Flying Pig (Gastown) – revisit

January 26, 2015January 26, 2015Leave a comment

Not too long ago, I visited Flying Pig at their Gastown location for lunch. A few months later, here I am again checking out their brunch menu. Restaurant was busy, but we made reservations ahead of time, so we were seated right away.

Complimentary Banana Bread

Service begins with their complimentary Banana Bread. I love this since it’s very moist but a little sticky. It’s also not too heavy or dense.

Featured Corn Beef Hash

They offer some daily features and that day they had the Featured Corn Beef Hash, which SP got. It came with two poached eggs on top of corned beef and hash. It also came with Hollandaise sauce and a side of salad. I really liked the sauce it came with and the potatoes were crispy on the outside.

Smoked Salmon Benedict

For myself, I got the Smoked Salmon Benedict, which also came with a salad. The house smoked salmon came with dill cream cheese on top of a piece of toasted bread. The Hollandaise sauce topped the poached eggs which I asked to be done to medium. The yolks oozed out as you broke the egg, and was delicious when mixed with the cream cheese and smoked salmon. My only concern was I found the bread to be too toasted, hence it was difficult to cut into with a knife.

Country Style Breakfast

SK got the Country Style Breakfast, which came with 2 eggs, back bacon, baby greens, and some sourdough bread. She got the eggs sunny side up.

Brunch is pretty good here, but the prices are slightly higher for the food you get. Service was also very cold this time around. Our server took the wrong order for my friend and when the dish came and we said we hadn’t ordered that, she got very defensive and said we were wrong. Quite disappointed, since I had some pretty good service the previous time I visited.

Pros:
– Conveniently located in the heart of Gastown
– Great place for brunch type of food

Cons:
– Prices are slightly high for the portion size and what you get
– Service wasn’t so great this time

Price Range: $15-25

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

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

LA Chicken (revisit)

January 25, 2015January 25, 20152 Comments

I hadn’t been to LA Chicken in over 2 years, so when S wanted fried chicken, I thought it would be time to go for a revisit. LA Chicken is a hidden gem in Richmond, in a small complex off Cambie and No. 5 Road. You probably wouldn’t blindly walk into this shop unless you’ve heard about all the good stuff. Nothing is fancy about the exterior or interior. Old school menu board with ambiance that does not make you want to stay, but the fried chicken is probably the best in town. Run by a family, most people say LA Chicken is better than KFC or Church’s, and I have to agree.

We got the Dinner Combo for 2, which includes 6 pieces of fried chicken, a medium order of fries and gravy. You can choose between spicy or regular, or have a mix of each. We went for the regular and the skin was super crispy and the meat was moist. Tender and juicy in the inside, and crispy on the outside. It also wasn’t overly salty. However, 2 weeks later, we went for the same combo, and we found it to be overly salty. It seems to normally be less on the salty side, but I’m not sure what happened with that batch.

As for the fries, they were underwhelming. Fries weren’t crispy and they were well under-seasoned. Unless you use the gravy, the fries are pretty bland. The fries were just not good. Stick with the chicken and skip the fries. Gravy was alright, but I found it a little too salty.

Prices are a bit higher than your fried chicken chains, but it’s still reasonable. Service is also really friendly, but expect some waiting time since there are always line ups during dinner time. Get the chicken to go as the ambiance really isn’t that great. Parking is also a bit of a nightmare in that small complex, but you can park near the residential areas and take a short walk over.

Pros:
– Chicken is moist and crispy
– Service is very friendly

Cons:
– No ambiance whatsoever
– Always a line up

Price Range: $10-20

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

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 1
Parking: 3
Overall: 3

Trafalgar’s Bistro

January 22, 2015Leave a comment

Trafalgar’s Bistro. Located on West 16th, just West of Granville, this rustic, inviting restaurant sits next to the popular Sweet Obsessions.

The restaurant is small, with an interior that is both intimate and warm. On a Friday night, it was surprisingly quite empty. We also found that we were probably the youngest diners all night.

