From the monthly archives: October 2010
Bao Chau—I have heard so many good things about this Vietnamese restaurant, especially about their famous spring rolls. I had really high expectations going into it since I love Pho and eat it on a weekly basis. This restaurant is located on Hastings street, literally 2 blocks away from Playland. My first impression was that it was quite clean and that everything was organized. So it was off to a good start!
- #1 Pho Dac Biet
This is what I usually go for when I have Pho. It is the House Special and it has a bit of everything. Exactly how I like it! The most important thing about Pho to me is the broth. It is the main base for noodle is soup so it has to be good. The broth at Bao Chau was pretty good. Not too salty like other Pho places and it still had a strong flavorful taste.The portion was good and quite filling.
#8 Pho Tai Sach Bo Vien
Fried Spring Roll
This is their famous spring roll that everyone was telling me about. I heard really good compliments about this roll and was really excited to try it since I love all that is fried! The portion is quite large and it was very filling. There is a large amount of meat stuffing in each bite. However, I wasn’t a fan of the skin of the spring roll. I still prefer the crispier skin (ex: the skin from fried wonton) better. This is just a personal preference cause I like things crunchy. All in all it was a delicious spring roll and will be back for more!
Las Margaritas-My partner in crime was craving Mexican food so we decided to hit up Las Margaritas since we haven’t been there for a while. We arrived at the restaurant around 5:30pm and it was pretty packed already. It was definitely an early dinner for us but we were quite hungry at the time. We were seated immediately and given chips and salsa right away.
The chips were great and it came with a more traditional salsa which is more runny and not chunky. It was a little spicy for me at first but so addictive. It took us a while to decide what to get because I wasn’t feeling well (flu season is here!) and didn’t want something too rich.
This was my Salmon Burrito topped with a Chipolte Cream Sauce and Feta Cheese. It was accompanied with Refried Beans and House Salad. The burrito tasted great but it was a little smaller than usual. I guess cause there was no rice stuffed inside like most other burritos I’ve had. It was good but nothing great.
(My partner in crime took this photo, hence the brightness. hahaha) The other dish that we ordered was the Pollo Loco which is half a chicken marinated for 24 hours and then oven roasted and grilled. It came with Refried Beans and a House Salad as well. The chicken was nice and tender and with great flavor. This dish was only $14.50 which was the same price as my Salmon Burrito. For the same price you definitely get more bang for your buck with the Pollo Loco.
Overall, I really loved the atmosphere and decor. The service was great and the food was good. I would say one of the best Mexican restaurant in Vancouver.
This has definitely been a busy month filled with holidays, birthdays and fun outings…
*Happy Birthday to three special ladies!! Great celebration, food and the cutest Panda cake ever!!
*Vancouver Aquarium with my closest friends : The cutest sea otter, dolphin, Nemo and Dory!
*The 4D movie at the Aquarium was awesome! There was water splashes, bubbles, snow flakes, movements, gushes of wind and even pokes. A great sensory experience!
I had the lucky opportunity to attend the media preview of Creme De La Creme last week. Creme De La Creme is a grand wedding showcase that highlights the best of the best in weddings. It was held at the Yew Restaurant located at the Four Seasons Hotel.
The beautiful table setting complete with gorgeous fresh flowers, candles and unique dining ware.
An intricate jeweled wedding cake finished with flowers and ribbon.
Oh! Did I mention that there was food?? =)
Some of the appetizers of the evening. My favorite was the Tempura Asparagus with a delicious mayo sauce. It came in little glasses.
My first of many plates!
Seared Scallop. Fresh and cooked perfectly.
O-M-G!!! This was seriously the best best best Mac n Cheese that I have ever had. It was Mac n Cheese infused with truffle oil. It was creamy and cheesy and topped with a bit of bread crumbs. Such a great combination!
There was also a large dessert area filled with chocolate mouse, marshmallow lollipops and even……
A Pineapple Consomme with a Mango Ravioli surprise! This was such an unique and interesting dessert drink. Once the mango ravioli hits your tongue it literally bursts and this sweet mango juice floods your month providing this amazing sensation leaving you with a sweet and fruity taste. I loved it! I want it now just thinking about it…
I definitely did more devouring than admiring the beautiful wedding elements but I did get great ideas for my special day.
Benkei Ramen– I know it might sound crazy but I am not the greatest fan of Ramen. I mean I like it, but I definitely don’t have a craving for it (I will down a bowl of Pho over Ramen any day)!
My partner in crime decided to give Benkei Ramen a try and I was undeniably wanting something with hot soup.
- Miso Ramen
Miso Ramen was my ramen of choice and it was very flavorful and rich. The miso flavor was good and the noodle had good texture. However, I was a little disappointed cause there was no corn. I don’t know if traditional ramen comes with corn, but I was looking forward to it. In general the soup was good but nothing out of the ordinary.
