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Is there one thing that you think you can eat for the rest of your life and you'd never get bored? Well, this post is that for me. I rarely venture into Richmond, but on a cool wintry day, I did! I went to Lansdowne Mall to revisit #9 Restaurant. I used to go lots before because they are open 24 hours a day. And after those random late night karaoke sessions, some Chinese comfort food was just what the doctor ordered.
I love BBQ Duck. I love rice noodles. I love rice noodles in soup. But I don't like my BBQ Duck in soup. So when I order my BBQ Duck Rice Noodles in Soup, I always ask for the BBQ Duck to be served on the side. So when my food comes, the rice noodles come in a bowl of hot broth, topped with seasonal veggies. Yes, they force you to eat veggies here. It's a healthy serving, but I polish it off everytime.
On this afternoon, instead of just getting BBQ Duck, I got my noodles with a combo of BBQ Duck as well as Roast Pork. And just so you know...Roast Pork ≠ BBQ Pork! Roast Pork is a pork belly roasted with the skin ON until you get crackling. BBQ Pork, aka Cha Siu, is a pork tenderloin barbecued until it's juicy.
Here is my complete lunch...noodles with a plate of two meats on the side. The skin on the duck is shiny, crispy and sinfully rich. The crackling on the roast pork is totally bad for you, but honestly, I believe in moderation. Don't eat this every week, and you'll enjoy it for what it is. Be sure to ask for the plum sauce to dunk the duck on, and some hoisin sauce to dip the roasted pork skin in. And once you try this, you'll realize why the meats and noodles have to be separated...who wants soggy crackling, right?
I've been to Pink Elephant Thai several time before, but this was the first time we went when we weren't in the mood for Pad Thai. So instead , we tried out their newly launched Alberni Platter, where you can mix and match appetizers: 3 for $22 or 4 for $28. We weren't hungry, but we were curious, so here are the 4 appies that we tried.
One of my favourites at Pink is their Floating Market. It's a plate of deep-fried spinach topped with Tiger Prawns. The sauce on the side is a spicy apple sauce, and it's good. I'd ask for extra spicy if you like heat. And it's got spinach in it, so Popeye would be proud.
The next appy we ordered is their Peeg Gai Yaad Sai (Boneless stuffed chicken wings). I love how they debone the chicken wing, yet the veggie and glass noodles are stuffed inside, yet retain the shape of a chicken wing. These babies are deep fried and served with a sweet and sour sauce as well as a cucumber & onion mixture. Yes, you can double dip!
We also tried their Ostrich Satay, which I have had before. I found these just a bit dry, but the peanut sauce helped. Ostrich is quite lean, so that might have contributed to the dryness factor. To avoid, get the chicken satays instead.
For those of you that visited Charm in Yaletown, you'll be pleased to know that their yummy Fish Cakes are served here as well. These little patties of fish are juicy and have the bounciness that great fish cakes should have. They also have Shrimp Cakes too...that's next on my "to-eat" list!
Nestled amongst a bunch of Asian restaurants along Frasier is Fray. I headed down on a Sunday night to see what the fuss was all about. The menu was all over the place, I couldn't quite decide what to get, so it was a good thing that there were a group of us. Lots of Tongue-in-Cheek names (Sex Pistols, F-bombs, you get the picture) for their offerings, and that annoys me. Let's see if the food can overcome.
Here is the Portobello Fries...and yes, they call it that on their menu. I liked the architectural presentation, but I liked the taste even better. Lightly battered sliced of portobello...these were shocking good. Wonder how many other restaurants are going to imitate this!
We had a kid with us that night, and his meal came while we were eating the Portobello Fries. This is their Macaroni & Cheese for kids. I regret to say that I didn't try this, but as least it's not the neon orange KD that I was expecting.
Our next appy was their Rosemary Fries. I like the curl and crunch but the rosemary was lost on me. They charge $4.95 for these but reminded me of the ones that The Keg gives out for free with drinks at their Thurlow location. The rosemary sort of got lost on me.
This is a shot of the TaunTaun Burger (yes, another punny name), and it was good. Pemberton beef with pulled pork, bacon cheese and all on a purple yam bun...served with some salad to make it all better. It was a good burger but gosh, I wish more people would toast their buns!
My mom got the Spinach and Blue Cheese Salad...and um....yeah, that's exactly what we got here. The veggies were fresh, and I would have to say...plentiful...if you like that sort of thing.
We also got the Porchetta Sandwich with bacon and horseradish mayo, on top of a "rustica bun". To be honest, the bun was the same as the purple yam bun. That aside, it was a healthy serving of roast pork, and oh, yes, bacon! But the crackling was missed!
