Ramen Danbo

December 25, 2015December 25, 2015Leave a comment

During the pre-CFE results celebration night, a few of us got hungry and decided to head over to Ramen Danbo for a quick snack. Ramen Danbo first opened on West 4th, but has since opened a new location on Robson.

When we arrived at around 8pm, so the place was quite empty. There is bar seating as well as table seating depending on how large your group is.

What I like about Ramen Danbo is the fact that you can customize your noodles and soup.

Classic Tonkotsu Ramen ‘Shio’

E, JS, and JF all got the Classic Tonkotsu Ramen ‘Shio’. E added soft-boiled egg and seaweed as add ons. The shio option is really a salt version of the classic. She said this was quite delicious.

Classic Tonkotsu Ramen

For myself, I got the Classic Tonkotsu Ramen and added the soft-boiled egg as my add-on. This is their signature Tonkotsu pork broth and is recommended for first-timers. I thought the broth was quite good and with the choice of standard for spicy, I thought it actually had quite a bit of heat. For noodles, I chose firm classic thin noodles, so I quite enjoyed the nice chew you got. The cha-shu was a bit disappointing though as the fatty part didn’t melt in your mouth and parts of the meat was a bit chewy. The portion of the noodles are also quite small! I feel like the price is around the same as other ramen shops, so I find it quite expensive for the amount of noodles you get. You can however, add $1 for half a size or $2 for the full size of extra noodles. Just be sure to leave enough soup!

Pros:
– Able to customize your noodles and soups
– Service is quite friendly

Cons:
– Portions are on the smaller side
– Cha-shu didn’t melt in your mouth

Price Range: $10-15

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

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

Gokudo Shabu Shabu

December 5, 2015December 4, 2015Leave a comment

K goes to Gokudo Shabu Shabu quite often and she has been telling me to check it out for the longest time. Finally, on a Friday night, we headed over at around 7pm with reservations along with S and E.

The interior has a bar like setting where people sit in a oval for their hot pot. However, since we had 4 people, we were seated at a separate table near the door. The only downside was that door kept opening and the chilly weather got to us.

At Gokudo, everyone gets their own pot, but it’s not like Boiling Point where all your food is already cooked. You still get to go through the process of cooking your own food, but you have your own stove and pot. Each person also gets their own sauce which is plenty for the meal.

Sirloin Combo

Most of us got the combo since it’s a pretty good deal. K ordered the items individually though as she didn’t want too much meat. The rest of us got the Sirloin Combo, which comes to around $16. It comes with a huge plate of sirloin beef which was very tender. I really enjoyed the meat!

All combos come with a plate of mixed seafood and vegetables. By seafood, it really is just a prawn. You do get a variety of fish balls and tofu along with some veggies like corn, shitake mushrooms and napa cabbage.

You also get a choice of noodles and tea. I got udon and milk tea. It’s plenty of food and at a pretty reasonable price for hot pot. I couldn’t end up finishing all the udon. Nevertheless, I quite enjoyed my meal. The only downside is that the service is quite slow and the servers seem to have their heads down all the time or are chatting amongst themselves.

Pros:
– Large portions for the combos
– Quality of food is pretty good

Cons:
– Service is inattentive and slow
– Seating is not that comfortable

Price Range: $15-20

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

Food: 3.5 Service: 1.5 Ambiance: 2 Parking: 3 Overall: 3

Maurya Indian Cuisine

December 2, 2015November 29, 2015Leave a comment

For our first and second year lunch, E suggested we go to Maurya Indian Cuisine for their lunch buffet. I came here last year when I first started work, but it was never a spot that I would crave for during lunch time since I find Indian food to be rather heavy.

When you enter, you will be surprised how beautiful the interior of the restaurant is. High ceilings and beautiful decor. I can imagine this to be a great place to host parties.

I believe the buffet lunch has increased their prices because it is now $15.49 before tax. In the first section, there are some salads, fruits and Indian appies.

Next up are some spring rolls and vegetable pakoras.

Moving on, you have your tandoori chicken, fish pakoras, two choices of rice and then your curries.

This was my first plate and I have to say I would stick with the butter chicken. The tandoori chicken is rather dry and I’m just not a huge fan of their other curries. You also get baskets of naan which are very good. They also have some desserts such as their rice pudding and gulab jamun but I find Indian desserts to be way too sweet for my liking.

