Words to live by…

Love is not a feeling. It is an ability.
~Dan in Real Life
I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than attempting to satisfy them.
~John Stuart Mills
Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.
~Albert Einstein
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
~Helen Keller
Contrary to popular belief, love is not found - it is achieved.
~J.R. Morales
Pain throws your heart to the ground. Love turns the whole thing around.
~John Mayer
You never leave someone behind; you take a part of them with you and leave a part of yourself behind.
~Anonymous
The door we open and close each day decide the lives we live.
~Flora Whittemore
People that are meant to be together always find their way in the end.
~Brooke Davis
There is nothing heavier than the burden of potential.
~Cheryl Richardson
When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.
~Henny Youngman
Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.
~Alfred A. Montapert
If you see a friend without a smile; give him one of yours.
~Proverb
Being someone's first Love may be great, but to be their last is beyond perfect!
~ Rob Kardashian
All kids are gifted; some just open their packages earlier than others.
~Michael Carr
If you can make a girl laugh - you can make her do anything.
~Marilyn Monroe
Good things come to those who wait? I think good things come to those who want something so bad they can't sit still.
~Ashton Kutcher
The world is divided into two classes, those who believe the incredible, and those who do the improbable.
~Oscar Wilde
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
~William Arthur Ward
Very few burdens are heavy if everyone lifts.
~Sy Wise
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.
~DalaiLama
To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.
~Eleanor Roosevelt
It is better to make people happy where you go, than when you go.
~Unknown
Friends are like bum cheeks: sh*t happens between them, but they always stick together!
~Unknown
Regardless the odds, still not ready to give up. You have to always fight for what you believe in.
~April 17 FB comment
My Likes: AYCE , dill pickle chips, Oberto jerky, and shiny heavy bracelets. My Dislikes: Hawaiian pizza and cottage cheese. Just saying.
~me
Memories are memories to be cherished. but as you live your life, and if the moments are worthy, you make new memories everyday.
~Jenny Yu 
My first real foodie post Post: Clubhouse Sushi Review. What do you eat before going to GM Place to watch the first Canucks Playoff game? http://ow.ly/1zFzV

Charming my Sister

While my sister was visiting from Hong Kong, we went to one of my favourite Thai restaurants down in Yaletown. It has a really cool vibe and a really nice patio. They have a lot of lunch specials, which we were dying to try! 

Each of their lunch specials comes with a bowl of Tom Yum soup, and a pair of deep fried shrimp wontons. The soup isn't just brothy...there are noticeable chunks of chicken and mushrooms too. A nice tang cuts the spicy-ness nicely! The wontons are fried to a crisp, and then tossed very lightly with a sweet and sour sauce. Really good and meaty! 

My entree was the first to arrive...it's called the Spicy Larb Gai Lettuce Wrap...minced chicken mixed in a refreshing mixture of Thai herbs and spices, combined with fish sauce and chillies. The dressing suited the minced chicken very well. And I love any food that I can play with...

My mom got her usual Pad Thai...with chicken. I think she's been her about five times, and I really think she has ordered the same thing everytime! It's a safe choice for her...perfectly done noodles with chicken tossed in a mildly spicy and sweet pad thai sauce. The fresh bean sprouts and grated carrot gives the dish a nice crunchy texture to contrast the noodles. 

My sister got the Red Curry with beef, which came with a healthy serving of rice as well as some steamed greens. A nice balanced lunch...veggies, carbs and protein. There was so much curry that...way more than we could finish for lunch. Got some of that to-go, but we polished off the veggies and rice though!

B's dish was the last to arrive, but it was well worth the wait...Thai Papparadelle. It's my hands-down favourite from here, right next to the Duck Sticks (amazing duck confit spring rolls)! The noodles were al dente, with some beef (some even with bones, my favourite), and sweet red peppers. The sauce is a little spicy, not killer hot, but just enough to make you pause after taking a big bite. Pick apart the basil that sits atop the dish, toss it in, and you've got yourself pasta done right...Thai Style.  

Spam Musubi - heaven!

I know I've regaled you all about my search for Spam in Maui...but that was only at McDonald's. We had heard that wthere was Spam-goodness to be found elsewhere in Lahainia...and we were on the hunt. Thanks to the Honua Kai Concierge once again...

We went to the local Foodland there and were delighted (nah, more like THRILLED) to find a cooked food section loaded with Spam Musubi...In the same way we have whole roasted chickens at Safeway...these babies were just packed and ready to go!

