Happy Hour at Fanny Bay

We went to Fanny Bay a few weeks ago for their Happy Hour. When I went to check out their website for this post, I was delighted to learn that for December 1- 31, they will have Happy Hour from Noon to 6pm daily! 

We started off with their signature Fanny Bay Shooter ($7), featuring whisky and caesar mix topped with a fresh oyster. This was a delicious and the jury is still out on whether you slurp the oyster first or drink the shot first and have the oyster as a chaser. Which way would you go? 

Of course we had to get their Happy Hour Oysters ($1.50/ea). Served with a classic mignonette and plenty of horseradish and lemon wedges. Fresh and cleanly shucked, this was well executed. And yes, someone ate one before the pic was taken...they didn't short change us. 😉

Our next bite was their Seafood Tacos ($12/trio). I can't remember what type of fish we had that day, I think it was snapper? The corn salsa, pickled onions and chipotle aioli complemented the lightly battered fish nicely. 

Next up? The Sablefish Collars ($14 at Happy Hour, $17 regular). There are a few dots of wasabi mayo as well as some cilantro and chili sauce too. It's hard to see but there is also a drizzle of soy reduction. This was surprisingly good, lightly coated and deep fried to a golden crispiness! If you haven't tried this dish (also available in some Japanese restaurants), you should! 

So we were pretty full by now, but we were really craving a few more oysters. We decided to finish off our happy hour wine with six Kusshis, our favourite.

With an extended Happy Hour, this month is a perfect time to visit!

Fun Drinks and Bites at Tacofino

A few weeks ago, after having a few drinks and bites at La Fabrique St George (post on that to come), the boy and I wandered around the area and found Tacofino. I have been to their Hastings location before (see post here) but this location was new for me. They were surprisingly not busy and we got a seat immediately. This was just a snack but so delicious that we will definitely be back for more. 

For the drinks, I chose the Habenero Mango ($11.50). I love it when my drinks have a hint of spice so this concoction made with cazadores blanco, aperol, mango puree, fresh lime, habanero bitters with freshly muddled cilantro was perfect. 

The other drink on the left is their Classic Lime Margarita ($11.50)with cazadores blanco, cointreau, fresh lime and agave. Oh, and if you're like me, ask them to make it spicy! 

So as mentioned, we had already eaten a bit earlier, we just got their Grilled Chicken Tacos ($8). The chicken had a soy marinade and then topped with a bit of tamarind mayo slaw then smothered with an edamame chimichurri. Bursting with flavour, this really hit the spot! I was surprised by how much chicken there was so it was really satisfying. Can't wait to go back for more! 

Homemade Hunter Chicken

As we may be facing another lockdown, I thought I would share another easy homemade dinner. 

My version of Cactus Club's Hunter Chicken. 

The key component of this dish is the Mushroom Sauté.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 lb. mixed fresh mushrooms (I use 6 oz. shiitakes,  8 oz. cremini and 2 oz. white mushrooms).

Clean them with a damp paper towels, washed, trimmed, and sliced 1/4 inch thick, to yield 5-1/2 to 6 cups

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 Tbs. heavy cream, broth, or lemon juice (optional)

Additional chopped herbs, such as thyme, sage, and/or chives (optional) 

Directions:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter foams.
2. Add all the mushrooms and minced garlic and stir.
3. The mushrooms will quickly absorb the oil and butter. 
4. Sprinkle with the salt and gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms start to release their moisture and begin to shrink, 2 to 3 minutes. 
5. Turn the heat to medium high so that you hear a steady sizzle; stir gently. 
6. After 5 minutes or so, when the mushrooms start to brown, give just an occasional stir with the spoon (about once a minute) and allow the mushrooms to brown evenly, maybe for another 3 minutes. 
7. Turn off the heat and toss the mushrooms with the parsley and pepper to taste, adding more salt if needed. 
8. Stir in some cream just to wet the mushrooms again.
9. Add other herbs if you like.

For the other parts of the dish, simply pan fry the chicken breast on a non-stick pan for a few minutes, and then place into a 350 degree oven to finish cooking.

Cactus Club serves this with mashed potatoes and some steamed asparagus as well. I suggest elevating your mashed potatoes by adding a few tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese and some green onions.

Let me know if you try this or if you have suggestions on how to make this better!