On top of their regular menu, they have a fresh sheet that changes daily depending on the seasonality and what’s available locally.

Complimentary Bread

Dinner starts with complimentary bread and butter. The bread was crispy on the outside and soft inside. It ended up being great for dipping in my entree’s broth.

Parsley Crusted Haida Gwaii Halibut

S got the Parsley Crusted Haida Gwaii Halibut, which came with roasted lobster mushrooms and spinach puree. S commented that the dish was visually unique, to which I concurred. Furthermore, the fish offered a supreme moistness complemented by the crispiness of the parsley crust.

Salt Spring Moules with Bistro Fries

For myself, I got the Salt Spring Moules. This mussel dish is on their appetizer dish, but you can upgrade it to an entree portion size. The mussels were tender and fresh and the cream broth was flavoured with leeks, shallots, white wine and garlic. I also upgraded the fries to Bistro Fries, which are double fried and tossed with truffle oil, Parmesan and fresh herbs. It also came with a house made garlic aioli for dipping, but I didn’t find the need for it as the fries were already very flavourful and well seasoned.

In conclusion, Trafalgar’s Bistro was a pleasant dining experience.

Side note: street parking is amply available.

Pros:
– Fresh sheet changes daily based on what’s in season locally
– Quality eats and presented nicely

Cons:
– Portions are on the smaller side
– Service was there, but didn’t feel friendly

Price Range: $25-35

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

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

Bump N Grind Cafe (Media Event)

January 21, 2015January 21, 2015Leave a comment

Last night, I was invited to the Bump N Grind Cafe grand opening media launch party. This South Granville location is their second location, with their first in the Commercial neighbourhood. This location had actually opened on December 18th, 2014, but last night was their official grand opening.

The interior has high ceilings with a concentration on wood and minimalist designs.

Bump N Grind offers alternative brewing methods, including Pour-over coffee, Aeropress, and French press coffee. The friendly baristas have an in-depth knowledge to answer all your questions.

Owners Cheryl and Kyle Wright were present that night as well. They pride their multi-roaster cafe as one of Vancouver’s top 10 best cafes according to the Vancouver Sun in 2013. At Bump n Grind, the coffees are rotated on a weekly basis, so there is always something new when you visit.

At the media event, they offered their signature drinks, including some that were spiked!

Their everyday menu includes coffees, teas, and snacks.

Around the store are coffee-related items you can purchase. Here, there are a variety of coffee beans for sale.

They even sell the Aeropress coffee maker.

And the famous Mast Brothers artisan chocolate. They are famous in New York for their bean-to-bar chocolates.

We also got to sample some of their goodies, including baked goods and sandwiches.

There were white chocolate as well as ginger molasses cookies.

I sampled the Smoked Salmon Croissant, which was super flaky! Cucumbers and smoked salmon can never go wrong. Their Cookies are also some of the best I’ve had. They are soft, yet still chewy. My favourite of the night had to be the Matcha Green Tea Brownie though. The super soft matcha brownie is mixed with white chocolate and melts in your mouth. Delicious!

Almond Chocolate Gibraltar

First up, we tried the Almond Chocolate Gibraltar, which came in a highball sized glass. This was essentially a double shot of espresso topped with milk. I opted for almond milk, so I found it much lighter. The glass was rimmed with chocolate sauce and roasted almonds. I loved the aroma of this drink and the nutty flavour worked very well with the coffee.

Spiced Chai Latte with Bourbon

I also tried their Spiced Chai Latte with Bourbon, which was aromatic and slightly spicy with a kick of the Bourbon.

Duetto – Macchiato & Maple Whiskey

K went for their Duetto, which she had no idea what it really was. It ended up coming in two parts. Her macchiato in an espresso cup and a straight shot of Maple Whiskey. She enjoyed the coffee, but found the whiskey to be too strong. Perhaps something a little lighter would have worked better.

