Suhang Restaurant

I’m going to make this post short and sweet by saying that if you are looking for some good xiao long bao, you must try here! This restaurant is surrounded by many popular Shanghainese restaurants like Dinesty and Top Shanghai Cuisine, where Suhang is probably the underdog of the all. If you are ever wanting to avoid the long waits of the other two options, this is your best bet. The service here is prompt and efficient, but like most restaurants, especially during peak hours, they often get frazzled and quite disorganized.The above is the soya fish tail and I recall it being one of their specialties. This was incredibly flavourful and there was plenty of meat to dissect from the bones. Though the sauce looks very heavy, it actually wasn’t too salty or overwhelming, but worked nicely with the fish. This is the large order of their beef stewed noodle. The noodles were plump and tasted very fresh while the soup base was very light and refreshing. I wasn’t a big fan of the meat though because it was pretty bland. A simple, yet delicious dish consisting of leafy greens and mushroom. This can be definitely copied at home though. These were simply fantastic! The skin was the perfect thickness while was still chewy. The meat filling was incredibly flavoursome and there was a sufficient amount of soup inside that when it flowed out, it did not taste too oily or salty. They were also the perfect size where my sister and I easily polished off our own tray. I cannot say enough good things about this.Complimentary coconut jello. A great gesture that ended my meal perfectly.

Panera Bread

One of my must-try restaurants for a long time coming, I can now proudly say I have officially tried Panera Bread! This particular one I went to was located in Burlington, in front of a Costco. At first glance, the copious amounts of bread and baked goods on the shelves reminded me of Cob’s Bread, but the layout and order system is similar to a typical fast food chain. The only difference is that they actually bring your order to you while you sit in their dining lounge. The pricing of their items is extremely affordable considering their hefty portions and they offer a wide range of options, perfect for if you are dining with picky palates. Besides the impolite staff, I definitely see myself revisiting this chain. 

This is a Spinach and Artichoke baked egg soufflé, one of their four flavours. They only serve this in the morning, so if you wanted to try it, be sure to go before lunch time. I didn’t realize that the egg mixture would have a croissant dough enveloping it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I initially tasted it. The dough was flakey and buttery like Pillsbury croissant dough, and with the egg filling in the middle, it provided a different approach to the classic breakfast sandwich. Also, as they sit on a heater, they are kept warm when they serve it to you. It also crisps up the bottom nicely, which I personally love. I would definitely order this again.

The chicken noodle soup was quite flavourful and had a few chunks of chicken meat in the broth. There was a decent amount of egg noodle pasta that were cut in squares. Towards the bottom, it started becoming too salty. The slice of baguette was alright, but nothing spectacular. 

This is the sierra turkey sandwich with a bowl of chicken noodle soup, part of the 2 for $6.99 deal. The sandwich was alright, but I definitely would have chosen a grilled panini because I didn’t like it cold. 

The above is the Tortellini Alfredo in the large size.This is currently one of their features. It was extremely cheesy and definitely a filling meal for the price. 

Brioche

Dining out is expensive and with the amount of money that has been slowly disappearing from my bank account, I was quite skeptical on continuing my outings. My friend however, had just come back from a trip and gathered a bunch of us for lunch and I reluctantly agreed. I suggested them to meet me at this little cafe located near the Waterfront Station due to the low price points. 

The space is quite small, thus there isn’t much seating. It seems like a family run restaurant with homestyle desserts displayed on the counter and case. There is a big board that lists what they offer as well as a side chalkboard with the daily specials written on it. They have an extensive menu so even if you are with someone who has a food allergy or are just picky, they should be able to find something that appeals to them. The atmosphere is very cozy like someone’s home, very suitable for casual dates. The service was also really quick too as our food came out less than 15 minutes later.

