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Dinner Tasting Menu at Botanist

August 18, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

One of the most exciting new restaurant openings that took place last year was Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. The restaurant showcases the botany of British Columbia from a culinary perspective. Botanist is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features a cocktail bar and lab, garden, dining room, and champagne lounge – all inspired by the principals of botany.

Last December, Diana (foodology.ca), David (pickydiners.com) and I visited Botanist to try their multi-course dinner tasting menu priced at $108 per person. Note: This is not a sponsored post. The food and drinks were not complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Friday Night Reservation

We came in on a Friday night for an 8 pm reservation and the restaurant was buzzing. The lighting was dim in the main dining area which was a contrast to the well-lit open kitchen.

What I Tried

Drink

To start, I had the Not Yet, a spirit-free drink featuring carrot, beet, ginger, lemon and sparkling water.

Bread

We then received a complimentary order of bread topped with herbs and seeds.

Amuse Bouche: Sturgeon Chicharron

With a vibrant presentation, the crispy, crackly dried sturgeon chicharron with fermented vegetables was a great start.

First Course: Beets and Goat’s Cheese Salad

We were then presented with a salad made with beets, pecans, oranges, and Ashley’s Goat cheese. The ingredients were fresh and flavourful and the arrangement of the salad was very pretty.

Second Course: Lobster

Next was the lobster with a sunchoke veloute and chive chantilly. The buttery, tender and juicy lobster went well with the creamy, nutty and smooth lobster veloute.

Third Course: Diver Scallop

The diver scallop was seared perfectly and was very tender. It was accompanied by Brussel sprouts, guanciale (Italian cured pork) and celeriac foam.

Fourth Course: Bison

Our fourth dish was the bison which was lean, slightly gamy, slightly sweet. At this point, we were getting pretty full but we pushed on! The meat was accompanied by Saskatoon Berry which added to the sweetness, mushrooms and cauliflower.

Fifth Course: Dessert

For dessert, we had the Hakuju chocolate pate, passionfruit pulp and licorice ice cream. It was a creative dessert with a unique presentation that had sweet, bitter, salty and sour flavours.

Service

The server for our meal was stellar and she explained all the dishes wonderfully. The pace of our multi-course meal was also on point.

Overall Impression

We had a great time with the tasting menu at Botanist. I enjoyed the creative take on the dishes featuring BC ingredients, the super service, and the inviting environment. I would recommend the tasting menu at Botanist and at a price of $108 per person I thought it was fairly valued. Rating: 5/5

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

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Brunch at Spade on Commerical Drive

August 17, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

It had been several months since I visited Spade (see post here), an Italian cafe and restaurant on Commercial Drive. Spade opened less than a year ago and is the sister restaurant of Prado. By day, it’s a place for espresso-based drinks, Italian sandwiches and salads and at night it transforms to a restaurant serving cocktails, wine and family-style plates in the evening. This past weekend, I visited Spade to try out some of their brunch and lunch items.

Disclosure: I had received a gift card from Spade. Most of my meal was covered by the gift card. Opinions are my own.

Spade Brunch and Lunch Menu

On the daytime menu for Spade are Italian breakfast bowls, sandwiches, toasts, salads and wraps. The bread they use is from A Bread Affair – a certified organic bakery based on Granville Island.

What I Tried

They have a lovely seating area just outside the cafe with a signature Spade painted on the wall.

We ordered the Eggs in Purgatory ($9.50), Porchetta on Toast with an egg ($10), and a Beetroot Latte ($5.50).

Eggs in Purgatory

A very tasty dish featuring two poached eggs in a spicy, flavourful chili tomato sauce on sourdough toast. The sourdough was fantastic with a nice chewy flavour.

Pink Latte

The Pink Latte is a special offering at Spade. It features a beetroot blend with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, honey and steamed with raw almond milk. The drink is vegan, caffeine-free and organic. Proceeds from every Pink latte are donated to The Downtown East Side Women’s Shelter and Cynthia’s Place in Surrey which is a part of the Elizabeth Fry Society. I enjoyed the flavours of the latte which tasted mildly of beets. I also liked that it was a dairy-free latte which is great for someone like me who is a bit lactose intolerant.

Porchetta On Toast

This toast had shaved porchetta, romesco, arugula, pickled red onion, green mayo, on sourdough. The porchetta I found was a bit understated. Perhaps the portion was just too little? I found that the arugula and sourdough came through more in each bite.