We also got to take goodie bag homes! What a treat! Inside, we got some of their freshly made in-house baked goods. On the left is the Earl Grey Shortbread. I would’ve liked a stronger Earl Grey essence, but I thought it was interesting how it was topped with salt. Salty and sweet at the same time. We also got my favourite Matcha Green Tea Brownie. Last but not least was the Mookie, which is dairy free. It’s sort of like a muffin and cookie at the same time. It was filled with oats, coconut flakes, dark chocolate, walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. You get a nice chew, but it’s also light enough at the same time.

Included were also some of their signature teas, including the Almond Rooibos, Citrus Sencha and Organic Earl Grey. I have yet to try these but the Citrus sencha already sounds really good!

Overall, Bump N Grind Cafe offers some really tasty baked goods. They have your typical coffees and teas, but also some really interesting signature drinks like the ones we tried last night. A great place to hang out with friends!

* All food and beverages were complimentary.

Pros:
– Great coffees and baked goods
– Prices are quite reasonable

Cons:
– Not too many seats, especially for larger groups

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

Dunn’s Famous

January 19, 2015January 19, 2015Leave a comment

K and I had signed up for Paint Nite, which is a two-hour painting experience where an experienced artist teaches you how to paint well-known paintings. The nice part of this is that they use different venues and you can drink and eat while you paint. For our event, the location was at Dunn’s Famous in Downtown.

The restaurant itself is sort of like a sports bar, but it’s definitely one of the nicer ones. Just around the corridor though, they set up the Paint Nite event so it was more like a private event.

At Paint Nite, everything is supplied to you and it normally costs around $45 per person. We got a Groupon, so it was only $25. Pretty good deal and they often have these deals if you look around. Food and beverages are not included.

Dunn’s Famous Mac & Cheese

Since I just got off work, I was starving. Dunn’s is famous for their smoked meat, but I didn’t think holding a smoked meat sandwich in one hand and painting with the other would work too well. I ended up getting the Dunn’s Famous Mac & Cheese, which had three cheese elbow macaroni baked and topped with a julienne of Montréal smoked meat. It was also served with a side of Caesar salad & garlic toast. I liked how the pasta was very cheesy in the middle, but the top was slightly crispy. I didn’t find the smoked meat anything too special though. I thought it almost tasted like bacon bits. The garlic bread was toasted nicely while still being soft and fluffy. As for the Caesar salad, it was slightly under dressed, but came with a good amount of Parmesan cheese and croutons. Pretty good for pub food.

Based on my experience at Dunn’s for Paint Nite, the service was quite attentive and very accommodating. Prices are reasonable considering it’s right in the heart of Downtown. I can’t comment too much about the food since I didn’t try what they were famous for, but the pasta was good regardless.

Pros:
– Casual, retro ambiance
– Decent eats based on what I had

Cons:
– Not exactly the greatest value considering it’s pub food

Price Range: $20-25

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

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

Top Shanghai Cuisine 上海一只鼎

January 18, 2015Leave a comment

Baked Scallion Pancake

Top Shanghai Cuisine has been around for years. I still remember going to their previous location years ago, but I haven’t revisited since they moved to their Ackroyd location. We started off with the Baked Scallion Pancake, which was fluffy and well seasoned. I liked how it wasn’t too oily.

Stir Fried Noodles with Beef

Next, the Stir Fried Noodles with Beef arrived, and it was a decent portion. I found it to be very heavy in oil though. I guess this dish is usually very oily anyways though. This was average in terms of flavour. I think I’ve had better elsewhere.

Steamed Pork Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao)

A weird timing, but the Steamed Pork Dumplings showed up last. I found that the skin for these dumplings were thicker than the ones at Ding Tai Fung. However, I liked how the soup inside was still sizzling hot and although I would’ve liked more soup in it, the broth was very flavourful. Not bad!

Overall, Top Shanghai Cuisine has some decent eats. No wonder this place is so packed! Don’t expect much ambiance or service here. Tables are packed so close together and the waiting customers are basically standing next to you while you’re dining. Arrive before 7pm or you’ll be waiting around for seats.