I chose to create-your-own omelette with mascarpone cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes. All the omelettes come with a side of fruit and a choice of bread. I think everyone in our group ordered the omelettes because it was inexpensive and we knew it would be filling. This was delicious as the omelette was well-seasoned and had a nice crispy outside. The portion size was as big as something you would expect from a diner. The mascarpone cheese went well as it added creaminess to contrast the other vegetables, sort of like a béchamel sauce. The bread tasted alright, but I didn’t like the drizzle of olive oil on it. The fruit provided a nice contrast in colour to the plate, but it didn’t taste incredibly fresh. I definitely left contented however, with my meal. I did take notice of other diners around me who ordered their specials like pasta and sandwiches and they smelled and looked terrific! I definitely see myself coming back here to try out their other items.

Bella Gelateria Handcrafted Gelato

Simply put, Bella Gelateria is the best place to treat yourself on a warm, summery day. Actually, scratch that, make it any day because everyone deserves some good-quality gelato. The owner, James takes great pride in creating his award-winning concoctions and the flavour truly delivers to the consumers; each customer I have seen has come out of the shop with a huge grin on their face. I’ve been coming to downtown quite often during my break, and since it was blazing hot today, I decided to take my friends on a sweet ride at this infamous spot.

This is the Torrincino flavour with honey nougats. The consistency was incredibly smooth and creamy. It had a nice custard base, with tiny specks of nougats (that tasted like wafers) for crunch. Although this is a simple flavour, it is definitely rich and satisfying for one who is in need of a sugar fix. Some of my other favourites I’ve tried are banana bread and hazelnut. With all the flavours he offers, I haven’t found one I’ve been disappointed with as they all have the luscious texture and none of them are ever overly sweet like some from commercialized brands. James’s is passionate for using natural, top-notch ingredients and I admire him for that because it delivers in taste. Yes, I do acknowledge that the price for gelato here is not cheap, but I assure you, you will not be complaining once you take a bite, or a slurp.

Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont Pacific Rim

The open space and lighting of this hotel was the reason why I opted for afternoon tea here versus at Hotel Vancouver. The lobby is situated right in front of the entrance and there is a server who promptly assists you to your spot. It took a while for our tea set to arrive and even flag our waitress for our bill as the service here is incredibly slow, but I wasn’t too bothered as it gave us more time to enjoy our meal. If you are in a rush however, this is definitely not the place to try because you will find yourself being frustrated with your time restraint. I really like the spaciousness of the lounge and with the high ceilings and natural lighting, it really helps provide a relaxing and easeful atmosphere. This is definitely not your traditional setting for an afternoon tea party , but if you want a more modern approach, this is the place to try. These are the fixtures that come with dining at the Lobby Lounge. The tea pot literally weights a solid 5 lbs!These had a nice firm, sugary crust that retained a beautifully light and crumbly texture, fundamental in dictating a scrumptious scone. The addition of the raisins added sweetness that complimented the dough. My only complaint is that they weren’t served warm. The cream and berry compote were displeasing as the cream was too hard and dry, while the berry sauce looked and tasted like it was just frozen berries poured into the container. The savoury items are asian-inspired, hence the sushi features. I give it a huge thumbs up for presentation because it definitely shows attention to detail, but there needs to be work done because the tasted pretty average.

• The cucumber roll with the dungeness crab on top smelled rather fishy, but taste wise it was alright. I personally would have preferred the traditional version.
• The chicken sandwich was nice and tender, but definitely needed a bit more punch in terms of seasoning.
• The tuna nigiri tasted fresh and had a nice lemon and cracked pepper taste.
• The shrimp on rye was delicious in terms of the spread as the zest was an interesting take, but the shrimp should have been marinated because it was extremely bland.
• My favourite was probably the egg salad sandwich because it delivered the most flavour without being too heavy. The white bread however, seemed stale.

Of course, my favourite part of afternoon tea is the desserts. The offerings here are quite tiny, but they are filling. Nothing was overwhelmingly sweet and their was quite a bit of variety. I would have loved if they incorporated a dessert that came in a personal size trifle though…

• The matcha tiered cake was moist and refreshing. The consistency of it reminded me of a cheesecake and I could really pick up on the green tea flavour. 
• The almond cake was rather dry, but tasted similar to Thomas Haas’s almond croissant.
• The chocolate ganache jewel was extremely rich, but the little dots gave it a nice crunch.
• The lemon fruit tart was good, but definitely not as good as Faubourg’s.
• The macaron looked quite depressing but the taste was decent. The shell was firm to the touch, but once you bit into it, the consistency was soft and chewy. Unfortunately, the filling had not set and there was way too much so it completely oozed out after a few bites. This was definitely a sugar explosion though.