Overall, Maurya Indian Cuisine is average. Nothing amazes me but it’s a convenient option for me since it’s near work. However, I feel that I don’t eat enough to make my money’s worth during their lunch buffet, so I would probably stick to ordering a la carte next time. We also had an issue near the end when they ran out of most of their food and we had to wait a long time to have them refill it. Guess they weren’t expecting so many diners during a Thursday lunch.

Pros:
– Good variety of options during lunch buffet
– Ambiance is very nice

Cons:
– A tad pricey for lunch buffet
– Ran out of food during lunch service

Price Range: $15-20

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

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

Shikisai Japanese Restaurant

December 1, 2015November 29, 2015Leave a comment

Shikisai Japanese Restaurant is located in Blundell Mall, so conveniently near home. The restaurant is run by Japanese and have many patrons who order take out.

Upon entering, you will see the sushi chefs at work. This is also the waiting area. To the left, there is a doorway leading to the dining room. I asked the lady for a seat for two and she just pointed telling me to write my name on the waiting list. I looked inside and noticed that the place was half empty, so I was confused why we had to wait.

We ended up waiting for probably 15 minutes although the restaurant had more than half of the seats empty… Another couple was also in the same situation. Anyways, we finally got seated, but by one of the sushi chefs who I had seen working at the front. Odd… The restaurant apparently had renovated recently, but it was still rather simple and modest looking.

Yam Roll, Chicken Teriyaki Roll, California Roll

S got his usual and I was surprised how nicely presented they were. I thought they looked pretty well constructed, but S begged to differ. He appeared to already be biased after the long wait and also since the prices were a bit higher for a neighborhood mall shop.

Negitoro Roll

For myself, I had the Negitoro Roll. Very nicely constructed with a good amount of filling. The tuna was very fresh.

Mini Chirashi Don

I also ordered a Mini Chirashi Don, and it ended up being a decent size although you don’t get a lot of rice. That was fine with me since I really just wanted the sashimi. There was salmon, tuna, octopus, ebi and tamago. All sashimi was very fresh.

Overall, I thought Shikisai’s quality of food was pretty good. Sashimi was fresh, but the prices are definitely a little on the higher side for a basic neighborhood restaurant. Service was also really odd with the long wait times when there were no customers. I also overheard the couple next to us who tried to order a variety of dishes and they were told they did not have any that night.

Pros:
– Sashimi is fresh
– Japanese-run

Cons:
– Portions are a bit small for the price
– Long wait times when there are no customers

Price Range: $15-20

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

Food: 3 Service: 1.5 Ambiance: 1.5 Parking: 4 Overall: 2.5

Dunn’s Famous – Relaunch Media Event

October 31, 2015October 31, 20151 Comment

NOTE: As part of the relaunch media event, all food and beverages were free, but all opinions are based on my own experience.

I’ve been to Dunn’s Famous during the PaintNite events, so I was excited when Peak Communicators contacted me about the Dunn’s Famous Relaunch Media Event. As I was away during the actual event, Peak Communicators was able to arrange for me to visit the restaurant at another time. I met with Yonathan Delgado, the General Manager who gave me a thorough tour of the newly re-opened restaurant.

Dunn’s Famous is the only franchise outside of Quebec. The store launched in 2011 and the grand re-opening was on October 9, 2015. They have revamped their menu to focus more on their signature dishes, but have also added a couple of new items. My immediate reaction when I entered was how bright the restaurant is now.

You’ll find brick walls on one side and tables with black and white photography of Quebec.

The new addition is the deli experience where customers can purchase both quick lunches and also goods to take home. They offer a variety of smoked meat, pickles, salads, and soups. Of course, you can also choose sit-down dining, but it’s great that there’s an option for Downtown workers for a quick sandwich.

Dunn’s Famous specializes in authentic Montreal smoked meat, an artisan meat product produced from beef brisket that is cured and spiced using old-world techniques before a slow cooking process. It is then steamed again and hand sliced to order, before used to create the iconic Canadian Montreal smoked meat sandwich.

Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

Of course I had to try their signature item, so I ordered the Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich. For the sandwiches, you can choose the size, cut of your meat, mustard, and any side add ons. I asked for advice from one of the servers (who by the way, are extremely well-trained and knowledgeable with the products) and chose the smallest size, a 4 oz meat sandwich, with a medium cut, and Dijon mustard. They use rye bread which comes from the local bakery, Brekka, so the bread is extremely fresh. All sandwiches also come with a pickle, which is refreshing to eat between the sandwich. The smoked meat is seriously some of the most melt-in-your-mouth meat I’ve had though. This is because Dunn’s offers the only hand-sliced Montreal smoked meat in Vancouver. The hand slicing is an art that takes years to perfect and allows the meat to be cooked for a longer period of time and it can be cut against the grain. This would not be achievable with a machine. With a medium cut, you get a mix of lean and fat meat, so you still get the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Quebecoise Poutine

For my add-on, I chose the Quebecoise Poutine. The fries are hand cut and made from Kennebec potatoes, and topped with fresh Canadian cheese curds covered in an original BBQ beef gravy. The gravy is made in house from scratch using roasted beef bones and a signature barbecue spice mix, which I thought was quite different from your typical gravy sauce. I quite liked this and the fries were extremely crispy.

