Trying the Classics at Longtail in New Westminster

Despite all the hoopla about Longtail, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't made a trip out to New Westminster to give them a try. Well, I finally rectified that recently. Because they are a bit far for me, I made sure I was starving so I could sample as much as I could in one go. I think we made a good dent in the menu...we spent close to $80 in total, since Sherman paid, I guess the next meal overload is on me!   

 

As suggested by everyone, I had to try the Chicken Wings, which has been compared to Phnom Penh's and proclaimed just as amazing. They were delicious but aren't comparable at all. 

The ones from Phnom Penh are garlicky, salty and crispy with a deep-golden fried goodness. These ones are fried with a light crispy coating, but there the similarities end. The ones here are less fried, so lacking a bit of crunch (though they did reheat well the next day in the toaster oven), and there was a lack of garlic flavour. Also, the light sprinkle of sugar gives the wings a whole different flavour profile. 

I didn't really use the sauce since I like to keep my wings crispy but after eating the skin, I did try it with just the wing, and it did have a very pleasant tang. I can see why people say this is a "must-try".       

 

In continuing with the deep fried theme, we decided to get the Crispy Oysters with Nam Jim Sauce. These were juicy, with a nice crunchy exterior. I didn't care much for the sauce but it gave the oyster a tarty perkiness. I prefer to eat oysters raw, but this is probably the only other way I would eat it other than the Giant Oyster Pancake from Phnom Penh.

After the two deep fried starters, we decided that something healthy would be in order...how can you go wrong with Stirfry Gailan (er, with Pork Belly). Truth be told, there wasn't a whole lot of pork belly in the dish, but its contribution was noticeable in the slightly overly oiliness to the dish. The gailan was sparkling with the pork fat, and the pork tucked within was flavourful with a nice briny saltiness. The crispy garlic chips helped too!   Now, onto the carbs! The Chinese Sausage Fried Rice is reminiscent of the Phnom Penh version, but this one had a lot more Chinese sausage. The rice was nice and loose, showcasing the hot fiery wok-styling of the kitchen. Add a fried egg to make everything creamy and you've got a definite winner. The heat from the wok was unmistakeable, even after the few minutes it took for us to take the pics. Despite the Thai cuisine being featured at Longtail, I keep finding myself comparing their dishes to a Vietnamese restaurant...I'll stop now.    Our next carb dish was the Pad Se Ew with Beef. I do love me some flat rice noodles. It's a classic Hong Kong cafe dish, however, there was a different flavour profile here...not as salty as the Chinese version, and less saucy. My biggest complaint about rice noodles usually is that they tend to be overcooked; it was the opposite here. They were slightly undercooked when I actually would have preferred it softer to serve as a complement to the beef. Nevertheless, this dish was good; this was one of the few dishes we polished off.   Let's keep going with the carb fest! We tried Mama Cheung's Laksa. This was really good. I'm not usually a fan of coconut but it was very subtle in this dish was pleasant. There was plenty seafood to make it worth the price and the noodles were a bit more well done than in the Pad Si Ew...probably because it was still cooking in the coconut broth. At $12, I'd say this is a solid lunch choice. You might even have leftovers.  Okay...we're getting to the homestretch now...Our final dish was the Chiang Mai Noodles with Beef. I was so full at this point, I don't know if I had meat sweats or carb overload, but all I could do was to take a few sips of the soup, and a few bites of the noodles, the beef seemed overwhelming. The red curry broth was spicy, but not mindblowing. The noodles were better than the laksa...not sure why? And according to Sherman, the beef was tender, but I didn't actually try it myself...well, there's always next time! 

If you are ever in the area, it's definitely worth a visit. It's a casual food court atmosphere and the staff are very friendly. 

Rangoli...lots of Lamb!

Last month, my sister and I decided to visit Rangoli (deciding for forego a possible wait at Vij's). And to be honest, we couldn't have been happier. We went for lunch and a few dishes to share. First item to arrive was the Lamb, Beef and Lentil Kebabs. The meatiness was plentiful, and the spices were well-balanced. There was heat, but not blow-your-head-off heat. Subtle but definitely packs a punch. 

For me, I am not satisfied with Indian food unless there is naan involved.So our next dish was the Tamarind and Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken served with rice and naan. Despite the appearance in the picture, the chicken was surprisingly moist. I think the marinate really did its job, overcoming the high heat used to cook the chicken. The basmati rice was light and fluffy, perfect to soak up some of the curry sauce. And the naan, I could have had three servings of this. It's not heavy, and has a nice chewiness to it.   

