Prima Taste

[LordBalthazar]

We had a fantastic dinner tonight at a Singaporean restaurant called, oddly enough, Prima Taste (570 Robson Street). We were actually intending to go somewhere else and were walking by when the menu caught our eye. Well, I’m glad it did because the food here was really, really, REALLY good.

I started with six perfectly grilled, nicely seasoned, juicy chicken satays. I defy you to find better in Vancouver. They were served with a very nice, deep peanuty satay sauce topped with minced ginger and garlic. My wife had the mango salad: mango strips, shredded iceberg lettuce, purple cabbage, and cucumbers in a slightly sweet dressing that packed a surprising kick. I’m not a salad man (considering it little more than a distraction from the main event) but found this particular salad very hard to stop eating. My main course was the Hainanese chicken - steamed chicken served with a surprisingly flavorful bowl of rice (cooked in chicken stock) and accompanied by three types of sauces (soy, sweet chili, and minced ginger and garlic), and a bowl of equally flavorful chicken broth. My wife loved her curry chicken, but the highlight of the night for her was the coconut rice. Holy smokes! I have to say, I’ve never tasted rice this good! All in all, a terrific meal. And since I forgot my camera at home tonight, we’ll be going back tomorrow so that I can post some pics for you all.

Edited December 21, 2006 by LordBalthazar (log)

[barolo]

Coincidentally there's a write up about Prima Taste today on the City Food website:

Prima Taste

570 Robson Street, Vancouver

Map

604-685-7881.

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily

www.primataste.com

If you like to grocery shop at the H Mart or maybe plan to hit the pre-boxing day sales at Future Shop or Winners, you might want to fuel up at this new little place that opened about two weeks ago, just steps from the Robson and Granville Streets intersection.

...

Link here for the full story.

[canucklehead]

I've walked by Prima Taste on my way to H-Mart - it looks like a great space. Now that LB and Makanmakan have both given it their blessing - lookls a place worth stopping by. Menu sounds great!

Did they have Pork Rib Sou (Pa Kua Cha - literally "rib tea") on the menu? It is a clear broth - sharp with a ton of white pepper. Very much a Singaporean classic - it would be perfect on some of our rainy days.

[LordBalthazar]

Well, we paid a return visit to Prima Taste. This time, we went for lunch. We started with the delectable chicken satay and its accompanying satay sauce. I followed with the Bak Kut Teh, a soup made with herbs, spices, and simmered pork ribs. Was this the soup you were referring to, Canucklehead? It was great but not overly peppery as you described. I fished five whole sweet garlic cloves out of the clay pot in which it was served. Very good. My wife started with the vegetarian spring rolls that were crisp, not too greasy, and very tasty. She wasn’t that crazy about her main course, the Mee Goreng. I thought it was very good but she was still thinking about the curry chicken she’d enjoyed the last night. Overall, another enjoyable meal. One of the nice things about this place is that they’re not afraid to spice their food, unlike many of their more conservative rivals.

[canucklehead]

That's the soup! I like it alot - it should be really clear and clean tasting - sound like they have a good version. Where are the pic's that were promised? Don't deny your food geekness. Embrace it.

[LordBalthazar]

That's the soup!  I like it alot - it should be really clear and clean tasting - sound like they have a good version.  Where are the pic's that were promised?  Don't deny your food geekness.  Embrace it.

←

Until I can figure out how to post pics to this forum, you can check out the pics at my blog. I even snapped pics and reviewed dinner at a friend's place this past Saturday.

[Pam R]

Until I can figure out how to post pics to this forum, you can check out the pics at my blog.  I even snapped pics and reviewed dinner at a friend's place this past Saturday.

←

There's a great how-to-post topic here. (Check post #2)

[Daddy-A]

I even snapped pics and reviewed dinner at a friend's place this past Saturday.

Remind me never to invite you over for dinner.

You need help.

A.

[LordBalthazar]

I even snapped pics and reviewed dinner at a friend's place this past Saturday.

Remind me never to invite you over for dinner.

You need help.

A.

←

Well, I'm heading back to Montreal for the holidays. It'll be interesting to see: a) what mom cooks up and, b) how she reacts to the camera. Pics to come!