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

Cafe Salade de Fruits

September 7, 2015September 5, 20151 Comment

I’ve always wanted to try Cafe Salade de Fruits, but I thought that it would be a bit of a walk from work. We decided to head over there anyways, and surprisingly, it was only a 10 minute walk, so it’s not too bad. This is such a hidden gem, since the restaurant name isn’t really obvious and there aren’t too many restaurants in this area. It’s tucked away in the French Cultural Center.

They have interior seating, but since it was a sunny day, we sat outside in their patio.

The spot is as French as it gets. All the employees have a thick French accent and many of their diners also speak French. This is the spot to go to if you want casual French bistro food.

Lunch starts off with complimentary bread and butter. The bread was extremely soft and fluffy.

Sandwich of the Day: Steak Sandwich with Fries

All the guys went for the Sandwich of the Day, which was a Steak Sandwich for $10. This came with your choice of green salad or fries. They all went for the fries. They were warned that they do not serve ketchup with fries, but rather mayonnaise only. That’s the way the French do it! Some of them wished that there was ketchup, but they had to make do with the mayo. The portions are huge! You get a good amount of steak and it was cooked to tender. Most of them couldn’t clear their plate of fries!

Moules et Frites (Regular)

Although I wanted to try the Steak Sandwich too, I had heard great things about their Moules et Frites. So, I spent a bit more for lunch to try this dish out and I couldn’t be anymore happier. I got the regular size for $16 and it was a huge pot! The mussels were one of the most fresh and plump mussels I’ve had. There were no empty shells. You can choose between some broths, and I went for the classic white wine and shallots. All the guys tried some and said they were delicious! It also came with a huge order of fries again. These were skinny and crispy. I ended up dipping them into my broth. I wished there was more bread to do so as well.

Overall, we were extremely pleased with Cafe Salade de Fruits. I think these are some of the best mussels I’ve had in Vancouver! They also offer a variety of soups, sandwiches, and quiches. A must try!

Pros:
– Mussels are fresh and plump
– Portions are huge and price is reasonable

Cons:
– Not much parking in the area

Price Range: $10-20

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

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

Belgard Kitchen

September 4, 2015September 4, 2015Leave a comment

Belgard Kitchen has been on my list for a long time and thanks to K’s gift card, I finally got to go try it! Belgard is located in a very random area east of Gastown, and past Ask For Luigi near the Railtown area. It’s mostly industrial area there, but those who know about Belgard Kitchen will make their way here.

The building is actually called the Settlement Building and houses Belgard Kitchen, Postmark Brewing, and the Vancouver Urban Winery. High ceilings and super cool area for the Postmark Brewing. You can also purchase beer in bottles here.

The interior is rustic and hip.

Be ready to wait for a seat though… We arrived on a Saturday at around 2 pm and wanted to make it before brunch ended at 3pm. Even though it was really late already, the place was packed and we still had to wait for around 15 minutes. We were still able to get the brunch menu though! A very late brunch for us!

They change up what’s on tap and they usually have food features.

Tasting Paddle

I started brunch off with a Tasting Paddle. You can choose the beers you want or have the waitress choose for you. I told her to choose some lighter beers for me. If I remember correctly, from left to right is the Lager, Pilsner, Strawberry Blonde, and West Coast Pale Ale. My favourite was the Strawberry Blonde since it had a hint of fruitiness to it. The West Coast Pale Ale was too bitter for my liking. For $8, this is a great way to try different beers.

Raspberry Lemon Zest Hefe

S got the beer on tap which was the Raspberry Lemon Zest Hefe. I actually really enjoyed this one since it was light and fruity.

Steak and Eggs

For food, S got the Steak and Eggs, which featured Argentinian spice rubbed flank, chimichurri, and poached eggs. It normally comes with Parmesan cream, but he asked for it without. I thought the portion looked a bit small, but it’s still quite acceptable.

S said the steak itself was a bit chewy though and wished that there was a bit more seasoning to it.

Brunch Spuds and side of Grilled Sausage

The Steak and Eggs also come a side of Brunch Spuds. These are basically roasted potatoes. Not bad, but could be more seasoned. We also added an additional side of Grilled Sausages to share. These came in a glass jar and the sausages are cut in half. It basically equals one sausage but is quite pricey for $5. Flavourwise, we thought it was just average. I personally thought it was rather dry.

Belgard Meatball Brunch Skillet

For myself, I got the Belgard Meatball Brunch Skillet, which features fresh mozza, San Marzano tomato sauce, poached eggs, smoky onion and Parmesan cream, and a side of brunch spuds. I loved the meatballs! The Parmesan cream sauce mixed with the tomato sauce was delicious. At first, I thought four meatballs and 2 poached eggs would not be enough, but the heavy cream made the dish very filling. I loved how the poached eggs were cooked just until the yolks spilled out.

