Gramercy Grill

May 19, 2013Leave a comment

For K’s birthday, I took her to Gramercy Grill for dinner. Unlike these few days, the week before was full of sunshine and it was still sunny in the evening! We were asked to choose to dine indoors or outdoors, and we opted indoors since we were afraid it would get chilly later in the evening.

Each day, they have different specials. We went on a Tuesday, and there was an oyster deal. We aren’t huge fans of oysters though, so we didn’t end up ordering any. Their menu also seems to be a little different from the one on their website and some prices have been changed as well. I wish I knew that they had a happy hour deal as well! We were only 3o minutes late for that!

The interior is quite classic with carpet flooring and wooden furniture. The crowd is a bit older, and it seems like there are some regulars. They also have a bar where many people came to watch the hockey game. Service was alright, but they essentially only have three people working the floor. There was one man, who was extremely friendly.

Calamari

Since not many of the main entrees really appealed to us, we ended up ordering three appetizers to share and an entree of mussels. We started with the Calamari, which we had imagined to be fried. Perhaps I didn’t read the description clearly, because it ended up being calamari served in a saucy broth. It ended up to be decent, but not what I was craving for. The calamari were cooked to tender and the sun-ripe tomatoes and olives gave the broth some flavour. I guess this was much more healthy!

Beef Carpaccio – truffle puree aioli, fried capers, shaved parmesan & crostini

Next up, I wanted the Beef Carpaccio. The beef was sliced extremely thing and topped with lots of parmesan, truffle puree aioli and fried capers. In the center, there were a few slices of crostini to accompany the carpaccio. I thought that there was a little too much parmesan, and wished they gave me a few more crostinis because the pairing worked so well together. The capers brought some flavour, but overall, I thought it was just okay. I’ve had better beef carpaccio elsewhere.

Gramercy Meatballs – Italian parsley, grana padano & house made tomato sauce

K had been to Gramercy Grill before, and she told me the Gramercy Meatballs were one of her favourites. Three large meatballs came sitting in a dish of tomato sauce. These were indeed quite delicious! The seasoning was just perfect and I started to crave some spaghetti to accompany these meatballs…

Local Mussels & Pommes Frites

Lastly, I wanted the Local Mussels & Pommes Frites. Unfortunately, we didn’t come on a Wednesday, because on Wednesdays, they have a deal for $10! Anyways, the portion was decent and each shell was filled with a plump mussel. The sauce reminded me of some curry/ indian inspired flavour actually. I don’t quite remeber what our server told us the sauce was comprised of, but on their website it says tomato sauce and merguez sausage. I didn’t find any sausages inside, however. So perhaps, it was a different broth. I only remember it having frozen corn in it. The fries on the other hand, were extremely crispy. I believe they are hand cut, as they taste homemade. They were extremely good!

Chocolate Torte

To end off our dinner, we decided to share the Chocolate Torte. They don’t have a dessert menu on their website, but they do have a selection of desserts to choose from. This had to be the best part of the meal. At first, I saw the melting ice cream and thought that this was presented so unpleasantly, but you will understand why once you bite into that torte. It’s almost like a brownie/ lava cake and the chocolate is so warm that it just melts in your mouth. Along with the ice cream that brings a hint of coolness, it is just amazing! There’s two pieces of the chocolate torte, and comes with a scoop of ice cream and whip cream, so it’s plenty to share between two. It takes some time to get served though, probably because they need to heat it up. A must try though.

Dinner at Gramercy Grill was alright. I didn’t find it to be spectacular, but it’s a nice place to spend your evening. The restaurant definitely caters to the older crowd as most of the items are quite classic. Prices are also on the higher range for the portions you get. However, that chocolate torte makes me want to come back!

Koto Sushi Lounge

March 14, 2013April 28, 2013Leave a comment

Last week, I went to Calgary for a school competition. There was still snow on the streets and the temperature was in the negatives! Totally appreciate Vancouver weather now… Anyways, we were trying to figure out where to eat for a late lunch, but most places were not within walking distance. We walked out of the Westin Hotel, and one block down we saw Koto Sushi Lounge, so we decided to check it out.

