tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10707290353683090132024-02-07T00:16:44.320-08:00Dash of ChiliQuick and easy recipe ideas and restaurant reviews. Located in Vancouver, BC.A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-83757892303203224732018-09-25T08:52:00.001-07:002018-09-25T08:52:49.329-07:00Banh Mi Quest: Banh Mi Tres Bon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A couple weeks ago we were in Richmond running some errands when we realized it was lunch time. A quick google search showed that <b>Banh Mi Tres Bon</b> was on the way so we stopped by for lunch. We were a little skeptical at first because it seemed too hip and the Banh Mi trio seemed like a gimmick. We were wrong.</div>
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The decor was, as I mentioned above, hip, clean, and very different from a typical Vietnamese restaurant. They had a bunch of Banh Mi to select from, but no regular grilled chicken, so I decided to go for the trio: Cold Cut, Meatball, and (lemongrass) Chicken.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_bgneBoYzMrRMKKr0LeiyqA8CJ3HOr62SEAOV4uUflQ4Ukfh8Pe9p9WRjcD90C2XoA8v_MQybsszrge7GjAe9RYa80dC3MJPY1MSSBEm1LBN8u7p7RizEgVlHJEvE5R3T1hYOM6cD4o/s1600/02+Trio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_bgneBoYzMrRMKKr0LeiyqA8CJ3HOr62SEAOV4uUflQ4Ukfh8Pe9p9WRjcD90C2XoA8v_MQybsszrge7GjAe9RYa80dC3MJPY1MSSBEm1LBN8u7p7RizEgVlHJEvE5R3T1hYOM6cD4o/s320/02+Trio.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $11 for 3 mini sandwiches<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 5/5 - Fluffy, moist, and had the right level of crispiness. Had good texture and flavour.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Creamy, flavourful, and wellseasoned, but the lemongrass chicken could be saucier.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - Good amount, good texture, but needs more pickling because it's quite subtle.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 5/5 - Good amount, well seasoned, and flavourful<br />
<b>Value:</b> 4/5 for the trio, others would be 3/5<br />
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It was definitely worth going out to Richmond to try the trio and get a taste of everything, but on the whole a little pricier than other places.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/b%C3%A1nh-mi-tr%C3%A8s-bon-central-richmond-richmond" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Bánh Mi Très Bon, Central Richmond and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Bánh Mi Très Bon Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16709108/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-4262269121340833642018-09-24T11:12:00.000-07:002018-09-24T11:12:33.040-07:00Banh Mi Quest: The Trip SouthWe recently had the opportunity to travel south to Texas and Louisiana. Before our trip, we did some food research and found out there was a huge Vietnamese population down there who'd introduced our Southern neighbours to the "Vietnamese Po' Boy," aka the Banh Mi.<br />
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We only had one week, so we tried some of the highest rated destinations while we were there. Obviously, that skewed our perception a bit, because I now think the South has better Banh Mi than in Vancouver. This was quite humbling because as a Vancouverite, I was always so proud of our Asian cuisine.<br />
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Here are the six places we visited:<br />
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<b>Roostar Vietnamese Grill</b> (1411 Gessner Rd #1, Houston, TX 77080)<br />
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $4.99 USD<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 5/5 - Freshly baked in house, the exterior was perfectly toasted and the inside fluffy and soft<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Creamy, flavourful, and well balanced<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 4/5 - The vegetables were fresh and nicely pickled<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 4/5 - The chicken was grilled perfectly and moist. There was so much meat it was a bit overwhelming.<br />
<b>Value: </b>4/5 - After taxes, just a bit on the pricey side, even though it was very delicious<br />
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*****</div>
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<b>Don Cafe</b> (9300 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036)<br />
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $3.50<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 3/5 - The bread was a bit over toasted and dry<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Different and unexpected, but in a good way, and still creamy<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - A bit lacking in vegetables<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 3/5 - Not quite as much meat, but still fine<br />
<b>Value: </b>4/5 - This was a darn cheap banh mi and still decent, despite the 30 minute wait<br />
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*****</div>
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<b>Sweet Basil Vietnamese Noodle House</b> (4026 Dowlen Rd, Beaumont, TX 77706)</div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $7.95<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 4/5 - Solid bread, not too hard<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Good amount and tasty<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - A bit too much and the cilantro was just thrown on top, so not very well balanced<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 4/5 - Well seasoned and grilled<br />
<b>Value: </b>4/5 - A bit pricey, but comes with a lot of french fries on the side<br />
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*****</div>
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<b>Bao Vietnamese Kitchen</b> (8342 Perkins Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70810)</div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $5.99<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 3.5/5 - Fine, seems fresh, but not as fluffy and soft as we hoped<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 3/5 - Solid taste and texture<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - Fine, carrots were a bit limp and not crunchy enough<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 3/5 - Fine, but only had lemongrass chicken<br />
<b>Value: </b>3/5 - A bit pricey for an average banh mi<br />
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*****</div>
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<b>Megasin Kitchen</b> (611 O'Keefe Ave, New Orleans, LA 70113)</div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $6.00<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 3/5 - Fine, but a bit dry<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 3/5 - Evenly spread, but not amazing<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 2/5 - Fine, the ginormous uncut cucumber was off-putting<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 3/5 - Fine, not as much chicken as other places<br />
<b>Value: </b>2/5 - A bit pricey for an underwhelming banh mi<br />
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*****</div>
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<b>Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery</b> (14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129)</div>
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We made a special trip out here because the bakery was featured in a Food Network show. Apparently, a lot of other Banh Mi places pick up their baguettes from here.</div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $3.25<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 5/5 - Other restaurants buy their bread from here, it's that good<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Well seasoned, creamy, but a bit sweet (we got BBQ chicken)<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 4/5 - Nicely pickled, bordering on too much filling<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 4/5 - Grilled nicely, and still maintains moisture, also too much<br />
<b>Value: </b>4/5 - Even worth the extra cost to get out of the cityA Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-44843031721098201922018-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:002018-07-27T13:08:03.316-07:00Old Beijing Roast DuckWe went to Old Beijing Roast Duck for my mom's birthday. They've been there so often they're now friends with the owner. Naturally, I thought we would be in for a treat. I was wrong.<br />