We grabbed one each...just to see if we'd like it (as if there was any doubt)! It's a nice weight...enough for a pre-dinner snack, which is exactly what we needed.

After grabbing an iced tea from the Starbucks next door, we grabbed a seat on the patio and got down to business. As you can see from the drink and cigarettes, this spam musubi isn't tiny.You can get it with a pack of soy sauce too, but really, what could be better than the unadulturated taste of spam?

It took supreme control to take this picture after taking one bite. The spam is placed on top of a bit of white rice, layered with some sort of teriyaki sauce, and all neatly wrapped up in a slice of seaweed. Sounds simple...tastes AMAZING!

It's shocking that this decadent goodness is only $1.69! I'd pick this over a hamburger anyday!

In fact, we were such big fans of this that we picked up five more on the way to the airport on our last day in Maui. We planned that we'd eat one (or two) on the plane and we would still have one left for eating in Vancouver...

This picture was taken at LAX, during our stopover on the way home...Starbucks and Spam...it just works.

YUMMY!

Brunch at Cane & Taro

Another brunch place we visited while in Maui was called Cane and Taro. One couple went the day before and raved about it so a few of us decided to try it out. They are again part of a chain, like Duke's is, but they belong to the DK group... 

The restaurant is located in Whalers Village...lots of shopping and home to several of the bigger hotel chains. Ladies...there is a gigantic LV store near this location...but the selection was still a little disappointing. There are lots of other shops here as well (Quiksilver, Tommy Bahamas, Billabong, ABC, Crocs, Swarovski and even Haagen Daas), perfect to stroll through after a big lunch.

Another example of weird sauces...just like at Joyeaux Cafe, Tobasco, ketchup and mustard are all expected for brunch, as are the salt and pepper. But the soy sauce? Wow...and there was a hot sauce there called cholula hot sauce, which is a hot sauce made in Mexico.

Since we already had the Loco Moco once at CJ's we though we would try it here again, to see if there were differences in the way it's made. And boy, are we glad we did. Instead of the potatoes that CJ's serves, the gigantic patty sits atop a plate of white rice, and is topped with two sunnyside up eggs, and then piled high with crispy onion shoestrings, and yes...all bathed in yummy onion gravy. Very decadent and filling.

After having tried the Saimin at McD's, I wanted to try it here too. The noodles are served with both kamaboko (fish cake) and shoyu-braised (soy) pork. One thing I liked about this saimin over the McD's one is that the egg is poached, and not scrambled and cut into strips. The broth is then ladled over it all, and topped with a generous sprinkling of nori and green onions. 

They had another version of the Loco Moco here...a "healthier" version made with fish. It still sits on top of rice, with two eggs of your choice. Instead of the onion gravy though, it comes with something more akin to hollandaise sauce...so healthy factor goes out the window!

But by far, the MOST non-healthy option is their French Toast. It really belongs in the dessert section of the menu. It is made with Hawaiian sweet bread, stuffed with fresh-fruit cream cheese, and then rolled in a coating of macadamia-nut crust. The whole thing is then deep fried, and served with a gigantic blob of whipped coconut cream. There is also a small bowl of berry compote in case it's just not sweet enough! I don't know how anyone is expected to finish this...

Pho and stuff at West Lake

Early one Sunday morning, after accompanying my friend's son to his swimming lesson...we decided to head out for lunch early. Since we were having a bbq later in the day, it seemed like a good idea to eat early. We actually tried to head to the liquor store prior to lunch, but they weren't open yet. I've been too LATE for the liquor store before, but never too early! 

I ordered a side of Curry Fish balls to start...I think there were six in a serving...but there's only five here...I know. I have a sneaky suspicion that I hadn't fully woken up yet to take the photo right away. They were nothing compared to the ones you get at Night Market...but on a Sunday morning...it'll do.  

My friend ordered a combination plate with came with a Vietneamese spring roll and and some Lemon Grass pork chop, and a small bowl of Pho...all for $10.50. The spring roll was nice and crunchy, and not nearly as oily as you would think. The pork chop was a little weird...it was sliced, which is unusual, because they usually serve pork chops whole. But the really odd thing was that the pork chop looked like it was cut by scissors, not by a knife. Good thing it didn't affect the flavour though! 

The pho had the usual slices of beef, tendon and brisket, and for my friend's kid, some meatballs...everyone was happy. 