The interior is quite nice. The place was filled with high tables and high booths. Unfortunately, we were eating at around 4 pm, so there was only one other table. There was also only one server working who definitely failed to give a good service. We understand that the place is completely empty, but doesn’t that mean that it’s easier to provide service to us since you only need to keep an eye on one table? But no – after waiting for 10 minutes waiting to place our orders, we literally had to walk up to her to give in our order sheet. The Japanese restaurants here seem to use order sheets a lot even though it’s not all-you-can-eat.

Spicy Salmon Crunchy – salmon mixed with volcano sauce, jalapeno pepper, fried red onion chips on top of a crunchy roll of tempura asparagus, tobiko and mayo
Koto San’s Seared Salmon Roll – seared salmon, Korean sweet and spicy sauce, imitation crabmeat, mayo, cucumber, avocado and sesame
Yammy Yammy Roll – avocado, yam tempura, mayo, mango sauce and crispy yam tempura slice

Our food, however, came quite quickly. We chose three of their specialty rolls. The one in the back was the Spicy Salmon Crunchy. It is definitely full of spice with the jalapeno pepper! At first, I ate the pepper on its own, which was definitely a bad idea, but when you eat the whole roll in one bite, the spiciness isn’t as apparent. In fact, it tasted much better with the spice mixed with the sauce.

In the middle is the Koto San’s Seared Salmon Roll. This was opposite to the first roll, where it was a little sweet with the mango. Definitely good to eat after the first one! A cleanser almost!

The roll in the very front, called Yammy Yammy Roll, was surprisingly really good. At first, I thought it would be a typical yam roll, but it actually had a spin to it. I loved how it came with yam chips, which were really crunchy and gave the roll a nice texture.

Overall, the food was alright. I found the sushi rice to be a bit hard though. The service was definitely poor. Even when we wanted to pay, it took forever to get her attention. The prices are also a bit pricey, but I guess it’s because it’s right in the heart of downtown with business people everywhere.

Shyun Sushi Bar

March 13, 2013April 28, 2013Leave a comment

Shyun Sushi Bar seems to be a hidden gem. It’s not exactly easy to spot, but looking at the reviews online, it has really good ratings.

It serves authentic Japanese food, and I believe that the owners were working that day. We were greeted by a Japanese lady and there was a man behind the sushi bar. The place is quite simple but homey. There was only another table during our time at the restaurant, but it was a weekday night.

I thought their chinaware was quite special. They were decorated as opposed to typical plates that you could purchase on the market.

Gyu-Tata – quick-seared beef tenderloin sliced and immersed in “ponzu” sauce

We started off with the Gyu-Tata, which is basically their beef tataki. It was a large plate and the beef tenderloin was sliced thinly and lightly seared on the sides. Not bad!

Flying Dragon – BBQ eel, yam tempura, cucumber and salmon
Unagi Nigiri

We also got some sushi. We got the Flying Dragon, which had yam tempura and cucumber inside and topped with eel and salmon on the top. It was flavourful with the sauce and therefore you didn’t need to dip it in soy sauce. The Unagi Nigiri was also quite delicious.

Aburi Butter – *not on the menu!

J saw online that there was some sort of clam dish, but we realized that it was just a clam miso soup. We asked the lady if the chef could just cook up some sort of clam dish, and they did! It was flavoured with mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and a buttery sauce. Quite delicious!

Chopped Scallop Nigiri

I love chopped scallop, so I got the Chopped Scallop Nigiri. I was surprised that they had a little bit of tobiko on top, which I don’t see often. The scallops were extremely fresh and it was one of the best Chopped Scallop Nigiris I’ve had!

Sweet Crunch – some vegetables and kaiware

Lastly, we got the Sweet Crunch. It’s basically a california roll with something crunchy inside! I guess it was just a tempura batter, but it added some great texture.

Overall, I must agree with the other reviewers that Shyun Sushi Bar is a hidden gem. It’s authentic and the service is genuine. They also have some homemade desserts that sound delicious!