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We ordered a 12 course meal for 10 adults and 2 children. We ordered the Emperor Roast Duck, which I understand was supposed to be made four ways.<br />
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First up, Duck skin and kiwi slices on a chip, with a dab of jam underneath. I didn't particularly like this though others at the table were amused at the "novelty" of it all. The best part about duck skin is its fatty richness. Once you add the kiwi and jam, it just cuts the fattiness and you're left with skin that has little flavour to begin with. I also felt that prepping and serving it on the kiwi made the skin less crispy.<br />
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These ribs were two things: Sweet and Dry. The meat was not moist and did not fall off the bone. They sprinkled some "smoky snow" on it, but all I could taste was the sweet sauce.<br />
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These are zoodles, served with some mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and chili. Rather bland, but I suppose it was refreshing.<br />
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Duck second (and third?) way, as pieces of meat for your wrappers. Unfortunately the wrappers either weren't cooked enough or stale because mine was rock hard. It also didn't come with the duck itself, but much later when we had to ask for it.<br />
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Chinese version of a meat platter. There some liver and duck feet skin in there. Nothing had much flavour to it. Everything lacked seasoning.<br />
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The sea cucumber was cooked nicely.<br />
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The eggplant had a great sauce to it. It's not as spicy as you think it looks.<br />
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Steamed buns with an urn of fatty pork. At least these buns were steamed perfectly.<br />
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Tripe. Not much to say about it.<br />
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Taro root was cooked and seasoned well. It was the only dish where I went for two pieces instead of one.<br />
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Duck (third or fourth?) way: slices of meat stir fried with peppers and onions. This also lacked seasoning and had very little flavour.<br />
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Lastly, when they started giving us new plates for "Dessert," I was expecting something big, like a pancake or some kind of cake. But all they gave us were two of these dinky melon trees.<br />
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Sometimes my parents go to a restaurant for the food, sometimes for the deal, and sometimes because they're friends with the owner and get really good service. I have no idea which of the three they went for because the food tasted bad, it's overpriced for Chinese food, and we didn't really have the caliber of service I was expecting.<br />
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Not recommending. Definitely not returning.A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-33306705941892245832018-06-07T10:33:00.000-07:002018-06-07T10:33:23.894-07:00'Appy Hour at The Flying Pig (Olympic Village)B and I have been on a Happy Hour binge lately. Our latest visit was to The Flying Pig, where we've been for brunch and dinner before. It's always been solid: good service and good food.<br />
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It's amazing how different food is when served at Happy Hour and at Dinner. When we visited during Dinner, the <b>Truffled Jumbo Macaroni</b> was delicious and left you wanting more. During Happy Hour, it was bland and average. There was a good amount of it though, so you'll definitely be full.<br />
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B liked the <b>Beef Carpaccio</b>, but I thought the greens on top made it too bitter and overpowered the flavour from the beef.<br />
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I don't know why I keep doing this, but it's never a good deal to order a <b>Meat & Cheese Board</b> at a restaurant unless you know they cure their own meats. Based on the selection, I would've been better off going to Costco and getting a variety pack.<br />
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The <b>Beef Short Rib Croquette</b> was fine. I actually thought we ordered the Mac n' Cheese Bites from Dubh Linn Gate because the texture of the Croquettes were gooey and not meaty at all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTaGxOSuyks5O5wcGLmuEH7PrTYKswzf-vLYCpGa70doawCYoPPT41QqcXxpGXeYhw5-PXPkuc2GY0HQN2ahVam4fjjMhll0j89FIelGNteajL9xF7vFhtof3E0jZ05ilDcD7rFH7Avk/s1600/05+Mussels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTaGxOSuyks5O5wcGLmuEH7PrTYKswzf-vLYCpGa70doawCYoPPT41QqcXxpGXeYhw5-PXPkuc2GY0HQN2ahVam4fjjMhll0j89FIelGNteajL9xF7vFhtof3E0jZ05ilDcD7rFH7Avk/s320/05+Mussels.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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When these <b>P.E.I. Mussels</b> arrived, B's first words were "This must be the smallest serving of mussels I've ever seen." One of them was closed too, so we couldn't eat it. But we got 2-3 each. They were fine, we were just disappointed that they didn't catch the closed (dead) one.<br />
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Overall, we think Brunch and Dinner is good at The Flying Pig, but wouldn't return for Happy Hour.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/the-flying-pig-mount-pleasant-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about The Flying Pig, Mount Pleasant and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="The Flying Pig Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16628565/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-65821753406368376562018-06-04T10:19:00.001-07:002018-06-04T10:19:11.177-07:00Rustique BistroFor dinner on the second night, we were originally going to go to Tuscany, but was told nothing was available for two people. I didn't really want to eat pasta anyway, so we decided to go to Rustique.<br />
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As we've been drinking beer all day, we weren't really hungry, so we ordered an appetizer and a main dish to share.<br />
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For appetizer, we ordered the <b>French Paté</b>. As you can see, it's quite obvious that they had store-bought paté, which is kind of disappointing. Don't get me wrong, I love the Freybe paté that you can find at local grocery stores, but if you're going to be an upscale restaurant, you should make your own paté.<br />
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For the main, we ordered the Bouillabaisse. I would never normally order Bouillabaisse because I'm not a fan of tomato soup. But we saw another couple eating mussels and clams and really enjoying the sauce, so I thought they ordered the Bouillabaisse and was really enjoying it. I was wrong. They ordered the daily special, was which a seafood salad.<br />
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The Bouillabaisse was not a good dish at all. The tomato broth was bland, the vegetables undercooked, the potatoes overcooked, the shellfish gritty, and the cod was so rubbery neither of us got past the first bite. The only thing I liked was the bread on top. This restaurant has a 4.5/5 star rating on Google, but if it weren't on Bowen Island, it'd probably be more like a 1/5 star rating.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/rustique-bistro-bowen-island-west-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Rustique Bistro, Bowen Island and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Rustique Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16627890/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-5829777143486434712018-06-04T10:10:00.001-07:002018-06-04T10:10:14.350-07:00Doc Morgan's Pub & RestaurantFor lunch on the second day, we were still quite full from the breakfast, so first we went to <b>Bowen Island Pub</b> to get a couple pints then, we went to <b>Doc Morgan's </b>for another beer and appetizers if we felt like eating.<br />
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One thing we noticed about <b>Doc Morgan's</b> is that it's the only restaurant so far that had good service. The server was attentive and on the ball. If you make eye contact, they will acknowledge you. We went to the <b>Bowen Island Pub</b>, the service was horrendous. You try to make eye contact with the server, and you do, but then she just walks off and you can't order or ask for anything.<br />
