Guu Richmond (Lunch)

July 31, 2014Leave a comment

Negitoro & Spicy Sashimi Chirashi Set

For my birthday, N took me out for lunch and since we were too lazy to drive all the way Downtown, we settled for Guu Kitanoya in Aberdeen Centre. It was actually my first time at Guu for lunch, so I was excited as I heard they have good lunch sets and deals. They have daily lunch specials from 11:30am, and on Saturday, they featured the Negitoro & Spicy Sashimi Chirashi Set for only $10.80. I went for that set and it was super filling and delicious! It came with a miso soup and a spicy cold mini udon. The udon was one of those with a little bit of soy sauce, but it also had a kick to it. I loved it! Then, there was the chirashi set, which came with negitoro, spicy sashimi, and seasoned jelly fish with perilla sauce on rice. The chirashi set was negitoro style, as it was all minced sashimi. I really enjoyed the seasoned jelly fish though. It had a distinct flavour, and I loved the crunchy texture. Definitely was filled up with this set!

Chirashi – assorted sashimi on sushi rice

N got the Chirashi Don. It was super colourful and pleasing to look at! It came with a miso soup and a side of cold macaroni. The macaroni was seasoned with a bit of spice and was quite interesting. Her don featured salmon, tuna, surf clam and more. It looked really delicious! I think she enjoyed her meal just as much as I did, and she was very filled as well.

Overall, Guu never fails to satisfy me! I absolutely love their lunch sets too. They’re of such great value, quality, and quantity! They have a variety of other lunch sets, which I want to revisit and try!

Maji

July 29, 2014Leave a comment

N had just come back from exchange, so along with S, we headed to Maji for dinner. Maji has opened for some time now, and I kept hearing good reviews about this Taiwanese restaurant. It’s located on Alexandra Rd. right next to Leisure – also Taiwanese owned. When we arrived, it was quite empty, with only one or two tables for dinner. However, it was a random weekday. I hear that it’s quite packed on weekends. Apparently, it’s been quite packed recently as well, since they just launched their Taiwanese beers in mid July. They seem to have a large variety of beers and drinks, so it would be a great place for a night out. They also open until quite late.

Kimchi Pork Fried Rice – fried rice with kimchi, shredded pork, and egg

Maji is a great place to share dishes. It’s not like Pearl Castle and others, where you order your own set of food. Hence, we ordered 4 dishes to share. First, the Kimchi Pork Fried Rice. This was actually my favourite dish! A hint of spicy kimchi, but very addicting! The rice is also on the moist side compared to Chinese fried rice, which I really liked. I could not stop eating this! Very flavourful, but I didn’t feel like it had MSG in it since I wasn’t thirsty after.

Spicy Eggplant – pan-fried eggplant stir fried with chili-bean sauce, ground pork, dried chili, and soy sauce

I’m not a fan of eggplants, but J loves it, so we ordered the Spicy Eggplant. I ended up having some too, and it was quite delicious! The chili-bean sauce was what really made the dish for me. I don’t really like the flavour of eggplants, but the sauce and spiciness overpowered the flavour of eggplants.

San-Pei Squid – squid stir-fried with San-Pei sauce; tossed with basil

Next was the San-Pei Squid. This was more mild and the only non-spicy dish we had. Still, very flavouful with the San-Pei sauce. The squid were also very tender and easy to chew.

Kung-Pao Chicken – spicy boneless chicken leg stir fried with Sichuan pepper, dried chili, and nuts

Lastly, we had the Kung-Pao Chicken, which I unfortunately, took a blurry picture of. I found this dish quite spicy since there are Sichuan peppers and dried chili in it. However, it was super tasty at the same time! Love the nuts in it too. I believe they were cashews.

Overall, I was very pleased with the food at Maji. Prices are also very reasonable. It’s more about the food than presentation here. Since it wasn’t busy, we were also able to sit for quite some time to just chat and the waitresses kept refilling water for us. Great service and good food!

Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant (Dinner Menu)

July 28, 2014Leave a comment

For M and B’s exchange farewell dinner, they chose Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant. They had made reservations beforehand, so there was no wait for a table. As usual, MW decided what to order and he ordered just enough to have each one of us full. It was pretty fun to have a Chinese dinner with a huge group of friends since we don’t usually do this!