I got the Spicy Noodle Soup with Pork Hock and Beef Flank...nice comfort food. I love pork hock and only get it at Vietnamese places. I know the broth looks insanely spicy because it's all red, but really, it's misleading. I think I actually had to add more hot sauce to the soup.
Twas a good meal and certainly worth waking up for! 

Spam at McDonald's

Having missed out on Spam at our first visit to McD's in Maui, we returned a second time after consulting with the Honua Kai's concierge. We went again one morning and met with success beyond our wildest dreams! 

Before spoiling the Spam surprise, I thought it fitting to show you another item on their menu that is unavailable here in Vancouver. It's called Saimin...and is about $3-4. As you can see, it's McD's take on instant noodles! 

It is a mix of the noodle soups that you would find in a Chinese noodle house, but the other ingredients have a decidedly Japanese take. There are a few slices of seaweed (commonly found in miso soups), then some sliced up scrambled egg, as well as some very pink and rosy bbq pork (again found in many Chinese shops), but the fish cake with pink pattern is again very Japanese (found in various Nabeyaki Udons around town). So as such, you would expect the broth to be a little miso/ramen like, right? But no! It's pure wonton noodle soup!

Next on the menu is their Traditional Breakfast...served in a container much like the Big Breakfasts back home. Now in OUR "Big Breakfast", you would expect to find a English muffin, some scrambled eggs and a sausage patty. Sometimes you could add pancakes to the mix too.

Well, not here my friend! In Maui, you get two patties of white rice (is it me or does it look like they are shaped to resemble two pancakes?), two slices of fried ham, and several slices of something called Portugese sausage. And the last item is the only hint that this is McD's breakfast..look at those eggs...you'd recognize them anywhere, right?
The rice was a little dry on its own like that, but the saltiness of the spam more than compliments it! The Portugese sausage is really good also, much more meatier than the sausage patty we'd get back home. There was more texture too...not mushy like the patties we sometimes get here.
This is a tradition I could get used to. Having been back for a few months now, I've had breakfast here at McD's and I can say, it truly pales in comparison to the McD's in Maui.

Pho at Joyeaux Cafe

You can tell a lot about a restaurant by some simple signs...are there lineups, are the tables clean, do the staff look you in the eye, etc. But for me, the kicker at Joyeaux Cafe (yes, the owner knows it is spelled wrong, but she believes it has brought her good luck and fortune, so there are no plans to spell-check) was their assortment of condiments. 

Because they have an English breakfast clientele, the squeezy ketchup bottle is needed for those who like their eggs topped with ketchup, or those that like to have fries with their grilled cheese. But at lunch time, most of the orders are Vietnamese based, and for that, you need the squeezy bottle of hot sauce (similar to Sriracha) and HoiSin sauce...a commonly used sweet and thick Asian condiment. 

I usually get their Special Soup, which is what you see above. It's about $8, so a little pricey for pho, but what do you expect...they are paying downtown Vancouver rent. The broth is amazing...hot and flavourful when it arrives, though I do doctor it with tons of chili sauce after the first few spoonfuls. The assortment of meat and meatballs that you get is plenty too. Their noodles are made to order, so there is a bit of a wait sometimes, but the reward is a bowl of noodles that are never overcooked or stuck together.
I'll definitely be returning to sample their other Vietnamese dishes, such as they Dry Noodles, as well as their Spicy Beef and Pork thick vermicelli...stay tuned for further updates as I sample more of their dishes. Tell me your favourites too and I'll put them on my To-Eat list. Maybe someday, I'll een try their Breakfast Specials...

Last meal in Maui at Duke's

Well, the trip had to come to an end, so we decided to have our last meal in Maui with all our friends, all of us who stayed at Honua Kai. There is a Duke's on the premises, near the outdoor pools and with a gorgeous view of the beach. It was a no brainer to have our meal there.

It's apparently one of many in a chain call TS Restaurants. As you can see by the napkin...they believe in supporting their other locations. Almost reminds me of the way Glowbal Group is here in Vancouver.

The first dish to arrive was the elusive "mixed plate" that we kept hearing about during our trip. It's supposed to be something the locals eat, and is a combination plate, similar to what you would find in food courts here in Vancouver, when you approach a "chinese" place.
Actually, what we got was a skewer of Huli Huli chicken, as well as a Mango BBQ'ed Rib. All served with a small amount of veggies (what you see there is what we got), a few spoonfuls of rice, and the thing that makes it unique (and worthy of the mixed plate nomiker) is the macaroni salad! A nice lunch plate for only $13. 

