Top 10 Restaurants I Tried in 2015

December 30, 2015December 30, 2015Leave a comment

As 2015 is coming to an end, I thought it would be fun to look back at the restaurants that I’ve tried during the year to pick my top favourites. These are restaurants that I discovered in 2015 of which I personally enjoyed and now frequent or would love to revisit again in the near future. I couldn’t pick my top favourite so they are randomly ordered. I’d also like to take this chance to thank all the readers who have followed me this past year and I can’t wait to share my food adventures with you all in the new year! Happy New Year!

Sushi by Yuji
Cuisine: Japanese (Sushi)

A hidden gem I discovered this year is this tiny Japanese run sushi spot offering fresh sashimi and eye-catching nigiris. Good quality and reasonably priced.

Café Salade de Fruits
Cuisine: French

A longtime restaurant I only discovered this year is this cozy French bistro hidden inside the French Cultural Centre in the Fairview area. The mussels are plump and juicy and portions are generous.

Tacofino Taco Bar
Cuisine: Mexican

Expanding past their burrito shop earlier this year, this taco bar is my go to place for a good taco and their must-order nachos. Fun ambiance with great food and drinks in the Blood Alley of Gastown.

Chef Tony
Cuisine: Chinese (Dim Sum)

A new addition to the vast Chinese restaurants in Richmond in 2014, I only visited the restaurant this year and was very impressed. Elevating simple Chinese dishes by incorporating luxury ingredients like truffle and abalone, this spot is sure to impress your guests.

Chatime
Cuisine: Taiwanese Bubble Tea

2015 marked the addition of this Taiwanese bubble tea chain which has expanded rapidly over the Greater Vancouver. They offer quality and consistency in their drinks as well as a large variety of choices. Also one of the few bubble tea shops that allow you to customize sugar and ice levels. The must order here is the grass jelly roasted milk tea!

Hawksworth
Cuisine: Westcoast

Awarded Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in 2015, David Hawksworth carefully prepares dishes which feature the best ingredients of B.C. With a stunning ambiance and exceptional service, this upscale restaurant is perfect for special occasions when you want to splurge.

Pho 37
Cuisine: Vietnamese

This hidden gem in the Richmond Ironwood Plaza may look underwhelming on the outside but the clean, well-kept interior and friendly service always impresses me. It’s now my go to place in Richmond for pho.

Yah Yah Ya Ramen
Cuisine: Japanese (ramen)

There are very few choices for ramen in Richmond, but I discovered this Japanese run ramen shop this year. They specialize in their pork bone broth. Diners are able to customize the firmness of noodles, heaviness of broth, and amount of oil. I find myself returning here whenever I want ramen but too lazy to travel Downtown.

Temper Chocolate & Pastry
Cuisine: Desserts

Tucked away in the village of Dundarave in West Vancouver, this chocolate and pastry shop is perfect for those with a sweet tooth. Owner and chef, Steven Hodge trained under Thomas Haas, so you will find many chocolates and pastries inspired from his training there.

Ask for Luigi
Cuisine: Italian

In a tiny white house past the bustling Gastown shops towards the Railtown area, you will find line ups at this spot at all times. Be sure to get here early or expect a wait at this casual Italian family style restaurant offering delicious fresh pasta and other goodies.

Hawksworth Restaurant

December 30, 2015January 4, 20161 Comment

Hawksworth has been on my list of must-try restaurants for quite a long time now. Since opening in 2011, the restaurant has won many awards including second place for Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants. But with all those awards means an expensive meal. So when S surprised me for our anniversary and Christmas Eve dinner at Hawksworth, I was one happy girl!

The restaurant is located under the Rosewood Hotel Georgia and the ambiance is truly beautiful. Dimly lit with beautiful chandeliers and a massive wine cabinet, this place makes you feel chic. Service was extremely friendly and didn’t give you that snobby feel that many upscale restaurants can have. On Christmas Eve, this place was bumping!

