Go Fish

April 28, 2015April 28, 2015Leave a comment

It was a sunny day after work and with the extended summer hours in place, we finally got to try Go Fish. Go Fish is located just off Granville Island in a little wooden shack. It’s quite the hidden gem, since it’s not in your typical tourist area of Granville Island. I had no idea that this area even existed! They have some seating at the shack as well as some long wooden tables near the parking lot.

You order at the shack and they will call your name when your dish is ready. Service was hip and friendly.

Fish & Chips – cod

Of course we came here for what they are famous for, so we got the Fish & Chips. The best part is that the fish come in dim sum boxes! I am a sucker for these gimmicky details.They have various portions, and we chose two pieces with coleslaw and fries and added an additional piece. You can also choose from cod, salmon, or halibut. We went for cod and the fish was moist. The fish is battered with their homemade Granville Island beer batter and I found it crispy without being oily. It is served with tartar sauce, as well as a Pacific Rim coleslaw, which was seasoned very well. I normally hate coleslaw, but I found myself eating this up! As for the fries, they were crispy and I liked these much more than Pajo’s.

Overall, I was extremely satisfied with Go Fish. Prices are comparable to Pajo’s and other fish and chips spots. It may be one of my favourite fish and chips spots now! I found the fish less oily than Pajo’s. Plus, you get a beautiful view of Granville Island’s fisherman’s wharf while eating here. Definitely a hidden gem!

Pros:
– One of the best fish and chips spots in Vancouver
– Great scenery

Cons:
– Line ups when it’s sunny and closer to dinner time

Price Range: $10-15

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

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

Kaneda Japanese Restaurant 金田 – revisit

April 24, 2015April 24, 2015Leave a comment

Green Salad and Miso Soup

Kaneda is located just a short walk from work, and I actually visited the restaurant a few years back when it had opened. During that last visit, we had gone for their all you can eat dinner menu. Reading the post I had written back then, I commented that I wouldn’t be returning since the service and quality of food was pretty bad. However, since SD said his last visit was pretty good, we decided to take his word and give it a try. During lunch, they also have the all you can eat menu, but we ordered a la carte. We all went for their lunch bento boxes, which were priced at a great value of $9.00. All bento boxes start with a green salad and miso soup. This was very average. Tasted just like your typical all you can eat soup and salad.

Lunch Box C

For myself, I got Lunch Box C, which featured Chicken Teriyaki, Assorted Tempura, Assorted Sushi and Rice. The chicken teriyaki was very average and I found it quite oily. The assorted tempura had way too much batter, hence very oily. I felt like I was just eating fried oil after a few bites. You do get two ebi tempuras, but it’s coated heavily in batter. The assorted sushi ended up being 3 nigiris. You get salmon, tuna and ebi. I found that the seafood wasn’t too fresh. I guess you get what you pay for. This will fill you up, but the quality isn’t great.

Lunch Box A

SS got Lunch Box A, which featured Chicken Teriyaki, Assorted Tempura, California Roll, and Rice. S also agreed that there was way too much batter on the tempura. He felt the California rolls were mediocre and not memorable.

The lunch boxes also end with a mango pudding, but this was also quite sub par. E and I both agreed that it lacked any flavour and the consistency wasn’t very smooth. There were bits of the batter that didn’t seem to be mixed thoroughly or sifted. Will I be returning again? Probably not. Good value, but quality is below average.

Pros:
– Lots of seating
– Inexpensive

Cons:
– Poor quality sushi

Price Range: $10-15

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

Food: 2
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Parking: 3
Overall: 2

Peaceful Restaurant

April 9, 2015April 9, 2015Leave a comment

Peaceful Restaurant was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives by Guy Fieri and I’ve been wanting to check it out since. It’s located right at Cambie and Broadway, so very close by to work. We decided to go check it out after work for an early dinner.

The inside is fairly small, but the turn around time for tables is pretty quick. They have an open kitchen concept, so you can watch the chefs prepare your food. It’s pretty cool to watch them prepare the noodles, which are what they are famous for.

Peaceful Beef Rolls

We started with the Peaceful Beef Rolls, which is beef marinated in five spice and rolled in a crispy green onion flat bread and filled with sweet hoisin sauce. These were some of the best I’ve had! The flat bread was super crispy and there was just the right amount of beef and hoisin sauce. Super crispy, but not overly oily.

Mu-Shu Stir-fried Noodles

Next, we tried the Mu-Shu Stir-fried Noodles. For noodles, you can choose either knife-sliced or hand pulled. We went for knife-sliced, and they were super chewy, but I loved it. The noodles were served with pork, cabbage, woodear mushroom and egg. The noodles are definitely the star of the restaurant. Must try!

