foodgressing, Author at Foodgressing

420 offering by foodora and Juke Fried Chicken

April 20, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Today is April 20 also known as 420 in cannabis culture (not that I’m overly familiar). Food delivery service foodora is marking the occasion with partner restaurants across Canada through special offerings. In Vancouver, foodora has collaborated with Juke Fried Chicken to offer the “Baked and Fried” – a fried chicken sandwich made with a jalapeno-cheddar waffle.

For $24.20, the sandwich comes with waffles fries and all the fixings including, cheese sauce, chili-lime sour cream, bacon bits, and hot sauce. You will also receive an insulated carrier or “Hot Box” which includes a box of mints, sunglasses and a lighter.

GET $10 OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER

With my referral link, you can receive $10 off your first foodora order with a minimum order of $20. Using your mobile device, click here to receive the deal: https://bnc.lt/YR5e/QxdZHcjmXL. The link directs you to the download the app. New customers only.

How to Find Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew Locations

April 19, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

If you are looking to find Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew locations, there’s an easy but not totally obvious way to do so on the Starbucks website.

First, you need to first go to the store locator page which lists all the possible Starbucks. Then you need to click on “Filter.”

Select “Nitro Cold Brew” from the possible filters and hit apply. The results will be a list of Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew locations.

Note: This post was inspired when someone googled “Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew Locations” and found my review on the drink. At that time, the Nitro Cold Brew was only available at a limited number of Starbucks. Since then, the number locations that offer it has expanded.

@starbuckscanada Nitro Cold Brew ☕❄now available in 6 Vancouver locations ? . Nitro Cold Brew is served straight out of the tap and is infused with nitrogen for a smooth, creamy texture. Just check out the velvety texture! ? Kinda looks like beer but it’s #StarbucksCoffee ? Nutritionwise, a Tall has just 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar ? . Tag Starbucks ☕ loving friends to share the news!

A video posted by Foodgressing.com | Areta ? (@foodgressing) on Dec 21, 2016 at 7:02pm PST

Pinnacle Hotel North Vancouver Christmas Brunch

April 19, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

In today’s #ThrowbackThursday post, I’m sharing my experience of having Christmas Brunch at the Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier in North Vancouver (circa 2016). While we enjoy going for a brunch buffet on Christmas, we also didn’t want to spend “too” much. At $55 per person, the price was quite reasonable compared to other higher end Vancouver hotels where it would be closer to $100 per person.

Note: None of the food and drinks in this review were complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

Purchase Tickets

The way to reserve your seat for the Christmas brunch was to buy tickets ahead of time online. The brunch did end up selling out so going in on the day of would not have worked.

Pinnacle Ballroom

The brunch took place at the Pinnacle Ballroom inside the hotel. I was impressed with the beautiful and elegant Christmas decorations. The main focal point of the room was a tall, nicely decorated Christmas tree.

The seating was arranged in a banquet style and you get your own private table based on how many tickets you bought. The round, banquet tables were fitted with red tablecloths and the chairs had chair covers.

Brunch Menu

Various stations were set up just outside the ballroom and the selection of food was very good.

Main Buffet

fresh baked danishes, croissants, banana breads and rolls
mixed gourmet greens with assorted dressings
classic caesar salad with homemade croutons
spinach frisee and wild mushroom with truffle vinaigrette
Asian noodle salad, chow mein, Julienne peppers, baby spinach
house smoked salmon platter with tiger prawns and fresh horseradish cocktail sauce
assorted nigiri, maki, and sashimi sushi
Chef’s omelet action station including spinach, wild mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, ham, baby shrimp, aged cheddar and goat feta
farm fresh omega 3 scrambled eggs
roasted fingerling potato lyonnaise
blueberry pancakes with chantilly cream
double smoked bacon and British banger sausages
chef carved 24 hour slow cooked AAA Alberta prime rib with red wine demi-glace
roast turkey with Chef’s signature gravy and orange cranberry sauce
roasted and steamed winter vegetable
leek and emental scallop potatoes
Pepsi glazed festive ham with sauteed onion rice pilaf
pan seared Alaskan black cod with citrus buerre black