The Jade Seafood Restaurant 玉庭軒海鮮酒家

March 12, 2013April 28, 20131 Comment

Located on Alexander Rd, Jade Seafood Restaurant is always packed with people. They essentially have their own parkade, which is a big lot, but the place is still impossible to find spots.

If you place an order before 11 a.m., you can also get a discount for your dim sum. I believe it was 20% off.

Salted Chicken Congee

Instead of ordering the typical dim sum, we chose to get a dim sum set lunch that would feed 4 diners. It was only $39.99 so it was extremely affordable and filling. First, we had the Salted Chicken Congee which came with salted Chinese donuts and salted peanuts on the side. The congee was flavourful because there were pieces of salted chicken in it. However, I disliked how the chicken still had bones, so it was a little difficult to eat.

Vegetable in Fish Soup

The second dish was Vegetables in Fish Soup. It was topped with bean curd. The vegetables dipped in the fish soup made it tasty and healthy.

Chicken and Vegetable Chow Mein

The third dish was Chicken and Vegetable Chow Mein. I found that the noodles were way too oily but lacked flavour. This was just alright.

Assorted Dim Sum Platter – BBQ Pork Steamed Buns, Shrimp Dumplings, Seafood Spring Rolls, Siu Mai

The last item was the Assorted Dim Sum Platter. It included 4 of each items since it is designed for 4 people. The items were all decent but I wouldn’t say they were anything amazing. I found it odd that they put a steamed shrimp on top of the shrimp dumplings though. Only one…How odd…

Beef with Chinese Parsley Rice Roll

Since we had 5 people eating, we decided to add some extra dishes although we were comfortably full already. I didn’t try the Beef with Chinese Parsley Rice Roll, but I was told it was quite smooth.

Steamed Phoenix Claws

Lastly, we also got the Steamed Phoenix Claws, which is one of my favourite items for dim sum. This one was marinated nicely with a little heat.

Overall, Jade Seafood Restaurant has decent dim sum food. It’s not a place to expect spectacular food, but it isn’t bad. Service was also a hit and miss. Our first server was extremely efficient, but when we asked another server, it took us around 10 tries to get his attention. He stared at our direction, but I’m not sure where his eyes were looking because he either just zoned out or had terrible observation skills.

New Concept Hot Pot 蜀九香

March 3, 2013April 28, 2013Leave a comment

I’ve been to New Concept Hot Pot once before, but for some reason, I don’t have a fond memory of it. It’s a tiny little shop on Westminster Hwy, so reservations are pretty much a must. I find that the place is much cleaner than many of the other hot pot places too. However, they are not that great in English, so it’s more catered to mandarin-speaking customers.

They use an electronic heater, and you can tell that everything is pretty brand new and clean. It’s interesting how they offer sunflower seeds while you wait for your food. Their menu isn’t too extensive though, so they really only have the basics.

We got one side with spicy Sze Chuan soup base, and the other side a mushroom soup base. The mushroom soup base was also filled with goji berries. New Concept Hot Pot also offers a pot that can have 3 soup bases, which isn’t seen at many restaurants.

Udon, Rice Cake

I found the udon to be of poor quality since it wasn’t chewy at all. The rice cakes were also not that chewy. I wasn’t too satisfied with these two items.

Tripe, Ice Tofu, Soft Tofu, Octopus, Lotus Root, Wintermelon

Sweet Potato Noodles, Yam Root Noodles

Dumplings

Variety of Veggies

Enoki Mushrooms

Spicy Beef and Spicy Fish

I found this too spicy personally, but the beef was very tender. It was almost like a chili base for the spice.

Beef

Another variety of Beef

Overall, the food was quite typical. Nothing extremely amazing. We ended up paying a little under $30 each person. Their menu is definitely smaller than many other hot pot places though. But the quality of their food is decent. Service was also quite well. The food took a little long to arrive in the beginning, but after that, the wait was quite reasonable.

Sun Sui Wah 新瑞華海鮮酒家

February 26, 2013April 28, 2013Leave a comment

I haven’t gone to Sun Sui Wah in a long time. It was decently busy on a weekday around 11a.m.

