Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company

We had originally planned to visit The Main on Main, but after we parked the car, we realized that they weren't actually open. Are they not open for lunch anymore, does anyone know? Good thing my parents are familiar with the area and suggested that we give Rocky Mountain Flatbread a try. Here is their Soup of the Day -  a blend of Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini topped with some shaved parmesan. Although the heat of the soup was warm enough to melt the parmesan, it was unfortunately not hot enough as a soup. The soup is really creamy and reminded me of a sauce from a stew. 

We decided to order a "large" pizza from the dinner menu, because then we could order it with two different toppings. On one is is the Genoa and the other side is the Naturally Meaty. According to the menu, the Meaty has spicy beef, Italian sausage, tomatoes, green peppers, red onions, asiago. 

The top side is the Genoa and has blend of Genoa salami, mushrooms, red onions, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, Kalamata olives & fresh chopped basil. The pizza has a nice thin crust and the toppings weren't overwhelming. I was surprised that the cheese on the Naturally Meaty wasn't melted at all, I guess it was sprinkled on after baking but I missed the gooey cheesiness that comes from it being heated afterwards.
And regular readers of my blog will know, I always overorder, and this was no exception. I decided to get the Double Smoked Maple Bacon Omelette as well. There are also some mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions, Canadian cheddar & mozzarella cheese. Actually, there was a lot of cheese...see? That's some ooey goodness there. I think I could have lived without the tomatoes, because they made the omelette a bit soggy, but overall, the bacon and mushrooms really helped to make this omelette a home run! 

Take Note:

• You can order two flavours on one pizze if you order a large one
• Their straws are made of corn, and will split if you bite down on it
• Soups are very good, but could be hotter.

First Chinese Restaurant to be Ocean Wise - Chongqing

As a staunch supporter of Ocean Wise, I was delighted to be invited to attend a media event for the announcement of the first ever Chinese restaurant to become part of their program.   Arriving at the Original Chongqing Restaurant on West Broadway, we were greeted by three Buddhas, see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil! Very cute and welcoming.   Oh look what we have in-store for this afternoon! Oyster shooters? Yay - and calamari is sure to please!  Check out all the yummy looking Peony Pastry with Lotus Paste? So pretty, almost too pretty to eat. I didn't really get the ginger garnish though. Here is a shot of the Mussels in a Szechuan Boullaibasse. The spicy chilies were abundant and gave the mussels an amazing kick. If you don't like the heat, stay away, but if you like your food with a punch, this is the dish for you. So it looks like there will be a demonstration of sorts. Would the Executive Chef Robert Wong be showing us how to filet something?   Here is a beautiful piece of fish that is ocean wise and delectable. 

 

With a few deft moves of his knife, the Chef portioned out these perfect filets.    What a massive display of Oyster Shooters? These were like an army of them. Because they had sat out for a  while, coaxing them out of the glasses was a little difficult, but once you did, you were rewarded with a lemony cocktail sauce and a fresh oyster. 

But my favourite of the event was the Sablefish in a Spicy Chili Sauce. I loved the crispy skin and the buttery flesh. I ate about four of these. But the heat does catch up with you after a bit, so I had to regrettably stop. But just in time, the servers came around with some Spicy Rock Salt Calamari. Although this did have a bit of heat, they were much milder than the sablefish. The crust is nice and light, and the calamari was cooked to a nice bounciness. 
It's so easy to support a cause as worthy as Ocean Wise. Once you get accept that Shark's Fin is not the best  choice, it's easy to choose to support other options such as Sablefish and Oysters.
To learn more about Ocean Wise, please visit their site.

Things to do at the Christmas Market

Located just outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Vancouver Christmas Market is the perfect way to get yourself into the Christmas spirit. With over 45 vendors selling various German treats and sweets, this is one event that truly has something for everyone. 
To encourage repeat visits, your first paid admission grants a free re-entry pass for the whole season! Pay once and go as much as you like until December 24! From Black Forest Meats and Sausages based in North Vancouver, we have a large selection of German Bratwurst, a mini Bratwurst perfect for kids, as well as the more familiar Smokie. We decided to go for the one that looked like the "cinnamon bun-like" sausage. Once you order it, they place it on the grill to reheat but it's a shame that they don't toast the bun at the same time.

