Toe Dam Korean Fusion BBQ

August 8, 2013August 9, 2013Leave a comment

Toe Dam Korean Fusion BBQ is located in the same mall as the H-Mart on North Road. I think they are popular for their barbeques since each seating area has a ventilation area and grill installed. Most of the items were large dishes, perfect for sharing, but with only myself and J, we felt like it would be too much food. We saw that they had a lunch menu with set lunches, so we asked if we could get those instead. Even though it was clearly dinner time, they allowed us to order from the lunch menu.

Food took way too long to come out. I think it was around 30 minutes before we even got the appetizers. But then all our food shortly appeared. They could’ve at least brought us the appetizers a little earlier so we could have something to nibble on. Appetizers included radish, sweet potatoes, kimchi, and spicy marinated zucchinis. Everything was quite typical.

For my set lunch, I chose Marinated Beef with Spicy Tofu Soup. Portions were quite large, but quality was lacking. The beef was flavourful, but overcooked. It was tough to chew and not even close to being tender. The spicy tofu soup on the other hand, was a bit better. It wasn’t too spicy, and its consistency was a thin broth. Lots of tofu, but not really any other ingredients. The set also came with a bowl of rice.

J got his usual, Naengmyeon, which is a chewy noodle in a cold beef broth. This one was also spicy.

Lastly, he also got some Marinated Short Ribs. He also said these were quite tough and overcooked.

All in all, I was quite disappointed with the food at Tae Dam. Perhaps their hot pot or barbeques would be better, where diners can actually cook the meat themselves. Clearly, the chef just overcooks all the meat. Price points are decent for lunch, but the dinner menu looks quite expensive.

Guu Garlic (Robson)

August 7, 2013Leave a comment

For my birthday dinner, J took me to Guu Garlic on Robson St. I’ve never been to this location and I heard that each Guu has a different menu, so I was pretty excited to see what was different. We sat at the bar and we could see the chef preparing our food. I still don’t understand how they can just yell the orders and remember what to make. Their communication and teamwork skills are definitely great here.

Kimchi Udon – marinated udon with cod roe, soy sauce, butter, kimchi & green onion

I always get the normal Yakiudon, so this time we tried the Kimchi Udon. It’s not exactly kimchi on the noodles, but the flavour is a kimchi flavour. I’m guessing they didn’t use traditionally prepared kimchi. The noodles were similar to the yakiudon one, and were cooked until chewy. I still prefer the original yakiudon over this one though.

Ishiyaki – Today’s hot stone bowl dish

We also decided to try the Ishiyaki, which is a hot stone bowl with whichever rice they were serving on the day. I don’t exactly remember what the waitress described the dish as, but it reminded me of Italian flavours. Here, she began to mix the rice before I got a picture.

This is what it looks like after it is mixed thoroughly. The rice is filled with meat, tomatoes, green onions, onions and some other ingredients. We definitely thought it didn’t taste like something you would eat at a Japanese restaurant. The flavours were very westernized and I personally thought it tasted like Italian rice.

Tuna Tataki – lightly seared tuna sashimi with green onion, garlic chips & ponzu sauce

Tuna Tataki is always included in my usual orders. This one was seared really well so that the inside was still raw. I’ve had it a couple of times where the tuna is over-seared.

Salmon Carpaccio – Sokeye salmon carpaccio

I’ve had the Salmon Carpaccio at the Richmond location before, and it is always one of my favourites. This was once again executed very well. I just love the sauce and dressing they use on it. Tons of flavour and the salmon is fresh.

Grilled Japanese “Kurobuta” Sausage

Lastly, we ordered the Grilled Japanese “Kurobuta” Sausage from the daily special menu. Kurobuta is the famous Japanese term for pork meat from a Berkshire pig. These pigs are black and are a rare breed, hence the dishes are usually more expensive than a dish made from the typical breeds. These pigs are originated from England, but they are also bred in Japan, and therefore called Kurobuta if they are bred in Japan. They are prized for their juiciness, tenderness, and flavour. It also has much more fat than normal pork meat. These sausages had a crisp outer layer and the inside was definitely much more juicy. They came along with two dips. One was a mustard seed sauce, which I really enjoyed. I thought the red dip was ketchup, but my sausage became really spicy! I later realized it was a spicy ketchup.

