I always love a good bowl of Pho but my mom is a die-hard Pad Thai fan, so on a day when I was meeting her for lunch, I suggested Chad Thai (so she could have her fix and so we could stay rather close to home as well). Though Thai cuisine is not really known for noodle soups, I have been exposed to versions of them at Pink Elephant Thai near my work.As with most Thai lunch specials, our meal came with a daily appy (deep fried wonton and a simple broth). The soup was as bland as it looked. You can't really go wrong with deep fried foods, and it's the same here, crunchy exterior with a bit of meat in the middle. Sometimes, I feel restaurants would do themselves a favour and not serve anything "free" if they are going to be so lackluster. Afterall, this was the first thing I tried from their establishment, and I was completely unimpressed. Why start someone's lunch off that way? Fortunately, the next few dishes managed to redeem them in my eyes. This Tom Yum Noodle Soup (the reason for my visit) was delicious with just enough spice (though I did ask for extra spice). A huge bowl of hot and spicy soup loaded with vegetables (mushrooms, onions, green onions), and then topped with some chicken and flavoured with Thai spices such as coriander, lemongrass, red onions, kaffir limes leaves and galangal. The rice noodles had a great chew to it and there was a lot of it! My only wish, if the broth was just a bit hotter (temperature wise, not heat).Both my parents wanted Pad Thai and they proclaimed it to be excellent. I gave it a try and it was okay. The noodles again had a good texture and the bean sprouts and lime provided crunch and brightness (respectively) but I felt that the sauce was a bit bland, and almost a touch too sweet. It's good, certainly not great. To round out our lunch, we also got an order of their Chicken Wings, and this was much better than I expected. Not Phnom Penh good, mind you, but the wings were crispy and crunchy with a nice light breading. The meat inside was still very moist (so definitely not refried or day-old). The coating was well flavoured as well. The sauce was average, your usual sweet and sour sauce, and I didn't even bother using them. In fact, I asked for some extra lime to squirt onto the wings and the flavour brightened up nicely. I wouldn't say it's a destination restaurant but if you are in the neighbourhood and craving Thai, then it's worth a shot.
Last week, I was invited to taste the new Spring menu at The Blackbird, created by Chef Alvin Pillay, Research & Development of the Donnelly Group as well as new cocktails made by Trevor Kallies, the group's Bar & Beverage Director. The Blackbird is an interesting space, with barber shop, scotch tasting bar, pub and an oyster bar. Located on two floors in the Financial District, it's open daily at 11am, perfect for people to grab a quick lunch. Above is the hustle and bustle at the lower level restaurant.We started off with a cocktail called the Vitner's Brunch. The wine is a Charles & Charles Cabernet Sauvignon, and into the mix are Victoria Oaken gin, Luxardo Cherry Morlaco Sangue, Scrappy's Cardamom bitters and a touch of lemon zest. It's a rather light cocktail, perfect for a starter beverage. Following a few sips, we were treated to an Oyster Tasting Trio. They are (from left to right), a Reed Island Oyster with bacon and sherry vinegar mignonette, a Royal Miyagi Oyster with wasabi horseradish cocktail sauce, and a Sawmill Bay Oyster with cucumber and kombu. I loved the bacon mignonette, it gave the oyster a rich and meaty texture. The cucumber & kombu topping was also well-paired with the Sawmill Bay. Next followed two salads, the first of which was the Tempura Albacore Tuna salad. The tuna is first wrapped in nor before being battered and fried. The inside was still a nice rare with a slightly crispy exterior. There wasn't a lot of greens but the cucumber and cilantro was very flavourful. I'm not a huge fan of avocado, but if you are, you're in luck, there was plenty of it here amongst the greens!
Our second salad was my favourite (except for the dessert, I'll get to that later), a Duck Confit salad. I love the crispy skin of duck confit and this did not disappoint! And the portion was great for a salad. Rounding out the plate were lots of Fraser Valley beets and arugula, and lightly flavoured by an aged balsamic dressing.