Overall Impression

The brunch/lunch items I tried from Spade were overall pretty good. I’d be interested to revisit in the future and try more of their menu. Rating: 4/5

Spade Coffee Spirits & Treats
Address: 1858 Commercial Drive
Website: www.spadecoffee.ca‎

How to Order at T&T Lansdowne’s Seafood Bar

August 16, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

T&T Lansdowne in Richmond is now open and one exciting new concept is the Seafood Bar. Here’s a more detailed look at the process of choosing the seafood, getting it cooked on site and eating it right in the store.

Step One: Choose your seafood

The process starts when you visit the Seafood Department and choose the seafood from the tanks. The seafood that can be cooked on-site are identified with a special “Cook It” tag.

Step 2: Get Your Order Number

The Seafood Department clerk will weigh your catch and hand you an order number.

Watch as your seafood is placed into a bucket and ziplined to the kitchen!

Step Three: Choose your sauce and cooking method

Next, proceed to the cashier to choose your sauce and cooking method. For payment, they accept debit or credit only. You will then receive a pager.

Sample Platters, Single Orders, and Side Orders

Want some sides? To complement your catches, T&T Lansdowne also offers a sample platter menu of mussels, clams, and shrimp ($12 per set) as well as single orders of shrimps ($12 per set), mussels ($12 per set) or Chaozhou style cold crab ($12 per piece). You’ll also find few side options: corn ($2 each), salad ($3), dinner rolls ($1 each) and clam chowder or corn & chicken soup ($3.50 per box).

Pricing

The cost depends on the cost per pound of your catch plus the cooking fee. Cooking fees for crab, lobster, mussel, clam, shrimp and scallops are $5 per lb (minimum 1 lb order). For oysters, the fee is $1 per piece (minimum order 3 pieces) and for canner lobster it is $5 per piece (minimum order 1 piece).

Step Four: Collect Your Food

When the pager rings, you can collect your dish. It’s basically from seafood tank to table!

The Seafood Bar looks like it will be a popular part of the new T&T Supermarket at Lansdowne Centre. To learn more about other concepts unique to the store, visit my previous post here.

T&T Supermarket Lansdowne in Richmond
Address: Unit #MAJ1, 8311 Lansdowne Road, Richmond, British Columbia. V6X 3A4
Hours: Monday to Sunday | 8:00 am – 12:00 am
Website: www.tnt-supermarket.com/bc/

New T&T Supermarket at Lansdowne Centre

August 16, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

The largest and newest T&T Supermarket in Canada is now open at Lansdowne Centre in Richmond. The grand opening took place August 16 at 10 am to a crowd of enthusiastic shoppers. I was invited for a media preview one day ahead of the Grand Opening to learn about the concepts that are unique to this location. From the Seafood Bar, Asian Street Food to a wide selection of slippers and a pharmacy, here’s a look at what you can expect at the new T&T Lansdowne.

Largest T&T Supermarket

Just how big is the newest T&T? The store spans 70, 000 square feet with just one floor level and occupies the former space of Target.

T&T CEO, Tina Lee, was at the media event to give us insights on the new store. Her mother, Cindy Lee, is the founder of T&T having started the business with one store.

Seafood Bar

One of the most exciting new concepts at T&T Lansdowne is the Seafood Bar where you choose your seafood, they cook it and you eat your seafood right in the store. For a more detailed look at the ordering process, visit this post here. Below is a brief overview.

How it works is that you pick your seafood with a special “Cook It” tag. You will then be given an Order #. Next, proceed to the cashier to choose your sauce and cooking method. For payment, they accept debit or credit only. You will then receive a pager. When the pager rings, you can collect your dish. It’s basically from seafood tank to table!

To complement your catches, they also offer a sample platter menu of mussels, clams, and shrimp ($12 per set) as well as single orders of shrimps ($12 per set), mussels ($12 per set) or Chaozhou style cold crab ($12 per piece). They also have a few side options like corn ($2 each), salad ($3), dinner rolls ($1 each) and clam chowder or corn & chicken soup ($3.50 per box).

Cooking fees for crab, lobster, mussel, clam, shrimp and scallops are $5 per lb (minimum 1 lb order). For oysters, it is $1 per piece (minimum order 3 pieces) and canner lobster is $5 per piece (minimum order 1 piece).