We didn’t end up getting dessert or finishing our meal since we had an emergency and had to leave halfway. The servers were very accommodating and cancelled our dessert order right away. I really wanted to try their dessert too… it had green tea ice cream in it. Oh well, next time!

Granville Island Brewing Taproom

August 5, 2013August 5, 2013Leave a comment

After water-biking at Granville Island, J and I were thirsty and walked by the Granville Island Brewing Taproom. I’ve never been here, so we decided to grab an afternoon drink to quench our thirst.

The taproom was quite packed, but we luckily found a seat by the bar. You basically just walk in and find a seat wherever you like. Pretty much like any pub. In the back, you can see all the machines brewing the beer.

They have a tasting map with the 8 different beers they have. I’m not a huge fan of beer, so I honestly had no idea what I was ordering. I did however go to a beer tasting event before, so I learned a little, but still not enough to call myself an expert (not in close actually).

Hefeweizen, Raspberry Ale, Small Batch

They had a special going on where you could try 3 different kinds of beer on tap at around $9 I think? The glasses are around half the size of a normal pint, but it’s perfect if you want to try different types of beer. I chose to try the Hefeweizen, which was described as a unfiltered wheat ale, and is vaguely tart with light clove and banana flavours and aromas. It finishes crisp and dry. I definitely tasted the banana flavours to it, which was quite interesting, but I did find it to be a bit dry, like it said. Next I tried the Raspberry Ale. I keep seeing this advertised around Granville Island, and because of it’s pink colour, I always assumed it would be a girly beer. I believe it’s only available during the summer as it is a seasonal ale, and combines premium malt and hops with Fraser Valley raspberries. It is well-balanced with raspberry colour, aroma and finish. It tastes like fresh raspberries, without being too sweet, and is refreshingly tart with enough pale malt character, so it tastes like an ale, and not a wine cooler. This was definitely one of the sweeter and fruitier beers, and probably my favourite out of the three. Last but not least, J chose the Small Batch, which we were told was basically a dark ale. It was super bitter! Definitely not something I would drink normally, and it left a bitter aftertaste in your mouth.

If you want to try out different beers at a decent price, the taproom at the Granville Island Brewing is the perfect place to go. It gets quite busy during the summer afternoons, and I would assume it’s even busier during night time.

Seto (Revisit #3)

August 4, 2013August 4, 2013Leave a comment

On my actual birthday, J took me to Seto for lunch before my birthday adventure began. He seems to enjoy this restaurant after I brought him here once. Quality is always good and they make authentic Japanese food. I’ve never been to Seto during lunch hours, so it was a surprise to learn that they had a lunch menu and one that was of good value, especially since their dinner menu is usually quite pricey.

Seto Box – Teriyaki Chicken, Sushi, Sashimi, Zarusoba, Tempura, Salad, Sunomono, Soup and Rice

Most of the lunch items are Lunch Boxes. J got the Seto Box and it included a lot of dishes for only $15! The Zarusoba came first, and this one was green. It was a decent amount and J said it was quite good.

Tempura

Next, they brought us the Tempura. One yam, one zucchini, and two prawns. All lightly battered, and didn’t feel too greasy.

And here was the rest of the items in the Seto Box. It had two pieces of salmon sashimi, two pieces of tuna sashimi, teriyaki chicken on rice, ebi, tuna, and salmon nigiri, a salad, and some sunomono salad. Sashimi was fresh as usual, and nigiris were all constructed well.

Saba Nigiri, Salmon Toro Nigiri

J also ordered some Saba and Salmon Toro Nigiris. I didn’t try the Saba as usual, since I think that it’s probably quite fishy. I did try the Salmon Toro, which is essentially the salmon belly, and this was quite delicious. The texture is much more soft and buttery compared to just normal Salmon because the belly area is more fatty.