Pan Roasted Scallops

We started off sharing an appetizer of the Pan Roasted Scallops which was presented beautifully. The dish came with some smoked mangalitsa lardo, which reminded me of bacon, sunchoke purée, chestnuts, and were topped with crispy celeriac. The scallops were cooked to perfection and I loved dipping it into the sunchoke purée. All the components just worked so well together.

Charred Wagyu Flank

For my main, I chose the Charred Wagyu Flank, which was accompanied with chickpea beef neck panisse, charmoula, sunchoke, and yogurt. Again, this was visually appealing and all components went well together. However, I was slightly disappointed with the Wagyu flank since it was a bit tough to chew even though it was cooked medium rare. I know that flank steak is usually chewier, but I found that mine had quite a lot of connective tissues that made it difficult to chew. Still, the meat was very flavourful and had a nice char. It paired very nicely with the charmoula sauce. An interesting component of the dish were the chickpea beef neck panisse which I absolutely loved. I later learned that panisse is fried chickpeas and this one was extremely crispy on the outside. A great alternative to your typical fries with steak.

Yarrow Meadows Duck Breast

S got the Yarrow Meadows Duck Breast, which featured leg confit croquette, pumpkin purée, gai lan, and lingonberry duck jus. I was hesitant of his choice at first since I usually find duck breast to be easily cooked to dry, but this was honestly the best duck breast I’ve had! They suggest to have it medium rare and the meat was so tender! A must order!

Dark Chocolate

For dessert, our server recommended the Dark Chocolate, which featured a mousse like cake, a peppermint sorbet, and cocoa nibs. Since S had ordered in advance on Open Table and made a note that it was our anniversary, they surprised us by adding a chocolate card which was a nice touch. This was a great dessert especially for the holidays, with the rich dark chocolate balanced by the minty sorbet.

Dinner ended with complimentary peppermint shortbread cookies and raspberry jellies. Both of which were quite good.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with Hawksworth. You can tell the chef prepares each dish with care and thought. The portions were actually larger than I had imagined, but entrees still ranged from around $40 and up. Our bill ended up around $130 before tips with no beverages for the two and I was pleasantly full. Looking forward to return to try other dishes, but it will definitely be left for a special occasion!

Pros:
– Carefully prepared dishes
– Excellent service and ambiance

Cons:
– Very pricey

Price Range: $60-80/ person

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

Food: 4.5 Service: 4.5 Ambiance: 5 Parking: 3 Overall: 4.5

Diva at the Met

March 1, 2015Leave a comment

For Valentine’s Day, S took me to Diva at the Met, which is located at the Metropolitan Hotel. On the day, they only offered the set menu and you were not able to order off the a la carte menu.

Complementary bread and butter

Dinner started off with complimentary bread and butter. There were two types of bread. One had raisins, while the other had nuts. The bread was pretty good, but I would have preferred if it was served warm.

The restaurant has an open kitchen concept with glass, so you can see the cooks prepare your food. That night, they offered a four course menu for $80 a person. There are two choices: the Diva or the Divo. The Diva is supposed to be catered for the girl, while the Divo is for the guy. However, you are open to choosing either depending on which menu you prefer more. Of course, I wanted to try everything, so I went for the Diva, while S got the Divo.

Lobster Bisque

The Divo menu starts off with the Lobster Bisque, which has a truffle cappuccino foam. The consistency is rather thick and you can definitely taste hint of the truffle cappuccino.

Octopus Carpaccio

For the Diva, it starts with the Octopus Carpaccio, which was probably my favourite of the night. The dish was beautifully presented, with lots of colours. It featured lobster, quail egg, and heirloom tomatoes. The octopus was thinly cut and cooked perfectly. It had just the right chew and the tomatoes made the dish very refreshing. The lobster was fresh and the meat was tender.