Sauce options include cajun, chili soy, Thai, black bean, and garlic butter. Steaming or boiling cooking options are offered.

At the event, a lobster was chosen from the tank and cooked immediately for the attendees.

Asian Street Food

Another interesting food option at T&T Lansdowne is the Asian Street Food station.

The stall is open for lunch and dinner (11 am – 9 pm) and offers Asian snacks like Taiwanese Sauce Bun, Popcorn Chicken, Taiwanese Rice Noodle Soup and more.

Self-Serve Soup/Congee Station

Indulge yourself in some comforting congee and soup at the self-serve bar. Some of the options include Lotus Seed and Red Bean Sweet Soup, Diced Chicken and Cream of Corn Soup, and Filet Fish Congee.

T&T has their own Master Chefs who help develop the menus. For the bakery, there is Chef Tse; for sushi, Chef Shokunin Liu; and for Chinese Cuisine, Chef Du.

There is a designated eating area where you can enjoy the hot food items in the store.

Nutrient Grains Station

At this station, you can get healthy grain mixes featuring red beans, mung beans, black beans and more.

Meat Section

In the meat section, you’ll find organic options as well as information about the farms where the meats come from. Look for signage above to learn more about the type of feed used, certifications and so forth.

Pre-packed Soup Base Ingredients

If you’re looking for a way to easily make a comforting and nutritious bowl of soup, T&T offers pre-packed soup base ingredients. Take for example, the pork soup base with dried figs and water chestnuts.

Handmade Dumplings

T&T Lansdowne (as well as at other locations) offers handmade dumplings.

Weigh Station

You can weigh your produce ahead of time at the weigh station to make the checkout process a bit faster.

Slippers

In terms of lifestyle products, T&T Lansdowne is very proud to offer an extremely wide selection of slippers to cater to the Asian lifestyle.

Japanese Brand Diapers

T&T Lansdowne is also carrying Japanese-brand diapers, GOO.N and Merries, which are popular in Asia.

Pharmacy

Customers can also get their prescriptions filled at the in-store pharmacy. Refills can be done by phone, fax or online 24/7. They also offer free blood presure monitoring.

Starbucks

And if you’re needing a coffee fix, Starbucks has a location right inside T&T Lansdowne.

Self-Checkout

This store also allows customers to do self-checkout. Find these stations near the Asian Street Food.

There are certainly many exciting, new concepts at T&T Lansdowne which customers will enjoy trying out. I’ll certainly be revisiting in the near future to explore the store some more and indulge in the hot food options. For more information, visit www.tnt-supermarket.com/bc/

Visiting Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park

August 15, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park is a great little day trip option for Vancouverites who want to do some light hiking or picnicking. Located 1.5 hr drive from Vancouver, the main attraction of the park is Bridal Veil Falls, which tumbles 60 metres over a smooth rock face, creating a “veil-like” effect.

From the parking lot, it’s a short 15 min hike uphill to the fall. There are two trails from the parking lot to the waterfall. We took the one that goes along Bridal creek and over a wooden bridge. As you continue uphill, you can hear the sound of the waterfall as you get closer and closer. The other trail is via the Woodland Trail which also goes to and from the parking lot.

Approaching the top of the hill, you will see Bridal Veil Falls through the trees.

There is a viewing platform at the bottom of the waterfall. However, to get really up close to the waterfall, you need to make a steep uphill climb. There’s a sign which says it’s “unauthorized territory” but people go there anyways to get closer to the waterfall. If you follow the trail that most people take, you should be OK.

Other things to know before you go

The park is open from 8:00 am to dusk.
The park is located on the south side of the Fraser River, 16 km east of Chilliwack. Take Exit 135 off Highway 1 and follow the signs. The nearest communities, towns and cities are Bridal Falls and Chilliwack.
The park is dog-friendly but dogs must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings.
Pit and flush toilets are located throughout the provincial park.
This park has a day-use/picnic area.

For more information, visit www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/bridalveil_falls/

Tasting Plates North Vancouver 2018 Recap

August 14, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

It was another fun night of attending Vancouver Foodster’s Tasting Plates North Vancouver edition. Attendees visited 5 participating establishments offering plant-based dishes plus pizza, meatballs, scones, mini doughnuts and other treats, cinnamon bun ice cream sandwiches, Japanese chocolate truffles and more. Here’s a recap of the evening.