The dessert was a knockout. I love lemon so I was ecstatic that they went with a tart offering instead of chocolate. It's a Frozen Lemon Bar (with a layer of curd and mousse!). A nice crumble surrounded this, and it was topped with just a few dollops of Italian meringue. Surrounding the star were some rhubarb chunks as well as a bright green pistachio smear. All the flavours blended well and perfectly complemented a nice light lunch. Our final taste of the afternoon was another cocktail, called One to Grow On. As explained by Trevor, it's a throwback to the PSAs which aired during Saturday morning cartoons that he grew up on. This cocktail is served with an old-time striped paper straw and is made with a Golden Grahams infused Absolut Elyx vodka, a nod to the cereals kids usually eat while watching morning cartoons. The cocktail also contains egg white and egg yolk. There is also a bit of Pale Ale and Averna Amaro, which has a rich caramel taste. All served in a mini milk bottle, to complete the imagery of a time in history. The food was delicious, the servings portions are perfect for lunch and the price points are definitely comparable with the other restaurants in the area. If you are looking for a casual lunch in a fun atmosphere, be sure to give The Blackbird a try. And if you're just looking to get your drink on after work, be sure to check out the scotch tasting bar upstairs! They are hosting a Spot Prawn Boil on May 18th, give them a call for all the details! **disclaimer - my lunch was complimentary but my opinions are my own.
Back in October, I went to WE Day with Sherman and we decided to finish off the day with a bit of sushi. It's hard for two foodbloggers to go to a place neither of us has been, so thankfully, he was willing to do a "revisit" to a place that I hadn't visited before. This is what led us to Zipang Sushi. All photos are courtesy of Sherman. "Thanks!" Given that this was midday (and they were about to close after lunch), and he had already had lunch, we wanted to order light (and quickly). We started with their Assorted Sashimi. The salmon was amazing, and I really enjoyed the tako. The slices were cleanly cut and care was taken with the presentation. We wanted to try their rolls too, so we gave two of them a try. On either side is their Triple S roll, made up of Salmon, Scallop and Shrimp. I enjoyed the rice to filling ratio on this and could taste the sweetness of the scallop and shrimp quite clearly. The other was the East Meets West, filled with unagi, avocado and topped with prosciutto. As with most fusion cuisine where they pair Western flavours or ingredients with Asian flavours, the result could be a hit or a miss. The prosciutto seemed a bit dry and out of place with the roll. However, this would be an excellent choice for those who are squeamish when it comes to raw fish. I love Salmon Kama and when I saw that they had it, we had to order it, and boy, I'm sure glad I did. The skin had a good crispy char to it, and the fleshy collar was juicy and flaky. They served it with some grated daikon. Add some soy sauce to it and make a paste to dip the salmon into. The sweetness of the fish and the saltiness of the soy is a great umami sensation.Although I wouldn't normally order Assorted Tempura, Sherman wanted to to give us another hot entrée to try. The prawns were really sweet and I loved the light coating. I normally have to peel apart some of the coating, but it was unnecessary here. The veggies were a bit heavy, more because of the thick portions they were cut into, rather than a heavy batter. Overall, this was a good place for a nice light lunch and I'd definitely come back if I was in the area again.
Take Note:
Closed on Mondays, and closes between 3-5pm.
Lots of options for non-raw fish lovers
Give the Okonomi a try, mini-pizzas. or the Takoyaki!