Northern Pork Dumplings

Lastly, we had the Northern Pork Dumplings, which were filled with pork, chives, cabbage, and green onions. They came boiled with 10 pieces. The dough is rather thick, but I actually really liked it as they were very chewy. Very filling though.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Peaceful Restaurant. They have great noodles and the prices are reasonable. Service is average, but you manage to get their attention.

Pros:
– Hand-made noodles are delicious
– Must try Peaceful Beef Roll

Cons:
– Seating is a bit cramped

Price Range: $15-25

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

Food: 4
Service: 2
Ambiance: 2
Parking: 3
Overall: 3.5

Bestie

April 5, 2015April 5, 2015Leave a comment

I’ve been to Bestie before, but the last time I went, I was too hungry to even bother taking pictures for the blog. This time, we did a midnight run and took the food to go to G’s place. Bestie is located in Chinatown and is definitely the definition of a hipster spot. They are a sausage and beer spot and makes the perfect midnight snack.

The menu is inspired from German street food, and they are famous for their currywurst, which originates in Berlin. I’ve tried the real currywurst in Berlin, but I would say Bestie does it just as good or even better! Currywurst is really just sausage on fries with a curry powder mixed ketchup sauce.

Currywurst – Classic Pork Thüringer

At Bestie, there are really two main sausage menu items: the currywurst or sausage with sauerkraut. I’m not a huge fan of sauerkraut, so S and I chose the currywurst. You can then choose from the type of meat you want in the sausage. We went for the Classic Pork Thüringer, which was very delicious. You can tell the sausages are made with fresh meat. The curry ketchup is slightly spicy, but not overwhelming. I also liked the tangy flavour of the ketchup, which was more like tomato paste. The fries themselves, aren’t anything special. I wuoldn’t say they are crispy, but the sauce makes the fries flavourful and tasty.

Currywurst – Turkey Chorizo

G go the currywurst with the Turky Chorizo as the meat in the sausage. The chorizo gave the sausage a slight more heat than the classic pork sausage. Very good as well. If you like ketchup and spice, you will like Bestie’s currywursts.

I do find that the prices are on the high side at around $8.50 per order. It’s almost like paying for a full meal! It does fill you up, but knowing that it’s just fries and sausages makes you wonder how much they make from this.

Pros:
– Great spot to try currywurst
– Quality sausages

Cons:
– Pricey

Price Range: $10

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

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

Jitlada

March 18, 2015March 18, 2015Leave a comment

Jitlada is a go to spot for my co-workers since it’s a short walk away. I’ve been here a couple of times now, but finally took out my phone to do some picture snapping this time. It’s very busy at lunch, and the restaurant isn’t too big, so be sure to arrive early. The lunch menu is quite simple with all items for $10.95. Most items come with spring rolls, salad, and rice.

The Spring Rolls arrived, and they were plated nicely with a side of dipping sauce. They were piping hot and had a generous amount of cabbage and cellophane noodles as filling. The wrapper was light and crispy.

Pad Kee Mao

E got the Pad Kee Mao, which they describe as drunken noodles. You can choose your meat, and she went for the chicken. It’s essentially stir-fried rice noodles and it’s seasoned with Thai basil leaves, onions and bell peppers. She said it was pretty good.

Gaeng Daeng

For myself, I got the Gaeng Daeng, which is red curry, and I chose the chicken for my meat. The curry is seasoned with fresh basil, bamboo shoots, red chili paste and coconut milk. You get a huge scoop of rice, and a pretty good salad filled with fruits and a light dressing. The curry itself had a good spice to it, but I didn’t think it was too special. Just average. It could have been more flavourful.

Overall, the portions are great for lunch and fairly priced for the Broadway location. Service is a bit slow during the lunch hour, but they manage to get you out within the hour lunch.

Pros:
– Friendly service
– Reasonable prices

Cons:
– Curry was just average

Price Range: $10-15

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

Food: 3
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Parking: 3
Overall: 3

Sushi Gallery

March 17, 2015Leave a comment

Sushi Gallery is located in the Kitsilano area and is rated very high on Urbanspoon. S and I decided to check it out after work and indeed it was busy. It’s by no means any fancy restaurant, and in fact, miso soup and such are self serve. Reminded me of Tokyo Joes.

Caterpillar Roll and Yam Tempura Roll

S chose the Caterpillar Roll and Yam Tempura Roll. The Caterpillar Roll was filled with crabmeat and eel, and topped with avocado and masago. He said they were decent.

Chopped Scallop Roll, Ika, Tamago, Chopped Scallop, Salmon, Toro Nigiri

For myself, I got the Chopped Scallop Roll and various Nigiris. The portions are quite large, but I wouldn’t say the fish is very fresh. It’s good value for the price, but I probably wouldn’t come back again since there’s better sushi spots out there. I think they are great if you aren’t looking for traditional sushi. Most people seemed to come here for less traditional rolls with sauces and such.