Dessert

Belgian chocolate fondue with fresh fruit and coffee cakes
plum pudding with vanilla rum sauce, dark and white chocolate yule logs, egg nog cheese
cake, gingerbread men, assorted French pastries, petit fours, chocolate decadence cake
chocolate orange mousse, winterberry mousse, fruit and almond flan, fresh baked Okanagan apple pie and pecan pie

Children’s Buffet

house-made pepperoni and cheese pizzas
panko breaded tender chicken and French Fries with ketchup and plum sauce
chocolate mousse Jello and candy station

Overall Impression

In general, I thought that the Christmas brunch at the Pinnacle Hotel North Vancouver was excellent. The food quality and variety was above average although the food was not super fancy as reflected in the pricing. I enjoyed the warm and inviting atmosphere and thought the service was excellent. Staff were very professional, well-organized and friendly. I would be interested in attending a holiday brunch at the Pinnacle Hotel in the future and would recommend them to others. Rating: 5/5

Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier
Address: 138 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎www.pinnaclepierhotel.com/

West Vancouver Indian Food: Swad Indian Kitchen

April 18, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

I’ve been a longtime customer of India Bistro which has been a longstanding restaurant on Davie Street for over 13 years. Little did I know, Kamal Mroke – the owner of India Bistro – had opened a sister restaurant called Swad Indian Kitchen in the Ambleside neighbourhood of West Vancouver just a few years back. I had been told by Mroke himself that the ambiance and cuisine at Swad are rather different compared to India Bistro. Last month, I had the opportunity to visit Swad Indian Kitchen for lunch to try a few of their dishes. Here’s a look at some of their offerings.

Disclosure: All food and drinks in this review were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Elegant Interior

The interior of Swad is stunning; I’ve never been to an Indian restaurant with such elegant decor before. It’s a bright space with a mix of vibrant blue and yellow tones. On one of the walls is a beautiful rendering of an old growth tree stump. Customers can enjoy the plush seating of upholstered dining chairs and banquettes. This definitely felt like a place where you would go to on a special occasion.

Fun fact: It has been reported that Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart dined here a few times while they were filming Twilight.

Swad Indian Kitchen Menu

On the menu at Swad are tandoori dishes, vegetarian and non-vegetarian entrees, rice entrees, naans and more. Mia Stainsby had noted that their cuisine features items from different parts of India and not just limited to Punjab. The food is also meant to be lighter using less butter, less salt, and not too spicy.

With the high-end stemware featured on the tables, Swad is the type of place where you might enjoy a delicious glass of wine to pair with the dishes.

What I Tried

Swad E Lamb ($17)

As I was a judge for the Vancouver Foodster Curry Challenge, I had the opportunity to try Swad’s participating curry. This was the Swad E Lamb which had slow cooked lamb in coconut milk, curry leaves and ground spices.

I thought it was a tasty, light savoury curry with tender pieces of lamb. An above average Indian curry in terms of taste but I thought it could have done better in the competition if there was a bit more creativity and interesting presentation.

Swad Palak Kofta ($15)

I also tried a few other dishes while I was there. The Swad Palak Kofta was a very interesting Northern Indian vegetarian dish; it’s also a favourite dish of the owner. Spinach and gram flour dumplings are cut down the middle to reveal a lovely cross-section of different layers. Served in a fresh spinach and cream sauce. The dumplings were crispy on the outside, but light and fluffy on the inside. They had been simmered in the sauce to absorb the wonderful flavours.

Moogdum Kebab ($22)

Another favourite dish of the owner. A tandoori prepared dish with bone-in chicken thigh marinated in a yogurt and cashew nut sauce. The chicken was moist, flavourful and nicely charred on the outside.