Overall, I was extremely satisfied with the service and food at Dunn’s Famous. There are very few, if any, Montreal smoked meat restaurants that I’m aware of so it’s great that Dunn’s still keeps the traditions and authenticity of this delicious artisan meat. Great location and I’m loving the new vintage retro ambiance at the restaurant. Plus, you can now bring home the smoked meat to assemble your own sandwich!

Golden Swan Restaurant

September 20, 2015September 20, 2015Leave a comment

For my mom’s birthday, she wanted to dine at Golden Swan Restaurant on Victoria Drive. The restaurant has been around for many years, and she wanted to see how the food was now. Parking is quite packed in the front, but you’ll easily find free parking in the neighbourhoods.

The interior is quite big and on a Friday night, the place was only half filled. Decor is a bit dated and there’s the whole wedding decor going on.

Daily Soup

My mom chose the restaurant mostly because they had the set menu feature going on for $98 for the whole table. The serving is supposed to be for 4-6 people, so since we had 5 people, it was perfect. The menu started off with their Daily Soup, which was watercress and pork soup. Not my favourite since I’m not a fan of watercress, but the soup came in a ceramic jar and the soup had been double-boiled.

Peking Duck (2 ways)

The set menu allowed you to choose between either lobster or Peking Duck cooked in two ways. We opted for the latter and the first course was the typical Peking Duck Wraps. The duck itself was crispy and had a good ratio of fat and meat. However, the wraps were a huge disappointment. They were covered in flour, and I had to dust it off before I ate since I felt like I was just eating raw flour. The shrimp chips were also quite soggy.

The second Peking Duck dish was the meat stir-fried with vegetables. I enjoyed the meat, but I thought the dish was rather bland.

Braised Chinese Mushroom with Vegetables

You then get to choose three dishes from their menu. The first item my mom chose was the Braised Chinese Mushroom with Vegetables. Quite average, and nothing mind blowing. Again, we noticed that the flavours at this restaurant is more bland. Not necessarily a bad thing, since it’s probably more healthy, but taste-wise it wasn’t as appealing.

Braised Egg Tofu

The second was my favourite Braised Egg Tofu. It came with snap peas and mushrooms. The tofu was silky smooth inside, but again, I’ve had better elsewhere.

Salt and Peppery Fried Pork Chop

Lastly, we got the Salt and Peppery Fried Pork Chop, which was the tastiest by far because of the garlic chips and chili peppers. And of course, because fried food is always tasty! The pork chops were fried crispy and there was a good amount of meat on each piece.

Taro Sago Dessert

Dinner finishes off with Taro Sago Dessert, but we found white bits in it, which we think might’ve been milk powder that wasn’t dissolved properly. Kind of gross in my opinion…

Overall, I thought Golden Swan was below average. Price is good, but the execution of the dishes just isn’t there. I feel like most of the diners who come here are just longtime regulars.

Pros:
– Prices are reasonable
– Large portions

Cons:
– Food is average to below average
– Sloppy presentation

Price Range: $10

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

Food: 2 Service: 2.5 Ambiance: 2 Parking: 2.5 Overall: 2.5

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar

September 9, 2015September 6, 2015Leave a comment

After dinner, we headed over to Nero Belgian Waffle Bar. It was the hype many years ago, but I have been a laggard in trying it out. We arrived at around 8pm and the place was half filled with steady traffic.

This is the place if you want to try Belgian waffles. They offer two types of waffles: brussels or liege. You can then choose their preset toppings.

They have a bit of seating outside as well as the inside. You first order, and they will assign you seating. It’s quite small, so we had to sit at the table with others.

Mocha on Brussels Waffle

We shared the Mocha on Brussels Waffle, which features vanilla ice cream, espresso infused whipped cream and dark Belgian chocolate sauce on top of a light and crispy waffle. I found the waffle to be rather sticky, but it was still quite delicious. Maybe a bit too much of that whipped cream, but it was light so not too heavy.