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We started with two beers and then we noticed all the other guests ordering the <b>Famous Wings</b>. We decided we also had to try it, if everyone else was. We ordered the Honey Garlic wings.<br />
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B was skeptical at first - just because you call something famous, doesn't make it good. But he admitted he was wrong after taking a bite. We think it must have been cooked over a flame, because the skin had that crispy exterior of a flame-cooked wing. The sauce was real honey and garlic, not some pre-made sauce. There were also huge chunks of blue cheese in the sauce. We were quite impressed.<br />
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Loved the service and the wings. We will definitely return if we ever come back to Bowen Island.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/doc-morgans-restaurant-pub-bowen-island-west-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Doc Morgan's Restaurant & Pub, Bowen Island and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Doc Morgan's Restaurant & Pub Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16623281/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-29603287332718975842018-06-04T10:01:00.001-07:002018-06-04T10:01:15.115-07:00The Snug CaféFor breakfast the morning after we arrived we went to The Snug Café, again because of the good ratings and the because it was actually open for breakfast. It was really busy, full of people who are trying to catch a bite before the ferry. We were told we would wait 20 minutes for our breakfast.<br />
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After all the meat I've been eating, I thought I'd go with the <b>Buttered Spinach Eggs Benedict</b>. That was a mistake. Hollandaise sauce is buttery to begin with, so spinach drenched in butter shouldn't be offered as an option. The butter in the spinach was very overwhelming, to the point I couldn't even taste the lemon juice in the sauce. Everything just tasted like butter.<br />
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The potatoes on the side were kind of mushy and didn't have the crispy edges that you look for in hashbrowns. The egg was cooked well though, and still runny.<br />
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B ordered the <b>Full English Breakfast</b>, which included two eggs, hashbrowns, toast, and a choice of sausage, bacon, ham or roasted tomato & mushrooms. B asked for his eggs cooked sunny side up and chose bacon. B didn't like his breakfast at all. He said the toast was not toasted, the bacon overcooked, and the eggs not cooked consistently (one was runny, one was not).<br />
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Overall, it did the job, but we didn't want to return the next day. We decided we'd rather wait and go to Starbucks after taking the ferry back to Vancouver.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/the-snug-cafe-bowen-island-west-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about The Snug Cafe, Bowen Island and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="The Snug Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16623282/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-12638465754182913002018-06-04T09:47:00.002-07:002018-06-04T09:47:51.746-07:00Barcelona Tapas & Wine BarThis past weekend, we went to Bowen Island for a weekend getaway. We decided to go to Barcelona because it was well reviewed and opened late. We tried a couple Spanish beers, a few of the tapas, and one large plate.<br />
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I had the Alhambra, which is a pale lager, and B had the Estrella Damm Barcelona, which is also a lager. Both were fine lagers and solid house beers.<br />
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The <b>Lengua de Res</b> (beef tongue) came first. The beef itself wasn't very flavourful but was tender and had good mouth feel. The alioli had strong onion flavour, but not in a bad way. The toast was a little burnt and very noticeably bitter.<br />
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Next came the <b>Chipirones a la Plancha</b> (baby squid), which was fine. The squid didn't have the crunch that fresh squid normally has and the peppers lacked flavour, but the dish as a whole worked well together and B really enjoyed it.<br />
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The last tapas we ordered was the <b>Atún y Romesco en Pan</b> (albacore tuna), which was pretty good. If we had to be picky, we would ask that the bread be toasted.<br />
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For the large plate, we ordered the <b>Filete de Flanco con Mojo Verde</b> (flank steak). I didn't research what mojo verde was, and just assumed it was some kind of green herby sauce. It was minty, which threw me off. I'm not a big fan of mint in anything except for cocktails or toothpaste, so I didn't really like the sauce, but B liked it. Once I scraped the sauce off, the steak itself was cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was tender for a flank steak and well seasoned. The accompanying brussel sprouts and potatoes were very buttery and salty, but I couldn't stop eating them.<br />
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Overall, we had a good experience. With the limited choice on the island, we would return if we're in Snug Cove again.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/barcelona-tapas-wine-bar-bowen-island-west-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Barcelona Tapas & Wine Bar, Bowen Island and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Barcelona Tapas & Wine Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18473329/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-26018098159539882212018-04-12T08:32:00.000-07:002018-04-12T08:32:32.860-07:00Revisit: TorafukuI know we said we weren't going to return to Torafuku unless it's for a special occasion, but my mother saw my Instagram pictures and wanted to try it out. We ordered a few of the same dishes because they were really good: Lucky Dumplings, Big Bad Beans, and Gone Fishin' (Seabream). Then we also ordered some new ones to try.<br />
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First up, <b><i>Taco 'Bout Awesome</i></b> are duck tacos. The duck was cooked perfectly and we really liked the freshness of the vegetables. It also had a bit of heat to it. We loved and hated that it was overloaded with filling. Loved it because it was fresh, hated it because it was super messy to eat. Each taco only comes with one tortilla, so we had to order two, which came out to $24 for this light appetizer.<br />
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Next, I ordered <i style="font-weight: bold;">The 3 Amigos</i> for us because I knew the dishes won't be very filling, and my father would probably want some carbs to fill him up. I think we ended up having about a bite and a half each. The grains were cooked really well and the risotto had great flavour to it overall. The guanciale was a nice addition. My parents don't really like cheese, but enjoyed the crispiness of the parmasan.<br />
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I had wanted to try <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Steak Out</i> last time, so I took this opportunity to do so. Wagyu beef is supposed to be so tender it melts in your mouth (we had that as our last meal when we were in Japan). Although the beef was tender, it didn't really melt in my mouth. Also, like the duck we had the other day, it seemed that it wasn't sous vided long enough to really break down the fat and tendons. Great flavour and sides though, and I particularly enjoyed the spicy rice crispy coating on the potato.<br />
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Last comes <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Mussel Man</i>, which came with a side Chinese Puff Pastry for an extra $4. The Puff Pastry is like those scallion pancakes you find at Szechuan style restaurants, except without the scallion. This was the weakest dish of the bunch. Although the sauce was really good, especially with the Puff Pastry to dip in, the mussels were overcooked and chewy.<br />