Disclosure: I attended as media where my ticket was complimentary.

Alberello Pizzeria

This family-run gem features a line-up of authentic Italian pizzas where the dough is made daily with Caputo 00 flour, hand-tossed to 12″, and baked in their stone oven. Our tasting plate featured the following:

Verde Noce (pesto sauce, walnut, roasted peppers, oyster mushroom sautéed in garlic oil, caramelized onion, mozzarella, fresh goat cheese, and basil)
Salsiccia (tomato sauce, our home-made fennel sausage, mozzarella, caramelized onion & roasted red pepper)
Home-made meatball in a succulent tomato sauce

Alberello Pizzeria
Address: 115 15th Street West, North Vancouver
Website: www.alberellopizzeria.com/‎

Cafe by Tao

Cafe by Tao is run by a mother-daughter team passionate about providing a fresh, healthy vegan Cuisine. They pride themselves on making everything from scratch using uniquely organic and wild-crafted ingredients. We sampled the Mango Salsa Quinoa Bowl with falafel & sauerkraut; Rawkin’ Pizza; Rawsagna; and Lucuma Parfait.

Cafe by Tao
Address: 210-150 Esplanade W, North Vancouver
Website: www.taoorganics.com‎

Welcome Parlour Ice Cream

Welcome Parlour Ice Cream is North Vancouver’s one and only authentic, artisan ice cream parlour. Their delicious ice creams are uniquely handcrafted using the best local natural ingredients and are made freshly in artisan small batches with culinary partner Eleanor Chow Waterfall of Cadeaux Bakery. They offer 11 delicious flavour at Welcome Parlour that rotate seasonally, always offering 2 amazing dairy free options. In collaboration with Bad Dog Bread,they presented a Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream Sandwich.

Welcome Parlour Ice Cream
Address: 277 8th St E, North Vancouver
Website: www.welcomeparlour.com‎

Coconama

At Coconama Chocolate, the concept is simple: the finest chocolate, the best ingredients, and a creative fusion of global flavours. The result: fresh handmade chocolate creations that are indulgence at its purest. They offered a sampling of a few of their products.

Coconama
Address: 264 1st Street E, North Vancouver
Website: www.coconama.com‎

Butter Lane Bake Shop

Newly opened inside the Lonsdale Quay Public Market, Butter Lake Bake Shop is a run by a mother-daughter team. For the event, they offered an Earl grey donut, scones with clotted cream and jam, and gluten free carrot cake topped with a cream cheese buttercream.

Butter Lane Bake Shop
Address: 123 Carrie Cates Ct, North Vancouver (inside Lonsdale Quay Public Market)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/butterlanebakeshop

What to eat at the Fair at the PNE 2018

August 13, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

The Fair at the PNE returns August 18^th to September 3^rd and this year’s food line up features some outrageous and unbelievable culinary creations. Get ready to loosen your belt and treat your tongue to some sweet, some savoury, some salty and sour. Here’s a look at some adventurous eats this year at the PNE.

24K Gold Covered Ice Cream

The Praguery will be launching their special Chimney Cakes with 24K Gold Covered Ice Cream. The first 10 customers to come will get to try it free and will be posted on their Instagram showing them enjoying their 24k golden treat.

Cricket Caramel Apples

The Caramel Apple is rolled in salty, oven-roasted Entomo Farm crickets to create a sweet and salty delight that will add a bit of crunch for the courageous.

Charcoal Soft Serve

Looking to stay cool this Fair? A modern take on ice cream, the Smoking Charcoal Soft Serve will cool you down in the hot summer sun. And don’t forget to taste Black Charcoal Pineapple Ice Cream, a twist on the hottest ice cream trend; black charcoal soft serve ice cream served right out of a fresh pineapple!

Wat a Melon

Looking to get some vitamins into your system? For those who want a sweet but small snack, there will be the beloved Wat a Melon, straight off the streets of Tokyo. Featuring a watermelon flavoured ice cream snack, served between two slices of watermelon, this is every watermelon lover’s dream come true!

Milkshake Burgers & Deep Fried Burgers

Step back in time to a 1950s diner, courtesy of Gourmet Burgers, to try a Garlic Vanilla Milkshake Burger, or its cousin, the Sweet and Salty Milkshake Burger, covered in rock salts, caramel drizzle and vanilla ice cream.