Smoked Ham Hock Terrine

Divo’s second course was the Smoked Ham Hock Terrine, which featured pickles, onion jam, and bread tuile. The terrine had a smokey flavour and the ham wasn’t too salty. Paired with the onion jam, it made a great dish. The bread tuile was thin and crispy, but there could have been more of that to complement the terrine.

Arugula & Granny Smith Apple Salad

The Diva’s second course was the Arugula & Granny Smith Apple Salad. I wasn’t too happy with this dish since I felt like I already sort of had a salad like dish for my first course. Seemed like they thought the ladies only eat salads… Anyways, this was a huge portion of arugula, and it was topped with a cider vinaigrette. It also came with blue cheese, which I’m not a fan of, so it wasn’t something I really enjoyed. However, I liked the candied walnuts, grapes, and Granny Smith apples that were paired along. The apples were slightly sour so it was really appetizing.

Grilled Angus AAA Rib Eye

The Divo’s main course was the Grilled Angus AAA Rib Eye. S ordered the steak medium rare and indeed, the inside was cooked to a beautiful pink. It was dijon herb crusted with a brandy jus. The cut was perfect and so tender. I wish I had ordered this myself. It also came with roasted honey garlic and a potato and gruyere pave as sides.

Roast Pheasant Coq au Vin

The Diva’s entree was the Roast Pheasant Coq au Vin. The pheasant was stuffed with stone fruit, and came with red rice, barley and honey carrots. The meat was actually pretty moist and the fruit stuffing gave it some sweetness. It came with a red wine sauce. Everything about the dish felt a little too healthy though. Not bad, but I probably wouldn’t order this again.

Passion Fruit Curd and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

Lastly, for dessert, both the Diva and Divo’s came on the same dish. For the Diva, it was the Passion Fruit Curd, while the Divo’s was the Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse. The passion fruit curd was filled within a genoise, or Italian sponge cake, and had layers of white chocolate mousse. It came with some berry coulis and fresh fruit. I enjoyed both the desserts. The chocolate mousse wasn’t too sweet and I liked the hint of hazelnut flavour. Tasted sort of like eating a Ferro Rocher. I also liked how it was presented so you can share the plate with your significant other.

Chocolates

Lastly, as your bill comes, they bring you a plate with chocolate truffles and a rose for the girl. Pretty sweet. Service was attentive and friendly. It didn’t feel pushy at all and the ambiance was nice but not over the top. Great place for date night.

Pros:
– All our dishes were pretty good and presented nicely
– Service was attentive and friendly

Cons:
– Wish we could’ve ordered off the a la carte menu

Price Range: $80/person for Valentine’s Day set menu

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

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

Wicked Spoon – Las Vegas (revisit)

February 19, 2015February 19, 2015Leave a comment

On Sunday morning, we decided to hit up the Wicked Spoon for some buffet at the Cosmopolitan. I ate here when they first opened and really enjoyed it, and I heard that it has kept up its standards, so it was time to do a revisit.

I heard there are always long line ups, but surprisingly, there was no line and we were seated right away. The buffet for brunch and lunch is around $38USD after tax, which is pretty reasonable for buffets in Las Vegas.

During their lunch buffet, they have a variety of items from different cuisines. Here, there is sushi.

Then they have some Thai curries and Chinese food. I love how everything comes in little pans and they even had Chinese take out boxes!

Then there’s your typical American food. Their pizzas had some pretty good toppings like smoked salmon. There’s also a variety of breakfast foods, a prime rib and other meats section, and a salad bar.

Then, there’s the dessert section. A variety of pastries. Probably one of the better buffets for dessert.

Red velvet cupcakes and cheesecakes were just some of the desserts.

So many choices for cakes!

Cakes are well presented.

My first round included a mix of food. Eggs bennedict, sausauges, bacon, mussels, bone marrow, fried chicken wings, pizza, and even takoyaki. I also liked how they had fresh juice in the salad bar. It was a strawberry kiwi juice and was very refreshing.