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Overall, my parents really enjoyed the food. Though they didn't have to pay for dinner, they expressed concern over how pricey all the dishes were. If you want your Chinese parents to boast about their wonderful child for bringing them to this "貴夾唔飽" place to their friends, it might be a good place to bring them for a special occasion. As for B and I, we will likely not be returning for a very long while.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/torafuku-strathcona-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Torafuku, Strathcona and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Torafuku Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16708829/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-7269588520714790202018-04-11T09:16:00.000-07:002018-04-11T09:16:04.709-07:00Bodega On Main<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Easter Weekend Part 2 - Happy Hour at <a href="https://www.bodegaonmain.ca/" target="_blank">Bodega On Main</a>. We passed by Bodega on our way to and from Torafuku the day before and thought - we should try that next. Conveniently enough, we had a movie to catch at 7pm, so Happy Hour until 6pm was perfect for us. The price was also appealing.</div>
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We both ordered the Bodega Lager, which was a huge disappointment. B believes that, in this city and neighbourhood, no one should be serving bad beer anymore. Plus, we would've been happy with a good brew at $2 off. But paying $5 for garbage was a turn off.<br />
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First there was the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Patatas Bravas</i> (fried potatoes). Although the sauce was pretty good, by completely submerging the potatoes in sauce, the <i>twice fried</i> potatoes lost their crispiness. What's the point of frying the potatoes twice if there's no crunch to the finished dish?<br />
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The <i style="font-weight: bold;">Jamón Serrano</i> (cured ham) was also completely soaked, but in olive oil. There's not much I can say about the ham itself - it kind of reminded me of the prosciutto you get at Costco. I liked how the olive oil really balances the saltiness of the ham, but it was A LOT of oil. I think a simple drizzle would have sufficed.<br />
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We were quite disappointed with the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Calamares Fritos</i> (deep fried squid). Though the squid itself was great - good texture, you can eat it in bites - the batter was bland and boring.<br />
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The <i style="font-weight: bold;">Pollo Frito</i> (fried chicken wings) was as expected. You really can't ruin chicken wings. The fried skin had great texture to it and the meat was moist and cooked well.<br />
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Lastly, there's the <i><b>Albóndigas</b> </i>(meatballs). The sauce was rich and the meat fell apart, but it tasted good. I was glad it came with the potatoes because the fried crispy texture of the potatoes helped balance out the softness of the meatballs.<br />
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Overall, we weren't impressed with the Happy Hour at Bodega; however, since our friends think so highly of it, we will give their regular menu a try one day. We would not recommend Happy Hour though: food and service was mediocre, but the atmosphere was great.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/bodega-on-main-strathcona-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Bodega on Main, Strathcona and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Bodega on Main Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16708871/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-91253338722538013642018-04-10T08:56:00.000-07:002018-04-10T08:56:36.252-07:00TorafukuLast weekend, we had the luxury of statutory holidays to give us a chance to go out and eat again. We decided we should try the restaurants in our neighbourhood, now that we've been there about a year. First up, <a href="http://torafuku.ca/" target="_blank">Torafuku</a>.<br />
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My initial impression was that it was too hipster for us. The Asian Fusion style always turned me off. My brother told me the backstory, about how it started as a food truck, and that the food was good, so I decided we should probably give it a try.<br />
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Their happy hour is $2 off cocktails until 7pm, so naturally, I had to have a cocktail. On the left is B's <i style="font-weight: bold;">People's Cocktail</i>, made of Beefeater Gin, cucumber, elderflower, ginger, and lemon. The cucumber was quite refreshing. On the right is my <i style="font-weight: bold;">Green Lambo</i>, made of cardamom infused el Jimador tequila, Cointreau, basil syrup, white pepper syrup, and lime juice. I usually pick anything with lime juice in it, add cardamom, and that's my perfect drink.<br />
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First we had the <b><i>Lucky Dumplings</i></b>, a vegetarian dish made of eggplant, spinach, oysters, and tomatoes. I'm typically not a fan of vegetarian food, but if every vegetarian dish had the texture and flavours of these dumplings, I might consider being a vegetarian. The umami of the mushrooms, the thinness of the wrappers, and the complexity of the sauce made this dish a winner.<br />
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Next we had the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Bun Me</i>, which was slow braised ox tail sandwich between a steamed bun. The ox tail really reminded me of the the ox tail soup my aunt used to make; it tasted like my childhood. Although it fit perfectly in the bun, it was a bit too rich and I wanted more slaw and coriander. It was a good bun, but I wanted more freshness to it.<br />
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B wanted more vegetables, so we also ordered the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Big Bad Beans</i>. I was hesitant about it at first, because it was <i>just</i> beans, but when it arrived, the aroma from being fried in the wok really hits you in the face. The fried shallots were pungent, but in a good way. It was B's favourite dish of the night - perfectly seasoned and contains "wok hei" (breath of the wok).<br />
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Then comes the meat! <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Donald</i> stood out for me because, to be honest, it was the cheapest of the meats, and I very rarely have duck. We had a hard time finding the shaved foie gras, and the tendons didn't seem to have cooked down enough. Though the meat was very tender, you had to eat the entire slice of duck at once because the tendons made it difficult to eat in bites. Otherwise, it was very well seasoned and the meat itself was cooked perfectly.<br />
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Lastly, because we were still quite hungry after the other four dishes, so we decided to order the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Gone Fishin'</i>. It wasn't exactly what we'd imagined it would look like, but it was cooked well and had great flavour. It even came with a bucket for bones.<br />
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Overall, we really liked Torafuku. Every dish was solid, the service was professional and prompt, and we enjoyed ourselves. It's a little on the pricey side, so we would likely only return on special occasions and not just a regular lazy night out.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/torafuku-strathcona-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Torafuku, Strathcona and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Torafuku Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16708829/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-70913428590571746602018-03-20T08:53:00.003-07:002018-03-20T08:53:59.829-07:00Banh Mi Quest: Au Petit CafeWhat's a Banh Mi Quest without a visit to Au Petit Cafe?<br />
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Au Petit was where I had my first Banh Mi. Every person I've ever talked to loves Au Petit's sandwiches. They were B's favourite when I first brought him there.<br />
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Unfortunately, when we visited this past Sunday, Au Petit's Banh Mi did not live up to expectations.<br />
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $5.75<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 2/5 - I remember when I used to go to Au Petit and they'd be sold out of bread on a weekday. Perhaps they're making more bread these days and not selling out, because this bread was tough and tasted stale.<br />