Overall, I was quite pleased with the food and drinks at Belgard Kitchen for brunch. Definitely the place to go if you want drinks. Prices can be a bit pricey and there is often a wait. Cool hip ambiance though and service was decent.

Pros:
– Large variety of beers and wine
– Decent eats

Cons:
– Some items can be a bit pricey
– Usually a wait to get a seat

Price Range: $20-30

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

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

Bistro 101 @ Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

September 3, 2015September 4, 2015Leave a comment

For our squad lunch a few weeks back, we visited Bistro 101 at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts on Granville Island. During lunch hours, the 3 course set menu is $25 and you can view this online before you go. They change it up every month, so unfortunately, I don’t have the exact names of the dishes. The culinary students who train here get to work in a real life setting in a restaurant. All the food is cooked by the students and even the servers are students. It’s a pretty neat concept!

The interior of the restaurant is actually quite nice (I forgot to get a picture), but it’s actually pretty much fine dining. The students learn to correctly place the cutlery and how to pour water and wine in the glasses. The view from our table was the catering kitchen, so we got to see some chefs prep for their cooking.

Complimentary Artisan Bread

We were served two batches of complimentary artisan bread. Each piece of bread was a bit different. My favourite was the cheese balls since they were fluffy and full of cheese flavour. We also enjoyed the flatbread type cracker which had a variety of seeds and grains. Crispy!

Amuse Bouche – Raw Beet Juice Shooters

Shortly after, we were served a platter of Amuse Bouche, which we were not expecting. They were Raw Beet Juice Shooters topped with a slice of strawberry. (No alcohol in it by the way!) I was hesitant at first since I’m not a fan of beets, but it tasted surprisingly good and refreshing!

Goat Cheese Salad

StevieD got the Goat Cheese Salad, which he thought was a bit odd. There was a lot of goat cheese, but also some fruits. He said the cheese was too strong for his liking and he thought the fruits didn’t go too well with the dish.

Lamb Meatballs

The rest of us got the Lamb Meatballs. The meatballs were wrapped with eggplant slices and topped with cheese. A marinara sauce was placed under for dipping. These were actually pretty good and the lamb wasn’t too gamy.

Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin

Everyone at the table except for me got the Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin for their entree. We found the piece of beef to be rather small, but it’s probably because of how expensive beef is now. The ones who asked for medium rare had their beef cooked more to a medium. I guess we can’t complain too much since the students are still in training. Beef was still very tender and flavourful.

Pan Seared Halibut

Since I wanted to try something different from everyone else, I got the Pan Seared Halibut. This came in a light miso broth with an abundance of vegetables. The skin was crispy and the fish was cooked to moist. Very delicious!

Tiramisu

For dessert, some of us got the Tiramisu, which had a strong coffee flavour. The mascapone cheese was smooth and the cake was moist.

10 Layer Chocolate Cake

For myself, I got the 10 Layer Chocolate Cake. It came with a scoop of mango sorbet. The cake layers of mousse and was rather dense, but I really enjoyed it. If you love chocolate, this is perfect. The sweet and sour flavour from the mango also complemented the chocolate flavour very well.

Overall, we were quite pleased with Bistro 101. The portions are a bit smaller than what I remember in the past, but you still get pleasantly full for $25. Our server was a bit shy, but you could tell he was probably just really nervous. Overall, I think it’s pretty good for a restaurant run by students. Worth to give it a try and the price is quite reasonable for a 3 course menu.

Pros:
– Reasonable price for 3 course menu
– Ambiance is pretty nice

Cons:
– Service is a little slow because student run
– Food consistency can be a little off sometimes

Price Range: $25

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

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

Le Tigre

September 1, 2015August 30, 2015Leave a comment

Looking for a new lunch spot near work is always a challenge, so on a sunny Friday afternoon, E and I decided to head down on Granville Street to check out the food trucks. Le Tigre roams around the city and on Fridays during lunch hours, they are on Granville and 10th. We spotted Chef Clement Chan, who appeared on Top Chef Canada, and along with his staff, they were decked out in their hello kitty frames.

The menu at Le Tigre is limited but features contemporary Chinese street food with a west coast influence. All items are under $10, so a good price for lunch.

Angry Kitty Cat Squares

E and I decided to share a couple of items and bring it back to work to eat. We started off with the Angry Kitty Cat Squares which are the bomb! A must order! These are crispy fried rice squares, seasoned with kimchi, chilies, basil, spicy mayo and nori. When the sign said these are spicy, I didn’t believe it, but these are definitely hot! I also loved how these squares were filled with rice – a creative take on kimchi fried rice.

Steam Pulled Pork Bun

Next was the Steam Pulled Pork Bun, which featured a steamed bun filled with pulled pork, cabbage slaw, cilantro, basil, and a sweet chili bean sauce. I thought this wasn’t as special as some of their other items, but the pulled pork was extremely tender and flavourful. The bun was also soft and fluffy.