Wrapped in a bread dough and deep fried to a crisp, yet golden brown perfection, the Deep Fried Burger will be an explosion of taste and texture – a must try for all fairgoers.

Churros: Chocolate Dipped or Fries

For the chocolate fanatics, Churros Locos introduces Chocolate Dipped Churros, dipped and rolled in your favourite toppings, or Churro Fries, smothered with chocolate and caramel sauce, with marshmallows tossed into the mix.

Triple Chocolate Brownie Milkshakes

Fresh homemade brownies crushed and mixed in warm chocolate sauce are layered through a premium hard scoop Vanilla Bean Milkshake.

Italian Food: 1 lb. Fair Sized Meatball & Chicken Parmigiana Strips

Looking for a twist on what Grandma used to make? Perhaps you’d like to take a stab at a gigantic 1 lb. Fair Sized Meatball, oozing with mozzarella and Nonna’s tomato sauce- a true feast for your eyes and your stomach. And for the picky eating kids? Golden fried, all white meat Chicken Parmigiana Strips will be covered in Nonna’s tomato sauce, cheese, and torched to perfection.

KitKat Fries

Steve O’s Public House is set to return, making one of Canada’s favourite chocolate bars even better, turning the iconic Nestle bar into KitKat Fries. Dipped in a signature batter and deep-fried to a soft, fluffy, and chocolatey perfection while maintaining the famous KitKat crunch, you’ll want to try these again and again and again.

White Chocolate Cheese Cake Mini Donuts

The familiar scent of warm mini donuts returns this year with an even greater variety than ever before, as White Chocolate Cheese Cake Mini Donuts make their debut!

For more information, visit www.pne.ca

Joe Fortes Summer Patio Party 2018 Recap

August 13, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Joe Fortes is known for having one of the best restaurant patios in Vancouver. The patio which overlooks Robson Street is an urban oasis featuring a garden, outdoor fireplace, and bustling horseshoe bar.

I attended Joe Forte’s annual summer patio party recently because nothing says summer like delicious food, sunshine, a beautiful patio and good vibes. While the good weather lasts, be sure to check them out for refreshing summer cocktails, fresh oysters and delicious entrees like lobster & shrimp rolls, chicken & waffles, and more. Here is a photo recap of the event:

Not to be missed are the pie selection including Lemon Meringue Pie, Apple Crumble, Bourbon Pecan and Espresso Chocolate Chiffon.

Joe Fortes
Address: 777 Thurlow St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.joefortes.ca‎

Boba Boy Burnaby Offers Handcrafted Tapioca

August 13, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

A few months ago, Boba Boy opened up their second BC location in Burnaby at Royal Oak and Kingsway. The Ontario-based franchise is known for serving drinks in their signature Boba Bottles – tall, reusable containers with screw-on caps that are great for on-the-go. Boba Boy is a unique bubble tea shop because they freshly make their own tapioca which come in different flavours like matcha and taro. I had tried drinks from their first BC location in Kerrisdale (see post here) and found the experience to be good. This time around, I decided to visit their new Burnaby location.

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

Boba Boy Burnaby Menu

Boba Boy Burnaby offers a variety of drinks including Fruity Tea, Signature Milk Tea, Fresh Sunkist, Fresh Tea, Speciality Slush/Smoothies, Mousse Latte and Fresh Juice/Milk. Aside from their handcrafted tapioca, they offer toppings like coconut jelly, grass jelly, pudding and red bean. The drinks come in regular size ($4.50), large ($5.50 – $5.80), and their signature Boba Bottles ($5.50 – $6.50). The Boba Bottles are about $2 premium over the regular size.

Some of their drinks already come with tapioca and are a bit cheaper as a “package.” These are listed separately.

Boba Bottle Deal

Boba Boy Burnaby offers a deal Monday to Thursday from 2 – 6 pm where Boba Bottles are $10 for 2.

Freshly Made Tapioca

I found an official video which showcases how they make their additive- and preservative-free tapioca.

Modern, Clean Interior

Boba Boy Burnaby has a more spacious interior compared to their sister location in Kerrisdale.

What I Tried

Because I brought in the Boba Bottles from my visit to the Kerrisdale location, I received the drink for the price of a large. The drinks cost $5.50 as opposed to $6.50. I went with the Deluxe Milk Tea with Original Tapioca and Grass Jelly and the Taro Milk Tea with Taro Tapioca.