After The Shore Club closed earlier this year, it was slated to be reinvented as The Keg. I finally paid a visit for lunch last month, and I'd say that most of the decor remained the same, but it had been slightly "keg-afied". The entrance wasn't very well organized, as there was a lineup out the door at lunchtime, despite a fairly empty restaurant inside. It seems as though there are a lot of hostesses manning the entry, but not enough people to actually bring people to their table. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon. Instead of the usual basket where the bread is encased in, the bread here is simply served on a place. And it's not as crusty as I remember. But at least it is served piping hot! One thing that I've always loved the Keg for is their French Onion Soup. IMHO, it's the best in the city. I like my cheese just a bit burnt, and I always ask for extra cheese. They never disappoint and this was the case again. Their broth isn't too salty, and there are loads of onions and the gooey cheese is amazing. This is a perfect way to ward off any winter chills. For my main, and to be slightly healthy, I opted for the Steak Sandwich with a side Caesar. I asked for a light dressing on the Caesar instead of dressing on the side, since the thick dressing makes it harder to DIY. The open-faced sandwich was loaded with sliced medium rare steak and a generous portion of cremini mushrooms. The bread had a nice char on it, but regrettably, I passed on it and just devoured the steak and mushrooms. This isn't so much due to an effort to avoid carbs as a result of the fact that open-faced sandwiches always confuse me. I find it weird eating a sandwich with a knife and fork.
Take Note:
Making reservations doesnt mean you'll get seated faster
The new location of Dinesty has been opened for a few months now, and I was delighted to give it a try with some friends last month. I have been to the Richmond location several times, and hoped that the food would be just as good. We started off with the Xiao Long Baos (obviously), since it's a tradition at most Shanghainese places, sometimes for dinner but always for lunch! As with the Richmond locations, these are deliciously soupy, and the skin is just chewy enough to hold all the delicious pork and soup inside. Another steamer basket arrived filled with Shrimp and Pork Siu Mai. The pork layer is on the bottom with the shrimp on top. I found the pork a bit dry but the shrimp was nice and juicy. I tend to deconstruct my food when I am eating, so it might have been just fine if I ate it as it was served. This dish is new to me, it's Deep Fried Chicken With Asparagus And Ham. The coating on this was nice and light, and the chicken was really juicy. I didn't find the mayonnaise sauce necessary as the chicken had enough seasoning. I did, however, use some hot sauce to give this dish a bit more punch. It's a fairly large portion, but the beauty is that it can be packed as leftovers quite easily. Our final savoury dish was the Pork Potstickers. I loved the presentation, love how they fry all the potstickers together and serve it as one gigantic dish. And lots of extra crispiness, which I always appreciate. The potstickers are larger than normal, about 3-4 inches long, The filling to wrapper ratio is good, although I could used a bit of more of ginger in the filling. For dessert, we got the Black Sesame Buns. These were really good, with lots of black sesame on the inside. The bun is soft and the whole package is a warm handful. It's probably too filling after a full lunch, but it's still a good treat. Eat half and share with a friend.
Take Note:
Go before noon to avoid long lines
Avoid the lunch "Specials" menu, it's reminiscent of mall food court dishes
Service is quick and it's a good option for a quick lunch
A few months ago, I tried out the Rogue Kitchen and Wet Bar on Broadway. I enjoyed the brunch but found parking to be a hassle. Recently, they opened up a new location by my work, so I decided to stop by for a light lunch. My mom had this last time, and it's a hefty meal. It's their Half Turkey Sandwich with Soup and Salad. Sheesh, it's a mouthful just to order it! The sandwich is on slices of cranberry sourdough, and there is plenty of sliced turkey breast too. Add your usual lettuce and tomato and this sandwich is quite a handful. We asked for the bourbon bacon jam and dijon-mayo to be served on the side, not wanting the kitchen to err on the side of over-sauciness. The seafood chowder is quite rich and creamy, and is loaded with fish, clams, mussels and chunks of potato. And the little salad that it comes with is really cute, lots of pretty and fresh organic greens. It's definitely a well-rounded entree and absolutely more than enough food for lunch.
This is quite a healthy dish, it's their Baja Fish Tacos. Instead of having it on soft tortillas, I opted for the paleo version and had it on several leaves of romaine instead. I wish more places would offer this option (and at no extra charge). I know Romer's allows you to switch out their bun for two halves of an iceberg lettuce, but it's an extra $0.75 to "make it green". I know, it's not a lot of money, so why bother?
My side salad was okay, lots more romaine and just a touch of parmesan. The dressing was creamy and a little bit goes a long way. The best thing about this salad is the corn bread croutons. You can really tell the difference!