Second round included some smoked salmon, fresh fruits, and lamb curry.

S got some baked potatoes, gnocchi, bone marrow, kale salad, and eggs benedict.

Then came the desserts. I got the white chocolate mousse cone, white chocolate and orange mousse cake, pistachio eclair, coffee cake, and blood orange sorbet. They have a huge ice cream bar with a variety of flavours. One of my favourite parts of the buffet.

S got the chocolate dipped strawberries, cheesecake, molten lava cake and passion fruit sorbet. Their cheesecake is so good!

Overall, we were quite happy with Wicked Spoon. The price for lunch is quite reasonable, but if you’re looking for seafood, then it may not be the best for you. Great buffet if you like desserts though. They do a good job in plating everything and the ambiance is very modern.

Pros:
– Good variety of food
– Great dessert section

Cons:
– Some dishes are just average
– May have long waits during peak hours

Price Range: $40-50

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

Food: 4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Parking: N/A
Overall: 4

Mon Ami Gabi – Las Vegas

February 18, 2015February 18, 2015Leave a comment

Over the long weekend, I headed to Las Vegas for a girls’ trip. On the first night, we decided to try Mon Ami Gabi, which is located in the Paris Hotel. Right next to the Eiffel Tower.

The restaurant is famous for their patio, since you can people watch, but I had made reservations online, which was only for indoor seating. That was fine with us, since the patio seating would mean long waits. We were seated right away since we had reservations, so be sure to do so if you don’t mind indoor seating.

The restaurant is dimly lit with a bar on one side. Mon Ami Gabi specializes in classic French cuisine. Our server was very friendly and made me laugh with his enthusiasm and thick French accent.

Complimentary Bread and Carrot Salad

Dinner came with complimentary bread and a carrot salad. Bread was soft and fluffy, but the carrot salad was just average. Nothing too special.

Sangria

We decided to start the night off with a pitcher of Sangria to share. A mix of red and white wine with fruits, this was tasty and great for sharing. You get at least two glasses each for three people.

Chilled Seafood Platter

For appetizers, we decided to get the Chilled Seafood Platter to share. The great thing is that it’s one set price, and you can share it with everyone. Much better than what happens in Vancouver, where you need to order a minimum of two orders and the platter is made specifically for the number of people. Anyways, the platter came with a whole Maine lobster, jumbo shrimps with cocktail sauce, market oysters with mignonette and lemon, and salmon tartare with baguette chips. My favourite were probably the oysters and salmon tartare. The tartar was mixed with avocado and went great with the chips. The platter also came with some seaweed salad, which I enjoyed, but nothing too special. Overall, the seafood were decent, but I wouldn’t say they were extremely fresh compared to what you get in Vancouver.

Caramelized Sea Scallops

For entrees, SP got the Caramelized Sea Scallops. The scallops were cooked perfectly and were very fresh. However, we found them slightly too salty. It also came with a side of butternut squash puree and brussels sprouts, which SP loved.

Mussels Mariniere

For myself and SK, we both got the Mussels Mariniere. You can get half an order, but we got the full order for double the price. It ended up being a huge plate! The mussels were rather small, but they were still decent. It came with a white wine sauce with herbs. We both found the sauce slightly salty again. It seemed like everything in the States is just on the salty side.

Signature Hand-cut Fries

The full order of mussels also came with a side of Signature Hand-cut Fries. These were extremely thin-cut and very crispy. I loved dipping it into the white wine sauce. But again, way over salted.

Overall, Mon Ami Gabi had some pretty good dishes, but we found everything too salty. Service and ambiance was also pretty good. Prices are actually pretty reasonable for Las Vegas, but it can add up with all the drinks and appetizers.