Lunch Box C – Teriyaki Chicken, Sashimi, Nigiri Sushi, Tempura, Sunomono, Soup and Rice

And last but not least, I had the Lunch Box C. Pretty much the same as the Seto Box, except I don’t have the Zarusoba and Salad. The Seto Box would have been too much food for me anyways, so the Lunch Box C was just perfect. A filling meal and only for a price of $12!

Now that I know Seto has such good deals during lunch time, I think I may come here more often during lunch if I’m craving some quality Japanese food. It seemed that most diners got the lunch boxes because of the good deals. They have quite a variety of boxes to choose from too!

Check out my previous reviews at Seto: https://everydayisafoodday.com/2012/05/21/seto-japanese-restaurant/

https://everydayisafoodday.com/2013/07/17/seto-sushi-revisit/

Vij’s

August 2, 2013Leave a comment

Vij’s is known to be one of the best Indian restaurants in Vancouver. Not sure if it’s because of celebrity chef, Vikram Vij, but it’s definitely a must try! They’re famous for their long line-ups, so I haven’t had the chance, or maybe patience to go try it out. J had gotten me a gift card last year, and K said she wanted to go for my birthday, so off we went. We went on a weekday, and because of those scary line up stories I heard, I suggested we get in for our first seating. The restaurant opens at 5:30, but reviews suggested we go a little earlier than 5pm to secure a spot since they don’t take reservations. We got there around 5:05 and this is what the line up was like in the picture above. Not too bad. We were lined up just behind the lady in the white skirt, and there were around 10 people sitting in the patio area waiting as well. Soon after, the line began to form. At around 5:25, a lady came out to give us a sample of Cassava Root Fries. This was quite nice after waiting in the burning sun for 20 minutes. The people who sat at the patio area also had purchased drinks from a waitress who seemed to work at the sister store, Rangoli, which is right next door. They never offered the drink menu for the people in line though.

Finally, at 5:30, they opened the doors and the line quickly moved as they got everyone seated. The inside smelled of spices and was dimly lit. I liked how they had enough servers to quickly get everyone their menus, water and greet them. They were definitely efficient and knew what they were doing.

The kitchen area actually looks pretty small from the outside, but I’m not sure if it’s actually bigger than that. If not, I’m surprised they can get the food out in such a quick time.

Simple tableware, but I loved the copper water bottle they used. Gave it some Indian flare and kept the water cool. I have to add that I’m really impressed that all the plates they provided us were hot! It definitely helped to make sure the food was still kept warm even on the plate.

Complementary Chai

We were asked whether we wanted a sample of their complementary Chai. It was hot, and I honestly wasn’t looking for a hot drink after waiting in line under the burning sun, but I was curious to try it. I let it cool down for a bit, and took a sip. It was so good! I remember trying a chai tea latte at Starbucks, and absolutely hated it. I was surprised how good this one was! It was a little minty, and surprisingly sort of cooled me down. Delicious!

Pakora

Just when I thought the samples were over, a server came around offering more! A burning hot Pakora! I sort of wish they had given us a plate first, since these were really hot, and I couldn’t even hold it for long. These were really good though! The spices were just right and not overwhelming.

Cassava Root tossed in Indian Spices

They also gave us a second sample of the Cassava Root Fries tossed in Indian Spices. Again, these were burning hot and fresh. I find the spice a little too spicy though! Still delicious.

Samosas filled with Lamb and Beef, sauteed in fennel, cloves and sumac

K and I decided to share two appetizers and a main as it was a relatively early dinner for us. I love samosas, but man, were these good! For $13.50, I had thought it was pretty ridiculous for 2 Samosas, but these are totally worth the price you’re paying for. I especially liked the curry at the bottom. It was similar to a butter chicken curry, and had a tomato base to it. Surprisingly, it also wasn’t too spicy and was delicious with the complementary naan. I’m not crazy for coconut, so at first, I didn’t mix the coconut mixture together. However, I gave it a try, and it was absolutely delicious. It brought some coconut flavour, which is always delicious in a curry.