The last dish we tried was the Lamb in Cumin and Light Cream Curry. The curry was delicate and sweet, but with a punch of heat that hits your as an afterthought. The veggies are tender with a slight bite. The rice and naan are perfect to soak up the curry sauce. I could do without the salad, but I say that about all my meals. 

Service was fun, casual and very jovial. It's a perfect place to spend an afternoon catching up with friends. Oh, and be sure to give the Mango Lassi a try! 

Get to Pronto...Pronto!

Sometimes the best meals take place when and where you least expect it. I decided to meet up with a fave eating buddy (purely because he has big cameras and an even bigger appetite), Sherman. 

We left my place without a clear idea in mind as to what we wanted to eat...Pho? Dim Sum? Sushi? All bets were off...and then he decided that we should check out a little restaurant he wanted to revisit on Cambie. And that's how we ended up at Pronto.Despite their small size, they have an incredibly diverse menu. There are pastas, sandwiches, various appetizers and pizzas too! Something for everyone, and at fairly reasonable prices.

We ordered four things to share, and allowed the kitchen to serve up whenever each item was ready...so our first course was the Tagliatelle Aglio e Olio. Most of the pastas are handmade, and this one was as well, simply made with garlic and smoked pancetta. The dish was rounded out with some sliced tomatoes, a just a touch of chili flakes, all topped with a showering of Parmesan cheese. The freshness of the pasta was undeniable. The pancetta gave the dish the needed saltiness, and the fresh tomatoes really freshened it up. It's plenty for one person, but it's also a great starter for two people. 

 

We noticed that there was Porchetta on the menu, and it's something we cannot turn down, ever. The bun was warm, but not crunchy, and the pork was mild in flavour...could have used a bit more seasoning or some salsa verde to perk it up a bit. However, no complaints about the skin...I've had chips less crispier than this. It wasn't fatty, just with a great crunch. I had to take some of mine home and it reheated very nicely. Always an important note if you order more than you can eat. 
Two carby dishes down, and more to come. We really wanted to try their pizzas, and decided on the Genoa. A 12" pizza that's more than enough for two to share (even if you didn't have a pasta and sandwich beforehand). How can you go wrong with salami, tomatoes and red peppers. The cheese melted perfectly, and it wasn't overly topped. The crust held up well to the toppings and this was a winner in my books. It's fresh, light and tasty, and for $15, a great deal. Our final dish was actually listed as an Antipasto, but it was okay with us that it came at the end. After all the heavy foods we had, the light Prawns wrapped in Pancetta was actually quite a good way to finish lunch. It is a really good blend of the sweet prawns and the savory saltiness of the pancetta. At $12, I think this is a bit pricey. The sear on the pancetta is solid and this is a fun dish. I guess just adding one more prawn might have made the value a bit better, but that's just a minor complaint.

Osteria Savio Volpe - High hopes...

For the past several weeks, my sister has been in town from HK and we've been eating up a storm throughout the city. Our latest venture was to Osteria Savio Volpe, a little Italian restaurant in Mount Pleasant, which was once a tire shop! It is fairly new, and it's a bustling place just next to Les Faux Bourgeois. Featuring rustic appetizers, housemade pastas and a few mains featuring fish and meats, it's not a complicated menu but there's enough to suit everyone. 

Source: http://www.saviovolpe.com/

We arrived 15 minutes early for our reservation and were told to wait. Perfectly acceptable, until we noticed an empty table set for two right by the door. It took the hostess 10 minutes to place two extra settings at the table so that we could be seated. But, whatever.

A little background information here before we delve into the eats! We were served by a casually dressed guy, can't remember his name. There were only two male servers, he was the shorter one. We started with a bottle of wine while we looked over the menu. For a group of four, we decided on three appetizers, two pastas and a main dish. 

For the main, we wanted the WHOLE roasted fish, and I had inquired if it was truly whole, including head and tail. He quickly responded that "no, it was actually filets". So I asked for a bit of extra time to decide on something else. He returned to the table shortly later after talking to another server, apologized and said he was wrong, it did indeed come with head and tail. (This is what made me think that he might be new and not really knowledgeable about the menu.) With that settled, we decided to go ahead and ordered the fish.