Sea Harbour Assorted Cold Cuts Platter

First, we started off with the Sea Harbour Assorted Cold Cuts Platter. It came with some cold cut meat, jelly fish, and bean curd wrapped with vegetables. My favourite was the jelly fish! Always a fan of that texture. Quite a typical dish, so nothing too special compared to other restaurants.

Minced Chicken and Corn Soup

Next, we had two types of soup. Half were the Minced Chicken and Corn Soup, which I didn’t try.

Fish Maw and Crab Meat Soup

The other half were the Fish Maw and Crab Meat Soup. I found that the soup lacked flavour. It was super bland! I had to add more vinegar to it to get some flavour. It was filled with lots of fish maw and crab meat though.

Roasted Peking Duck

Then came two plates of the Roasted Peking Duck. Crispy outer skin, with a thin layer of fat and meat. Quite good! It came on top of colourful shrimp crackers.

Roasted Peking Duck

The wrap that accompanied the roasted peking duck, however, was a disappointment. It was too thick and doughy. I’ve definitely had better.

Scallops Sauteed with Green Pepper and Black Bean Sauce

The Scallops Sauteed with Green Pepper and Black Bean Sauce was quite a hit. The scallops were tender and cooked perfectly and the black bean sauce was very flavourful. Mixed with the red and green peppers, it would have went very well with rice.

Lettuce Wrap with Stir Fried Diced Pork with Bamboo Shoots and Celery

Then we had the Lettuce Wrap with Stir Fried Diced Pork with Bamboo Shoots and Celery. This was average. Nothing too special again. I liked how it wasn’t too salty though.

Steamed Eggplant with Bean Sauce

Since we needed some veggies, we got the Steamed Eggplant with Bean Sauce. I’m not a huge fan of eggplants, but the bean sauce was quite delicious! The eggplants were also very soft.

Braised Tofu and Vegetables with Brown Sauce

The Braised Tofu and Vegetables with Brown Sauce was one of my favourite dishes. I love braised tofus! They are slightly crispy on the outside, and the inside melts in your mouth. Love this type of tofu! Super smooth and silky!

Braised Chinese Mushrooms with Seasonal Greens

Also had some Braised Chinese Mushrooms and Seasonal Greens. I actually didn’t get around to trying this.

Shrimp and Pork Fried Rice

Lastly, we had two types of Fried Rice. Pictured here is the Shrimp and Pork Fried Rice, which has been half eaten… And the one I tried was the Dried Scallop Fried Rice. Again, I found the fried rice a little bland. I guess it is good in a way that the food is a little bland since too much salt isn’t too good for you…

Lastly, the dinner ended with complimentary Red Bean Soup. Overall, we had great service and dinner was good. Our bill wasn’t even too pricey, with each person only paying a little over $20! Plus we were all full! A great way to gather for a farewell. Hope the boys are having fun in Australia! 🙂

Original Joe’s Restaurant & Bar

July 8, 2014Leave a comment

Raspberry Burst

After checking out the Greek Festival, K and I decided to look for a patio back in Richmond to enjoy some drinks and the sun. I wouldn’t say there are too many patios in Richmond. Most of them are also quite pricey and more fancy than what we were looking for. We settled for Original Joes, which I’ve only been for lunch at the Broadway location. Original Joes in Richmond is tucked away on Steveston Highway, a bit further away from the rest of the restaurants in Ironwood Mall. Anyways, we sat outside in their small patio area. I chose the Raspberry Burst, which included vodka, raspberry syrup, sprite and lime juice. You can’t taste too much of the alcohol, so I really enjoyed the drink. A hint of sweetness and very refreshing.

Joe’s Sangria

K chose Joe’s Sangria. It had red wine, Scotch, Triple Sec with lemon, lime, pineapple and fresh orange juice. Her drink looked very nicely presented, but it also tasted pretty good! Drinks were around $7 each, so quite typical for any restaurant establishment. Overall, we were quite satisfied with the drinks and service wasn’t too bad. It’s pretty quiet in the afternoon, so it’s a good place to hangout and chat.