Service-wise, it was pretty friendly, but a little slow. It seems to be more of a self-serve spot, hence the lower prices. Many people also came here for take out.

Pros:
– Large portions
– Low prices

Cons:
– Not the spot for traditional sushi
– Seafood isn’t the freshest

Price Range: $5-10

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

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

Ask For Luigi

March 16, 2015March 16, 20151 Comment

I’ve been wanting to dine at Ask for Luigi some time now, since it’s the latest hype in Vancouver and everyone has said it’s a must try. However, every time I go at dinner time, the place is packed and there’s always at least an hour wait. This time, I went during lunch time, and was gladly surprised that there was no wait at all! It’s located on Alexander Street, far away from most of the other restaurants in a little white house. You wouldn’t expect a restaurant here, but people still manage to find their way here.

The restaurant is very small and seats probably 20 diners or so. It’s a bit cramped, but I didn’t find it too bothersome. I hear that they don’t have air conditioning, so it’s quite hot to dine here in the summer. Might’ve changed by now though.

The interior is quite hipster, with water in glass bottles and a tap that’s built into the wall.

Pappardelle alla Bolognese & Fried Egg

On the weekends, they offer brunch, but they still have two pasta dishes. Since they’re famous for their handmade pasta, we had to get both of these. K got the Pappardelle alla Bolognese & Fried Egg, which was my favourite. the pasta was cooked to al dente and you could tell they were freshly made. The yolk of the fried egg was still runny and oozed out and tasted great mixed with the pasta. The bolognese sauce was slightly spicy, but not overwhelming. Very flavourful and I would definitely recommend this.

Tagliatelle alla Carbonara & Poached Egg

For myself, I got the Tagliatelle alla Carbonara & Poached Egg. Again, the pasta was very fresh and cooked to al dente. There were some bacon bits in it to bring more flavour. I liked how it wasn’t as heavy as most carbonaras.

The poached eggs were cooked perfectly so they were runny in the inside.

Overall, we were extremely pleased with Ask For Luigi. I would say that they are one of the best spots for pastas I’ve been to. Service is attentive and friendly and prices are quite reasonable. They aren’t the largest portions, like what you would get at chain restaurants, but it’s more than enough to fill you up. Parking isn’t too bad as well, as there are lots of street parking along the area.

Pros:
– Handmade pasta is delicious!
– Reasonable prices for quality eats

Cons:
– There are usually long waits during dinner time
– No reservations – must place name and number on the list on the day and they will call you

Price Range: $15-25

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

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

Soft Peaks

March 8, 2015March 8, 20151 Comment

Soft Peaks just opened over a month and it has gotten a lot of hype. I was fortunate enough to be invited to try their media samples. Located in the heart of Gastown, it’s very convenient and it was no surprise that there was a long line up on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

The shop is owned by two Korean brothers and they focus on ice cream that is made with Avalon organic milk. Everything about the shop is about local – from their local ingredients to their cups and spoons which come from local suppliers.

They are famous for their honeycomb topping, which comes from the Okanagan and Fraser Valley. The honeycomb on ice cream was the craze in South Korea last year, so it’s great that they’ve brought it to Vancouver.

Other than the honeycomb, they offer many other premium toppings, including Himalayan pink salt, Tim Tams and yuzu marmalade.

Honeycomb Peak

Of course I went for their signature ice cream – the Honeycomb Peak. It featured a piece of local honeycomb on top with corn flakes at the base. The honeycomb is sticky and sweet and the honey oozes out of the comb. I love the mix of honey with the creamy dairy based ice cream. Makes it super smooth and the sweetness of the honey is just right. However, I wish that I could dig into the corn flakes earlier on. You can’t really get to it until the end.

Green Forest

K chose the Green Forest, which features organic Premium Matcha powder, sweet red beans, and condensed milk on top of the soft serve. I actually really enjoyed this as it wasn’t too sweet. K said she wished there were some mochi balls as well. That would’ve been perfect!

Overall, we were quite pleased with Soft Peaks. They come at a premium price and are good treats once in a while. A good change from your typical gelatos. Service is friendly, but expect long waits since everyone is checking out the shop these days. They also have some seating upstairs if you want to enjoy your ice cream indoors.

* All food were complimentary.

Pros:
– Ice cream is smooth and ingredients are all local
– Interesting toppings to choose from

Cons:
– Long waits
– Premium prices

Price Range: $5-10

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

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

Every Day is a Food Day

Category: Vancouver

Go Fish

Kaneda Japanese Restaurant 金田 – revisit

Peaceful Restaurant

Bestie

Jitlada

Sushi Gallery

Ask For Luigi

Soft Peaks