Truth be told: Where've you eaten lately? (Part 3)

[*Deborah*]

She catered my office's Christmas party last night, Tina, and I have to add my accolades to yours Very good stuff!

[TimK]

I just had the prix fixe dinner at Gastropod. I like the simplicity of the room and the bar stools are awesome. The wine prices are fantastic....$50 for Burrowing Owl Merlot. Congratulations on your opening.

[f*angela]

Cassis - nice, comfy, celebratory lunch with friends.

Salade de Fruits - possibly the best mussels I have had in a year. I have a soft spot for profiteroles that have 'just' been filled with ice cream. The Flame and I waddled out of there (3 dessert platter!)

Nuba - another workday lunch. Close, quick, yummy.

[kevfoodvan]

Water Street Cafe: Salmon with penne and cream sauce.

Keg Caesers: Prime Rib with garlic mash

Salt Tasting Room: Corned Beef, Smoked Tenderloin and Dubliner Cheddar

[maxmillan]

Did a take-out from Spices' Restaurant at 3346 Cambie St (at West 17th.) My sister ordered the Chicken Rice Pilaf in Hot Pot (not in the Hot Pot, of course, but in a styrofoam container which did not do this dish justice.) I ordered the deep fried Imperial Roll as a comparison with the other Vietnamese restaurants.

I was pleasantly surprised at the freshness of the Imperial Roll; it was hardly greasy. There was ample filling and you get three rolls for $8.25 and comes with pickled cabbage and carrots which were sublime and not overly vinegary. The rice noodle had good texture and not like the cheap slippery type. Best of all, the dipping sauce looked like it was made in house. It did not taste fishy.

The Chicken Rice Pilaf was also very good but I'll have to try it in the restaurant next time to get that crispy rice that comes with being cooked in a terra pot.

Their phone is 604-876-6618 and I was told they opened two months ago so I don't think they'll be in the phone book.

I'm definitely going to bring my picky friend to try this place out.

Thanks to S for mentioning this restaurant. ; )

[maxmillan]

I went back this evening to dine in at Spices Restaurant. I had the Imperial Roll again, deliciously fresh with lots of filling. It brought back memories of the Green Hut Restaurant that use to be on Robson Street.

The appetizer beef noodle soup was an ample portion. The pork brochette was perfectly grilled with only a scant amount of burnt edges. The pork was very meaty, unlike other Vietnamese restaurants that are burnt almost to a crisp. The Chicken Hot Pot and Rice Pilaf could have been cooked longer in the ceramic pot but the dish was, otherwise, very tasty and not overly sauced or salty.

My usual picky eating friend gave Spices Restaurant two thumbs up and would suggest his even pickier friends to try out this place.

I'll definitely be going back to try their Hot and Sour soup and combos meals.

[sheo]

yuji's - my favorite late-night-japanese-tapas hit. the room is immaculate, and the food always tastes very fresh and just-prepared. toro sashimi, kiwi/scallop roll, seared black cod, swordfish w/herb puree and teriyaki butter sauce, as well as several other items.

bacchus lounge - split a burger, fries, and a mushroom/goat cheese pizza with a friend. the fries were a revelation; i know where i'll be going for my grease fix late at night in the future. they were beautiful just to look at. i hope it wasn't just a lucky night, cuz i've been thinking about them ever since! crunchy on the outside, very soft and fluffy inside...you get the picture.

garden terrace at the four seasons for sunday brunch - lovely and civilized after the mad throngs in the mall, of which i'd just been a part. they have a wonderful assortment of sauces and fun little nibbles; go find the chimichurri and eat it on the salmon or chicken kebabs. they serve brunch til 3:30 on sundays, unusual for a hotel.

[waylman]

Shiro last night....I cannot figure why people line up at Toshi's when this place is a few blocks away. It is 10x better. Had some tuna sashimi, spicy tuna roll, yellowtail and scallion roll, deep fried squid...all awesome.

[Daddy-A]

Shiro last night....I cannot figure why people line up at Toshi's when this place is a few blocks away. It is 10x better. Had some tuna sashimi, spicy tuna roll, yellowtail and scallion roll, deep fried squid...all awesome.

←

Yeah .. I have to agree. Although I might be a little biased, since Shiro is right next door to my showroom and I eat there at least twice a month.

People have even accused Shiro-san and I of being twins ...