<b>Sauce: </b>4/5 - The one thing that kept up its standard. The sauce was creamy, flavourful, and there were lots of it.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - The filling has a good crunch to it, but there was not enough and it need more pickling.<br />
<b>Meat: </b>3/5 - There was plenty of chicken and it was very flavourful, but it could be more moist.<br />
<b>Value: </b>2/5 - The price has gone up but the quality has gone down. I don't think it's B's favourite Banh Mi anymore.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/au-petit-cafe-riley-park-little-mountain-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Au Petit Cafe, Riley Park & Little Mountain and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Au Petit Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16616883/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-7520117367570822132018-03-19T08:30:00.002-07:002018-03-19T08:30:51.231-07:00Banh Mi Quest: Kim Châu DeliWhen we were on our way to Pho Thai Hoa last time, we passed by Kim Châu Deli.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vcvp56xyw8XdU-tUi8Jbuk7l8KtmicVDwXm4UPQDEU9Bp_MJtZ2_qKMKDfq9HQUqf76E7F9vMZrNw4f8sE4i-gJlKzn1x22FxbT8KEBjLfX9Bvr6LLWwzcW3tsrrZXlGuyuc99hHufo/s1600/Kim+Ch%25C3%25A2u+Deli+Ltd+Ext.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vcvp56xyw8XdU-tUi8Jbuk7l8KtmicVDwXm4UPQDEU9Bp_MJtZ2_qKMKDfq9HQUqf76E7F9vMZrNw4f8sE4i-gJlKzn1x22FxbT8KEBjLfX9Bvr6LLWwzcW3tsrrZXlGuyuc99hHufo/s200/Kim+Ch%25C3%25A2u+Deli+Ltd+Ext.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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There was a picture of a sandwich etched on their window, so we thought their sandwiches must be good. Unfortunately, we were wrong, and though their sandwiches are averagely priced, we won't be returning.<br />
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $4.25<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 2/5 - The bread was dry and tasted stale, but at least it doesn't scratch or hurt our mouths when we eat it.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 2/5 - We can see the sauce and taste the moisture, but there was absolutely no flavour to it.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 2/5 - The vegetables had good texture and amount, but needed more pickling.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 1/5 - They didn't have shredded chicken, so it was hard to compare. We ordered both roasted pork and shredded pork because we didn't know which one would be the most similar. The roasted pork was very heavily salted and the shredded pork was mixed with something that gave it a strange flavour. There was also not enough meat in both sandwiches.<br />
<b>Value:</b> 2/5 - The sandwiches were cheap comparatively, but not very good.<br />
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On a side note, they have a major packaging operation running and we might return to try something else.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/kim-chau-deli-kensington-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Kim Chau Deli, Kensington and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Kim Chau Deli Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16624246/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-36844386638756955732018-03-15T14:07:00.000-07:002018-03-15T14:07:36.197-07:00Banh Mi Quest: Pho Quynh ExpressApparently Pho Quynh Express open just over a month ago and we had never seen it until this weekend. Only a block or so away, our friends told us the Pho is good, all signs point to this as THE restaurant, THE replacement we've been looking for.<br />
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<b>Cost per Sandwich: </b>$5.75<br />
<b>Bread: </b>3/5 - The bread isn't super dry and hard like it's stale, but it's not fresh and soft either.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 0/5 - We couldn't be sure if there was any sauce. It looked like they may have just spread butter on it, because we couldn't <i>taste</i> any sauce and it was very dry. In a way, it was good, because the chicken flavour really stood out.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 2/5 - There was a good amount of filling, but it also included lettuce, which is not very traditional, and the vegetables weren't pickled enough.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 4/5 - The chicken was tender and you could taste the flavour, but lacking moisture - probably because there was no sauce. There was a decent amount of chicken though.<br />
<b>Value:</b> 3/5 - A little on the pricier end but it's within walking distance for us. It's not the greatest but the chicken was really quite good.<br />
<br />A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-4054532479280206552018-03-12T20:26:00.000-07:002018-03-12T20:26:05.892-07:00Banh Mi Quest: Pho HolidayThis Saturday we were in Coquitlam running some errands when we walked past Pho Holiday, a Vietnamese restaurant that also served Banh Mi. Though it'll never make it into our go to, we thought we'd give it a try anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSbsFjh9DcuMGZYrJ-U7m0gGRnWWkBeQ2V7Ac5eOFYB3yFn_oBRWCLYy9WQt2VMjZKpRSJAIM8o9bCjJsqhoD1rlTtCFyJs063aABZPx2wRVE9uuSwEQUz3Krxjsw2EKYR8ZuWuyGKr8/s1600/Pho+Holiday+Square.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSbsFjh9DcuMGZYrJ-U7m0gGRnWWkBeQ2V7Ac5eOFYB3yFn_oBRWCLYy9WQt2VMjZKpRSJAIM8o9bCjJsqhoD1rlTtCFyJs063aABZPx2wRVE9uuSwEQUz3Krxjsw2EKYR8ZuWuyGKr8/s200/Pho+Holiday+Square.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $5.70 + tax (note there is a $5 minimum order per person at the restaurant)<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 4/5 - The bread was surprisingly good and probably what saved the entire sandwich. It was soft, but still toasted.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b>1/5 - There was barely any sauce so we couldn't even taste it.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 2/5 - There's a good amount of filling, but not enough pickling.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 3/5 - It had good barbecue flavour, but a bit dry. It might have helped it there was more sauce.<br />
<b>Value: </b>2/5 - A little on the pricey side and not exactly a good banh mi, which is too bad because the bread was really, really good.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/pho-holiday-coquitlam" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Pho Holiday, Coquitlam and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Pho Holiday Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16628394/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801019631361131408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-16246644860321093742018-03-05T09:30:00.001-08:002018-03-15T13:58:06.833-07:00Banh Mi Quest: Banh Mi SaigonEven though it is quite out of the way, we decided to visit Banh Mi Saigon because it was recommended by family, friends, and other food critics.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iql3qu2f4GmCgMTNVnsp4axlFngh0yMBDaNHLvq02aZ-Xj_xqKgtD4Vr_FBBL0CubHyGhsfdEQxOCRRrf9bUQqiKqD0EcGYYZTbVUhQOlCjRvXw4hgicfnpXJ9N7o8bHz4uPuTi2X-Q/s1600/Banh+Mi+Saigon+Front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iql3qu2f4GmCgMTNVnsp4axlFngh0yMBDaNHLvq02aZ-Xj_xqKgtD4Vr_FBBL0CubHyGhsfdEQxOCRRrf9bUQqiKqD0EcGYYZTbVUhQOlCjRvXw4hgicfnpXJ9N7o8bHz4uPuTi2X-Q/s200/Banh+Mi+Saigon+Front.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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It's a very well-run establishment. From order to pick-up, it only took 2 minutes. Though the Banh Mi here is very good, there were a few flaws that prevent us from choosing it as our replacement Banh Mi go to spot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqv2A0Na21Luelpamg0kdiENM8ePLnMsluc8qEYuauUxK8e2YAHGmIOSTEGd1OHDaRTBkPRKfxgSnPIubBzf2r_g2PdLgGSPtutuGxLx8B3eCqGqbbzh73FQHo1heHTADnWiCBuh1RD_m/s1600/Banh+Mi+Saigon+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqv2A0Na21Luelpamg0kdiENM8ePLnMsluc8qEYuauUxK8e2YAHGmIOSTEGd1OHDaRTBkPRKfxgSnPIubBzf2r_g2PdLgGSPtutuGxLx8B3eCqGqbbzh73FQHo1heHTADnWiCBuh1RD_m/s200/Banh+Mi+Saigon+Square.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $5<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 3/5 - Though the restaurant smelled like bread, indicating they must bake their bread fresh, we found the crust very hard. The inside of the bread was soft though.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Good balance of flavour and has the creamy texture we like, but there wasn't enough.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 4/5 - Good amount of filling, crunchy and has the pickling taste we were looking for.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 3/5 - Tender and moist, but startlingly cold.<br />
