PaoPao

^ Looking forward to responses, I've always wanted to try this ...

I'd go to Diner in a heartbeat. We've been to four different b-day parties there and the people loved the place each time. Good solid tasty food and fantastic fresh desserts. We just came from lunch there and my sweety for dessert had the Blackberry Pavlova with fresh Black berries out of Heathers garden. I had a just out of the oven Peach Shortbread ...... the best. My best friend had a party there and she cooked a Blackberry Coconut cake for him that everyone still raves about.

I'd give Angel Seafoods a call, although I can't recall ever seeing it there. ← Thanks! I'll give both places a try.

Anyone know where to find Wasabi Tobiko? I checked Fujiya without luck ....

Tonight we felt like trying something new and Infinity has been on my target list for awhile. We arrived approx. 6PM and were the first to be seated in the place. We started with some drinks, a nice RnB Lager for me and Jasmine Tea for ma lady. After getting a chance to peruse the menu we decided on the Butternut Squash Fondue and Spinach Salad to start. I was a little hesitant about the fondue as im not a big squash fan but it was delicious ... almost too small. Very garlicky and cheesy with little toasted triangles of garlic bread to spread the gooey goodness over. The Salad was very nice as well served in a vinaigrette with mushrooms and bacon. For the entree's we had been given the lunch menu inadvertently and my eye immediately was drawn to the Bison Dip. We also wanted the Sirloin in Peppercorn Sauce. The waitress switched menus and the Sirloin was still there but the Bison Sammy was gone. She said they could make it up anyway. The nice thing about being the first ones served is that your food comes out blazing hot and fast. The Sirloin was delicious, cooked to a perfect medium rare served with pan fried Taro and grilled Asparagus. Fantastic dish, superbly well done. My sandwich was very good as well but the steak stole the show. For dessert we had the Pear Tart. Very simple pear slices cut thin on top of some thin pastry, sprinkled with sugar and then torched. It came with a blue cheese dollop on the side which I didn't really care for but overall it was a nice dessert. Between the Fondue and the Steak I was smitten and I'll definitely be back for more. The service was good, attentive, and anticipated our needs well. I worry about them in the location there at but if they keep grilling up Steaks as good as the one we had tonight, hopefully they'll be around for a long time.

I would have piled on every salsa they had while staring icily at bovine expert behind the counter. . . What are they going to do? Chase you down the street screaming "no adobo for you"? Thank you so much for saving me the 3.50. ← I whole heartedly agree with you except I have a strict policy not to piss off people who are preparing my food. Don't want to take the chance of any extra "Love" in the ingredients. See what happens when you do a good deed? Now I'm cursing your name as I finish one review after another for bringing the page to my attention. Damn you man. It doesn't pay to do a favour. I want a good taco right now so badly. That page should be required reading for anyone wanting to operate a taco stand in the city. ← What can I say man, you asked for it. On my last trip to LA we went twice in two days to his only 5 taco rated place. If someone said god himself had prepared my taco's I would have believed them.

The blog is for So Cal. Not alot to do with around here except for lamenting why we can't eat as good as they do. Lucky So Cal Bastards.

I did a cucumber vodka as well that tasted just terrible ..... similar to Zucchini ... yuck. How did yours turn out? I got the idea from a friend who has a local restaurant in which they put Cucumber slices in the ware which is delicious.

We infused about 15 different bottles last fall of all sorts of combinations of fruits and still have them in our fridge. When we drink one we just fill it up again with some more vodka ..... they are really fantastic and seem to keep for a long time. The Limoncello one sounds very good, I think I will try that one next.

So after getting our fill of watching all sorts of people push silly flying contraptions into the water this afternoon at Science World for Flugtag, we decided a taco was in out near future. Since El Taco had just opened I was very excited about giving them a try. In a Taco Blog that I follow, the blogger and Taco expert advises to just try the Asada Taco of a new place to see if they are any good. If the Asada is good, chances are everything else will be good as well, and the opposite is true. So going into El Taco I look over the menu and see the Taco description of Meat, Veggie, or Chicken. I should have just stopped there but I trudged on and asked what kind of meat is it? This confused the cashier a bit and she responded back a bit rudely "Beef!" Again, should have just stopped and walked away but I'm stubborn. So I asked what type of beef? Hoping to hear Asada, etc., but this really had her thinking hard and she answered "You know, from a cow." So I ordered a meat taco, 1 for $3.50 with instructions about where the salsa bar was but I could only help myself to one of them. Now I can put up with alot of Sh*t if the food is worth it, so I wait a few minutes and they call my name to come get the Meat Taco. The cook hands me my taco that looks more like a Meat burrito served open face. It's loaded with lettuce, beans, onion, and a few cubes of meat in the meat sauce topped with some cheese. I studied the selection of salsas very carefully since I knew I could only have one and chose the Chipotle. My friend ordered the same thing, got his taco and salsa instructions, and then we went outside on their little patio. I'm hoping very hard that this meat taco is great for two reasons, I'm hungry and the amount of angst to get the taco is unbelievable and second, It's about 4 blocks from where I live. Now I promise this opinion of the Taco is based solely on taste and not my experiences ..... it was astonishingly bad. Shocking really. In my belief of simpler is usually better ... the taco is king, and they just made a complicated mess of bland. The few cubes of meat were stringy and mushy in a watery non-flavor sauce, it just tasted like nothing, even with salt and salsa. I guess I have been spoiled by Chilo's and the Taco Shack.

