Shyun Sushi Bar

March 13, 2013April 28, 2013Leave a comment

Shyun Sushi Bar seems to be a hidden gem. It’s not exactly easy to spot, but looking at the reviews online, it has really good ratings.

It serves authentic Japanese food, and I believe that the owners were working that day. We were greeted by a Japanese lady and there was a man behind the sushi bar. The place is quite simple but homey. There was only another table during our time at the restaurant, but it was a weekday night.

I thought their chinaware was quite special. They were decorated as opposed to typical plates that you could purchase on the market.

Gyu-Tata – quick-seared beef tenderloin sliced and immersed in “ponzu” sauce

We started off with the Gyu-Tata, which is basically their beef tataki. It was a large plate and the beef tenderloin was sliced thinly and lightly seared on the sides. Not bad!

Flying Dragon – BBQ eel, yam tempura, cucumber and salmon
Unagi Nigiri

We also got some sushi. We got the Flying Dragon, which had yam tempura and cucumber inside and topped with eel and salmon on the top. It was flavourful with the sauce and therefore you didn’t need to dip it in soy sauce. The Unagi Nigiri was also quite delicious.

Aburi Butter – *not on the menu!

J saw online that there was some sort of clam dish, but we realized that it was just a clam miso soup. We asked the lady if the chef could just cook up some sort of clam dish, and they did! It was flavoured with mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and a buttery sauce. Quite delicious!

Chopped Scallop Nigiri

I love chopped scallop, so I got the Chopped Scallop Nigiri. I was surprised that they had a little bit of tobiko on top, which I don’t see often. The scallops were extremely fresh and it was one of the best Chopped Scallop Nigiris I’ve had!

Sweet Crunch – some vegetables and kaiware

Lastly, we got the Sweet Crunch. It’s basically a california roll with something crunchy inside! I guess it was just a tempura batter, but it added some great texture.

Overall, I must agree with the other reviewers that Shyun Sushi Bar is a hidden gem. It’s authentic and the service is genuine. They also have some homemade desserts that sound delicious!

Jang Mo Jib Secret Palace (Coquitlam)

February 8, 2013April 28, 2013Leave a comment

I’ve only been to the Jang Mo Jib in Richmond, so I was excited to try the one in Coquitlam. The Jang Mo Jib here is also called Secret Palace, which I have no idea why…

The interior is quite different from the one in Richmond! It’s much more trendy and the high ceilings make the place feel very spacious. They’ve also got TVs playing Korean shows the whole time.

They also have a nice bar and a second floor. I wonder what it’s like at night.

Complimentary Side Dishes – Marinated Radish, Kimchi, Bean Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes

My favourite part about going to Korean restaurants is the complementary appetizers! My favourite is no doubt the Sweet Potatoes! I’m not sure where you can buy these pre-made, but if anyone knows, let me know!!

Gahl Bee Jjim
Korean traditional steamed beef short ribs, vegetables, sweet potato noodles and rice cake stewed in house special sweet and savoury marinade. Boiled at your table in a stone pot. Served with rice.

For the two of us, we shared the Gahl Bee Jim, which J recommended. It came with an actual hot pot stove, which you could turn off the heat at any point. I’ve had Korean hot pots before, but they were usually spicy ones, and I can’t take spice, so they weren’t the best things. This one, however, had a hint of sweetness in their soup base. Loaded with tons of vegetables and sweet potato noodles as well. The beef short ribs were really good! They had a great marinade and were extremely tender. Throughout the pot, there was also some slices of rice cake which were chewy.

Overall, I was pretty satisfied with the Jang Mo Jib in Coquitlam. I can’t really compare the food since I had different food at each restaurant, but I enjoyed the trendier ambiance in the one in Coquitlam. Not that the one in Richmond is bad, because they give you a homey feeling with the wooden tables and all. Just a different vibe!

Mancakes Bakery

July 31, 2012May 3, 2013Leave a comment

Night 6 Pack

Buffalo Wing
Breakfast
Tequila Pineapple
Rum & Coke
Whiskey Lime
Chocolate Red Wine

Day 6 Pack

Buffalo Wing
Breakfast
Pink Peppercorn
Apple Brie
Bacon Chili Chocolate
King Kong

Steph knows I’m always up to try new food, and so for my birthday, she ordered some Mancakes! Two boxes…Day and Night. Definitely too much cake for my birthday this year! So what exactly are Mancakes? Well they were created by a few Vancouver guys who decided that cupcakes didn’t have to be all frilly and pretty with cute frosting decorations. They decided to create cupcakes with unique flavours that were catered to men. And although I’m not a guy, I definitely wanted to give these cakes a try! And yes, these bold cupcakes are not restricted for guys! I believe they only have 10 flavours currently, and they are packaged in either the Day or Night box. You have to buy the whole box, and you can order them online. They provide free shipping if you order 3 packs, and I believe there’s a small charge if you order less.

Sadly, I was not able to try all the different flavours, which was what I intended on doing! I left the cakes in the fridge and when I came home, many of them had been devoured by my parents already! They sure seemed to enjoy them! I did however get to try the Chocolate Red Wine, which probably was my favourite (well from the ones I tried). It came with a wine jelly, and the center of the cake had some nice chocolate filling. That was definitely a surprise, since I expected it to just be a full solid cupcake. Other than that, I also tried the Buffalo Wing, which I have to say was….quite interesting. This is their signature cupcake, which is why it’s in both the day and night pack. Honestly, I thought this bad boy was kind of weird. The cake itself was fine, but I didn’t like the flavour of the frosting. Even the bacon on top was fine, but something about the frosting’s flavour wasn’t satisfying. I also tried the Tequila Pineapple, which didn’t taste too special. It had a slight pineapple taste to it, but not strong in alcohol. Not too bad!

Overall, Mancakes are definitely worth a try. It’s something that I’ve never had before, and who would think that savoury cupcakes could taste great too!

Every Day is a Food Day

Category: Coquitlam

Shyun Sushi Bar

Jang Mo Jib Secret Palace (Coquitlam)

Mancakes Bakery