Eerie, no?

A.

Edited December 21, 2006 by Daddy-A (log)

[waylman]

it's uncanny

[Andrew Morrison]

What's more uncanny, that Arne shrunk or that he has grown back that lovely dark hair?

[Little Frog]

Hello everyone, it is good to be back! A few health problems and a crazy workload kept me away from eGullet in 2006 but hopefully I am back in the swing of things for good now

As I had not been dining out much as of late, I tried my best to make up for lost time last week:

- Cioppino's : As soon as our waiter announced that the wild boar was back, I knew what I was having for my main course! I was lucky enough to enjoy Pino's take on wild boar last year and did not think twice when I heard that it was available again.

I started on a light note with a Caprese salad (wonderful mozzarella di buffala ), then had the braised boar shoulder while someone else at the table opted for the wild boar belly, which looked wonderfully rich and crispy. We were having champagne and interestingly enough, the lively and crisp bubbles worked very well with the richness of the boar.

The portions were quite generous and I was going to pass on dessert when our waiter came back to tempt us with a special we could not resist: pannetone pudding with chocolate and cranberries. The texture, even more so than the flavours, was amazing. Silky may well be the best way to describe this pudding.

An excellent cup of espresso ended what was without doubt the best pre-Christmas dinner I had this year.

- EN restaurant : My boyfriend and I have always been big fans of the modern Japanese cuisine at EN and he was quite disappointed when they closed on Granville Street. What better place then, than their new West 10th location for his welcome back dinner after he had been away for a month and a half?

The new EN is very similar to its previous Granville incarnation: same colours, same lighting and, I think, exact same menu.

Neither of us was particularly hungry (very late lunch for me, severe jetlag for him), so we just nibbled on old favourites such as the goma leaf tuna sashimi, the avocado salad and the prawn tempura, while sipping green tea. Everything was excellent as usual, in particular the tuna sashimi with its slightly crispy goma leaf. Wonderful!

Service was very, very slow however, which I must say took away some of the enjoyment.

- Crave : It was my first time at Crave after hearing quite a few glowing reviews, so I was very much looking forward to dining there.

We got there rather early on Saturday night but the room was already packed. We were seated within 10 mn, but the couple who arrived right after us was told the wait would be over half an hour.

We shared the beet salad, the crab cake and the shrimp popcorn. Saw nothing particularly compelling on the wine list, so we decided to give it a miss.

The beet salad was very good and came with a delicious goat blue cheese that looked like it was coated in ash. I am kicking myself for not asking our waiter what cheese it was, as it was really spectacular.

I really enjoyed the crab cake: it was light, very flavourful and, o joy! full of crab. This was a very nice surprise, after having been served so many dense pucks of filler with a tiny bit of crab in other restaurants. It came with a great shredded apple and parmegiano salad.

The shrimp popcorn and its dipping sauce were good too, even though I only tried one piece - deep-fried food is not my favourite.

We had a very satisfying meal and I definitely would not mind going back when I feel like a light dinner; however, I do not know if I would wait half an hour or more to get seated. So far I am only willing to do that to score a table at Toshi's

- Oh, and I also went to Place Restaurant last night, where I had some great dishes - I described them in the "Chinese in Vancouver" thread

[canucklehead]

Wow - Emmanuelle - what good eating!

[LordBalthazar]

December 24th: Sis's place for lasagna, eggplant parmesan, sweet canelloni, baked garlic mussels, roast leg of lamb, and various Greek desserts.

December 25th: Dinner at the in-laws where we enjoyed another roast leg of lamb, turkey, homemade Vietnamese spring rolls, shrimp in lobster sauce, won ton soup, and an awesome dish of Chinese mushrooms, tofu, and chicken.

December 26th: Bar B Barn for a half-rack of their famed sweet ribs.

December 28th: Pied de Cochon for a foie gras blow-out - cromesquis (with their foie gras liquid centers), foie gras cru sur tartlet, foie gras poutine, foie gras grilled cheese, foie gras-stuffed pigs feet, foie gras and duck in a can, and pork pot (pork four ways: shank, belly, sausage, and cinammon-spiced blood pudding). Dessert highlights: pouding chomeur (a decadently sweet cake in a bubbling pool of Maple lava) and Vahlrona dark chocolate mousse.

December 29th: Smoked Meat Pete's for a fantastic medium-fat smoked meat sandwich and fries.