Though the experience was definitely pleasant, especially with the accompaniment of a pianist in the background, I was a little disappointed with the food given the price. Nothing stood out to me as everything was rather mediocre, with some of the items not seeming that fresh. The service we had was slow, but she was polite and courteous nonetheless. If you do have the money to splurge and are looking for a more stylish take on the typical afternoon tea, I would recommend checking out Soirette, Urban Tea Merchant, and Patisserie Fur Elise. If you are looking to find something more conventional with the china plates and grandmother-style treats, Kerrisdale will be your best bet.

Café Medina

A name that constantly rolls off the tongue of locals when questioned where their favourite brunch spot is, Café Medina takes the cake for having a long list of patrons. Though I find myself enjoying the food at Dirty Apron more (which is located alongside the cafe), I do relish going there for girl dates due to its ambiance. This is the 16 oz. lavender latte. It has a very smooth consistency but I couldn’t pick up the lavender aroma in it.Sourced from Damien’s Belgian Waffles in Steveston Village, these are light, chewy, and crispy due to its yeast batter. My favourite topping is the raspberry caramel, which I chose on my visit today.I always end up gravitating towards the Paella because I love anything with orzo. The tomato sauce isn’t overly acidic where it overpowers the other ingredients and the burnt cheese adds a nice depth of flavour. I don’t find this dish to be too spicy nor filling in my opinion.The Fricassé is one of their most popular dishes consisting of two eggs, shorts ribs, watercress, apple slices, potatoes and a few other ingredients. It is definitely a heavy and hearty dish that will certainly leave you far from hungry, and with the side of focaccia, it is perfect for dipping into the remaining juices. I simply love the presentation of their dishes, especially with the use of the skillet, because it really does provide that extra flair other brunch spots don’t have.

I don’t find myself being a Café Medina addict, but I do understand why many choose this place for their morning outings as it is an appealing joint. Though the food isn’t stellar, it is evident care is put into each plate and the quality of ingredients do show. I would recommend trying this place out because the atmosphere is well worth it.

Golden Paramount Seafood Restaurant

Located in the same area as Happy Date Bakery & Restaurant, Golden Paramount Seafood Restaurant is a perfect example of “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Nestled in a rather unknown neighbourhood, one may turn a blind eye at the sight of the restaurant due to its unattractive exterior, but I can vouch that the food quality is comparable to the more popular establishments in Vancouver. These were flakey, not overly sweet or oily to the touch. The flavour however, didn’t really stand out to me. I forgot to take a photo of this when it came out, which is why there is only one roll on the plate instead of three. It consists of meat mixture wrapped in deep fried bean curd. I wasn’t too fond of this dish because I found the celery to overpower most of the taste. I liked this bun but found that there wasn’t much chicken in the filling.

I was originally skeptical on ordering this, but I’m glad I did because these oysters were delicious! The oysters are deep fried, then tossed in a mixture of spices that give it that kick found in dishes like fried chicken knuckles and deep fried tofu. Must order.I highly recommend ordering this steamed dumpling with crab meat and meat dish because though it is a very light dish, it is packed with flavour.They nailed the filling to wrapper ratio! These might actually be my favourite vegetable dumplings in Richmond.

Tableau Bar Bistro and Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe

Having swept numerous Golden Plates 2013 awards, I was curious to see if Tableau would live up to its hype on my visit. I arrived on a Thursday night and definitely could definitely sense the liveliness of the restaurant. The atmosphere of this bistro is unpretentious and exudes the perfect balance of elegance and comfort, a great environment for a date night with loved ones. I remember reading an article by Mia Stainsby of her raving about the gnocchi offered here a while back so I settled on this for my main course after much deliberation. I thought that the flavours were well executed (though I would have loved a stronger basil taste) and not too heavy on the tastebuds after a few bites in. The gnocchi was nicely pan-fried and pillowy, just how it should be. I would have loved the use of toasted pine nuts though, as it would help elevate the dish and provide more texture.