Jeera Rice ($4)

A popular, Northern Indian flavoured rice dish with roasted cumin seeds.

Mango Lassi

We also enjoyed the smooth mango lassi that was sweet, sour and very refreshing.

Overall Impression of Swad Indian Kitchen

I really loved the well-appointed interior at Swad which added to the dining experience. The food was very good and I appreciated that they kept their dishes light. Portions and prices seemed reasonable for the area. I would recommend Swad for Indian food in West Vancouver. Rating: 4/5

Swad Indian Kitchen
Address: 1734 Marine Dr, West Vancouver, BC
Website: www.swadindiankitchen.ca/‎

Vancouver Hotpot: Liuyishou Hotpot Robson

April 18, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Liuyishou Hot Pot Week 2018 took place this past Chinese New Year where the renowned restaurant chain collaborated with Vancouver Gourmet Tours to offer a special celebration hot pot menu for customers. I had attended a media preview of the menu at Liuyishou’s location in Burnaby and had enjoyed it so much that I decided to purchase the deal to experience it again. This time, I decided to visit the Liuyishou location closest to me which is on Robson in Downtown Vancouver.

Note: One of the items in this review was gifted to me. Opinions are my own.

WHAT IS HOT POT?

For the uninitiated, hot pot is known as a Chinese soup consisting of various raw meats, vegetables, noodles, tofu, seafood and dumplings. These are dipped into a shared pot with a simmering pot of soup stock and eaten with dipping sauce.

CHOOSE A SOUP BASE

The experience starts with choosing a soup base. Liuyishou’s traditional Chongqing style soup base is prepared with special butter, red hot chili, Sichuan peppercorn, and other exotic herbs and spices. It’s meant to astonish all your senses with the spiciness, umami flavours and aromas. If spicy is not for you, Liuyishou also has other bases like Wild Mushroom, Special Pork Rib or Tomato Soup.

PRO TIP: There is an order to cooking raw food in your pot! The order is meat, seafood, mushroom, vegetables and noodles.

MAKE YOURSELF A PERFECT SAUCE

Mix your favourite sauces from the Liuyishou’s sauce bar featuring 20+ sauces, fresh herbs and spices. Cooked food is eaten with your own sauce mix.

What We Tried

I bought the Dinner for 2 deal ($72) which included 2 soup bases, 1 specialty dish, 2 proteins, 1 veggie, 1 starch, 2 drinks and dessert. Beer pairing by Red Truck Brewery is also included in the price.

Soup Base

For the soup bases, we went with the house spicy soup base and special pork rib. Both were very flavourful and satisfying soup bases.

Specialty Dish

We selected a deep-fried pork which had a nice golden exterior and had tender, slightly chewy pork meat on the inside.

Protein

For meats, we had the supreme lamb and beef slices.

Veggies

The mixed mushroom platter at Liuyishou included enoki, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, brown and white mushrooms.

Starch

I loved these deep fried buns from the media event and had to have them again. The buns had a perfect golden exterior and light, fluffy texture. Dip them with condensed milk for maximal enjoyment!

Dessert

For dessert, we enjoyed the bing fen – a cold dessert jelly which soothed the palate wonderfully from the spicy soup base.

And we received some sweet, glutinous rice balls as well (though not noted on the menu).

Meat Barbie

Thanks to Vancouver Gourmet Club, I received a gift order of Meat Barbie. Meat Barbie is wrapped up in strips of meat and diners need to “strip” off the layers to cook the meat in the hot pot. At Liuyishou, the Barbie comes standalone with beef for $25 or as a seafood and meat combo for $50. For my full review on Meat Barbie, visit here.

Liuyishou Hotpot Robson Interior

The interior of Liuyishou’s Robson location is modern with mostly booth seating and a few dining tables.

Service

The Robson location of Liuyishou seemed much busier than the Burnaby one. The restaurant was pretty much full while I was there and I noticed a lot of people had to put down their name on the waitlist. Service was a bit slow for the ordering part, but the food arrived in a timely manner.