The drinks did not have as strong tea flavour as other places like Chatime but it didn’t bother me that much. I did notice a significant improvement in the quality of their tapioca compared to what I had at their Kerrisdale location. Last time, they were too hard for my liking but the ones on this visit were much softer and closer to the “non-handcrafted ones” you would get from Chatime.

In terms of volume, the pearls occupied approximately one-fifth of the Boba Bottle. They are smaller but densely packed and were stuck together at the bottom of the cup. I would swirl the drink with my straw or shake the bottle in order to loosen the pearls.

Boba Bottle

Was the Boba Bottle worth it? To start, I like it for the novelty factor. It’s a great way to get bubble tea to go. If you have a large to-go order of bubble tea say for like 10 of your friends, I think the Boba Bottle works perfectly. PRO TIP: The Boba Bottle has a special, longer straw so don’t grab the wrong one. The straw is sized perfectly to the height of the Boba Bottle so that you can still put the cap on.

I’m not sure how “reusable” the Boba Bottle is as it is not indicated to be BPA free or what not. However, I did find the Boba Bottle to be pretty sturdy plastic which works well if you need to stuff it in your backpack.

Overall Impression of Boba Boy Burnaby

The concept of preservative-free, fresh house-made tapioca is great and that is one reason why I return to Boba Boy despite that the tea flavour is a bit weak. The initiative to have customers reuse cups for bubble tea is a good one. Rating: 3.5/5

Boba Boy Burnaby
Address: 150-5172, Kingsway, Burnaby, BC
Website: ‎bobaboy.ca

Original Creation Omakase at Masayoshi

August 12, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

It was a real treat last week to have dined at the critically acclaimed Masayoshi restaurant on Fraser Street. Known for offering authentic Japanese cuisine with a modern twist, Masayoshi has been named a top Japanese restaurant in Vancouver but is also ranked #48 in a list of Canada’s Best 100 Restaurants for 2018.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. None of the food and drinks were complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

Omakase-Only Menu

Masayoshi is chef-owned and operated by Chef Masayoshi Baba who formerly worked as a sushi chef at Tojo’s for more than a decade. The restaurant has been open since 2015 but it was just last year that the restaurant offered omakase-only where you leave it all up to the Chef to choose and craft the menu.

Three types of omakase are offered: Nigiri Sushi Omakase 14 pieces ($80 pp) or 16 pieces ($110 pp) and Original Creation Omakase ($120). Reservations are a must, and there are only two seatings each evening—at 6 and 8 p.m.

With me on this dining experience was David (pickydiners.com) and a friend visiting from San Francisco, William (williamdavidwalsh.com). We went with the Original Creation Omakase – a multi-course meal including hot and cold dishes, sushi and based on seasonal ingredients. I was lucky to be treated for dinner by my dear friend, David, on this occasion.

Pro Tip: If you truly want to enjoy the food and experience of omakase, you need to be open-minded.

Hazuki Omakase

The restaurant is very minimal in decor with a center sushi bar and a few surrounding dining tables. Because we were doing the Original Creation Omakase, we didn’t get to sit at the sushi bar where Chef Baba was delivering a culinary performance. Those doing the Nigiri Sushi Omakase probably had a different experience than us.

Sake

We started off with an order of Ichinokura sake. The server presented us with a selection of sake cups and we got to choose our own cup.

Corn

The first course was a chilled Japanese corn potage which was ultra-smooth, creamy and comforting. There were no fibers in the soup just silky smoothness.

Zensai

Next was an assorted appetizer platter featuring spinach, seaweed, ankimo (monkfish liver), and mochi.

The soft, jelly-like mochi was wrapped within a leaf.

It was my first time trying ankimo (monkfish liver) which is considered a delicacy in Japan. The texture is like pate: very rich and creamy, but yet at the same time very light and delicate, feeling silky and velvety to the palate.

Domyoji

The third course featured sticky rice with asparagus and zucchini froth. I enjoyed the delicate vegetable flavours which went well with the rice.

Otsukuri

The sashimi selection included octopus, blue fin tuna, aji (Japanese horse mackerel), and hobo (Red gunnard). A soy sauce dropper was presented with the sashimi.