TGIF at Miku

On a sunny day in October, we decided to head downtown for lunch at Miku. It's been a while since I've been there and was definitely overdue for another visit. We had originally requested a table outside but the weather had taken a turn for the worse and they accommodated us with a table inside. 

Nothing starts a lunch better than a few cocktails. I'm a huge fan of old-fashioneds or negronis, so this Golden Hour Manhattan ($21) made with 
saffron infused toki Japanese whisky, bénédictine, odd society bittersweet vermouth and grapefruit bitters was a perfect option. 

The boy opted for the Cucumber Gimlet ($17) made with beefeater gin, fresh cucumber juice and lime. It was a nice elevation to the usual Gin & Soda and something I can try to make at home. Both drinks were strong and packed a punch. 

We decided to share the Lunch Shokai ($41) which starts off with their miso soup. The miso broth is topped with a touch of enoki mushrooms and wakame. Warm start to lunch!

The lunch special also comes with two starters. One was the beef shank and the other option was a fish fritter. Since we were avoiding beef, they graciously offered to swap that out with their sablefish appetizer instead. 

This Fish Fritter with their homemade tartar sauce reminded both of us of a Filet'o'Fish. This is not a complaint, as we are both fans of the McD's favourite. The fish was tender and juicy with an airy batter. The sauce was creamy and tart and actually made a great dressing for the greens. 

This Sablefish was amazing. Just a hint of crunch on the skin and super buttery texture. It was mildly flavoured with a touch of smokiness. 

Now onto the star of the show...their assorted traditional and Aburi oshi, rolls, and nigiri, 10 pieces in all. Salmon, ebi, tuna, toro and more. Everything was good and we actually managed to share most of the nigiri. My chopstick cutting skills are pretty impressive. Every bite was tasty and I didn't even miss the wasabi.

Now I'm not usually a dessert person but you can add this petit Green Tea Opera (+$7) bite to complete your lunch set. Although I was going to pass on this, when I saw plate after plate of this arrive]ing at nearby tables, I knew we had to get it. As per their website, this is is green tea génoise, matcha butter cream, dark chocolate ganache, azuki bean cream, hazelnut wafer and matcha ice cream. As the description would indicate...this was creamy. It was a great way to end a wonderful lunch.

On a side note, our waitress was amazing...she had lots of stories about the A-listers that swing through Miku on the regular.  

Happy Hour at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar

Oh how I long for patio weather...back in August, when we were gently lifting the quarantine, we ventured out to Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar. Grateful for the good weather, we managed to easily socially distance on the patio. 

I've always been a fan of Spicy Margaritas ($8) (first discovered at Tacofino) but they didn't have this on the menu. Fortunately, the bartender improvised with fresno chilies since they didn't have jalepeno peppers. This was good and makes me want to make my own chili-infused tequila. Doesn't seem hard, right? We can totally do this!

Well, it IS an oyster bar...so we must have Oysters ($2/ea). These were creamy and sweet. I do like my oysters on the small side, one-bite wonders. How do you eat your oysters? I drain any residual juice from the shell, then give it a squirt of lemon juice and just a bit of the mignonette and a touch of horseradish. I used to add Tobasco sauce all the time but lately, I find that it overwhelms the delicate flavours of the oyster so have been leaving it out. 

These Chicken Wings ($12) were one of the first things I've ever had here and I just had to get them again. The umami comes from the nuoc cham or fish sauce caramel. And no, it's not fishy. It's nice and crunchy with some heat coming from a bit of sambal chili paste.  The sweetness of the coating is mitigated by the pickled veg. Get two orders because it's hard to split three wings amongst two people...

Although not always on the menu, this Lobster Mac and Cheese is worth trying if available as a daily special. I love the gratin topping, it gives the dish a nice crunchy texture which contrasts the creaminess of the mac and cheese. 

There's plenty of lobster here and it's a dish best shared because it can get a bit heavy if you try to eat the whole thing yourself. The flavours were a bit mild and the dish could have probably used a touch more cheese. Nonetheless, it's a good appetizer and a bit more satisfying than just oysters and wings. 

They have $2 oysters during happy hour and 20% off bottles of wine as well. 

Homemade Aglio e Olio with Prawns

Once in while, you might see some recipes here when I actually cook at home. I don't create recipes, I simply adapt ones that I find on other blogs, websites and from my cookbook collection.  