Pros:
– Decent eats with reasonable prices
– Menu is filled with pictures for easy ordering

Cons:
– Don’t expect amazing service
– You’ll be sitting very closely to the table next to you

Price Range: $10-20

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

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

Alibi Room

January 14, 2015January 14, 2015Leave a comment

Seared Albacore Tuna

For K’s birthday, we went to Alibi Room in Gastown. It’s located almost at the end, where it’s a lot more quiet, but Alibi Room is always still packed with people. A super chill environment, with dimly lit lights and communal tables, Alibi Room is a great place to hang out with friends and have some drinks. They are famous for their beers, but I opted for one of their ciders. We decided to share a few dishes and started with the Seared Albacore Tuna. The tuna was lightly seared on the sides and very fresh. It was topped with a green olive tapenade and a side of greens. The star of the dish was actually the red lentil puree though. I’m not even a fan of lentils, but the way they seasoned the puree was perfect. Very flavourful and we cleaned up this dish in no time.

Mezze plate

Next, we got the Mezze Plate, which came with housemade rosemary flatbread. These were sort of soft but slightly chewy. It came with a white bean and green olive dip, goat feta, caponata, cucumbers, and marinated olives. The dip actually tasted sort of like a guacamole. Pretty good, and I liked the caponata mixed with the dip to bring more flavour.

Mushroom & Hazelnut Pate

Lastly, we had the Mushroom & Hazelnut Pate, which was flavoured with truffle oil.The truffle flavour was actually very strong, or it could have been the mushroom flavour that I was tasting. It came with crostinis for dipping, but they were rather hard. On the side, there were garlic confit to accompany the dish. Not bad.

Overall, I thought the food was average. Nothing too special worth coming back, but I like the ambiance here for get togethers with friends for drinks and snacks. I thought that service was friendly, but rather slow. Our drinks came first, but our food took more than 30 minutes to arrive. We ended up finishing our drink before the food even arrived. Something they will need to work on.

Pros:
– Casual, hip ambiance
– Great place for drinks and late night snacks

Cons:
– A bit on the pricey side
– Long waits

Price Range: $20-30

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

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

Earls Kitchen + Bar (Richmond) – revisit

January 13, 2015January 13, 2015Leave a comment

Fish and Chips

Making reservations on the day of New Year’s Eve proved to be a difficult task. In the end, we resorted to Earls Kitchen and Bar in Richmond since they had more seating compared to other restaurants. A short wait and we were seated. It seemed that people were rushing to their New Year’s Eve parties. S got the Fish and Chips, which came with two pieces of beer battered Icelandic cod, house tartar, coleslaw, and a side of fries. S said the fish was moist and the fries were crispy. He said Earls does fish and chips pretty well and probably better than most places he’s been to.

Fettuccini Alfredo

K got the Fettuccini Alfredo, which came with the classic cream sauce and topped with grana padano parmesan. It looked rather plain, but she said it was pretty good.

Italia Pizza

For myself, I got the Italia Pizza, which was topped with Virginia ham, Genoa salami, chorizo, and Provolone cheese. A 10 inch pizza, this was actually quite a lot and could easily feed two. I liked the thin crust and the chorizo made gave it some heat. Pretty good for a chain restaurant, but also a little on the oily side.

Overall, Earls is your typical chain restaurant, but their food is pretty consistent in quality and flavour. Service was also pretty good. Plus, there’s an abundance of parking at Lansdowne which makes things more convenient.

Pros:
– Food is always consistently decent
– Service and ambiance is nice

Cons:
– Your typical Chain restaurant menu
– No reservations ahead of time for parties with less than 6

Price Range: $15-25

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

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

Every Day is a Food Day

Category: Location

Flying Pig (Gastown) – revisit

LA Chicken (revisit)

Trafalgar’s Bistro

Bump N Grind Cafe (Media Event)

Dunn’s Famous

Top Shanghai Cuisine 上海一只鼎

Alibi Room

Earls Kitchen + Bar (Richmond) – revisit