Overall Impression of Liuyishou Hotpot Robson

We enjoyed our experience at Liuyishou Hotpot Robson and thought the Chinese New Year deal was of great value. The hot pot ingredients were of a good quality and quantity. I would be interested in enjoying hotpot at Liyishou again in the future. Rating: 4/5

Liuyishou Hotpot Robson
Address: 1542 Robson St, Vancouver, BC

Starbucks Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte Review

April 18, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

On a cold, rainy day in Vancouver, I was visiting Granville Island and sought to get a comforting drink from my nearest Starbucks. As I reviewed the menu board for something perhaps with less calories, I saw a drink that I never noticed before: the Starbucks Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte. I decided to order a short version with lactose-free milk.

Description

According to the company, the Starbucks Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte is a less sweet-take on the Classic Chai Tea Latte. It is made with black tea that is infused with cinnamon, clove and other warming spices and is steamed with milk and sweetened with liquid cane sugar.

Nutrition

A Grande (16 oz) Starbucks Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte with 2% milk has the following:

190 calories
4 grams of fat
15 milligrams of cholesterol
31 grams of carbohydrates
7 grams of protein
95mg of caffeine

Taste

The drink tasted more like steamed milk than anything else. I couldn’t detect the black tea, cinnamon or cloves. The drink was on point in terms of being lightly sweet and perhaps it was too lightly sweet. It lacked the spiciness of a regular chai.

Bottom Line

Unfortunately, I didn’t like the Starbucks Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte to order again. For now, I’d prefer to get my chai fix with my chai tea mix at home. Rating: 2/5

For more Starbucks reviews, visit this tag.

Starbucks Crystal Ball Frappuccino Review

April 17, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

It’s been one year since Starbucks launched the Unicorn Frappuccino. Just ahead of that special anniversary, the company introduced a new magical drink with the “ability” to foretell your future: the Starbucks Crystal Ball Frappuccino.

Peaches & Cream

According to the company, the Crystal Ball Frappuccino is “a mystical, turquoise peach infusion Frappuccino Crème blended beverage topped with peach flavored whipped cream.” The drink is topped with one of three different candy gems that reveal your fortune. Your barista won’t even know which candy gems you will get as the container is apparently opaque. Here are the meanings behind the candy gems.

Blue Foretells Adventure: “Better pack a snack today. Maybe an umbrella.”
Green Foretells Luck: “Wherever you go, good fortune will follow.”
Purple Foretells Magic: “Wonder and enchantment are headed your way. Also owls.”

In other words, the drink has no coffee in it and is essentially a peaches and cream frappuccino with sprinkles on top.

Appearance

I was in San Francisco when I tried the Crystal Ball Frappuccino. The drink I ordered from a Starbucks in Union Square had blue sprinkles suggesting “adventure.” In general, I liked the turquoise ombre look of the drink although it gave more of a summer beach kind of feel rather than “magical.”

Taste

The drink tasted more like a vanilla frappuccino as the peach flavours were very subtle.

Nutrition

A Grande with whole milk and whipped cream has 360 calories, 16 g of fat and 56 g of carbohydrates. For some context, the Crystal Ball Frappuccino has fewer calories compared to the Unicorn Frappuccino (versus 410 calories) but has slightly more carbohydrates (62 g).

Bottom Line

I liked the novelty factor of the Starbucks Crystal Ball Frappuccino but the Unicorn Frapp has more bold flavours. As a reminder, the drink is created in good fun meaning Starbucks does not assume liability for any luck or lack of luck that you experience.

For more Starbucks reviews, visit this tag.

Trader Joe’s Tartar Sauce with Dill and Jalapeno

April 17, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

On my recent trip to the US, I made a stop at Trader Joe’s in Oregon and picked up a few items that seemed interesting to try. I was in dire need of some tartar sauce and decided to get Trader Joe’s Tartar Sauce with Dill and Jalapeno. Priced at $2.49, the sauce comes in a 355 mL (12 oz) jar.