Aglio e Olio with Prawns - By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen  

Serves: 2  

Ingredients 

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil  

3 cloves garlic, minced  

1/2 teaspoon salt  

1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes  

1 pound large prawns (16-20 ct/lb), peeled and deveined  

6-8 ounces pasta  

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley  

2 tablespoon shredded parmesan

Directions 

1. Make pasta, drain and reserved a cup of pasta water. (I'm going to assume you know how to do this, don't prove me wrong.) 
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over low heat; cook garlic, salt and hot pepper flakes, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until garlic is light golden but do not let it get brown. 
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add prawns to skillet; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly pink and opaque. Sprinkle in parsley and toss.
4. Add drained pasta to skillet, along with a cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss until water is almost absorbed and dish onto bowls.
5. Sprinkle with parmesan shreds and serve. 

The very top photo is my second attempt. This one here is my first attempt and the prawns didn't get as good a colour as I wanted but the taste was there. Since I made a small portion to test, I made another batch a few days later for the top photo. The second time, I let the prawns fry a bit longer before I added the pasta the second time. And I didn't have parsley either time so just subbed with green onions for colour and freshness. 

What I like about this dish is that you can use any pasta you want, long or short. The sauce is light, not creamy or tomato-y with just a touch of heat. And of course, if you want to substitute the prawns with another protein (chicken would be great) or remove it altogether, you can do that too!

Let me know if you give it a try and your thoughts! 

Anchovies and so much more at Autostrada

When COVID-19 restrictions started lifting in late August, Autostrada was one of the first places I ventured out to try. They have two locations; Main and West Pender, both are taking reservations to observe social distancing guidelines. It was my first time at the Main St. location and I wanted to try everything!

We started off with a few antipasti. The first one to arrive was the Anchovy on Focaccia ($12) with a few slices of pickled veg and a scattering of fresh herbs. I have always felt that anchovies are underrated as a food, but they really elevated this dish here. Meaty, salty and plentiful, the anchovies sit atop a bed of warm and crunchy focaccia, making for very satisfying starter.

If prosciutto is on the menu, chances are I will order it and this time was no different. This appetizer arrived with Cuor di Burrata ($32). Super creamy and buttery in texture, the cheese is served with just a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. There are some fresh herbs and nuts (I think they were hazelnuts?) but burrata stole the show.

Be sure to get some extra Focaccia ($7) to truly enjoy this. 

Trust me, you'll need this for the next dish!

Our final appetizer was the Polpette al Sugo ($15) made from a blend of ground beef and pork with a pomodoro sauce and some pecorino shavings. The meatballs are juicy and savory, with a nice tanginess from the sauce and a hint of saltiness from the cheese. That focaccia comes in handy here too!  

Now, I can't go to an Italian restaurant without sampling some of their pastas and they have quite a large variety here. I went for the Tagliatelle Bolognese ($23), for some traditional comfort food. The sauce tasted like it was cooked for days and had a creaminess I don't usually find in bolognese sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly and had a nice al dente texture. The parm shavings completed the dish. Sometimes, I ask for a bit of chili flakes but I didn't see the need for it here.  

The second pasta we shared was their Ripiena ($24) which was their daily stuffed pasta. I'm not usually a fan of stuffed pastas (like ravioli or tortellini) but when the server described it, we couldn't resist it. The special was cappelletti stuffed with halibut in a spot prawn broth. It was fresh, light, seasonal and fantastic. I find that in most restaurants, if the chef makes an effort to create daily specials, it's usually worth a try. 

And yes, we actually got dessert too! As with prosciutto, if there is a lemon/lime dessert on the menu, we're getting it. This Pizzelle Limone ($7) is so pretty and delicious that it needs three photos to do it justice. The snowflake pattern is so pretty and the dusting of icing sugar made it look heavenly. Psst, I found some of these cookies at London Drugs or you can buy a pizzelle maker at Bed, Bath and Beyond for ~$60. 

Sandwiched between the three cookies are swirls of lemon crema. Light and flavourful, this was a good way to end this meal. But wait, there's more! 

Hidden in the middle was a generous serving of blueberry filling. This was a nice surprise! All in all, I'd say this was a great meal and I'll definitely be back to try our more pastas. 