<b>Value:</b> 4/5 - It's a solid Banh Mi and if we were in the neighbourhood during lunch, we'd definitely go back. Average in price. It's only held back by the hard bread exterior and cold meat.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/banh-mi-saigon-kensington-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Banh Mi Saigon, Kensington and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Banh Mi Saigon Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16708677/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> gloriaheidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18107223053576380133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-42595525090707298042018-03-03T21:47:00.002-08:002018-03-05T09:19:15.175-08:00Banh Mi Quest: Pho Tai Hoa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today we decided to go try Pho Tai Hoa. I wanted to check it out, as I have seen it many times while driving on Kingsway, and they prominently call themselves a 'Kitchen & Banh Mi Bar'. It also tops this list of top 10 Banh Mi places in Vancouver: <a href="https://vancouver.eater.com/maps/vancouvers-top-10-try-before-you-die-banh-mi/pho-thai-hoa" target="_blank">https://vancouver.eater.com/maps/vancouvers-top-10-try-before-you-die-banh-mi/pho-thai-hoa</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9E_0kL5BJoRMUwNs5MunTfI_Pg_uN5iNoMMV40pF76C_ZNTFIjVtrP4_72gpj7GV0cnkKd-JwP-yHIi0zeqhulm2WPk0tGNqcYb5f7RI2Aj5Oeq-TY6BgbyS392to6-OTdrA2AhyzCtB/s1600/Pho+Thai+Hoa+external.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9E_0kL5BJoRMUwNs5MunTfI_Pg_uN5iNoMMV40pF76C_ZNTFIjVtrP4_72gpj7GV0cnkKd-JwP-yHIi0zeqhulm2WPk0tGNqcYb5f7RI2Aj5Oeq-TY6BgbyS392to6-OTdrA2AhyzCtB/s200/Pho+Thai+Hoa+external.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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We ordered two shredded chicken banh mi. One spicy, one not. After waiting more than 15 minutes (in an almost empty restaurant), we received our sandwiches, neither of which had any peppers. The sauce was not your normal banh mi mayo based sauce, but was instead some sort of teriyaki. It was not good. A bad sandwich, poor service, and a touch on the pricey side means we will not likely be coming back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLjQJPnFGnVoG5n-NsnfXZo33rQJscC3luJiIQv_VpaADpwRMW6jWxkVwh-7832Za2ooPlHk5qukiNTJkWE0v-vOK0M1hfIgPNfeoX7pJi-EP4zG0VTovE9UDMiI9wmdp0xlOqxslstoq/s1600/Pho+Thai+Hoa+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLjQJPnFGnVoG5n-NsnfXZo33rQJscC3luJiIQv_VpaADpwRMW6jWxkVwh-7832Za2ooPlHk5qukiNTJkWE0v-vOK0M1hfIgPNfeoX7pJi-EP4zG0VTovE9UDMiI9wmdp0xlOqxslstoq/s200/Pho+Thai+Hoa+Square.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich: </b>$6 + tax<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 3/5 - Soft and toasted at first, but toughens up, like it was microwaved.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 1/5 - Not normal cream sauce. Teriyaki-ish, sweet, soy sauce base. Leaves you wanting and overpowers the rest of the flavours in the sandwich.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - Vegetables had a solid crunch, good vinegar taste, good amount, but overpowered by the sauce.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 2/5 - The meat was ok, nothing special. Not consistent, some pieces were dry, and a few bits of cartilage in the mix. Really suffers from the poor sauce.<br />
<b>Value:</b> 2/5 - Overall not a great sandwich, a tad pricey, poor service.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/pho-thai-hoa-kensington-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Pho Thai Hoa, Kensington and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Pho Thai Hoa Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16618153/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801019631361131408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-50229428331583310242018-02-25T09:48:00.001-08:002018-02-25T09:48:51.807-08:00Banh Mi Quest: Hai PhongWe didn't have access to a car yesterday, which is oftentimes true, so we had to find something that was within walking distance of the service centre (and we hadn't tried before). B found a couple that was close to Stadium Station and off we went. We spotted Hai Phong first, so we decided to try it and save Qieu Cafe for another time.<br />
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I almost never pay attention to the stores around T&T, so we wouldn't have found Hai Phong if we didn't specifically google search "Banh Mi". Hai Phong has a good, solid banh mi, but the unfortunate thing about it is that it's pricey and the price doesn't include tax. If the price were lower, we would definitely come back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNweFjk5zpY3KrRflPp4tr4W5nWGT7Flt82SC7pJw9v9lcm9_MEPfz3kvCKMtrCgKeMZnfImQEtaPyzk6WKnL34ihDNU3gSLQxL85zLvYxwEPanyIFA2ZuJxqYPfK3jwzLVJlj1Hex6qo/s1600/hai+phong+square.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNweFjk5zpY3KrRflPp4tr4W5nWGT7Flt82SC7pJw9v9lcm9_MEPfz3kvCKMtrCgKeMZnfImQEtaPyzk6WKnL34ihDNU3gSLQxL85zLvYxwEPanyIFA2ZuJxqYPfK3jwzLVJlj1Hex6qo/s200/hai+phong+square.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich: </b>$7.50 + tax<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 3/5 - Not fresh, but not bad either. It's still crispy. A bit dry, but not tough.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 3/5 - Creamy, but could use more seasoning. The lemongrass chicken kind of overpowers the sauce.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 4/5 - Not enough, but has good texture and a crisp strong pickle taste.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 4/5 - Lemongrass flavour is strong, but it was juicy, tender, and had a good amount.<br />
<b>Value:</b> 2/5 - It's a slightly above average banh mi, but at a significantly higher price.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/h-i-phong-vietnamese-kitchen-downtown-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Hai Phong Vietnamese Kitchen, Downtown and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Hai Phong Vietnamese Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16628263/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-10404080991218787092018-02-11T13:52:00.001-08:002018-02-13T11:36:49.568-08:00Banh Mi Quest: Battle of the Ba-LesEveryone says Ba-Le has great banh mi because they bake their own bread in-house. What's the difference between the two Ba-Les then? We went and tried them both. First up, Ba-Le Sandwich Shop (Chinatown).<br />
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We had high hopes. It was a small hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pops kind of place. Our old favourite (Golden Garden, who's stopped selling sandwiches now and sparked this quest) was just a block away. Everything pointed to this being our potential replacement. Unfortunately, it did not deliver.</div>
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<b>Cost per Sandwich: </b>$4.00</div>
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<b>Bread:</b> 1/5 - As soon as you touch it, you know it's stale. It was too dry and too flaky.</div>
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<b>Sauce: </b>1/5 - The consistency is very thick, which may be why it didn't spread and ended up being so little of it we couldn't tell there was any sauce at all</div>
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<b>Filling:</b> 2/5 - Too much onion, not enough chicken or anything else. The onion is all you taste.</div>
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<b>Meat:</b> 1/5 - Barely there and too dry.</div>
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<b>Value:</b> 2/5 - Average price. We would eat it again if we had no other choice, but it's hardly worth it.</div>
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There's a reason the Ba-Le on Main Street is a "Sandwich shop" and the one on Kingsway is a "Deli and Bakery". The bread here is baked in-house and just about as fresh as you can get it. There's always a line, so it pays to call ahead to order - unlike the one on Main Street, where it's set up like a subway and made immediately. This is likely another hint at how everything at Main Street's just not as fresh as Kingsway.<br />