That “Fricken” Chicken

Lastly, we got That “Fricken” Chicken, which is fried chicken marinated in a special Le Tigre sauce, and seasoned with chili, garlic and shallots. It also comes with a 7 spice mayo. The chicken was moist but the skin wasn’t as crispy as I’d like it. I have a feeling it might be because of our walk back with the box closed, so the crispiness couldn’t be contained. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the sweet and savoury flavours of the chicken.

Overall, we were pleased with what Le Tigre had to offer. Funky asian food is what I’d like to call it. I will be going back to try some of their other items! The team has also opened up Torafuku, which is on my list of restaurants to try!

Pros:
– Great flavours and creative dishes
– Reasonable prices for lunch

Cons:
– Food cart means no where to sit to enjoy the food! (especially around the Granville area)

Price Range: $5-10

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

Food: 4 Service: 3 Ambiance: N/A Parking: 3 Overall: 3.5

Nuba (Gastown)

August 31, 2015August 29, 2015Leave a comment

A trip to Bao Down ended up being a trip to Nuba. Since it was rather busy at Bao Down, N and I decided try Nuba. It’s been on my list of restaurants to try for some time now, but for one reason or another, I never made it here. Nuba offers Lebanese food, which I’m not very familiar with, so I was excited for this lunch.

The interior is pretty nice and hip. Their lunch plates are around $10-15, but will fill you up quite well. Dinner is a bit more pricey, so lunch is a good option to give it a try. The plates are beautifully presented and colourful!

Chicken Tawook Plate

I had the Chicken Tawook Plate, which featured grilled Mount Lehman chicken breast marinated in paprika, thyme, lemon, garlic confit and drizzled with tahini. All the lunch plates are also served with hummus, salad, pickled cabbage, olives, pita and your choice of organic brown rice or roasted potatoes. I had asked for roasted potatoes, but for some reason my plate came with half brown rice and half roasted potatoes…The chicken was moist and and tender. The seasoning wasn’t overwhelming, but rather simple. The pickled cabbage was very sour but was a good way to open up your appetite. The roasted potatoes were also delicious with a nice char on them. I quite enjoyed the hummus as it was drizzled with olive oil and I also asked for hot sauce on top which is optional. It was very smooth and paired well with the pita.

Lamb Kafta

N got the Lamb Kafta, which featured grilled grain-fed halal lamb patty, seasoned with onions, parsley, and spices. I had a piece of this and it wasn’t too gamy in flavour. Very moist again. N quite enjoyed her dish.

Pita

This is the Pita that comes with your lunch plates. This was for the two of us and was the perfect amount for us to finish our hummus. Thinly rolled pita is rather bland by itself, but great paired with the hummus.

Overall, we were extremely pleased with the food at Nuba. The plates look small at first especially since you don’t seem to get a lot of meat (and I love meat), but I ended up being beyond full. Great place to feel healthy and they also have many vegan friendly dishes.

Pros:
– Vegan-friendly dishes
– Great assortment of nutritious items on your plate

Cons:
– Can be a bit pricey

Price Range: $15-25

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

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

Bob Likes Thai Food

August 29, 2015August 29, 2015Leave a comment

Located just on the corner of Broadway and Granville, Bob Likes Thai Food is a small joint that offers authentic Thai cuisine. It’s a colourful shop with quirky decor for ambiance. A couple of my coworkers and I came here for lunch since they have lunch specials for $10.

Pad Thai

All their lunch specials come with a side of green salad and wonton chip. E got the Pad Thai which featured fried rice noodles, prawns, tofu, peanuts, egg, and bean sprouts. She really enjoyed this and many of our coworkers said it’s probably the best around our area for pad thai.

Panang Beef

For myself, I got the Panang Beef and I asked for the curry to be mild. You get a bowl of coconut milk based red curry with beef, basil and bell peppers and a scoop of rice on the side. This was very flavourful and you could definitely taste the basil and coconut. Tons of sauce to smother over your rice. The beef was also very tender. Even though you ask for mild, you still get a bit of a kick which I liked. The wonton chips were literally just fried dough and was topped with some sweet chili sauce. I sort of wished there was some filling inside of it. Salad was dressed with a light sweet vinaigrette.

Overall, our table was quite pleased with the food. At $10 a plate during lunch, it’s quite reasonable for restaurants around our area. The food is served up quick so that’s a plus since office people are usually in a hurry. Portions are decent. I finished the dish easily, so for a hungry person, this might be a bit small. Service was efficient and friendly.

Pros:
– Reasonable lunch prices
– Decent eats

Cons:
– Portions are on the smaller side

Price Range: $10-15

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

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

Every Day is a Food Day

Tag: Vancouver

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar

The Roof at Black+Blue (Happy Hour)

Cafe Salade de Fruits

Belgard Kitchen

Bistro 101 @ Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

Le Tigre

Nuba (Gastown)

Bob Likes Thai Food