Pros:
– Good French dishes
– Great ambiance and service

Cons:
– Dishes are on the salty side
– Seafood may not be the freshest compared to what we have in Vancouver

Price Range: $40-50

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

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 4
Parking: N/A
Overall: 4

Provence Marinaside

January 12, 2015January 12, 2015Leave a comment

For S’s birthday, I took her to Provence Marinaside in Yaletown. It’s located right by the water, but unfortunately we were seated near the back of the restaurant away from the view. The interior isn’t too modern nor fancy, but it gives you a comfy French countryside feel. Lunch started off with complementary bread. There were two types. One was your typical baguette which was more tough, while the second was something similar to a focaccia bread.

Fresh Oyster

We started off with some Fresh Oysters. The server said there were two types. One was the Kusshi, but I didn’t catch on to what she said the second one was. It was served with a pear vinegar mignonette and fresh lemon. Very fresh, but I didn’t really like the sauce it came with. I liked the sauces at Rodney’s a lot more. They also don’t have any deals for oysters, so it comes to $2.50 per oyster, which is quite pricey.

Panisse & Vegetables

S got the Panisse & Vegetables, which came to be a very interesting dish. Panisse is a dish from Provence and is pictured above as those rectangular fries. These were made with chick peas and seasoned with basil. They had a crispy exterior, but a very soft interior. Sort of like crispy potatoes. The dish also came with zucchini spaghetti, which S loved. A great alternative to your pasta full of carbs. Wilted leafy greens, fennel, red pepper and tomato coulis finished off the dish.

Linguini Vongole

For myself, I got the Linguine Vongole, which is one of my all time favourite Italian pasta dishes. This featured clams, tomatoes, garlic, white wine, espelette pepper, parsley, and olive oil. They didn’t cheap out on the amount of clams in the dish and they were all sweet and fresh. The pasta was cooked to al dente and I loved the sauce. It was perfect for dipping your bread.

Overall, we were quite satisfied with the food. I also thought the prices were quite reasonable for their lunch menu considering that it’s located in Yaletown and is supposed to be a fine dining restaurant. Dinner however is supposed to be much pricier. Ambiance felt a little casual for a fine dining restaurant and service was just mediocre as well. As for parking, there is metered parking and parkades very close to the restaurant or the skytrain.

Pros:
– Food is above average
– Lunch menu prices are quite reasonable

Cons:
– Ambiance indoors is just average
– Dinner menu prices are not of as good value

Price Range: $20-25

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

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

Seasons in the Park

January 8, 2015January 8, 2015Leave a comment

After a day in downtown, S and friends suggested we go to Seasons in the Park for dinner. Located within Queen Elizabeth Park, the restaurant had some pretty nice views overlooking the city’s skyline at night. The ambiance in the restaurant is dim and romantic, but very traditional with rustic decor. Dinner starts off with complimentary bread and butter.

Braised Veal Cheeks with Porcini Mushroom Risotto

For myself, I got the Braised Veal Cheeks with Porcini Mushroom Risotto. Two veal cheeks braised in red wine sat on top of the Arborio risotto. The veal cheeks were extremely tender and flavourful. However, I thought the risotto was just average.

Fraser Valley Chicken

S got the Fraser Valley Chicken, which was seasoned with lemon, thyme and garlic. It came with some vegetables and mashed potatoes. S said it was just average and thought it was slightly bland.

Overall, we found the food to be just average. You are really paying for the view and ambiance here. The food itself isn’t very memorable.

Pros:
– Nice city views
– Great ambiance

Cons:
– Food was average – nothing special
– Only paid self parking or valet parking.

Price Range: $30-40

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

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

Minami (Taste of Yaletown Lunch)

November 14, 20142 Comments

Of course I’m late again with my posts, but Taste of Yaletown just happened last month from October 16 to October 30. Every year, they bring together restaurants in the Yaletown area and offer set menus so we can try out restaurants we haven’t tried. To be honest, I wasn’t too impressed with the restaurants and menus offered. However, Minami’s lunch menu caught my eye since it was only $25! I’ve been to Minami before and it never disappoints. It’s normally quite pricey, so for $25, it was a great steal.