What I liked most about these tacos is the basa. They are Cajun spiced, but not breaded like the ones I had a Joey's. The pineapple salsa is quite light and has good citrus flavours. I asked for the avocado cream on the side, and I'm glad I did, it was really rich. My only complaint is that the romaine was a bit soft, probably due to the warm fish inside. Perhaps a few extra leaves would prevent some of the wilting? Or, why not serve them separate, sort of like Cactus Club's lettuce wraps!?
Take Note:
Great patio but gets full fast
Casual food and setting, good for a workday lunch
Service can be slow at times, servers like to chat with big tippers
Last week, I was invited by Rick to be his guest for a Brunch Tasting at Homer Street Cafe. Located at Homer and Smithe, this corner cafe has only been open for lunch and dinner for a few months now. And yes, they are launching their brunch menu on Sundays. We started with some cocktails, on the left is the House Caesar and on the right is the Port of Mumbai. The caesar is with clamato, chicken infused alcohol and gravy with a slice of crispy chicken skin as a garnish. This was tasty, and although I couldn't really taste the chicken, the addition of the gravy made the drink very savory. The other drink is an IPA based cocktail with gin, aperol, citrus and honey, with a big wedge of grapefruit on the rim. Traditionalists will appreciate the Mimosas. This is the Rotisol Rotisserie Grill that is truly hypnotic. You watch the meats go in, all pasty and white, and by the time you're done your meal, they all have a nice golden tan. It's mesmerizing, but it's not just for looks! The juices from the meats season the vegetables and potatoes on the base of the grill. Chicken is the main feature here (and yes, they do brine their birds) but you'll also find pork, beef and lamb on offer as well. My selection was the Steelhead Trout, with Beef Brisket, Egg and Potatoes. I liked all those things, but I don't think I've ever seen them on one plate. Each element was good, the trout was nice and flakey, the egg yolk was the perfect sauce for this dish. The potatoes had a crispy skin from the drippings, and paired well with the beef brisket. The brisket was fork tender and shredded up easily. Marbled throughout was just a bit of fat for juiciness. Totally delicious and despite appearances, it was a lot of food and I was pretty full afterwards. Kevin decided on the Rotisserie Pork Sausage, served with two eggs, and potatoes, as well as a side of sour dough bread. The sausage was tasty, a touch salty and on the dry side. It wasn't tough, but it just wasn't as fatty as I anticipated. Someone next to us got the Pork Belly and it looked pretty good too! Rick got their Eggs Benedict, with bacon, roasted tomatoes with some hollandaise. The presentation was interesting, since the bacon usually is tucked underneath the eggs, but that makes for soggy bacon. This way, the bacon could stay crispy for just a touch longer. For dessert, we decided on the Nutella & Banana Monte Cristo. I've never understood the nutella & banana pairing (most commonly in crepes) but now I get it. This really works! Deep-frying the whole thing gives you crunchy exterior to balance out the warm, creamy banana and nutella mixture inside.