They have a risotto with braised short rib that I need to try and also the garganelli with lamb ragu. Oh, and they have tiramisu too! And if you are dining alone, be sure to grab a seat at their cozy bar. 

Pizza and Gelato at Gusto

Earlier this month, I met a friend in Olympic Village for a quick snack in the afternoon. I haven't explored much of the area in recent months, but am forcing myself to head down there more frequently. When my friend suggested Gusto - A Taste of Italy when I said that I was craving gelato, I was eager to give this a try.

I hadn't eaten lunch yet so decided to try out one of their pizzas, before moving on to dessert. They pride themselves on serving up Authentic Italian Scrocchiarella. It's almost the opposite of a thin crust artisanal-type pizza. The crispy Roman-style pizza has a great crust with a decent amount of chew. Scrocchiarella is as specific type of flour and crust is reminiscent of focaccia. 

I wanted something light, so opted for the Prosciutto e Rucola ($10.99). They serve it warmed up and the rectangular-shaped is one classic trait of Roman-style pizza. It was really good, the crust was doughy and chewy, perfect for me as I love pizza crust. I will eat yours if you let me! And the toppings (prosciutto, arugula, signature sauce and parmigiana) were plentiful and very fresh. I thought it was good value for the price. I only ate half and took the rest to-go. I had to save room for the real reason I was there, gelato!

Now, time for some Gelato Artigianale! Their chefs are from Italy and the machines are flown in from Italy as well. I chose to enjoy mine in a cone. There are so many flavours to choose from and you're allowed to try three before making your choice. The Pistachio one was highly recommended, but I am not really a fan of the nut. There was also a Caramelized Fig one with figs flown in from Sicily. 

Finally, I decided on the Cioccolato Fondente ($5.95), described as Dark and Dangerous on the website. It's a blend of black cocoa, 85% chocolate and 72% chocolate. I was in heaven and did not want the treat to end.

There are quite a few things I'll probably come back and try. They have a wide variety of Antipasti, such as Bruschetta, Salads as well as a Cheese Board. In addition to gelato, they also have other treats for your sweet tooth, such as biscotti, cannoli, flakey croissants (plain or filled with butter cream or Nutella). There are tarts, mousse cakes and so much more. They have a selection of both cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. 

Oh, and they have Happy Hour 3-6pm Monday - Friday.

Brunch at Jam Cafe

Partially due to time constraints, this blog was essentially abandoned in 2015. Now with COVID-19, I find myself occasionally eating out with lots of time to write again. 

Welcome back! Finally, I have the time to write and you have the time to read. 

The (re)new(ed) blog will not be just all restaurant reviews, though there will be some. I have been cooking at home during this crazy time and a recipe or two might come through as well.  So grab a coffee or drink (coffee, beer or cocktail) and have a read. 

I've been to Jam Cafe on Beatty a few times but never gave their Kits location a try. Last week, taking advantage of the nice weather, we decided to have a late lunch there and then take a walk along Kits beach. Bonus: all day parking on Kits beach is only $7.10 during October 1 - March 31. (City of Vancouver Link) 

My friend had The Old Town Breakfast ($15) with your basic two eggs your way, choice of sourdough or multigrain toast, choice of bacon, sausage, ham or avocado (if you must). But seriously, it's all about the hash browns here. Medium poached eggs with some chives, bacon and multigrain toast was the selection of the day. Oh, and of course, strawberry jam, you're at Jam Cafe afterall...

I decided to go with the Blackstone Benny ($17 for mine, $14 for a half-size), with the sugar cured bacon. I found the bacon to be very tasty and it was quite plentiful as well. I usually get the hollandaise on the side, but forgot to mention it this time. The addition of the roasted tomatoes added an unexpected juiciness to the English muffin. The eggs had a bit of parmesan shavings as well as the hollandaise. And of course, the delicious hash browns. 

This was way too much food for me and I asked for the take out box as soon as the plate arrived. Pro tip: the box is a bit shallow so make sure you move the egg off the English muffin so it won't get squished. 

I've heard that there are long waits on the weekend and I don't think the food is worth the wait. However, we went at 2:15pm (they close at 3pm) and were seated quickly, even with the social distancing guidelines.

Smoked Salmon - 6 ways...