This was my dinner, the Fat Bastard Pork Belly (yes, punny). Unfortunately, the bastard they harvested this belly from was anorexic. I wanted more...more pork, more skin, and more taste! What I was served was decent, the skin wasn't crispy enough, but my biggest complaint was the portion. There was more porchetta in the sandwich than what I got. Perhaps they were running out, I don't know...but the caramelized apples are supposed to be an accompaniment, but were it not for them (and I hate warm fruit in a savoury dish - no Hawaiian Pizza ever), I would have been hungry. As it was, I was loading up on Portobello Fries and coleslaw!
I think this place deserves a revisit, but not for a few months. The servers are fairly new, ours certainly was. I believe she had to "check with the kitchen" three times during our order. I would rather go to a place where the staff have eaten everything and have informed opinions about everything on the menu.
Rosie's on Robson has been around for a long time, and here's why: Just steps away from Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Rogers Arena and the newly re-opened BC Place Stadium, this place is great for pre/post- event dining!
We were definitely in the mood for pub fare and nothing scream bar food like Potato Skins! How can you not like potatoes topped with gooey cheese and bacon bits!? I can't resist these, I don't indulge often, but when I do, this is a go-to dish for me. And really, what better way to add some sour cream into your diet, right? The ones at Rosie's are good...not too loaded as to be soggy, but cheesy enough to satisfy. I would have like them under the broiler just a tad longer, but that's all good. The thing that I found weird was that the green onions were obviously sprinkled on after. I question that, because I think heating them up brings out their flavour just a bit more, no?
The other item we shared was their burger...complete with bacon, cheese and onion rings. They also give you the usual...lettuce, tomato and red onion. I'm not a fan on raw onions, white or red, but I realize how some people do, so I understand why they are there.
Although I never eat the burger with the onion rings stacked inside, I do like having them as a side. One thing I would have liked though is a slightly toasted bun. I think this one might have gotten some heat on them, but just not enough.
Oh, and if you're having a pub night, fried are kind of mandatory, right? These ones needed salt but their done-ness was perfect. Crispy on the outside, and just cooked enough on the inside. No complaints here!
It's been a few months since my visit to Kimura for omakase, and knowing their menu changes frequently, I decided a revisit was in the making. A friend from YYC had heard great things about it all the way from cow-town, so I figured, why not?
Very weird eating a salad with chopsticks! The fish were a nice touch, but the parmesan was weird. I wasn't quite sure what to put all these flavours together. I found the dressing a little too oily, and a bit undersalted. But onward after eating the obligatory greens.
This is the cold plate and I regret I didn't write down everything on this platter. There was jellyfish, taro, Japanese squash, fish liver, and oysters. Some of the other things I didn't like and I ended up taking a small bite of everything just to "try". This differs from my past experience, where I inhaled absolutely everything!
Fresh oysters on the shell with a mignonette sauce...these were fresh and tasty! I liked that they weren't big like Fanny Bay oysters...these were like Kusshi...unfortunately, our server never told us what they were. Notice how two are dressed and one isn't? I'm sure it's because the undressed one is different, but I would have liked to know what was what, and why chef did that. Ah well, must sit at the sushi bar next time!
Salmon Carpaccio was amazing. Slices of salmon topped with vinegar for tang and a bit of sesame oil for flavour and richness. (not a smidgeon of wasabi in sight!). Eat this quick because the tangy vinaigrette could easily overcook the fish if you wait too long. This was a portion for one...so yes, very generous.
Then we got the yakitori dish. On the top was the Nasumaki, which is eggplant wrapped in chicken. I've never had eggplant this way, but it works! We also got some chicken bites as well as some pork. These were all good, and to be honest, I was craving cooked food after the salad, salmon and oysters! I think I would have like a bit more char on the skewers, but with the ventilation in the restaurant, it's probably best they didn't!
The next dish that came was a complete surprise...Ox Tail Braised with some really sad looking grilled potatoes and broccoli. The ox tail was huge, and very tender but the flavour profile was very mild. It could have used some more salt, spice or maybe some smokiness. I love ox tail and enjoyed this dish despite the slight blandness of the dish.
Another hot dish! Yay - perfect for winter! A hot bowl of Tofu Soup (not miso-based) with pork meatballs, yam noodles and shitake mushrooms. The broth was slightly oily and again, mild in flavour, but the pork meatballs were really good. I think the addition of a few more noodles would have benefitted the soup.