Shiro Ramen
This on the other hand was more unique. The Shiro Ramen is a milk based soup with an intense flavor. I was skeptical at first but loved it after my first sip. The milk wasn’t overpowering and it was a great combination along with corn! I will be ordering this one on my next go!
Although last weekend was long weekend I was pretty booked with all the Thanksgiving festivities and big turkey dinners. However, I still managed to squeeze some time to head over the border to buy a few things needed for Thanksgiving dinner with my dear friend.
After a long wait to Bellingham, we headed straight for the Old Country Buffet. Did I ever mention that I LOVE buffets! Even though I can`t eat as much as I like, I still love the large selections and being able to have a huge amount of food on my plate!
What made this buffet meal even more amazing is that it only cost $6.95! (weekday pricing) It was such a great deal! Here is my full plate with a bit of everything: salad, fried chicken, pasta, steak bites, mash potatoes, fish. They even had a nacho and condiment station!
After such hard work, we went to a few places to purchase goods that we needed. My friend introduced me to her favorite grocery store: Traders Joe`s!
I have been before and really did not expect much from a grocery store in Bellingham. However, this place is awesome! Its filled with tons of organic, fresh products that is good for your wallet!
This was my favorite purchase that day. These sweet potato chips are so good! I will be stocking up soon!
Check out their website: http://www.traderjoes.com
Have a great week everyone!
The Taste of Yaletown is back staring October 13th and will run till the 31st.The event this year will feature 25 of Yaletown’s restaurants with 3 course menus priced at $25, $35 and $45. It is similar to Dineout Vancouver except within the Yaletown district. It is definitely a great event to attend if you want to indulge at some of the best restaurants in Vancouver.
During mid week I was lucky enough to accompany my friend to the media preview for The Taste of Yaletown. The 3 restaurants that I previewed were:
Society Dining Lounge, Hapa Izakaya Yaletown and Sweeney’s of Yaletown
Society Dining Loung: prime rib pastry, tuna spread with a toasted bread and the famous cotton candy beverage
Hapa Izakaya: Charcoal BBQ with Waygu beef
Sweeney’s: Chocolate Mouse with Guinness foam, Lemon Tart with Raspberry Coulis, Peach Vanilla Ice-cream
[slideshow]
Weekend Happiness………….
~A wonderful gathering to celebrate the birth of a beautiful and healthy baby….(One happy family!) So happy for you guys!
~Possibly the best Cheesecake Parfait ever!
~ $1 Churros from Costco makes me smile =) =) =)
~What is the best way to enjoy Sunday? A big Dim Sum gathering and ordering so much that there is no more room on the table.
~A sunny afternoon by the beach with a friend that you haven’t seen in ages…
~Cute Cute Cute doggies! You two are so sweet! Adorable!
~Nothing beats the feeling of hiking to the top and over looking your accomplishments with a gorgeous view!
Hapa Izakaya– It was a good friend’s birthday last week and we decided to go for a girls night at Hapa Izakaya on Robson. I haven’t been back to this place for awhile and there was definitely some strong changes. For one, they expanded the location and took over another unit, so there is a lot more seating. Secondly, there were many new additions to the menu.
Ebi Avocado Mixed Green Salad
We started of the night with the Ebi Avocado Salad which came with a citrus dressing. I thought the salad was a bit bland. There wasn’t enough avocados and the whole salad only had a few pieces of ebi. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the citrus dressing. It would of been better with a creamier dressing and some cherry tomatoes.
Bintoro Tataki!
This dish was great. The tuna tasted fresh and the mustard vinegar sauce gave it the extra zing.
Ebi Mayo
This is always one of my favorite dishes. I love the overall crispiness and really enjoy the spicy mayo. I get this dish every time=)
Chicken Karaage
It was perfectly crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. Need I say more?
Ribeye Steak
This was something new that I have never tried before. It cost $16 but it was worth it. The steak was juicy and tender. I also loved the mushroom sauce that was drizzled on top. It was very flavorful and delicious!
Negitoro
I really enjoyed this dish. It consist of tuna belly chopped with green onions and served with garlic bread. I love the idea of spreading negitoro on garlic bread. An awesome combination!
Rice in Hot Stone Pot
I forgot the exact name of this dish because it wasn’t very good. The sauce was too spicy for me and the stone pot made the rice chewy. Overall, nothing great and not something that I would order again.
Strawberry Crepe
This was DELICIOUS! I liked the texture of the crepe and loved the creme filling. This dessert had layers of creme, strawberries and crepe. It tasted fresh and had the right amount of sweetness. A great way to end the evening.
Overall, Hapa is a great place for izakaya and drinks. There are many creative dishes that are great for sharing and indulging. The atmosphere is stylish and hip. The decor is simple but elegant. A great place to gather with friends.
Happy Socks!