Sakura Ebi

Sakura Ebi is known as Cherry Blossom Shrimp and is known for a light crispy texture even when served in liquid. The Sakura Ebi was served in a tofu and its crispy texture was a definite contrast to the smooth and silky tofu.

Uzaku

Grilled unagi (freshwater eel) was presented in a clear, light broth. The soft, fatty meat and bold, rich taste of the eel was balanced by the light, subtle flavours of the soup.

Hata

Hata is a grouper of a more “expensive” variety. Its flesh was more firm and meaty rather than light, flaky and buttery. It had a mild, flavour.

Osuimono

A very simple yet umami-packed broth.

Nigiri Sushi

The selection of sushi included hamachi (Yellowtail), salmon sockeye, saba (mackerel), tiger prawn, anago (saltwater eel), and tamago (egg). The sushi rice was at body temperature and you could feel each grain of rice against your tongue.

Grapefruit Jello

To finish off our meal, there was the very summer-appropriate grapefruit jello with very nice, citrusy flavours. It was accompanied by a blueberry and small slices of strawberries.

Fine-dining destination or a casual neighbourhood joint?

Alexandra Gill raised this question about Masayoshi from her review from 2016 and I wondered that myself during the meal. The food itself and the price-point seems to be at a level for fine dining but the atmosphere of the restaurant makes it feel like your slightly-more-upscale-neighborhood sushi bar. However, the service isn’t quite where I would like for a fine dining establishment. The servers seemed a bit rushed and didn’t spend much time explaining the food as the dishes were presented to us. Nevertheless, the value was reasonable as we left full and satisfied.

Overall Impression

I must admit that I can’t really compare this dining experience as this was my first omakase experience. However, I found that I appreciated the dishes more while writing this blog post; I gained a better understanding on the food after doing some research. At $120 pp, the price point seemed more reasonable compared to one-star Michelin restaurants in San Francisco that were charging $200+ USD pp. Anything higher might be too expensive for the Vancouver market. The area of improvement could be the service which was a bit too casual and perhaps slapdash to match up with the beautifully crafted dishes. I would be interested in returning in the future to try the Nigiri Omakase. Rating: 4/5

Masayoshi
Address: 4376 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4G3
Website: www.masayoshi.ca

Friday Night Reservation

What I Tried

Drink

Bread

Amuse Bouche: Sturgeon Chicharron

First Course: Beets and Goat’s Cheese Salad

Second Course: Lobster

Third Course: Diver Scallop

Fourth Course: Bison

Fifth Course: Dessert

Service

Overall Impression

Spade Brunch and Lunch Menu

What I Tried

Eggs in Purgatory

Pink Latte

Porchetta On Toast

Overall Impression

Step One: Choose your seafood

Step 2: Get Your Order Number

Step Three: Choose your sauce and cooking method

Sample Platters, Single Orders, and Side Orders

Pricing

Step Four: Collect Your Food

Largest T&T Supermarket

Seafood Bar

Asian Street Food

Self-Serve Soup/Congee Station

Nutrient Grains Station

Meat Section

Pre-packed Soup Base Ingredients

Handmade Dumplings

Weigh Station

Slippers

Japanese Brand Diapers

Pharmacy

Starbucks

Self-Checkout

Other things to know before you go

Alberello Pizzeria

Cafe by Tao

Welcome Parlour Ice Cream

Coconama

Butter Lane Bake Shop

24K Gold Covered Ice Cream

Cricket Caramel Apples

Charcoal Soft Serve

Wat a Melon

Milkshake Burgers & Deep Fried Burgers

Churros: Chocolate Dipped or Fries

Triple Chocolate Brownie Milkshakes

Italian Food: 1 lb. Fair Sized Meatball & Chicken Parmigiana Strips

KitKat Fries

White Chocolate Cheese Cake Mini Donuts

Boba Boy Burnaby Menu

Boba Bottle Deal

Freshly Made Tapioca

Modern, Clean Interior

What I Tried

Boba Bottle

Overall Impression of Boba Boy Burnaby

Omakase-Only Menu

Hazuki Omakase

Sake

Corn

Zensai

Domyoji

Otsukuri

Sakura Ebi

Uzaku

Hata

Osuimono

Nigiri Sushi

Grapefruit Jello

Fine-dining destination or a casual neighbourhood joint?

Overall Impression

About Me

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