Kintaro Ramen

July 7, 2014Leave a comment

Miso Ramen – medium broth and fat Cha-shu

After a sunny afternoon of biking at Stanley Park, K and I were hungry for food. Since we were on Denman, we began walking towards Robson and of course we came across Kintaro. I’ve been to Kintaro years ago, when it first got all hyped up with the long lines. This was before I started this blog, so of course I had to document it this time. Luckily, it was an odd time to have dinner as it was a bit too early, so we quickly got a seat. Soon after though, there began to form small lines. Definitely still not as crazy as years ago, since there are several other ramen shops in the neighbourhood now. Anyways, I decided to get the Miso Ramen. For the broth, you can choose heavy, medium, or light. As for the Cha-shu (bbq pork), you can choose fat or lean. I chose the medium broth and of course the fat cha-shu. My bowl came and it was a deep yellow broth. A spoon of the broth told me it was going to be a satisfying meal. Their broth is so rich and flavourful! The ramen is chewy and the cha-shu had just the right amount of fat and meat. A good portion of noodles, topped with bean sprouts, green onions, and corn. You only get one slice of cha-shu though, which is similar to many of the other ramen shops. However, the price at Kintaro is always very reasonable.

Cold Ramen

K went for the Cold Ramen. I’ve never actually tried this one, but it looked very colourful! Since it was such a hot day, it was probably actually a good idea to get this dish rather than the boiling hot bowl I had. It came with a variety of veggies and kelp. She had the cha-shu on the side, so I had them. The cha-shu in her bowl was definitely not as good as mine. It was much more rough and also had no fat on it. I guess it would’ve worked well with her noodles, but definitely not with mine. She had a light sauce to go with her noodles. She said she was quite satisfied with her noodles.

Overall, Kintaro is always a good spot to grab some ramen, especially after hitting up Stanley Park. I find that their ramen are much more reasonably priced, compared to some of the other nearby shops. Small shop with limited seating, but people eat ramen quite quickly, so the line usually moves quickly.

Sushi Town (Burnaby)

July 6, 2014Leave a comment

Spicy Salmon Sashimi

Sushi Town is very similar to Sushi Garden, with cheap prices and large portions. They have two locations – one in North Burnaby and one in Coquitlam. We went to the one in Burnaby, and it’s located in a weird area with a lot of residential housing nearby. You’ll probably be able to find free parking just down the streets in front of someone’s house. The place is packed, but since I was half an hour late, my friends were already seated. We shared the Spicy Salmon Sashimi, which is one of their popular dishes. Loads of salmon sashimi cut into cubes with a spicy sauce. I love the mix of cucumber cubes in it as well. A good deal!

Chopped Scallop Roll

I chose the Chopped Scallop Roll. It was filled with lots of scallop, but I wouldn’t say it was that great. The rice was falling apart and the flavour wasn’t the best I’ve had. But for the price, you get filled up if you don’t look at the presentation.

Takoyaki

For the Takoyaki, it came quite nicely presented, with bonito flakes on top. The inside however was more dough than filling. Definitely not a lot of octopus. I would say they are average.

Mango Roll

We also chose two of their specialty rolls. The specialty rolls are pretty good deals since they’re around $4-$5. Normally, specialty rolls are at least $8 at other restaurants. But then again, they use more expensive ingredients. The Mango Roll came with imitation crab, cucumber, and some mango. It was topped with cooked ebi or shrimp and drizzled with a mayo sauce. Not bad as you get some of the sweet and sour from the mango. I do wish they had put a bit more mango though.

Awesome Roll

Lastly, S recommended the Awesome Roll. I believe this was one of their pricier rolls at around $7. However, it included tons of ingredients. It had imitation crab, cucumber, avocado and masago. On top, there was a slice of salmon sashimi, a sweet teriyaki sauce, and bonito flakes. Great flavours when mixed together!

Overall, I was quite satisfied with Sushi Town. You need to go in knowing that quality is not going to be best. This place is all about value, and you’ll definitely be filled up without breaking your wallet. I know that people say that service is quite bad here, but I actually didn’t really experience it at all. The servers took our orders right away (although they sort of rushed us to get our orders down as quickly as possible), but they also poured us tea very frequently. At the end of our meal, we had probably sat for quite some time too, and they didn’t throw us the bill, like many other places would. Definitely would revisit more often if it wasn’t so far for me.