To finish off the dinner, we were presented with four pieces of nigiri...Ebi, Eel, Tuna and Salmon. Finally, wasabi arrives. I found it weird that the sushi came after the ox tail and the soup...but nevermind that. The sushi was good, and it was presented much nicer than the last time I had this. The knife cuts were more refined, and as with before, the rice to fish ratio was perfect.
To sum up, if you want to revisit Kimura fora repeat of your previous experience, you will be disappointed. However, if you approach each visit with a brand new outlook, you will be pleasantly delighted. So yes, I will revisit, without any expectation that I will enjoy the best dish of my last meal. That was my problem this time; I was hoping for a repeat performance of the highlights from my last meal, and that served to cloud the whole experience. Learn from me!
One weekend this part winter, I went to Dinesty for the very first time. I was really looking forward to having some Sticky Rice Roll (Salty, of course), but they were sold out. So let that be a lesson to you...go early!
This is one of my favourite go-to dishes at Shanghainese dim sum places. It's simply Marinated Beef wrapped in a fried pancake. Yeah, meat rolled up in a pancake...it's like a fajita, but what gives it the Asian touch is the addition of green onions with hoisin sauce to make the beef and pancake lighter than you would expect.
We also got their Noodles topped with Home-made Meat Sauce. I don't think there was enough of the meat sauce, but that might just be a personal preference. I do like the shredded cucumber and egg on top...adds great texture to the noodles buried underneath. While I liked this dish, I found the addition of the cool cucumber and the room temperature egg hastened the cooling of this noodle bowl, and I like my food hot!
These are the Xiao Long Baos, filled with just the right amount of soup, and served piping hot. I like the slight chewiness of the skin, which were thin enough to balance the meatiness inside. I think these are one of the best in Vancouver, well, Richmond. There were four of us and we ordered two of these. Yes, they are that good.
Stewed pork in brown sauce...with a bit of Bok Choy. The brown sauce isn't spice, but rather a thick gooey sauce that slightly sweet and does a great job of permeating throughout the pork. Shred this up a bit and add a bit of the vegetable. Then, grab the steamed buns that accompany it and make yourself a sweet chinese sandwich!
These buns are so good...at a glance, these reminded me of madeleines! Soft and doughy, these are great for absorbing the sauce from the pork. Their sponginess is what I really cherish. You might find the pork a little bit fatty (I did) but the buns make up for it. Trust me.
Have you tried Kingyo? I was invited by VANEATS.ca to try their latest package...$19 for amazing 5 courses! I was smitten when I watched the video, showcasing all the yummy dishes I was going to sample!
The first dish we tried was their Sashimi Salad...loaded with salmon, scallop and amaebi. With organic greens and a light soy vinaigrette, this was a great palate cleanser to start the meal. The salmon portions were generous and the scallop was moist and sweet. The amaebi was head on...just the way I like it!
We also added a Cha-Su Rice Paper Roll, it's like a Vietnamese Salad Roll, but loaded with diced pork and veggies. If you are looking to add something to your tasting, I'd suggest this because it's like nothing on the courses you will get. The pork is very juicy, and the rolls are stuffed to the gills!
Next is the Chicken and Cod Spring Roll. Delicate chicken breast and cod rolled into a tight little cone, and then all deep-fried. Very nice crunch on the skin, and sliced chicken and cod were good and aplenty! The mayo soy dipping sauce is good too, adding some tanginess to the dish.
This is part one of the Mushroom and Tofu in a hot stone bowl. The deep fried tofu is topped with bonito flakes and okra. And yes, the bowl is insanely hot.
And here is the second part of the dish, a bowl of mushroom broth. To complete the dish, you pour this saucy goodness into the stone bowl...and wait for the sizzle!
And here is the completed dish. So great on a cold wintry day. Hot mushroom sauce ladled over fried tofu pieces. And the stone bowl ensures everything stays hot while you slowly enjoy the mushroomy goodness.
Our last dish was the negitoro roll, a generous portion of 6 pieces. The toro really stands out and the green onion is pared back to let the fish flavour shine. I loved the sprinkle of tobiko on the plate, as well as the seaweed paste, eliminating the need for soy sauce. Another pretty adornment is the tealight candle housed in a turnip case. Definitely a first for me!
See the yummy crispy lotus root chip? Yes, that garnish is present in almost all their dishes. So healthy and just a nice light crunch.
And to round off the meal...a tiny Almond Tofu. Very smooth and creamy, this dish was a nice light dessert. Unlike the dishes at some Asian restaurants, the almond flavour of this is very true to form, and not the chemically almond "paste" some places use as a substitute.