First appy was the Kale Salad, it was tasty with a lemon flavour and lots of crunch from the crispy topping. The finely chopped kale was easy to eat and made it a breeze to share.
We also got the Prosciutto di Parma and that was fantastic. It was thinly sliced and not overly fatty. The accompanying apple and grana were sliced just as thinly. It was a beautiful dish and was as fun to eat as it was delicious.
For a warm appetizer, we decided to try the Garlic Bread, which came swathed in its own little aluminium foil blanket. The aroma was amazing and we appreciated that it wasn't overly smothered with butter. However, it did seem a little Safeway-like.
While we were enjoying this, with half the salad and most of the bread still unconsumed, the server came to the table with our pastas. We asked him to take a look at our table, and it was evident that we weren't ready for our mains yet, actually, there was no room for them! We asked if he could take it back until we were ready. He proceeded to argue with us, saying that is the way Italians have dinner. He reluctantly took it back and said "Well, I'll take it back since you don't understand how dining in an Italian restaurant works, because that's how Italians do it." He also said he'll get us a fresh one when we're ready. I thought this was strange, because on their own website, under Alla Famiglia, it says "bread and antipasti before pasta, then protein followed by dessert."

My past reviews of Cotto, Charlie's Little Italian, Buca and more show that I have indeed dined in many Italian restaurants before. I have never been to Italy but my sister has, and she told me that it is "not" how they do it. I have had pasta as a first course before, but it is clear from our order (which was placed all at the same time), that we intended the three first items to be appies, and the other three to be our mains. 

For the rest of the evening, he did not return to refill our wine or water glasses; thankfully, the other servers stepped in, clearing our plates and cutlery when we were actually done our three appetizers. The pastas came together which was fine with us.

The first was the Tortiglioni, with shortrib braciola, and Sunday sugo. The braciola was really dry, almost like "stirfried beef in a Chinese food court", said my sister. The texture of the pasta was a nice al dente, no complaints there.
Our next pasta was the Creste di Gallo. The little half moon pastas were perfectly cooked and quite cute. I really liked them, and the chicken with mushrooms were perfect for the sauce. The ragu was light, and the dish was well-balanced.
However, as you can see, the cheese sprinkled on at the time of serving did not melt. Can you guess why? The pasta was barely lukewarm. Perhaps that's another Italian tradition I'm unaware of but I have a feeling that all our server did was to put both our pastas under a warming lamp (which might have contributed to the drying out of the braciola) until we were done our appies, and did not fire up a fresh one later, as he said he would. 

We saw pastas arriving at nearby tables and they were piping hot, with steam clearly visible. And no, they didn't get theirs with their salad and bread, there was definitely a pause in the service for them.

Anyways, putting that aside, our server waited until we were done our pastas before bringing on the Whole Roasted Fish. And as it arrived at the table, the new server offered to serve it for us, by removing the bone. We said we were fine doing that ourselves. Can you see what's missing? Yes, the head and the tail and the skin too! When I order a whole roasted fish, I thought the head and tail would be part of a whole fish...again, I must have been mistaken. The flavours were good with the meyer lemon and capers, but I was really looking forward to the crispy skin, and they decided that I should do without that.

We didn't see our server again until he handed us the bill. We reluctantly tipped, but I wished we could have designated the tip to go to all the other servers who actually served us.

I will likely never return to OSV. Despite the amazing appetizers and the possibly fantastic pastas when served fresh, the condescending tone of our server made me feel judged and unwelcomed. It is unfortunate as it's close to home and I had heard great reviews. My sister left very disappointed and I don't blame her.