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<b>Cost per Sandwich:</b> $4.50<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 5/5 - Even though it's toasted, it still feels soft, fresh, and moist.<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Good consistency and amount, but could do with more seasoning.<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - Good texture and flavour of vegetables, decent amount of chicken, but not enough vegetables.<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 4/5 - Good amount of chicken and moist, but could do with more seasoning.<br />
<b>Value:</b> 4/5 - Pricier than other places, but worth it. The bread is the freshest we've had.<br />
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<b>Winner: </b>Ba-Le Deli & Bakery (Kingsway)<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/ba-le-deli-bakery-mount-pleasant-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Ba Le Deli & Bakery, Mount Pleasant and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Ba Le Deli & Bakery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16619509/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801019631361131408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-63587765243155799632018-02-06T14:00:00.002-08:002018-02-11T13:47:20.294-08:00Banh Mi Quest: Fami PhoWe found Fami Pho by searching for "Vietnamese food" on Google maps.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oT0Ss_JvCzjzGGAiX4rHIV8hZTxlPoodTOliufxj8QSDPTixrBBNTnj0lmSo5otr68tBpfQJcy9iHNJWu-TTKyTZsE8CV4QQ3ADoOC3v4GaQLxMkXzxdbKewZ-h1u2-3JiS77ouTz-g/s1600/fami+pho+exterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oT0Ss_JvCzjzGGAiX4rHIV8hZTxlPoodTOliufxj8QSDPTixrBBNTnj0lmSo5otr68tBpfQJcy9iHNJWu-TTKyTZsE8CV4QQ3ADoOC3v4GaQLxMkXzxdbKewZ-h1u2-3JiS77ouTz-g/s320/fami+pho+exterior.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It fit the criteria of being within walking distance and having "Sandwich" advertised on their awning. Fami Pho makes a pretty good banh mi and would definitely be our "go to" place after the Banh Mi Quest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDm_wLtXnU5YGEBzlqwXcHp6OmVQsjoxSv8GQU9uPwZv8zztGV7dWUxXhuU2yfd_r_ErVh8mLsCVyLTCGBC1sd3NHbgkf1kNxXqUj_-wyBbQgDtzgVpJECySgXElkyjtpcOqH1iCKCx6Q/s1600/fami+pho+square.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDm_wLtXnU5YGEBzlqwXcHp6OmVQsjoxSv8GQU9uPwZv8zztGV7dWUxXhuU2yfd_r_ErVh8mLsCVyLTCGBC1sd3NHbgkf1kNxXqUj_-wyBbQgDtzgVpJECySgXElkyjtpcOqH1iCKCx6Q/s320/fami+pho+square.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Cost per sandwich:</b> $4.75<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 4/5 - Very good. Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, but not too hard<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 4/5 - Creamy and has a good balance of flavour<br />
<b>Filling</b>: 3/5 - Vegetables have a good crunch to it, but do with more filling and could be more pickled<br />
<b>Meat: </b>4/5 - Chicken is tender and flavourful<br />
<b>Value:</b> 4/5 - Solid banh mi, but kind of smallA Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-25121154902439863082018-02-03T14:28:00.000-08:002018-02-03T14:28:25.443-08:00Banh Mi Quest: Yen LinhToday we went to Banh Mi Yen Linh. This restaurant was recommended by a fellow Banh Mi enthusiast.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZDJUoGkK9FyXV9rrT2LGDn6x2Hru6gMZMRYtRyG_Tnz3axqqXI9yGoX5YUl0LF1b227ijpMK9p0Pw60AD7SfqnypmVallhfHFvJMrtNpe3GqmE9-Lu-D95gnAnmhztM-1cwuLMUpWp0/s1600/Yen+Linh+Front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZDJUoGkK9FyXV9rrT2LGDn6x2Hru6gMZMRYtRyG_Tnz3axqqXI9yGoX5YUl0LF1b227ijpMK9p0Pw60AD7SfqnypmVallhfHFvJMrtNpe3GqmE9-Lu-D95gnAnmhztM-1cwuLMUpWp0/s200/Yen+Linh+Front.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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With "Banh Mi" in its restaurant name, we thought, "Their banh mi has to be good." It was. The banh mi here sets a good baseline to build on. One downside is that they don't have regular chicken sandwiches, but they do have lemongrass chicken.<br />
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<b>Cost per sandwich:</b> $5<br />
<b>Bread:</b> 3/5 - very toasted (hard), which is a hint that it's not freshly baked<br />
<b>Sauce:</b> 3/5 - tastes fine, but not evenly spread and there wasn't enough of it<br />
<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - good amount, but not enough pickle flavour<br />
<b>Meat:</b> 3/5 - has a very strong lemongrass flavour, but a bit dry<br />
<b>Value:</b> 3/5 - more expensive, but we won't mind eating it againBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801019631361131408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-10113622593198932312018-01-27T14:13:00.000-08:002018-02-11T13:55:12.597-08:00Banh Mi Quest: Nha TrangLate last year our favourite Banh Mi restaurant stopped selling Banh Mi. We are now on a quest to find the next best thing. First up, Nha Trang.<br />
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Nha Trang was recommended to us by G's parents. "It specializes in sandwiches," they said. We searched them up and there were only two reviews that mentioned their Banh Mi, and they both warned us not to try it. But G's parents said it was good. We had to try for ourselves.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzhqgAi4aSCYPewHRpy8AQH-U-8QHZBBxiyp-nnKeVES-j3mGiwNYpMLXBjD435A6KPHkHJL5EhAqvfeXBZpaPyzVZL7ou9ge86fixCdOFllN2gko9k_N8frshD4IUOwPMrMNMm6n6i0/s1600/nhatrangsquare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzhqgAi4aSCYPewHRpy8AQH-U-8QHZBBxiyp-nnKeVES-j3mGiwNYpMLXBjD435A6KPHkHJL5EhAqvfeXBZpaPyzVZL7ou9ge86fixCdOFllN2gko9k_N8frshD4IUOwPMrMNMm6n6i0/s200/nhatrangsquare.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Cost per sandwich:</b> $4</div>
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<b>Bread:</b> 4/5 - reasonably toasted but still soft</div>
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<b>Sauce: </b>2/5 - garlic flavour overpowers everything else</div>
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<b>Filling:</b> 3/5 - good amount, good mouth feel</div>
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<b>Meat:</b> 1/5 - chicken too dry, tastes ready made roast chicken</div>
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<b>Value:</b> 3/5 - cheap and filling, ruined by the garlic and dry chicken</div>
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Edit: Upon reflection, we think Nha Trang's Value only deserves 2/5 (Feb 11)</div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/nha-trang-vietnamese-beef-noodle-soup-restaurant-mount-pleasant-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Nha Trang Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup Restaurant, Mount Pleasant and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Nha Trang Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16621273/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801019631361131408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-3567894498969648002017-01-01T16:53:00.002-08:002017-01-01T16:53:41.161-08:00Koko<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
We went to Koko because the chef we took cooking lessons with had recommended it and it shows up as Japanese owned and run online. It was surprisingly close to us as well.</div>
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We sat at the sushi bar, as we like to do when we try out new sushi places. The sushi chefs were very well trained and very fast. First we had the saba battera. We thought the saba was very well prepared and very fatty, as we enjoy it. I thought there was too much rice and that it would be better with two-thirds the amount. B thought it was perfect.</div>
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I ordered a bunch of nigiris to try. From top to bottom, we have unagi, uni, ikura, ika, aji, and hotate. The aji, uni, and ikura were labelled as "market price," but there were no boards that ever displayed what the market price was for that day. That was one issue I had because one of them turned out to be more than $5. Another issue I had was the uni didn't taste like it was properly cleaned - it tasted a bit muddy still. The ikura was not salty enough, but other than that everything was fine. I also thought the proportion of rice too large, but B thinks that it was fine given how large the slice of the fish was.</div>