The pastry aren’t those thin, flaky ones you usually get at donair shops, but a thicker pastry, which still has the flaky texture. The inside was filled with lots of potatoes, lamb, and beef and tons of spices. If you don’t think you can get full off of one samosa, you will!

Mutton Kebobs with Bengali Style Curry

To be honest, I don’t know much about Indian cuisine, so I ended up reading some reviews to see what is good. Follow Me Foodie had given a great review on the Mutton Kebobs, so why not? Both K and I didn’t even know what mutton was, but after googling, we learned that it was just an older sheep. Most chefs are afraid to use mutton because they have a stronger taste than lamb and can often be overcooked and dry. I did find that cutting into these kebobs, they were a little tough, but it seemed like it was because of the outer layer. The outer layer had a sausage like texture. The overall execution reminded me of sausages, and I found it spicy. The inside was extremely moist though. It was paired with a Bengali Style Curry, which was sort of like a Butter Chicken Sauce again, but very thin. The consistency definitely wasn’t thick. The curry was too spicy for me though, and along with the spicy kebobs, my mouth was flaming! I liked how they had a salad filled with cucumbers on the side though, as it cooled me down.

Complementary Naan

We were given complementary Naan and this was soft and fluffy. Not extremely flaky, and more on the doughy side, but I enjoyed it. They were warm and weren’t too oily. You can get unlimited naan as long as you ask, but this stuff gets you filled up before you know it!

Papri Chaat – 2 Kinds of Chutney and Mung Bean on Fried Dough

More samples? Yup. This is called the Papri Chaat. The server described it as two kinds of chutney and mung bean on fried dough. The fried dough was simliar to a tortilla chip, but not as salty. The mixture worked really well together and I could eat these as snacks all day!

Wine Marinated Lamb Popsicles in Fenugreek Cream Curry on Turmeric and Spinach Potatoes

And then came what everyone raves about and what I came for. The Lamb Popsicles! Wow, weren’t these the best lamb I’ve had in my life. They were cooked to medium-rare and were extremely tender. The sauce was quite mild and actually a bit sweet. The consistency was much more thing, and was great to dip your lamb in. There were also spinach and buttered potatoes at the bottom which were delicious when soaked in the sauce. We were so full by the end of our meal, that we actually had to take two of these popsicles home. And honestly, I was afraid that they wouldn’t taste good anymore, but my dad tried it once we got home, and he said they were still delicious! That’s how good they are. Cooked perfectly!

Complementary Basmati Rice

For our entree, they also brought out some complementary Basmati Rice. It had a nice spice and aroma to it, and were cooked so it wasn’t too dry. Really good with the cream curry.

My conclusion is that Vij’s is a must try! It might be overrated with all those lineups, but the food is that good! Try to get her for the first seating because you basically have to wait for the first seating customers to finish before you get a table. It’s also quite a pricey dinner, but so worth it. Come here for special occasions, when you aren’t in a hurry and have the time to wait and enjoy your dinner!

Dinesty

August 1, 20132 Comments

Dinesty is next to Starbucks and Ebisu in Richmond, and I believe they recently opened one in Downtown on Robson. I’ve gone by this restaurant multiple times, but I don’t think I’ve actually ate here before. At last, J and I decided to grab an early dinner, and he suggested we go to Dinesty. It seems to be his favourite place to go.

I think we got there around 5 pm, so it was quite empty. However, shortly after sitting down, the place quickly became filled. Apparently, there are usually long waits during dinner time, and it’s almost impossible to get a seat without reservations. The food here seems to be a mix of Taiwanese and Shanghainese food. Decor is simple and clean, and I like the open kitchen they have. You can see the chefs preparing your food, just like Shanghai River. Sort of a similar concept in terms of their floor plan.

Steamed Pork Dumplings

I wanted some Steamed Pork Dumplings, or better known as Xiao Long Bao! An order came with 8 hot and steamy dumplings. The wrappers were thin, yet held the pork, and inside, it was juicy. The soup was very delicious!