Zomato Meet-up at Shaughnessy

Last year, I attended the Zomato Meetup held at the Shaughnessy, located at the gorgeous VanDusen Botanical Garden. Centrally located in Vancouver, being in the 55-acre lot whips you away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our dinner (complimentary, so thanks!) that night featured some classic dishes as well as some innovative dishes. For our starters, we had the Scallop, Bacon and Endive Salad.The scallops were definitely the highlight of this dish, but it would have been a one-note wonder without the citrus flavours from the orange, the crunch from the pecans and radish, as well as the sumptuous butter lettuce. And then top it with bacon? Well, then you're all set. Our second appetizer is the always popular Calamari.The tender squid was lightly golden fried with a light salt and pepper seasoning. Crispy on the outside, soft with a bit of a bite on the inside, just as it should be. I'm a purist when it comes to calamari, a squirt of lemon juice is usually all I need. However, the chili-lime aioli did peak my interest and I quite like the flavours, but I did find the texture a little too thick, personal preference, of course. Last appetizer I tried was the Coconut Curry Mussels. They were plump and well-seasoned, but could have used a bit fresher herbs. Although I did use the bread that we got at the start of the meal to soak up all those yummy juices. Now, onto the mains! We sampled four dishes, all differing in tastes, proteins and textures. It was a great way to sample all the chef's creations. First up was the Butternut Squash and Mushroom Risotto. Loaded with mushrooms and scented with truffle oil, this dish looked as good as it tasted. The risotto itself was nicely done, creamy and tender but each grain was separate, no clumpiness here! After that, we tasted the Cioppino, in a rich tomato and fennel broth. There were more of the juicy mussels and scallops, as well as tender chunks of fish, prawns, mussels and clams. I have always hesitated most fennel-related foods, because I always found it overpowering, however, this was nice and light, more fragrant than heavy on the palate. The Duck Confit was amazing. Crispy skin and plenty of meatiness underneath too. The parsnip puree was really mild and the warmed citrus salad gave the dish a nice shot of sweetness. But I think my favourite of was the Maple and Bourbon Glazed Steelhead, I love it when a filet is done right. The slightly sweet cauliflower was a good contrast, I really enjoyed this dish. I have always been amazed by things such as a Flourless Chocolate Cake, but this one was amazing. The little sprinkle of pecan praline gave the dessert a nice crunch and a basic vanilla ice cream was super comforting. I don't have a sweet tooth though, I actually have a sour tooth, so I was really happy with our second dessert, Lemon Shortbread Parfait. Lemon meringue pie is probably my favourite dessert of all time, and this is a close second. There was a tart lemon curd, with some lemon ice cream, and topped with a sprinkle of crunchy shortbread crumble...oh, and yes, there was meringue too, torched no less. Great textures and tart flavours. A perfect end to a meal!
Given the scenic location and the fantastic food, this is definitely a place for a great way to meet new friends and catch up with old ones.

Family Favourites from Fortune City

As most of my readers know, my mother is not a good cook. So whenever we go for dinner, it is definitely "out". If we ever have dinner "at home", it involves me taking food over. So this past week, we decided to head out for dinner and we opted for Peking Duck...and more...
Take a look at the various condiments and see if you can guess what other traditional dish we had.
Nothing beats Peking Duck to indicate "Dinnertime"! I'll hold back out of courtesy, but trust me, I've got my eye on some crispy pieces. The skin had lots more meat on them than I'm used to, but it was also less fatty than some other places. 
And of course, we have to get the Lettuce Wrap with the rest of the duck meat. This was good, but the crisps actually got soggy really fast. The dish was rather one note, but add your sauces and just enjoy the ride. 
We also got the Assorted StirFry with veggies...loaded with scallops, pork and chicken, this had something for everyone. The flavours were fairly mild, but actually just needed a sprinkling of white pepper to make the dish pop. The pork was a little dry but the variety of the meats and seafood easily made up for it.   For my mom, who loves lamb, we decided to get the Lamb Hot Pot. This was delicious. I'm not a fan on the "fu yu" that accompanies it, but to honest, the dish doesn't need it. The bean curd skin soaks up the sauces, and the lamb itself is super tender. I especially love the bony pieces. This is a rare treat and I'm so glad we got it. 

Revisit: Sushiholic

Earlier this week, I revisited Sushiholic (my previous review here)  because I was craving Japanese food, and I was a little tired of getting take-out from Kita. Although they don't take reservations for groups of less than four, we were seated fairly quickly. If you don't want to take a chance and don't feel like waiting, get take-out...they do lots of business that way too.

I always start with a Tako Sunomono, and they do a great job here. There is plenty of tako and the shredded carrots marry well with the vermicelli. The tangy dressing is refreshing and a great palate cleanser. 
Their Salmon Sashimi is also a decent size, and the fish were cut perfectly. It's not too thick and is served nice and cold, just the way it should be. 
Since it was a rather cool night, we opted for a Tempura Udon to warm our bellies. This was excellent, the noodles had a nice bite to it, and was served piping hot. I added some of the 7-spice powder or shichimi togarashi for a bit of extra heat. The broth was flavourful and not oily or full of MSG. I would have like a bit more veggies but that's probably a personal preference and not really a complaint. 
The Tempura was lightly battered and deep fried to a golden crisp. The veggies were tasty, and super crunchy. There could have been another prawn, but what was served was delicious. 
For more sushi, I had to have my Ikura. This was plentiful and I loved how it overflowed out of the nigiri. The Uni was fresh as well and creamy too. The Unagi is always a favourite, a bit sweet with a hint of umami from the sauce. 
And to round out dinner, we got their Prawn Gyoza, and this never disappoints. The skin has a nice crunch, and I really do love the whole prawn, complete with tails. 
I would say that the Sunomono is a must do, as well as the Prawn Gyoza. They have a huge selection of rolls too, but I always find that the more fanciful the rolls are, the further it moves away from "tradition". I can eat a dynamite roll but something like their Awesome Roll sort of freaks me out! 