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B had the Special Assorted Sushi. It came with 10 pieces of nigiri for the price of $22, which was a pretty good deal considering my 6 pieces came out costing more. From top to bottom, he had tobiko, ikura, ama ebi, ebi, tai, hokkigai, saba, hotate, salmon, and tuna. He said they were all fresh and really liked their treatment of the saba. Where some places may over-pickle their saba, which makes it kind of dry, this had good texture, a good amount of saltiness and oiliness, and not fishy at all.<br />
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We decided to try their tonkatsu, since that's B's favourite dish and they didn't have any saba shioyaki (my go to). We were also not impressed with their treatment of the squid - they were cut into rings and didn't have any tentacles. The tonkatsu was solid. The breading held together well and was very crispy. The pork itself was tender and juicy. The sauce had a nice balance of flavour.<br />
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We decided to add an order of hamachi sashimi because (a) they actually have it in their menu and (b) we were very impressed with the chef's knife work and wanted to see more of it. As you can see below, the pieces of hamachi are sliced evenly and smoothly.<br />
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Generally, we were impressed with the restaurant and had an enjoyable time there. We liked how the sushi doesn't fall apart like some places do, which speaks to the skills of the sushi chefs. The negatives, aside from those mentioned above, were that the server / hostess doesn't seem well trained and didn't notice when we tried to flag her down to order more and they only served one type of hot sake.<br />
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We would recommend it for those in Vancouver who don't want to travel to Burnaby or Richmond and would definitely return to try their udon, as we noticed they have quite the extensive selection of noodles. As for sushi, I would prefer going to Seto's, still.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/koko-grandview" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Koko, Grandview and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Koko Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16619418/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-65483946170512209052016-12-09T09:40:00.004-08:002016-12-09T09:40:50.112-08:00Bao Down Gastropub & Raw Bar (Olympic Village)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I've referred to Bao Down's service before in my post on the Flying Pig. It's great to finally see how it works at the restaurant itself. But first, the decor. It had a nice rustic yet industrial look to it. Raw.</div>
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I especially liked the reclaimed wood, but it makes me think of <a href="http://www.mnn.com/your-home/remodeling-design/blogs/burgled-barn-wood-when-interior-design-trends-lead-rampant-farm-theft" target="_blank">this article</a> about burgled barn wood because of interior design trends.</div>
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We started with 2 dozen oysters (they were $1 each during happy hour). They were very well shucked. I only got one piece of shell in the dozen that I ate. We especially liked the jalapeno ginger sauce that came with it. The Joyce Point ones were the best in our opinion. At least we *think* they're "Joyce Point" because the server who brought us the oysters didn't know what they were. It was only later, when the bartender / oyster shuck-er walked by and heard me talk about it that he pointed out what they were. This happened the second time we visited the restaurant as well. No one knows what they're serving except for the bartender / oyster shuck-er.<br />
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Of course we had to try their baos. Mini baos were $4 each during happy hour. We tried one of each flavour (from left): Bao Chicka Bao Bao, Vevo, and YVR. Our favourite was the Bao Chicka Bao Bao because it had some texture in it and the lemongrass flavour was prominent. The Vevo and YVR weren't that great because they had no texture at all. It was mush in a bun, but the flavour was good. I especially liked the peanut flavour in the Vevo.<br />
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Wings were half price and we chose the Spicy Thai flavour. They were well fried and the sauce was well balanced, though not spicy at all.<br />
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We liked the Bao Chicka Bao Bao so much we ordered one more for each of us. Unfortunately, the inexperienced server (referred to above) brought it to the wrong table and we waited quite a long time before following up with another server (who was serving the table next to us). She asked if we were sure it didn't come and then told us it will come soon. I then saw her approach the inexperienced server to tell him he brought the baos to the wrong table.<br />
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Overall, the food was good. The service was so-so. Our first server (the bartender) was quite attentive and knowledgeable. But then he kind of disappeared after we ordered the last two baos and the place got a little busier. It would have been more professional if he told us, "Hey, it's getting busy and I'm going to get behind the bar now. So and so will now be your server." We had no idea who to flag down when we wanted to order more food.<br />
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The staff need to communicate with each other better, or find a way to educate everyone. When the server brought us our oysters without knowing what they were, it was unprofessional. He was obviously not as well trained since he brought our food to the wrong table too. We later overheard him bringing more food to the table next to us, food they are sure they didn't order.<br />
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We will likely only return during happy hour (which we have done already) and recommend that people visit during happy hour as well. It's not as busy so they'll serve you better.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/bao-down-gastropub-raw-bar-mount-pleasant-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Bao Down Gastropub & Raw Bar, Mount Pleasant and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Bao Down Gastropub & Raw Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18261737/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1070729035368309013.post-73096322221259087662016-12-09T09:23:00.002-08:002016-12-09T09:23:53.631-08:00Tokyo John<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tokyo John, another Korean-run Japanese restaurant. It was kind of odd, because it was located a couple stores north and then we thought it was closed. But we eventually found it.</div>
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The decor was nice, I liked the details on the walls. </div>
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B couldn't turn down a Tonkatsu, so that's what he ordered. He said the meat was very tender and the breading was nice and crispy. The sauce was very well balanced as well. All in all a good dish.<br />
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I saw a picture of the flaming unagi roll (not sure if this was the correct name) and thought it looked cool, so I ordered it. I don't think you can see the flames in this picture, but it was burning for a good 3-5 minutes. It burned a little too long, in my opinion. I was just sitting there staring at the flames for the longest time and just wanted to eat.<br />
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The taste was fine. The parts at the end were a little "burnt" tasting, but otherwise, it had great texture (from the tempura) and the flavours were well balanced.<br />
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B had to order a Saba nigiri, of course, but he accidentally ordered the ebi nigiri instead of the ika. He said they were well prepared but the Saba wasn't rich enough.<br />
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Overall, it was a solid restaurant. It's a little difficult to get to for us and parking may be an issue, but we'd recommend it to people in the area.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/vancouver/tokyo-john-south-cambie-street-vancouver" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Tokyo John, South Cambie Street and other Restaurants in Metro Vancouver"><img alt="Tokyo John Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16619589/biglogo" style="border: none; height: 34px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> A Dash of Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11389230710599262027noreply@blogger.com0