Congee

The congee was a decent size and I loved the little crisps at the top. It was filled with meat and wasn’t too salty.

Pan Fried Radish Cake

The Radish Cakes were lightly pan fried and were decent. Nothing too special.

Steamed Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves

I didn’t try the sticky rice but they seemed to be a decent size for three of them.

Steamed Rice Rolls with Chinese Donut

I found the Chinese donuts to be quite tough. They didn’t seem too fresh. I’ve definitely had better.

Siu-mai

The Siu-Mais were filled with lots of pork and topped with tobiko. Quite average as well.

Egg Tarts

Lastly, for dessert, we got some egg tarts. They had the flaky tart but it was quite thick. I think I’ve had better egg tarts before too.

Overall, I wasn’t too impressed by Sun Sui Wah. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything amazing. Everything was quite typical. The bill ended up being around $16 per person with tons of leftovers, so I guess the prices are not bad.

Top Gun J&C Restaurant 尖東新派食館

February 20, 2013April 28, 2013Leave a comment

Parents decided to go for some dim sum to celebrate Chinese News Years last weekend. We went to Top Gun J&C Restaurant. Top Gun owns a variety of other restaurants as well. For dim sum, you each individual gets their own choice of tea, which is pretty different. Above is the heater for the shared teapot of water, and then the bowl is to pour your tea out. Apparently, you are supposed to pour out the tea after you pour water in the first time since the leaves are dirty.

You get a little cup with a lid on top to steam your tea.

I don’t remember all the tea names..but you essentially get a small cup of leaves for each individual. Pretty neat!

Steamed Rice Roll with Chinese Donut

The Steamed Rice Roll with Chinese Donut is one of my favourite dim sum items to eat. These were quite delicious. The Chinese donut wasn’t too soggy or hard, and the rice rolls were soft and smooth.

Steamed Rice Roll with Wood Ear

I’m not sure if that’s the exact name, but the steamed rice roll is essentially filled with wood ear, which is also known as black fungus. It’s crunchy and has a great bite to it. Quite good when dipped in soy sauce!

Deep Fried Cuttlefish with Mayo

We also got some Deep Fried Cuttlefish, which was suprisingly really good! It wasn’t oily and the cuttlefish was soft to bite. The batter wasn’t thick, so it was a great dish that I wouldn’t normally get at dim sum. Dipped in the mayo, it added some extra flavour.

Steamed Shrimp Dumplings

The typical Shrimp Dumplings at dim sum! These were average and quite typical.

Fried Bean Curd with Shrimp

This was a tasty dish. It was bean curd that was filled with shrimp and then deep fried. It was a little crunchy and crispy on the outside, but the thin layers of bean curd allowed you to have tons of shrimp in each bite.

Chicken and Chinese Sausages on Rice in Clay Pot

My parents enjoy rice in clay pots as they are difficult to make at home. This one was topped with chicken, Chinese sausages, and veggies. You pour some soy sauce on top and mix it all together for a filling dish.

Radish Cakes

Whenever it’s Chinese New Year, Radish Cakes are seen everywhere. You can still order these during the whole year, but they are festive item to eat during this time. These were soft and the tops were fried to perfection. A little crispy and golden yellow. Yum!

Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf

Usually, each order has 3 at other restaurants, but the ones here come with only 2. However, the portions are much larger, so it makes up for it. They were filled with many ingredients and were quite delicious.

Marinated Steamed Chicken Feet

Lastly, we got the Marinated Steamed Chicken Feet. We found that this dish lacked flavour. They did not even have the fermented black beans that are commonly topped on this dish to bring some salty flavour. It was bland and in a way, we thought it would probably be healthy then.

Overall, the food was average. We didn’t think it was anything special, and the place was surprisingly quite empty on a Sunday morning. It’s a great place to go if you enjoy drinking tea though, since they have a large variety and you can experience having your own tea.