Charcoal Sushi & BBQ (Revisit #3)

July 2, 2014July 2, 2014Leave a comment

Chopped Scallop Roll

After my graduation, we decided to go grab a quick graduation dinner. We didn’t have much planned, so we just headed to Charcoal Sushi & BBQ. I’ve blogged quite a few times about it, but I tried a few different items this time, so I find it worth blogging about. First, we got my all time favourite Chopped Scallop Roll. They are filled with lots of scallop and cucumbers and topped with sesame seeds.

Beef Yaki-udon

Next, we had the Beef Yaki-udon. I think the Mentaiko Yaki-udon was much better. This was flavourful, but wasn’t too special. Tasted just like any other yaki-udon you could get elsewhere.

Snow White Roll

For rolls, we got the Snow White Roll. It was filled with cooked salmon, and topped with chopped scallop and shaved coconut. I thought the coconut would be sort of weird, but it actually tasted really good together! It was also a spicy roll, as there was a spicy mayo sauce.

Rainbow Roll

We also got the Rainbow Roll, which is really just California roll with a mixture of sashimi on the top. It came with tuna, salmon, hokkigai, and other white fish I’m not familiar with. Love the sashimi on top! Very fresh!

Tuna Tataki

Oddly enough, our appetizers came last. I found this a little disappointing, since I was looking forward to eating this at the beginning of my meal. Anyways, we got the Tuna Tataki and although it was seared nicely on the sides, I found it lack flavour. I wish it had a stronger sauce. I felt like I was just eating seared tuna with no seasoning.

Beef Sashimi

Lastly, we were presented with the Beef Sashimi, which again would’ve been preferred as a starter. It came with many slices and was actually quite fresh. The only issue I had with it was that it was a slightly thick cut and I felt like they had not defrosted it enough. Otherwise, the flavour was really good with a hint of a vinaigrette taste to it.

Overall, Charcoal is always a decent place to go for Japanese food. It’s by no means authentic food, but it’s definitely better than many of the Chinese owned restaurants. Prices are also average. Only issue is the restaurant has a small seating capacity, so it’s important to make reservations.

Gudrun

June 30, 2014June 30, 2014Leave a comment

When K came back, I suggested we go try Gudrun. It’s been opened in Steveston for quite some time, but I always just past by it without looking into it too much. Finally, we decided to go on a rainy weekday.

They seem to change their menu daily, based on what’s fresh in the market. Their menu is fairly simple with probably under 10 main menu items.

The inside is dimly lit and filled with wooden tables and chairs. There’s also a long table – great for large groups. It’s an open kitchen and there’s also a bar table. The service was amazing, with our server being super friendly and checking up on us occasionally. He might also be the owner, but I’m not sure. It was really relaxed and chill, and we didn’t feel rushed or pressured to order more. He would actually chat with customers, but he saw us having our own conversation, so he gave us plenty of space. I also love how they have pillows so you can feel like you’re at home. Absolutely love the ambiance here!

Mac & 5 Cheese with Side Salad

K got the Mac & 5 Cheese which came with a side of salad. The Mac & Cheese was definitely very cheesy and creamy. It might be a little pricey for a mac & cheese, but you can tell that this ain’t any cheap Kraft Dinner!

Meat Sandwich – sopressata, red peppers and cheddar

J and I both got the Meat Sandwich. It came with sopressata, which is an Italian dry salami. It also came with a side of salad, which had a really good light dressing. A bit of those tiny little pickles and olives too. A very simple dish, but it tasted amazing!

The sandwich was also filled with red peppers and cheddar. I loved the pairing of the peppers and salami. It wasn’t too salty, and the bread was grilled perfectly!

Overall, we were extremely pleased with Gudrun. It may be a bit pricey, but the relaxing environment really makes it a great place to chill and catch up with friends. They also have a large selection of wines and meat or cheese boards, which would be perfect for a late night hangout. Fresh ingredients with well-executed dishes and impeccable service!