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Taste of Yaletown 2015 - Complete Breakdown of all Three Menus at Minami

I had the chance to try out the Taste of Yaletown a few weeks ago (it's on until October 29!) at Minami , which has three menus, one for lunch and two for dinner. 


The Minami Zen Platter, available at lunch, is only $25 and gives you a taste of their legendary dishes as well as some new tastes too. Starting off with the Signature Sushi, you get a nice assortment of Aburi nigiri, a roll as well as the oishi sushi all featuring their renown aburi-style of searing the fish. 

The platter also includes Aburi Bincho, accompanied by a creamy gomae sauce with a touch of heat from the wasabi-masatake. 

There is a light salad, the Minami Chopped Salad, with some baby greens, miso tofu, crisps and some chopped chicken. The umami-soy vinaigrette is a light dressing that complements the salad quite nicely. The Ebi Fritter is light and crispy, with a bit of chili aioli and balanced with a soy-balsamic reduction. 

Rounding out the plate is a bit of spiced couscous. And the other item on the platter is the Kurobuta & Kobe Meatball, bathed in miso-chicken jus with a few fingerling potatoes. And for dessert, you have a choice of ice cream for sorbet. All in all, this is a great deal for $25.


Their dinner offering is $45, although they do have a $35 option for vegetarians, which I will review next. The appetizer is the Minami Appetizer Trio, with a serving of the Aburi Sushi Sampler, a light Citrus Salad as well as a Brome Lake Duck Confit Drumette. The Aburi sushi is just tasty as you would expect, and the citrus salad is fresh and light. I loved the Aburi grapes! The Duck Drumette is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, perfectly executed. 

For the main course, they have a unique Surf and Turf. For the Surf, you get their Sakekasu-Saikyo Miso Baked Sablefish, which is melt in your mouth tender. The fish flakes off easily and it has a rich and sweet flavour. I could eat this everyday! Partnered with the sablefish is a serving of marinated Japanese eggplant, I had never had this before but it sure was tasty. 

For the Turf, you are treated to Fraser Valley Pork done two ways. The first part of the duo is a Braised Pork Cheek, which is super tender. The second part is a complete textural change, with a Crispy Kakuni Pork Belly. The skin is crunchy, not just crispy. There is a bit of salsa on top, with a miso Asahi glaze. Both items rest on a bed of rapini and the greens definitely benefit from the juices of both the sablefish and the pork. It's one of the best Surf and Turf plate I've had. 

To top this meal off, there is a Mixed Berry Sakekasu Bar. It's a miso pecan-walnut crumble, paired a vanilla-sakekasu & rhubarb-ume ice cream, and with a salted caramel sauce drizzled on top. It is as tasty as it is beautiful. There is a lot of Sakekasu in this menu, and I didn't really know what it was. It turns out it is the lees which are leftover after all the liquid is removed from the fermented rice used to make sake, and is a key component of the umami taste.

The $35 Vegetarian Menu starts off with a Minami Garden Trio. There is the Minami Garden Plate with fresh veggies and a delicate quinoa and avocado roll wrapped in soy paper, and some spinach shira-ae, a crumbled tofu. There is also a Kaiso (seaweed) Salad, which is paired with some frisée and a soy vinaigrette. I loved the little lotus chips on top. And to finish off the trio is the Miso-Tofu Sansai Gyoza, pan-fried to perfection. 

The entree is a serving of Crispy Tempeh, surrounded by a whole gamut of vegetables, such as a roasted mushroom medley, fingerling potatoes, cipollini onions, haricot verts. The dressing is made with maple-sherry vinegar and soy-balsamic reduction, topped with some Aburi corn and bell pepper salsa. The dessert is the same as the $45 menu above.

So whether you want to stop by just for lunch or a night out, I'd say any of the three menus are worth a try. I've already booked my table for the 24th; dinner before the Canucks versus Red Wings game! Note that not all menu items listed above are available throughout the year, some are just here for Taste of Yaletown 2015. 

Note: I was hosted for this tasting by the nice folks at Taste of Yaletown.