Miso Soup

First up was the Miso Soup, which was a nice surprise since it wasn’t on the menu. Quite a large bowl too and it was filled with enoki mushroom, which is a good touch to your typical tofu-only miso soup.

Minami Zen

Minami’s set menu really reminded me of Miku’s dine out menu. I’m not sure why on their menu that they say their aburi sushi is the first course, but we were presented with the second course first instead. It actually makes more sense since these are like their appetizers. The Minami Zen is presented in a beautiful wooden box with four dishes.

Aburi Bincho

Starting on the right was the Aburi Bincho, which is essentially tuna tataki. It came with a wasabi masatake sauce, which is a mixture of onions, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil. Loved the sauce and the tuna was very fresh with a slight char.

Miso Marinated Tofu Salad

Next up was the Miso Marinated Tofu Salad. Honestly, I’m not a salad girl, but both Miku and Minami’s salads never fail to impress me. Something about the sauce they use is always so appetizing! This salad had a mixture of baby greens, avocado, crispy tempeh, pickled daikon and carrot, and umami soy vinaigrette. The top had crumbled tofu, which was very interesting. If salads always tasted like this, I would be eating a lot healthier!

Saikyo Miso Baked Sablefish

Third was the Saikyo Miso Baked Sablefish. It was presented beautifully on top of a bed of coconut creamed kale and topped with a wasabi shoga relish and marinated in a yuzu-miso sauce. The fish was moist and flavourful, but the only issue I had was that it was a bit cold. I’m not sure if it was because it took me some time to work my way to the third dish or it wasn’t served right away. It would’ve tasted much better if it was still hot.

Braised Fraser Valley Pork Cheek

The last appetizer was the Braised Fraser Valley Pork Cheek. It came on top of roasted kabocha-onion puree and a sweet and sour ginger soy glaze. On top were some apple-red cabbage kraut. The pork cheek was tender and meaty, but it felt like it wasn’t braised long enough. I was expecting the meat to fall off easily, but it took some effort. Perhaps because the pork cheek is usually more chewy in texture? I really enjoyed the puree though as the onion brought some savoury flavour to the sweet squash.

Aburi Sushi – nigiri, sunset roll, salmon oshi, ebi oshi

Then came the Aburi Sushi plate. Their sushi are always presented so nicely. It came with two of their nigiri sushi, which were both alright. They are a good twist to your traditional nigiri because of the sauces they use, but I still prefer my traditional nigiri. In the middle was their famous Sunset Roll, which is filled with spicy tuna, cucumber, smoked salmon, golden tobiko, kaiware, and mustard sauce. A good texture with tons of flavours and a slight heat. Next was easily their most famous sushi. The Aburi Salmon Oshi is a box sushi topped with a sweet-soy brushed salmon and topped with their famous sauce. The salmon is charcoal flame seared and topped with a jalapeno slice to bring some heat. A must try either at Minami or Miku! Next was the Aburi Ebi Oshi, which is also one of my favourites. Again, it’s box sushi, but with lightly seared ebi. The sauce is a flavoured with ume (plum) and their special sauce along with some lime juice. Yummy!

Spiced Pumpkin Brownie Ice Cream

Last but not least, the menu finished off with dessert. Miku and Minami always have spectacular desserts. This was a dessert I haven’t tried and was perfect for the season. It was Spiced Pumpkin Brownie Ice Cream. A scoop of cinamon-nutmeg spiced pumpkin ice cream paired with a some walnut brownie pieces and a piece of cookie on the side. Refreshing and light!

Overall, we were quite satisfied with Minami’s Taste of Yaletown lunch menu. I believe dinner was $45, so lunch is really affordable since the menu isn’t too much different. Definitely worth going if you haven’t been. I still prefer Miku over Minami, but the ambiance is much more relaxed at Minami.