Oysters with Remoulade. They were lightly battered, and the oysters were tiny but sweet. It came with a remoulade, which is similar to a tartar sauce, and a coleslaw.

Crab Dip

The Crab Dip was one of my favourite dishes. The crab meat was flaky and mixed with tomatoes and herbs. It came with some pita bread to scoop. However, I found the pita bread to be too charred. Some parts tasted like burnt bread.

Seared Scallops with Mint Pesto

By far, my favourite of the night were the Seared Scallops with Mint Pestos. Although there were only three scallops, they were seared perfectly and the scallops just melted in your mouth. The pesto was also flavoured really well and was delicious alongside the scallops.

House-made Pasta with Squid

We also got the House-made Past with Squid. The pasta was al dente and I think it was just a simple drizzle of olive oil mixed with some veggies and squid. Simple, but tasty.

Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata

I’m not a fan of goat cheese, but apparently the Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata is one of their famous dishes, so we got it. Surprisingly, the goat cheese wasn’t too strong, and when mixed with the arrabiata suace, which is a spicy tomato sauce, the flavours really excelled. It came with some toasts to accompany the dumplings.

Chocolate Potato Doughnut with Creme Anglaise

Lastly, we got the Chocolate Potato Doughnut with Creme Anglaise, which is also another top menu item. This was freshly deep fried and a must order!! I believe they use potato instead of typical flour and the texture was not as doughy. It came with a creme anglaise, which is a light custard cream. Overall, Tasty n Alder was quite good, but I don’t know if I would wait 2 hours for it again. They have quite unique items, but I also found the menu to be quite pricey for small portions.