A friend and I had dinner last night at Chill Winston and had a nice seat at a table on their front patio. We started out and then continued on with a wheaten beer on tap that was very light and refreshing. We then ordered the roast beef sandwich served open face on toast with melted brie and the pastrami sandwich served open face with sauerkraut and melted Swiss. On the sides we ordered the potatoes bravas along with the butter basted potatoes. We enjoyed both the sandwiches and the butter basted potatoes, my friend though said he was disappointed in the bravas as they we're watery and lacked flavor. Good prices and a nice place to relax with good food and beer on a great summer night is a hard combo to beat. It is a bit uncomfortable on the patio with the continual barrage of street people literally screaming how hungry they are just steps away from you, but this is something you come to expect in Gastown. I really liked the clean and simple decor on the inside and the bathrooms are an interesting concept with individual water closets and a communal wash basin. Our waitress was very friendly, made good recommendations, and took care of us well. All in all I like the place and will be back to try other things like their popular Ribs

My beautiful bride and I had dinner last night at Diner and as usual, thoroughly enjoyed the food. Heather has been consistently adding to the place which now has a fantastic patio including a porch swing. As it was a bit cold last night we sat inside, but for summer afternoons she has created a nice little oasis. She also has a BBQ out there which I forgot to ask her when she will be using. There are some new additions to her menu along with the greates hits. We started out with drinks. A Long Iced Tea completely knocked my cutie on her ass (it was potent), and I had a Red Truck, We ordered the Meat Loaf Melt and the Pulled Pork Sammy. The Pork Sammy came with a watermelon, cucumber, and red onion salad which was very refreshing. Both sandwiches were very good and tasty. For dessert we tried the Blueberry Pavlova. This was interesting as we both had never tried anything quite like it. It was a hollow crispy merengue ball dipped in whip cream filled with fresh blueberries and vanilla ice cream, garnished with mint. Yum. We really like the vibe that the place has, good food, relaxing atmosphere, fair prices, and on busy nights you get bonus entertainment watching ladies in high heals navigate to Coast while trying not to do a face plant on the un-even brick sidewalk.

We were just walking by the 700 block of Davie and noticed a opening soon sign for "El Taco". It's directly under Fitness World in the old location of the Sweet Hot Motion Cafe. I found this little blurb about it: "El taco- a funky lil mexican resturant will opening up at granville & davie st very soon (apx.3weeks)....Its great for a quick healthy bite to eat and will be open till 3am...Yum Yum. It all started in Nelson BC 2 years ago...My father & sis opened it up and it did so great there they just had to open another in Van. Please come check it out and support good friendly people.......Just thought I'd let you know.. Enjoy~ Korina" Also, a bit further up Davie almost next to Samurai Sushi is a Shwarma place that was advertising "Tacos Al Pastor", 3 for $5. They were decently good with a nice salsa and good flavour.

Chilo's never ceases to put a smile on my face. After battling 6 pm traffic from downtown to 35th and Victoria, all I could think about were tasty tacos. Ordered 3 Asada and 3 Carnita tacos with a Asada quesadilla kicker. My bride ordered the Viera (Goat Soup) and an Asada and pollo tacos. Our friend had another 4 tacos mixed of Asada and Carnita. Along w/ 3 Ice Teas the total damage was $35 w/ tip. Pretty damn reasonable for good food. Lupe had her daughter who can't be older than 12 take our order, she was better and more friendly than most servers we've encountered in other places. It's a bit funny, every time I come in there they are blasting volume wise some Mexican Soap Opera or show ..... a simple request to turn it down is always met with a smile and a quick grab to the remote. Chilo and Lupe are really wonderful people and are smoothing out their working hours. I don't mind a little dis-organization and confusion when they mean well and are trying so hard.

I would throw my vote towards Century ..... the food at both are about the same level, but I like the atmosphere better. IMO Century is more interesting and comfortable to drink/dine/ and hang out in. But then again, we haven't tried the beds upstairs in Sanafir yet ......

When we were there on the 2nd day they were open, I thought everything went very well. Both Chris and Jay spent time at our table saying hi and giving us an overview of things. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and had thorough answers to all our questions. We decided on the tasting menu's with the wines pre-selected. For me and my bride we both really liked the food and the combinations. I'm not sure I would label what we had as dinner but we did order an extra meat plate along with a 2nd basket of bread. To me Sean and Scott really nailed it on the head creating a place that is comfortable to hang out, eat interesting things paired with delicious and unexpected wines. An after work wind down, a light dinner, whatever .... IMO the place works and is a welcome addition to the food scene. I just wish it were a bit closer to where we live in Yaletown for an easy walk.