I wasn't that hungry so I ordered their calamari, which are strips of calamri crusted with panko breadcrumbs. The two accompany sauces were supposed to be a Meyer lemon remoulade and a guava cocktail sauce. But to me, it tasted more like tartar sauce and seafood cocktail sauce. Not bad...just not super fancy as the name would suggest. 

Another person ordered the Beachside Grilled Tacos, which is your choice of Mahi Mahi or USDA Prime Steak in flour tortillas (which were soft, not grilled), accompanied with tortilla chips and salsa, along with some pickled veggies. As most of us were Mahi-Mahied out, the steak was ordered instead. The steak was cooked really well, as you can see by the redness still present in the photo above.

Someone else ordered the Ho Daddy Fish and Chips...and this was a little disappointing. Not because it was yet another Mahi Mahi dish, but because it looked so "Highliner'! The batter looked thick, but is supposed to be made with their Kona Brewing Lager...And do you notice what's missing? Yes, tartar sauce...yet they remembered the ketchup for the chunky fries...strange.

As is the theme with the trip...ever meal seems to have some element of Macnut in it. This was no exception...someone ordered the Banana & Macnut pancakes. I can't comment...I don't like bananas and I was sick of Macnuts at htis point. But ooh, syrup.

The piece of pie you see there is no illusion. If it reminds you of the Mudd Pies from your days at Red Robin's during highschool...you're not alone. Described on the menu as Kimo’S Original Hula Pie®, this is what the sailors swam to shore for in Lahaina...made with an Oreo cookie crust, macadamia nut ice cream, hot fudge & whipped cream, it's quite the sugar shock for $7.
One secret, if you have a meal there, check you receipt. 9 times out of 10, your receipt is good for a free slice upon your next visit. There were three of those receipts at our table...so you're only at one-third of our dessert during lunch!
Any dessert that has their own plate (you can make out Hula Pie on the edge of the plate above) is going to be good...decadent and sinfully rich. This one was no exception!

Dim Sum at Starlight Kirin

My sister's family is visiting from HK and against her objections, we managed to convince her to try one of our favourite dim sum places, the Kirin at Starlight. Their dim sum here has always been a little bit more special than your run of the mill places. I fell in love with them after trying their fish and green onion rice noodle rolls. You'll see why later...

We started off with the Goon Tong Gau, also known as the Dumpling in Soup. It's usually a soft dumpling filled with a bit of meat and veggies, steamed and served in its own broth. There were even some shark's fin shreds inside, certainly a rarity at most dim sum places. 

The next thing to come were the Deep Fried Chicken Knees. Once you get over the fact that it's knees, you'll learn to appreciate it. Afterall, it's deep fried! The coating is light, with a hint of salt and pepper. I think it would pair really well with beer, not that I'm a beer drinker myself. Oh, and the portion size? Shockingly huge! It actually seemed endless... 

For a little bit of carby goodness, we got the miniature Sticky Rice in Wrapped in Lotus Leaf. It was pretty average...in terms of portion, filling and taste. With a bit of minced meat, chinese sausage and a salted egg yolk, it was exactly what you would expect.

Then came the rice noodle roll. Filled with fish paste and green onion, the rolls was really different from the usual Shrimp, Beef or BBQ Pork filled rice noodle rolls. Not only because it tasted delicious and was innovative, the presentation was stunning. Arriving on a long plate, it seems custom made for the roll. Delicious!



We also got the Turnip Cake, usually pan-fried at most dim sum places, Kirin serves theirs steamed. Good thing too, because my niece likes hers steamed. When it came though, we were all in for a surprise...it was steamed and individually portioned! Too cute and very tea-party! I loved it.

One last dish before dessert...a pot of Cow Offal...not the most appealing name for a dish of beef organs...but then again, they are beef organs. There was stomach, pancreas, spleen, and other unmentionables, as well as some turnips. It's a lot when there are only two people having dimsum, but since there were eight of us, it was easier to polish off.

Dessert was something else that's rarely served...Black Sesame Rolls. It's uncommon because it's pretty labour intensive, according to my mom, who doesn't cook at all. It's made by grinding black sesame into a powder, then making into a paste, and then cooling it before rolling it into logs.
The eight of us ate more than this...we also got the tradional Har Gow (shrimp dumpling) as well as a vegetarial Bean Curd roll. Due to distractions and howling stomachs...no photos were taken. However, you should try the Bean Curd Roll...it's deep fried, enough said.