I loved the ingenious Mustard and Ketchup dispenser...they should have these at Rogers Arena! After all, it's just a C-clamp on the flat service. This was the gravity works with you, instead of those annoying pumps. Here is my Schnecken Bratwurst, loaded with onions and sauerkraut. This was enough for two people to share, after all there is so many other things to try!   For example, something from The Farm House Natural Cheeses from Agassiz? Ooeey Gooey cheesy goodness! Be sure to try the Traditional Raclette, as comforting to hold as it is to eat. We also got a lesson from Captain Randy’s Seafood From The Source, who fishes out of Haida Gwaii. In addition to the fresh wild salmon he is known for, he also brought along some mackerel for us to try.  The mackerel is on the left, and on the right, is some of the salmon being grilled on a stick. Best eaten piping hot, they have a grill on hand to reheat as needed. The mackerel actually tasted better than the salmon. Be sure to give them both a try. From the D-Original Sausage Haus based in Richmond, we have a traditional Bavarian Meatloaf, served in a bun with hot mustard. The meatloaf is made with pork, onions and spices. The mixture is ground until fine and then baked in a bread pan. I found the meatloaf to be a little "mushy" but they also have on offer some amazing Bierbeisser, a German snack salami. Try the hot one, it was super tasty with a nice chew in its texture too. There was also a giant chocolate fountain from Powers Chocolate. The fruit or other treats are dipping into a five-tier chocolate fountain and then served in a glass, topped with whipped cream. The warm chocolate coats the fruit perfectly and is a great treat for chocolate lovers.
If you are looking for something a little less messy, give these Butter Tarts from Maple Sugar Shack a try. Looking for Kettle Corn? Find it here from Canadian Kettle Korn Extreme, these are roasted so fresh and warm, it's a slightly salty sweet snack. Impressive to watch, delicious to eat!  Make it fancy by adding some chocolate, the fancy packaging makes it perfect for gift-giving too! Freshly baked waffles from Das Waffelhaus. You can have it cherries, whipped cream, maple syrup or chocolate, but if you're braver, give their savoury version a try, with sour cream and green onions. Also freshly made to order are Frech Crepes from Krepe Korner. You have a huge selection of fillings such as Canadian maple syrup, ham & cheese, tuna, beef, mushrooms, strawberry, banana & Nutella, and even German Sausage & Sauerkraut. But for a traditional German treat, try the Dark chocolate and Cherries.   Coming from the Okanagan Valley is Das Apfelhaus. We've all had candied apples before, but have you tried Brataepfel? It's stuffed baked apples, a traditional German Christmas dessert, served hot with vanilla or chocolate sauce. The spices used here are amazing and truly bring out the scents of Christmas.

Now after all that eating, if you are looking for something to take away with you, there are lots of gift ideas available at the market too. From the The Candy Hut, Berlin, Germany, there are a lot of candies available. Give the Christmas Mulled Wine a try. They also have Sage Candies, Spicy Ginger Candies and evey an Aniseed version too!

No, this isn't fresh fruit...they're soaps! These are from The Art of Soap, Vancouver - Turkey, with delectable scents and vibrant colours. Get a few and make your own fruit basket.

 

Lots to learn here too, click to enlarge the picture and learn about the history of the Christmas Stocking!

   

Here is one of the many Christmas decorations you can enjoy at the market. 

 

What could be more Christmas-y than the Nutcracker and Santa Claus? There is also a live band offering musical entertainment, this changes frequently, check the schedule. There are lineups, especially on the weekends, go early or plan to stand in line for a bit. Dress warmly because the whole fair is outdoors so staying warm means you can stay at the fair longer to enjoy everything!