Just got back from Costco and have picked up an old favourite, their Strawberry Rhubarb Pie which is always delicious. Also a new favourite they have is granola made in the bakery. Really big crispy chewy chunks with raisins and nuts. $10 gets you a pretty decent size portion of granola heaven.

So after calling Chillos half a dozen times with no answer, crossing my fingers he was open, I was looking back through the earlier posts and came across this one about El Pulgarcito. So we headed out to E. Hastings to try this place. The three of us ordered a Quesidilla, and 2 large Beef Burrito's. The Burritos when they came out were the size of a duraflame log, ok, not quite, but they were huge. Everything tasted pretty good, not the best, not the worst. I brought home a Salvadorian Tamale for my señora bonita. It was described by Patricia, the cute owners daughter as a softer version of the Mexican Tamale wrapped in a banana leaf. When I got home it was eaten so fast I didn't get a chance to try it. But it looked and smelled good, and I was told it tasted good as well. Their menu is decent, covering Taco's, Burrito's Papusa's, Steak (I'm assuming like Carne Asada), and a number of other items. Plus they had a decent list of Breakfast items like Huevos Rancheros. I'll be back to try some of the other items. Very friendly service, cheap prices ($7 for the beef burrito log), easy parking and consistent hours, and decent to good food is a pretty bueno combo. If they served Cerveza or what some other places call "Fizzy 7-UP" and was a bit closer in, then I'd change my description to Muay Bueno combo.

Somehow, I think that Gerald (shy and retiring though he may be) will be the first to post announcing the opening! ← My post was in regards to Chillo's, and Daddy-A's previous post and question about their business hours.

Best bet is to call before you go, his # is 604-301-0474. Last time I was there he mentioned his mid-week (Closed Monday, Tues - Thurs) hours to be 3pm to 11pm. Not sure if this still is valid so call him first.

For your lunch Xiao Long Bao comparison, I would sub one of the Shanghai's (wind or river) for Northern Dynasty on Alexandra Road. IMO the best Xiao Long Bao. Northern Dynasty, 1180 - 8391 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, BC (604) 303-1192

This morning I had a message from Gerald inviting us to come down for an informal tasting at his new Taco Shack on Cornwall. When my friend and I got there Gerald was just making his fresh Tortillas and putting them on the grill. Just looking at the ingredients in front of us we knew we were in for a treat. He had a bunch of Steak marinating, and then Noah got there with a bag full of items to make up some fresh Guacamole and Salsa. Shortly then after David (their new partner) arrived with the rest of the ingredients to make the Spanish Rice. In very short order were three tacos per plate served on their homemade Tortillas with an very nice helping of Grilled Steak, Onion, Cilantro, and some Lime. This was the first time I have ever had a fresh tortilla and I have to agree with Gerald that it make a difference. They tasted fantastic; add that with some perfectly marinated grilled steak and the simple condiments..... well, it's hard to get any better than perfect. Best Taco's I have ever had, and I'm not just saying this because these are a group of great guys, which they are. You just have to try them. Next we tried their Steak Burrito filled with David's secret recipe Spanish rice, homemade salsa and Guac. Another clear homerun! Then the Quesadilla with Steak and their cheese blend, which was just great as well. The philosophy they explained is to make everything fresh, right down to the Salsa's. These guys have really done their homework, and with David’s guidance from his years of working around and eating at Taco Trucks in L.A., the word that comes to mind when describing their menu is Genuine. Not just because of authenticity (whatever that is) but because these guys love Taco's and Mexican food and have put that clearly into their food. For under $10 you will get a meal and a drink and leave with a big smile. A big thanks to Gerald, Noah, and David for inviting us over for the sampling .... they stuffed us each with 7 Taco's, parts of a burrito and quesadilla, washed down with a Coke. I'm still smiling. They are looking to open Tuesday or Wednesday.

Man, looks as it would have been a eG reunion there today. Three of us went hungry for Tacos at lunchtime as well. Whomever we spoke to inside said they would be open Monday. We almost settled for a Vera burger, but a quick call to Chillo saved the day as he was open so we headed over. Taco cravings well satisfied.

Kadoya Sushi on Davie close to Thurlow. We just tried this place the first time a few weeks ago and then went again this last Tuesday. Very fresh Sushi, interesting and inventive rolls, and reasonable prices. A definite good alternative to Samurai just up the street when there is a long line.

A few weeks ago we had dinner with a group of friends to celebrate a birthday at Sanafir. There were nine of us so between everyone we ordered everything on the menu. My personal preference for meals is to give me my own plate, with a decent quantity of what I ordered so that I can fully enjoy it. Small plates, trios, etc., is ok but I never feel satisfied. Anyway, the food in general was mediocre as far as our groups and my opinion. Nothing that stood out that made me think that I have to have that again, yet nothing bad either. The room I thought was very cool, a bit noisy for my liking, but interesting. This is just another restaurant that was interesting to try, and most likely unless a friend really wants to go there, won't be back.