How does it taste?

In terms of taste, I found this tartar variety less tangy than an original tartar sauce. The jalapeno gives it just a mild spicy kick which caters better to a general population. The sauce was nicely creamy and has gone well with my at-home fish sandwiches.

Nutrition

The sauce isn’t really low calorie as 2 tablespoons (30 g) contains about 90 calories and 9 grams of fat. For some context, a typical dipping sauce at McDonald’s is around 28 grams.

Bottom Line

I thought the price was reasonable for what you get but I’m not completely swooning over the flavour. An original tartar sauce still appeals to me more. Perhaps Trader Joe’s Tartar Sauce with Dill and Jalapeno could use more of spicy kick to make it more exciting. Rating: 3.5/5

TWG Always Sakura Tea, Macarons and Dinner Set

April 16, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

To celebrate Cherry Blossom season, TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in Vancouver has some new sakura-inspired offerings. I recently attended a media event where we had the opportunity to learn more about these new products as well as try their April dinner set menu. Here’s a recap of the evening.

Disclosure: I attended the event as media where all food and drinks were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Always Sakura Tea

The TWG Tea Always Sakura Tea is a green tea with notes of wild Rainier cherry and rose blossoms; you can expect a fresh and fruity infusion with a subtle floral aftertaste. Produced in limited quantities, the Always Sakura Tea retails at $50.

I had the chance to try this tea during the evening and it was wonderfully light and refreshing; it’s one of the best green teas I have ever tried. I loved the floral aftertaste. Highly recommended.

Always Sakura Tea infused Macarons

The Always Sakura Tea infused macarons have a smooth and crisp ruby pink almond shell and are filled with luxurious chocolate ganache accented by notes of green tea and cherry. They are available in gift boxes of 6, 12 or 24 and are priced at $18, $36 and $60 respectively.

April Set Menu

Our media dinner was based on the April set menu. However, some items might have added cost. To start, we enjoyed a Pink Flamingo Tea Gin & Tonic.

Main Course

There were two choices for main courses. First, there was the Wagyu beef tenderloin with a silky potato mash, spring carrots and cipollini onions glazed in Miraculous Mandarin Tea served with beef jus.

Since I love seafood, I opted for the seared scallops with watercress coulis, steamed baby turnips, zucchini and fresh English peas with Silk Water Tea creamy emulsion, accompanied with black bread crisps. I was particularly impressed with the size of scallops; they were also very juicy, tender and perfectly seared. The black bread crisps added a fun textural contrast.

Dessert

For dessert, we indulged in a Sakura tea infused Japanese cotton cheesecake with a tart cherry confit. The cheesecake was wonderfully delicious being very light, fluffy yet not very sweet. The butterfly accent and edible flowers added to the presentation of the dessert.

Overall Impression

This was my first sit-down dining experience at TWG and I found their dinner dishes to be well-executed and nicely presented. I’d certainly be interested in revisiting in the future. I also really enjoyed the Always Sakura Tea and macarons.

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique
Address: 1070 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.vansingdg.com‎

New Smoky Cocktail available at The Botanist

April 16, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

The Cocktail Lab at Fairmont Pacific Rim‘s Botanist is a highly unique setup and is the only of its kind in Canada. The lab was customized in order to bring an elevated and culinary-forward approach to how the restaurant designs and crafts the cocktails. Industrial kitchen elements can be found at The Cocktail Lab including a rotary evaporator to distill and vacuum as well as centrifuges to separate ingredients by density.

Experiential Cocktails

The Cocktail Lab at the Botanist offers experiential cocktails which are inspired by the four elements (water, earth, air, and fire). So far these have included Deep Cove (water), Candy Cap Magic (earth), and Pretty Bird (air).