December 31st: Dinner at Le Gourmand where highlights included a breaded veal cutlet, Maple smoked salmon, chicken liver mousse, and a hot chocolate torte topped with vanillla ice cream.

Check out the pics on my blog...

[LordBalthazar]

Tonight, we had dinner at Octopus Garden, a tiny Japanese restaurant in Kits. We started with the spicy tuna sashimi, fresh albacore in a pleasant but not too spicy sauce served in a hollowed-out orange. I followed with a nice lobster miso soup while Fondy went with a mixed salad. My sushi followed: Isobe Age (a tempura seaweed roll with squid, green bean, and cod roe), and one of this evening’s specials, a flounder (hirame) sushi. While the flounder was incredibly fresh and delicate, with a sweet and subtle flavor, I wasn’t won over by the Isobe Age’s marriage of green bean and squid. Fondy’s spicy tuna roll was excellent however. She also had the Pavarotti - stir fried udon noodles with sundried tomatoes, garlic, and chicken. She everything but the chicken. We ended our meal with two sour gummy octopi that accompanied the bill.

As usual, check out the blog (January 9, 2007 installment) for the pics.

[fud]

I feel that the "truth be told part" has been lost a little in this thread...

Saturday Lunch - Frozen Tamago from Asiana on Terminal Ave - But had to go to Home Depot so what do you do? Harveys? Might have been a better choice, at least the rolls were good.

Sunday Lunch - Delissio Pizza while tiling my front landing (well really I was managing my friend who knows what he's doing)

Monday Dinner - Stir fry all the damn veggies in the fridge with some oyster sauce and white pepper

Tuesday Lunch - Monday's dinner

Tuesday's Dinner - SO's sister made home style Bee Bim Bop sans hot rock bowl - Yumm

Wednesday Dinner - Good old Congee Noodle House for some sliced fish congee, donuts and a ying yang coffee tea mixture.

Tonight? Whats in the fridge?

[BCinBC]

I feel that the "The last 3 restaurants... fast food too!" part has also been lost.

I love Harvey's. I love Home Depot visits solely because that also means a Harvey's visit. I mourn the loss of the Big Angus.

[Mooshmouse]

I love Harvey's.  I love Home Depot visits solely because that also means a Harvey's visit.  I mourn the loss of the Big Angus.

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Yeah, what the hell is up with that anyway? Why'd they punt the best thing on their menu?

[*Deborah*]

nwyles bought up all the CAB.

[SushiCat]

nwyles bought up all the CAB.

←

since there is no beef in this town, ecept at HSG, we hit Chen's in Richmond for Dinner - YUM! I could post in Chinese thread ...

Last outing before that was coffee at the airport - does that count? I was forced to go to Starbucks, and actually we got very very good coffee - Starbucks locations are like a box of chocolates ...

and I can't remember a third, too many leftovers and fridge cleaning meals - but we did have a good sauted leftover polenta and salad the other night for dinner! I guess that means the last outing was our driving food - stopped in Seattle at Salumi for a finnocciona sandwhich.

[Little Frog]

Wow - Emmanuelle - what good eating!

←

Just saw your comment, Lee. Yes, my tastebuds are quite happy... and they are asking for more!

We tried to keep up the good work last week and visited the following places:

- Anatoli Souvlaki (Lonsdale Avenue in North Van):

Even though I love Mediterranean cuisines in general, I hardly ever go to Greek restaurants. I often find their food very forgettable and on the way home I find myself thinking wistfully of what a good Lebanese cook could have made with the exact same ingredients.

However, my boyfriend was craving saganaki that day and since we were on "his" side of the bridge, he got to choose where we would have lunch

Well, not only did I have a very nice lunch at Anatoli Souvlaki, I would like to go back soon to try more dishes.

I did not have much of an appetite when we went, so I only had the keftethes but it was excellent. The texture was right, the flavours fresh and clean and the potatoes perfectly cooked, not mushy and soggy with sauce as is too often the case. Unfortunately I was not hungry enough to even try the accompanying salad, pita and tzatziki, but everything looked and smelled very fresh.

The much coveted saganaki looked good too, not too greasy, and was pronounced excellent. I will have to try it next time, as well as one of their lamb dishes.

- Au Petit Cafe:

One of my favourite Sunday lunch haunts, especially when I am off to a late start and I know that I will not have to wait for a table.