Ma Po Tofu

J chose the Ma Po Tofu. It was a large serving, and definitely too much for two people to share. The tofu was soft and the sauce wasn’t too spicy. It would’ve been perfect with white rice, but we had ordered another rice. We ended up mixing it with our Shrimp Fried Rice, since it would be too spicy and salty to eat alone.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Lastly, I chose the Shrimp Fried Rice. It had a hint of shrimp paste flavour, and the rice was cooked so it wasn’t too moist and sticky. There were also an abundant of shrimps inside.

Overall, I enjoyed the dishes we had at Dinesty. I can see why people enjoy coming here for meals. You get a good amount of food, which is of decent quality, at a decent price. I hear that service isn’t as great once it gets really busy during peak times, so perhaps going early is the way to go here. I also like how all their menu items have pictures, so you get a sense of what you are ordering beforehand. Perfect for beginners of Chinese food!

Guu Richmond (Revisit #3)

July 31, 2013Leave a comment

I’ve been to Guu in Richmond plenty of times, and for my birthday dinner with my family, we somehow ended there again. I wanted to Zakkushi, but we were quite last minute, and they were fully booked up. My family ended up wanting to go to Guu, so why not, since it’s close by.

Complementary Salad

After placing our orders, we were given two small bowls of this Complementary Salad. It was mostly yellow cabbage, and was lightly marinated with a sour sauce. Quite refreshing, but nothing too special.

Beef Tataki – thin sliced seared beef w/ ponzu sauce

As usual, I went with the Beef Tataki, because I always enjoy the sauce that Guu uses. I’ve had some bad experiences with the beef tataki at Guu Richmond, but this time, they were very nicely seared. It wasn’t overdone, and each bite was easy to chew.

Oden – Fish Puff

K ordered Oden, and got the Fish Puff. This was my first time trying this. It had a very funny texture and was a bit bouncy, but soft at the same time. It’s so hard to explain, but it was good! Reminded me a little of fish tofu puffs. The oden was also very delicious.

Kabocha Korokke – Pumpkin and boiled egg croquette

The Kabocha Korokke is also one of my all-time favourites at Guu. It’s essentially mashed pumpkin wrapped around a boiled egg and then deep fried. It’s then topped with a mayo sauce. I also love the pumpkin chips on the side.

Okonomiyaki – Deep fried squid & cabbage Japanese pancake w/ tonkatsu sauce & mustard mayo

This time, I also wanted to try some new items. I chose the Okonomiyaki, and this was really good! I think the mustard mayo really made the pancake taste really good. It had a decent amount of squid inside each piece. This is a perfect dish to easily share between four people.

Aigamo Pizza – teriyaki duck breast Guuu’d style pizza w/ tomato sauce & mayo

And then I decided to try the Aigamo Pizza! Yea, I’ve seen this plenty of times on their menu, but have never thought of trying it. So glad I did, because this was really delicious! There were an abundant of teriyaki duck breast, and each piece was thick, yet had an incredible chew. Extremely tender. We were however, disappointed that half our pizza crust had been burnt. Sort of too burnt to be edible, at least in a health perspective…

Karubi – BBQ garlic sauce marinated beef ribs

My dad is always a beef ribs person, so he ordered the Karubi. There were only a few on the plate, and it came with some mustard on the side. We thought that this was way too salty though. My mouth just felt like salt after and I had to wash it down with tea. Not recommended!

Crazy Salmon Sashimi – lightly seared salmon

We also wanted some sashimi, and like many authentic Japanese restaurants, salmon sashimi is not usually found. They had it in some assortment sets, but my dad wanted just salmon sashimi. Well we saw something on the daily special menu called Crazy Salmon Sashimi, so we asked our server what it was. She told us it was basically salmon sashimi, but it is lightly seared, just like tuna tataki. So we ordered 12 pieces. It was definitely lightly seared and melted in your mouth with a few chews. The only issue we had was the saltiness again! It was topped with way too much freshly ground pepper and salt. It had a very smoky flavour to it, which I didn’t mind, but the saltiness of it was beyond what I could take. It seemed that tonight’s chef seasoned everything too salty!