The Refinery (Dine Out)

February 10, 2013April 28, 20133 Comments

Last Thursday, I went to my last Dine Out! It was a spontaneous one, and we pretty much planned it the night before. We wanted a girls night out, and was looking for somewhere on Granville and was from the fixed price of either $18 or $28. SP suggested we go to The Refinery and off we went! A poor picture of the place, but The Refinery is basically next to Sip Resto Lounge, and you have to go up a flight of stairs. So really, it is on top of Sip Resto Lounge! It was a Thursday night, and the place was around 3/4 full. Not bad I guess.

Complementary Amuse Bouche – Salted Cucumber Sorbet

Shortly after placing our orders, our server brought us a complementary amuse bouche. She explained a bunch of stuff, but from what I remember, it was basically a cucumber sorbet that was salted. When I took a little nibble of it, I thought it was really salty! But I decided to take the whole spoon, and it became a mixture of salty and sour. It was supposed to cleanse our palettes before we ate, but we all felt that it just left our palettes salty and sour! It was definitely refreshing though, since it was an ice cold sorbet. Let’s just say it was interesting…

Albacore Tuna – confit tomato sauce, cannellini beans, basil oil, parsley

For my appetizer, I chose the Albacore Tuna. The portions were actually quite generous. There were probably around 7 slices, and each slice was quite thick. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the sauces. I’m not a parsley person, so the flavours didn’t really work for me. I have to say that the tuna was fresh, and seared well though. The cannellini beans reminded me of chickpeas, which also aren’t my favourite. I guess I’m just a picky eater…

Poached Pear Salad – white wine poached, arugula, goat cheese, walnuts, yellow beets, honey-dijon vinaigrette

SP and SK got the Poached Pear Salad. It was a large plate of arugula, and they felt that it was way too much. There was also parsley in it, which they weren’t too fond of.

Sablefish – roasted red pepper and potato stew

For their entree, they both got the Sablefish. I was tempted to get it too, but I wanted to try their other dishes too. I tried some of the fish, and it was delicious. Cooked perfectly and the fish was smooth. It’s definitely a small piece of fish though!

Stuffed Mushroom – a refinery classic, stuffed with our special house mixture

For myself, I decided to try the Stuffed Mushroom. I’m glad I got this since it was full of surprises! It was one large mushroom filled with their special house stuffing mixture. The top was something that I believe was similar to bread crumbs, but the inside had cashews in it! At first, I found it weird, but for some reason, when you keep eating it, it becomes highly addictive. The nutty flavour just worked so well with the rest of the mixture.On the side, there was also some pesto sauce which added some flavour to the mushroom. On the right was more salad, which was similar to the appetizer. Lots of arugula and parsley! So I didn’t really eat much of it.

Tiramisu – espresso soaked lady fingers, whipped marscapone, cocoa dust

My favourite part of the meal were the desserts! I got the Tiramisu which came with a biscotti. This was extremely delicious! They had a thick layer of whipped marscapone, and it was dusted with cocoa powder on the top. The lady fingers weren’t soaked with a lot of alcohol, or I barely even tasted it, but I didn’t mind it. Because of that, it ended up being on the sweeter side, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Flourless Chocolate Cake – chocolate ganache, raspberry compote, balsamic reduction coconut cream

The girls got the Flourless Chocolate Cake which had a raspberry compote underneath. It was full of chocolate goodness and my one bite satisfied my sudden chocolate cravings. The girls both agreed that it was way too much chocolate and therefore very sweet, but that’s how a flourless chocolate cake is supposed to be like!

When we got our bill, we were also given complementary Chili Truffles, which I forgot to snap a picture of. The truffles were not spicy at first, but once the outer cocoa powder dissolved, the spice hit! It was acutally quite spicy and the server explained that she felt that this batch was a lot spicier.

Overall, The Refinery was average. I don’t know if I would come here again, but this is soley based on their dine out menu. Service was great when our server checked up on us, but where we were seated was difficult to get her attention. It literally took us 10 minutes to get a different servers attention when we wanted a picture because our own server still didn’t notice us. I don’t think the food is bad, but it might be just a personal taste preference and the ingredients aren’t items I normally enjoy. However, I enjoyed their desserts, and the place also seems like a cool place to grab some drinks. Their bar looks really nice!