Overall, we were quite pleased with Nero Belgian Waffle Bar. By the time we left, there was a huge lineup forming, so be sure to go there early! I also liked how they were cool with us ordering one waffle between the three of us. Usually, many smaller shops force you to order a minimum order. Only downside is that the waffles are quite pricey though, with most of them being $8-9. Great to share with friends after dinner though!

Pros:
– Waffles are delicious and variety of toppings
– Friendly service

Cons:
– Quite pricey for waffles

Price Range: $10

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

Food: 4 Service: 3.5 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: 2.5 Overall: 3.5

The Roof at Black+Blue (Happy Hour)

September 8, 2015September 6, 2015Leave a comment

SP, SK and I are always on the lookout to find a new happy hour place. We have our gatherings every few months and we usually go after work, and it’s the perfect time to try new restaurants at a good price. SP is always looking for a deal for drinks too, so what better way than to go for happy hour. This time, we decided to go to The Roof at Black+Blue. Their happy hour is from 2:30-5:30 every day and there is a select menu with 50% off their original price. Select beers, highballs, and featured drinks are $5.

You enter from Black+Blue door and to your left is an elevator which will take you up to the third floor. You’ll arrive with a huge bull facing you.

We arrived at 5pm and the place was already bumping. The hostess warned us that we would only be allowed to stay until 7:30pm for happy hour as they have the next group of diners coming in. The patio is awesome but it was also extremely sunny and we were not smart enough to bring our shades like everyone else. The ambiance is nice but not overly fancy. You’ll find a mix of tourists and business people here.

Charcuterie ($18)

All prices I’ve listed is the regular price, so we got everything 50% off. The Charcuterie came with prosciutto, a selection of salami, parmigiano-reggiano, seasonal marmalade, olives, cornichons, and forno bread. I loved the cheese and the selection of meats were great. A good deal at $9.

Salt Spring Island Mussels ($18)

Next up were the Salt Spring Island Mussels which came in a coconut Thai curry broth, cilantro, crispy shallots, and another side of forno bread. These were delicious with the mussels being fresh and plump and the broth having a strong coconut flavour. The broth was great to dip your bead in. We soon realized that all our dishes came with the same bread though and that we were filling up with bread…

Crab and Spinach Dip ($16)

The Crab and Spinach Dip was a gooey mix of artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes. It was very heavy and cheesy but I quite enjoyed it. Again, it came with forno bread to dip.

Atlantic Lobster Flatbread ($24)

Our last item was the Atlantic Lobster Flatbread, which came topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, tarragon, lobster bisque, corn, and pickled onions. This was quite tasty with the corn bringing a sweetness of flavour to the typical savoury dish. We were disappointed that there wasn’t too much lobster though. If you were lucky, you got a few strands on your piece.

The girls got the feature drink which was a Blueberry Champagne Spritzer, while I had the Driftwood Whitebark Beer. Overall, we were quite pleased with the food, other than the fact that almost all the dishes came with the same bread for the side, so we got a bit sick of that. Our server was pretty friendly at the end, but started off being a bit cold. Not sure what that was all about. She also forgot our order of Calamari, but we were too full to eat that anyways. Prices are reasonable during happy hour, with each of us paying under $20 for our share of food and drinks after tips.

I do want to note that I was quite disappointed with the service I received subsequent to this dinner. I had left my lunch bag from work under the table and went home without it. When I called to ask if it was still there, the manager said that they were not aware and that they would look after closing since there were still diners. She said she would call me back if they found anything. Since I didn’t hear anything back, I called again a few days later, and they said that they were still looking and would call me back. It’s been more than two weeks since, and I have heard nothing back. What I lost is not a big deal and it isn’t their responsibility, but I am quite annoyed at the fact that they disregarded the whole situation. I rather they call me and tell me they looked and could not find anything. The fact that they said they were still looking seemed like they had not even tried to look. As the restaurant is part of such a large restaurant group and consider themselves an upscale restaurant, I would think they know how to better please their customers.

Pros:
– Reasonable prices during Happy Hour
– Nice ambiance

Cons:
– Too much of the same bread on each dish!
– Service was just average for an upscale restaurant

Price Range: $15-25

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

Food: 3.5 Service: 2.5 Ambiance: 4 Parking: 2.5 Overall: 3

Every Day is a Food Day

Category: $$

Ramen Danbo

Gokudo Shabu Shabu

Maurya Indian Cuisine

Shikisai Japanese Restaurant

Dunn’s Famous – Relaunch Media Event

Golden Swan Restaurant

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar

The Roof at Black+Blue (Happy Hour)