Yakiudon – Pan fried udon w/ beef, mushroom, green onion & soy sauce and butter

Lastly, we got our usual Yakiudon. Guu’s yakiudon is always my favourite. Their sauce is just spot on, and the udon is cooked so it has a nice chew, and the sauce makes the noodles a little sticky, which I really like.

All in all, it seems that the dishes I usually order are still spot on. And now I will add the pizza and okomiyaki to the list. However, I would stay away from the beef ribs and crazy salmon sashimi. Service was wonderful as usual, and we didn’t need to wait long before our dishes arrived.

To read my previous visits at Guu: https://everydayisafoodday.com/2013/01/04/kitanoya-guu-richmond/
https://everydayisafoodday.com/2013/01/24/kitanoya-guu-richmond-revisit/

Rodney’s Oyster House (Yaletown)

July 30, 2013Leave a comment

For my birthday, N treated me for lunch and she suggested we go to Rodney’s Oyster House. I remember her raving about this place years ago, but I still hadn’t tried it! They now have another location in Gastown, but we headed to the original Yaletown location. N told me they also have other locations in Toronto!

They have two levels, and we chose to sit upstairs. We were seated near the edge so we could look down and see the oyster shuckers doing their thing. We went on a weekday lunch hour, so the place wasn’t very full. I hear that there are much better deals during their Low Tide Happy Hour, and it’s actually difficult to get seats.

This is the other side of the seating area for upstairs. The place is decorated with wooden furniture, and it sorta makes you feel like you are on a boat with all the decorations.

Complementary Sourdough Bread

After placing our orders, we were given some Complementary Sourdough Bread. It also came with some butter in a ketchup container… The place is definitely very chill, so don’t expect any amazing plating. I ordered a glass of white wine, and it came in a highball glass, but he definitely filled it up to the very top. The place has more of a bar vibe to it, but you get to eat all the yummy seafood instead of burgers and fries.

Since we ordered some oysters, we were also given a tray of sauces! Our server explained that they went from the least spicy to the most. I tried all of them, and even the spiciest one wasn’t too spicy. It had an after spice to it, but was still acceptable for my tastebuds! I think my favourite was the Seawitch Sauce, as it wasn’t too spicy and reminded me of salsa! They also had a variety of vinaigrettes, and Tabasco sauce.

1/2 dozen Raw Oysters

We got a half dozen of Raw Oysters. I think they are normally $3 each, and during Happy Hour it’s $1.50, so definitely a way better deal since they are priced quite high. They were extremely fresh and sweet though. Some were a little smaller than others, but they were still all very plump. I honestly hadn’t had raw oysters in a long time, and I didn’t exactly remember if I liked them. However, these were so fresh and sweet, that I immediately fell in love with them! They also had some grated cheese on the side, so I decided to try what it would taste like, but I actually didn’t really like the texture of the cheese on it. Since the oysters were cold, the cheese just sat on top of the oyster and gave it a really rough texture to it. I think the cheese with oysters only works when it’s baked oysters with the cheese melted on it!

Pan Fried Oysters

Since we’re at an oyster house, why not continue with more oysters! We got the Pan Fried Oysters, which were lightly battered and came with a tartar sauce. It was extremely good with the lemon squeezed on top. Again, the oysters were plump and fresh. Really good!

Steamed Mussels

Lastly, we had the the Steamed Mussels. I love steamed mussels, mostly because the broth is usually really delicious and complements the mussels really well. I found the mussels at Rodney’s a little smaller, but they were still extremely sweet and tender. I think the sauce was a butter base, and it was extremely delicious. At the end of our meal, our server advised us to dip our leftover sourdough bread into the broth, and it was extremely delicious! I could eat that all day.

And this was a snapshot of our lunch. Plenty of food for two to get us full. The food can be quite expensive during lunch or normal hours, so definitely take advantage of their Low Tide Happy Hour. Service was pretty good, and our server was pretty nice and friendly. And did I add, that most of the servers are pretty good looking ; ) Apparently, they are also the winner of the Hottest Male Servers, so I guess that says it all! Will definitely return!