I did find the service here quite disorganized. My friend and I weren’t offered bread to start, even though all the other tables around us were. As well, in comparison to the other parties near us, our server did not seem too knowledgable or interested in providing his attention to us. Though I did have a lovely evening at Tableau with my friend, I’ve certainly had better experiences at other restaurants.

After our dinner date at Tableau, we headed to Thierry for some desserts as it’s conveniently located nearby. We ordered the Tiramisu and the Chocolate Marquise. They were both delicious, but as I had already devoured a drink, the gnocchi, and some flatbread from my friend, my stomach was at its full capacity and unfortunately, I could not appreciate the flavours. The shell of the marquise is very hard and there definitely needs to be some arm work in order to crack the chocolate exterior. The desserts were not too sweet which was nice, but I would not recommend getting both of them because they are both extremely rich. If you are ever in the neighbourhood, Thierry is great cafe to grab a late treat at or even people watch as it is located in the heart of the shopping scene of downtown.

Edible Canada at the Market

One of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver, the concept of this bistro is to source local ingredients to consumers. It was a sunny day, thus a trip to Granville Island was a must for me. As I wasn’t particularly hungry since it was only 3pm, I ordered the Mussels and frites and the duck poutine. They were both great snacks that tied me over to dinner and I would highly recommend them if you happen to be in the area. The fries are extremely crispy and fresh, and though I couldn’t taste the “duck fat”, it definitely was not your average fry. I was also lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet the lovely Carly from Kitchening and Co., in which I sampled and bought a few of her macarons to celebrate National Macaron Day.

The Yarrow Meadows Duck Poutine comes with two eggs, duck confit, cheese curds all on top of a bed of fries. This “gourmet” dish I found quite salty towards the bottom but there is so much flavour in each bite.  The cheese curds used were not the squeaky kind, but instead were nicely melted into the fries. I loved the use of shredded duck because it really does enhance the flavour of each component and impressively, the fries did not become soggy towards the end. The only downside about this dish is the portion size for the price as it is quite small. 

I found the broth to be too acidic for my liking, but the mussels were very plump. My favourite aspect of this plate was actually the aioli that came with the fries as it was one of the best dips I’ve had.

Diva at the Met

My school’s food teachers along with a few classmates and I had the pleasure of dining at the restaurant during our Spring Break. The price for our 3 course meal was $32, a steal considering the experience and quality we had. When we arrived, we were presented with lovely mocktails that were fruity and refreshing, an incredibly welcoming gesture from the staff. If you want to feel like royalty, this is the place to be. My friend who had a nut allergy was presented her own bread plate, her main course being pizza, was certified not to contain any nuts, and they made sure that when she took it to go, it would not be mixed with the other entrees. I was blown away from the attentiveness and amiableness of the workers, and the dishes definitely went over the expectations I had set. The ambiance however, is definitely missing something as it does not suit the rest of the spectacular components that the chef, Hamid Salimian has established. Regardless, this modest restaurant deserves more recognition than it has as it may be one of Vancouver’s hidden gems. Great assortment and everything is made in house. 

Really pleased with this appetizer as the squid was extremely easy to chew and the sauce was not overly acidic or overpowering, making it perfect for soaking in bread.The portion of this pizza was not expected and I definitely had a hard time clearing the plate. The shell was similar to a flatbread, but  thinner and crispier. The first few slices were enjoyable, but after a while, it became too overwhelming for my taste buds. The spread used (which tasted like mushroom pâté), accompanied with the abundance of ingredients was just too rich after a few slices in. The finishing shavings of parmigiano I could do without as it tasted like blue cheese. This is the infamous chocolate soufflé from Diva at the Met. I imagined the cake to be done traditionally in a ramekin, with the light and spongy consistency it is known for, but I assume the lava cake approach was done because Salimian enjoys going out of the box and exploring more modern techniques with his creations. As far as taste went, the elements on the dish complimented each other really well, though I might be biased as I love the use of pistachios in any dessert. There was a variety of textures to play with and sample, and they all paired harmonized to create a flavour explosion in the mouth.