The bill comes with two frozen grapes, just like at another Izakaya. Not sure why, but this was nice pleasant touch. It's always nice to get something for free when you get the bill, right?
For $19, you get everything I tried here, with the exception of the Rice Paper Roll. This is more than enough food for one person, and for $19, it's a heck of a deal!
Mahony & Sons has been opened for a few months now, and I finally got to try them for dinner last week! It's an Irish pub with a huge variety of other cuisines. Would you believe they have Thai Chicken Curry and Italian Thin Crust Pizzas too?
The day we visited was an insanely cold day, so we all started off with their French Onion Soup. It's a hot tasty concoction of Guinness (it IS an Irish pub after all!) & onion broth. There is also chunks of gammon bacon (made from the hindlegs/rump) in there, add extra depth and richness to the soup. And to top it all off, there is a crusty bread dunked into the soup and then smothered with cheese and broiled. This was really good and perfect way to start the meal and warm the tummy!
Here is a shot of the Mahony Platter. It's loaded with tons of the usual bar favourites and also some things that are not your average Appy Platter. Sauces are Honey Mustard, Tzatziki and something that seemed more like sour cream than anything else. Feel free to mix and match!
The Calamari is lightly breaded, and served with Tzataki and a sprinkle of red onion. The pieces are nice and small, a perfect bite-size portion. The calamari was cooked just enough, with a crispy breading and a nice chewy centre.
Next up were the ribs and wings. Now this is more like the appy platter you'd find at other sports bars. The wings were nice a spicy, with a cayenne rub. They were juicy and slightly wet with just a hint of stickiness. These were big meaty wings and drummettes, and really finger-licking good. The ribs were flavoured with a dry spice rub and cooked to a meaty crispness. A great meat-to-bone ratio here.
One unexpected favourite were the Fresh Cooked Potato Chips. I didn't really know what to expect, I think I was expecting potato wedges or chunky potatoes. But what came to the table was actually thinly sliced potatoes, deep fried to a crisp, but with a soft and tender inside. These were just lightly salted but that's all the flavouring it needed. I could definitely eat all of these, and more! 
Also on the platter is the Focaccia Parmesan Bread...sliced into triangles, and richly flavoured with the parmesan, this was chewy and yummy! The Chicken Tenders were breaded with Panko, making it very light. I really liked these with the Honey Mustard Sauce.
We also tried the Mahi Mahi Tacos...loaded with fish and greens, this actually seemed healthier than anything else we tried. This is a great way to eat light, and if you're looking to share something as an appy? One of these for two people would be great.
We also tried two items off their Fall Menu...the first to arrive was the Truffle Mushroom Poutine. Ladled with gravy and cheese curds, this was an extraordinary poutine. I'm used to the usual cheese curd and "brown" sauce, but I have to admit, the addition of Truffles and Mushroom really elevates the dish. But be warned, this is definitely a main course meal, and not a simple side dish.
The other Fall Menu item I tried is their Paddy's Turkey Dip. This is Thanksgiving Dinner in a bun! There's stuffing, cranberry sauce with actual chunks of cranberries, all topped with slices of turkey (dark and white meat!) Oh, and you need to have that side of gravy for dipping! The bread really makes the dish, a nice yeasty and chewy bread quite similar to a baguette. You need a substantial bread to hold all this goodness in, and this one is up for the job!
One dish we were given to try was their Seared Jumbo Prawns. There are two versions of this available, one is a Thai curry sauce, but the one we tried was topped with a Moroccan style seasoning. You really do taste the cumin and turmeric spices in this dish, and they are heavier than in Middle Eastern cuisine, but that's the way it should be.
They have a Mahony Sundae Sampler...we started off with the Strawberry Cheesecake Sundae, made with vanilla gelato and topped with yummy strawberries! This was refreshing and very good
Another sundae we tried is the Chocolate Sundae, with the same vanilla gelato, but this time, topped with a Frangelico chocolate sauce, more strawberries , nuts and even some caramel for good measure.
The last sundae I tried was the Coconut Mango Gelato Sundae. I'm not a fan of coconut but I'm a huge fan of mango...and in gelato form? Oh yes, you bet I'm trying this. The sundae is topped with pineapple and some pecans. Nice and light, this ended up being my favourite dessert of the night!
Here is a shot of all three sundaes together and yes, those are our leftovers behind them. We totally over ordered, as usual. Funny thing? We polished off the desserts though! So next time you're in the Coal Harbour area and looking for a casual bite, give Mahony and Sons a try. They have a large menu and with a wide variety of items suitable for groups!