I had the meatball and rare beef pho, with a half-order of spring rolls (the banh mi were already gone). The pho was great as usual; the spring rolls, on the other hand, had a mushy filling that was a little off-putting, even though they tasted fine.

My boyfriend does not eat chicken or pork and he was not in the mood for pho, which did not leave many items on the menu. He opted by elimination for the curried beef stew, which he found more Chinese than Vietnamese in style and a little disappointing.

We both had a couple of Vietnamese coffees, to which the owner very nicely added a healthy dose of cognac to celebrate the New Year after finding out that I am French. We are used to drinking strong coffee, but I can tell you that a double dose of these kept us up well into the night!

On a side note, as much as I love my casual lunches at the Petit Cafe, I must say that I still miss the more upscale Vietnamese cuisine I used to enjoy in France. Oh, what wouldn't I give for good pork in caramel and black pepper sauce, for instance!

- Hamilton Street Grill:

I had dinner at the HSG twice in one week (told you that I was making up for lost time!)

The first time was just a quick bite before going back to the office (sigh). I sat at the bar, where I had a very pleasant chat with the bartender and Neil. Service was nice and very efficient. A carpaccio with a side of sweet potato fries and a glass of delectably spicy Township 7 Merlot materialized in front of me within minutes and after this short yet very enjoyable dinner, I soon was on my way back to the office on Mainland. No time for GBP, alas (re-sigh).

It was only a matter of time, though, as I knew that I would be back on the following Saturday for a much more leisurely meal with my usual dining partner, whose birthday was fast approaching. As you may have gathered by now, the gentleman tends to be a bit of an, erm, opinionated eater but knowing that he is a beef and ginger aficionado, I knew that the menu at the HSG would appeal to him.

Neil was a charming host, as always, even though he was not wearing his eGullet cape that night (which was just as well, as I had forgotten my decoder ring on the bedside table). We nonetheless were led to a very nice table and it did not take us long to decide on our order: soup of the day, New York steak with Stilton and GBP for the birthday boy, and a very predictable hanger steak and GBP with more of that Township 7 merlot for yours truly.

All I can say is that the soup and the New York steak must have been excellent, as they disappeared almost instantly and he literally inhaled his GBP, of which he spoke fondly later in the evening and the day after. Well done, HSG!

As for me, I was very happy with my hanger steak, which was served rare exactly as I had ordered it - I find that restaurants often overcook my meat, so I am grateful when I do get it rare. The mashed potatoes and vegetables were very good too and overall this dish was even better than I remembered it to be (no small feat, let me tell you!). There is nothing I could add about the GBP that has not been written before. Suffice to say that I was rather distraught when I could not quite finish it. I am not what I used to be! What happened to the days when I could eat two deep-fried Mars bars for dessert after an already pantagruelic tasting dinner? I am not aging well...

No review of my week would be complete without mentioning the Kolachy Shop who keep me (well) fed throughout the work week. Since the beginning of our epic three-phase showroom renovation , I have gone there for a lunch break away from the reno madness on an almost daily basis. I wonder if they would grant me refugee status...

Service is always fast and friendly, the food remarkably consistant. Some places may find it tempting to cut corners once they start doing good business, but this is not the case here. I also love their soups and had a hard time choosing between the curried coconut squash and the split pea today (I eventually decided that the weather called for split pea soup).

[CapnCook]

Last three restaurants:

1. Great Canadian Bagel

2. Govinda's (The local Hare Krishna vegan joint)

3. HGK Fusion Sushi (Best sushi I've had in ottawa)

[SodaPop]

- A pint of chocolate porter and a beef dip at the Crow and Gate Pub in Cedar (near Nanaimo)

- A late at Starbucks

- A burger and fries at the Med Grill in Royal Oak, Victoria

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Sanuk - Victoria

Paprika - Victoria

Mo:Le - Victoria

and all week at the cafeteria at Royal Roads University. Beyond description. I am determined to survive to not tell the tale.

[Daddy-A]

Boston Pizza - Pitt Meadows (watching the All-Star game with my sons)

ParkCrest Diner - Burnaby

Panago - at home watching "Pirates of the Caribean"

Our version of DOV ... and it doesn't involve a 90 minute time limit!

A.

Edited January 25, 2007 by Daddy-A (log)