Take Note:
Brunch only available on Sundays
Sit at the counter to watch the chefs and the rotisserie
Another Signature Chinese Bites dinner! Although the second Chinese Bites dinner was at Fatty Cow Seafood Restaurant, an AYCE Hot Pot, I missed it and we haven't done a hot pot revisit until today! I've never had this type of Sesame Pancake before, and certainly not at a Hot Pot restaurant. The inside had bits of green onion in it and was actually really soft and chewy, reminiscent of a sour dough bread. But it just doesn't make sense to eat a load of carbs when you've got unlimited protein on the way! I found out later that you are supposed to dip the pancake into your soup. What? More carbs? This time, it was in the form of a Chinese Donut. Good but still, not entirely sure why this was being served to us. Maybe it was leftover from lunch service?? Although they were a touch oily, I still couldn't resist taking a few bites. We also got some Beef Skewers as appetizers, while we waited for the soup to come to a boil. These were simply marinated with some cumin and chli powder, but ended up a bit overcooked and slightly jerky-like. But it doesn't matter, we were here for Hot Pot! This is the Half and Half Soup, one side is the original style and the other is a super spicy chili style. These dried chilies give off a lot of heat, especially if you rehydrate them in the soup! The Cuttlefish balls and the Shrimp balls both had a good bounce to them. They weren't frozen and cooked fairly quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on these as you cook other items. We also got some Lamb and Beef balls, but I wasn't a huge fan of there. I found them a bit dense and actually prefer slices of the meats instead of balls. Yes, this is definitely how I prefer my meats for hotpot. These Lamb Slices cooked up fairly quickly and had just the right amount of marbling to make a tender. The flavours of the spicy soup clung nicely onto the meat as well. We also got a Seafood Platter with fish, shrimp, calamari, scallop, mussels and more. I used the traditional soup for this one, I didn't want the delicate flavours of the seafood to be completely overpowered by the chilies. Along with some traditional greens, we also got a platter of Mushrooms, giant oyster ones and the more common enoki mushroom. These add a nice contrast to the platters of meat and fish we were having. These can also stay in the broth a bit longer and add a sweetness to the soup when you're all done. Okay, not this might be a bit scary for the less adventurous types. On the upper left, we have Pork Liver, to the right is Pig's Blood. Underneath is Tripe Two Ways (Bible and Honeycomb). The 6 o'clock position is owned by Beef Tendon. All these cuts need to cook for quite some time, slowly simmer them for a while, don't be impatient. So far, all of the meats and seafood that we have enjoyed have not been marinated. So we decided to try one dish that came with seasoning, the Garlic Beef. This was a thicker cut of beef but it seems like the marinade had the desired effect and made the beef quite tender. I think I still prefer my meats plain, but it's a nice option to have. This is the aftermath of our two soups. We scooped out lots of chilies to add to our own individual sauces. Oh, yes, the sauces, they are actually in a communal area in the middle of the restaurant. The good side? You can take as much as you want, refill as needed. The bad side? It can get a bit messy if people aren't careful. The broth was tasty, although a bit salty. This is where the sesame pancake would have come in handy! **Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot hosted Chinese Bites for this tasting but my opinions are my own.** More reviews available here for Signature Dishes Tour Dinners.
As with most Thai lunch specials, our meal came with a daily appy (deep fried wonton and a simple broth). The soup was as bland as it looked. You can't really go wrong with deep fried foods, and it's the same here, crunchy exterior with a bit of meat in the middle. Sometimes, I feel restaurants would do themselves a favour and not serve anything "free" if they are going to be so lackluster. Afterall, this was the first thing I tried from their establishment, and I was completely unimpressed. Why start someone's lunch off that way?
Fortunately, the next few dishes managed to redeem them in my eyes. This Tom Yum Noodle Soup (the reason for my visit) was delicious with just enough spice (though I did ask for extra spice). A huge bowl of hot and spicy soup loaded with vegetables (mushrooms, onions, green onions), and then topped with some chicken and flavoured with Thai spices such as coriander, lemongrass, red onions, kaffir limes leaves and galangal. The rice noodles had a great chew to it and there was a lot of it! My only wish, if the broth was just a bit hotter (temperature wise, not heat). 
Both my parents wanted Pad Thai and they proclaimed it to be excellent. I gave it a try and it was okay. The noodles again had a good texture and the bean sprouts and lime provided crunch and brightness (respectively) but I felt that the sauce was a bit bland, and almost a touch too sweet. It's good, certainly not great. 
To round out our lunch, we also got an order of their Chicken Wings, and this was much better than I expected. Not Phnom Penh good, mind you, but the wings were crispy and crunchy with a nice light breading. The meat inside was still very moist (so definitely not refried or day-old). The coating was well flavoured as well. The sauce was average, your usual sweet and sour sauce, and I didn't even bother using them. In fact, I asked for some extra lime to squirt onto the wings and the flavour brightened up nicely.