Deep Cove

Avoid the rainy weather this weekend & come experience our Deep Cove cocktail. #botanistjournal

A post shared by Botanist Dining (@botanistdining) on Sep 8, 2017 at 12:33pm PDT

Candy Cap Magic

The wand chooses the wizard, the wizard chooses you. Friday night sips featuring Candy Cap Magic. #botanistjournal

A post shared by Botanist Dining (@botanistdining) on Sep 22, 2017 at 3:15pm PDT

Pretty Bird

From the Cocktail Lab: Pretty Bird (i) Gin, Berries, Seeds, Bubbles, Bird Nest #botanistjournal

A post shared by Botanist Dining (@botanistdining) on May 2, 2017 at 5:10pm PDT

Smoke on Water

The newest addition to the roundup is Smoke on the Water, a smoky cocktail inspired by the element fire. The smoky sip is composed of rum, coconut oil, mezcal, birch sap and charred lemon – a twist on the Daiquiri, served in a Crafthouse smoking box that infuses the drink with hints of cedar smoke. Priced at $31.

The Cocktail Lab @fairmontpacific @botanistdining is a highly unique setup and is the only of its kind in Canada. . The lab offers experiential cocktails which are inspired by the four elements (water💧, earth🌿, air💨, and fire🔥). So far these have included Deep Cove (water), Candy Cap Magic (earth), and Pretty Bird(air). . The newest addition to the roundup is “Smoke on the Water”, a smoky cocktail inspired by the element fire. The smoky sip is composed of rum, coconut oil, mezcal, birch sap and charred lemon – a twist on the Daiquiri, served in a Crafthouse smoking box that infuses the drink with hints of cedar smoke. . Smoke on the Water isn’t on the menu yet but you can order it with the secret code word 🤫:“Botanist Smoke.” Exclusively available at the bar or lounge only. Read more: https://foodgressing.com/smoky-cocktail-botanist-fairmont-pacific-rim/ #Media . #video #videography #cocktail #instavideo #videogram #videoclip #videograms #videoshoot #instagramvideo #cocktails #igvid #fairmonthotel #fairmont #fairmontpacificrim #igersvancouver #dailyhivevan #foodblogger #influencer #foodblog #bartender #cocktail #drinkup #mixologist #mixology #craftcocktails #craftcocktail #drinkstagram #cocktailbar

A post shared by Food•Travel•Lifestyle Blogger (@foodgressing) on Apr 16, 2018 at 3:57pm PDT

Use The Secret Code

Smoke on the Water isn’t on the menu yet but you can order it with the secret code word:“Botanist Smoke.” Exclusively available at the bar or lounge only.

Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim
Address: 1038 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎www.botanistrestaurant.com

GET $10 OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER

Purchase Tickets

Pinnacle Ballroom

Brunch Menu

Main Buffet

Dessert

Children’s Buffet

Overall Impression

Elegant Interior

Swad Indian Kitchen Menu

What I Tried

Swad E Lamb ($17)

Swad Palak Kofta ($15)

Moogdum Kebab ($22)

Jeera Rice ($4)

Mango Lassi

Overall Impression of Swad Indian Kitchen

WHAT IS HOT POT?

CHOOSE A SOUP BASE

MAKE YOURSELF A PERFECT SAUCE

What We Tried

Soup Base

Specialty Dish

Protein

Veggies

Starch

Dessert

Meat Barbie

Liuyishou Hotpot Robson Interior

Service

Overall Impression of Liuyishou Hotpot Robson

Description

Nutrition

Taste

Bottom Line

Peaches & Cream

Appearance

Taste

Nutrition

Bottom Line

How does it taste?

Nutrition

Bottom Line

Always Sakura Tea

Always Sakura Tea infused Macarons

April Set Menu

Main Course

Dessert

Overall Impression

Experiential Cocktails

Candy Cap Magic

Pretty Bird

Smoke on Water

Use The Secret Code

About Me

Recent Posts