So in the hopes of eating healthy and to avoid the dreaded Quarantine Fifteen, I went to Costco to buy all things healthy. I came back stocked with loads of veggies and one treat, smoked salmon. Well, I came home with a lot more than that (magazines, pretzels, granola bars, etc.). I used to get out of Costco under $50 but this time, it was $200+. It's true what they say, do not shop on an empty stomach...

So I had 500g of smoked salmon and I was determined to come up with a few ways to have it over the next few days. 

On Day One, I did a very simple breakfast of smoked salmon with quail eggs and a sprinkle of capers. I had some mini-croissants which suited the whole miniature theme. I don't normally eat a lot for breakfast anyways, and this two little bites made me feel like a giant, a Brobdingnagian from Gulliver's Travels. I suppose one could mistake this for a full sized croissant and chicken egg at a glance, right? 

Okay, no more mini-croissants for Day Two so I paired with some Wisecrackers (from Costco) for a light lunch. They are pretty mild, flavoured with olive oil and sea salt. The crunch was really good against the soft salmon and egg. I added some La Vache Qui Rit because I didn't have any cream cheese at home, so that was a handy substitute.

On Day Three, I decided to have the smoked salmon as just a snack. Using the same crackers as yesterday, I added some cucumber and cherry tomatoes but it was a pretty bland. Maybe I should have used more dill and maybe a squirt of lemon juice too. Oh well, next time. 

So by Day Four, I was a little sick of crackers and opted for a healthy pasta salad instead. I used a chickpea, brown rice and quinoa-based fusilli but it was disappointingly crumbly. Maybe I overcooked it? I tossed it with a lemon vinaigrette found it really refreshing. I would do this again but with another type of pasta or maybe quinoa? 

Day Five was my favourite so far. Maybe because I was comparing it to Day Four...but I did finally get cream cheese and more dill. The colours were so bright and fresh, the pop of the quail egg yolk made it even better. Yes, this was definitely my favourite. It was a perfect bite, a bit of crunch from the cracker and the cucumber, and the smooth cream cheese and the buttery salmon. Yum! 

And now we're at Day Six, and the last of the smoked salmon here. There's not quite enough for a meal, so I added two poached shrimp to round it out a bit. Originally, the plan was to make a hot pasta dish, something creamy and decadent with rotini or linguine, but the heatwave we have going on right now here in Vancouver made me catatonic at the thought of turning on the stove. So Thai Noodle Salad it was! It's a huge pile of veggies, romaine, yellow and red peppers, cucumber as well as bean sprouts over a bed of vermicelli. For a bit pf protein, I topped it with loosely shredded smoked salmon and a few prawns. The dressing is made up of fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, a bit of sugar and some bird's eye chilies and cilantro. Refreshing, spicy and more filling than you'd expect! I mixed the dressing with the vermicelli first so it has a chance to soak it up first, then top with the salad and drizzle more dressing.

So now that my Smoked Salmon theme is done, I am going to have to find another ingredient to do five or six ways. Maybe canned tuna? Chickpeas? Quinoa? Or maybe I'll move on to baking...but only small batches because it's too hot out, and oh,  my big oven is broken...

Spot Prawns are Back!

Here is one where there is a homemade version of Steamed Spot Prawns. These were bought at T&T, and works out to 40 for $46. If you don't mind doing the work yourself, this is the best deal ever! 

The process is simple, boil water with a steamer basket. Throw the prawns in, and steam for four minutes. What come out is pure heaven. 20 Spot Prawns cooked to perfection. Choose your dipping sauce, be is a simply Soy Sauce with some chillies, or a bit of Red Vinegar, or a much more elaborate version of Soy, Sesame, Satay and Chillies with thinly diced Green Onion. Whatever you choose, these prawns will stand up to it.  

Despite what you might think, man (and woman) cannot live on Spot Prawns alone. So what is a good accompaniment? How about some Roasted Pork and BBQ Duck. Um, YES! The salty meats are a great foil to the sweetness of the spot prawns.   
As I said earlier, there were 40 of these, so we steamed up the rest and here is enough for another full serving. I probably won't reheat this, because I don't want to overcook them. I might take the heads off and oven-bake them but for the bodies, I will likely eat at room temperature. This is when that elaborate sauce would be called for. If you like spot prawns like I do, head to T&T before these babies are gone!