Cuisine Archives | Foodgressing

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

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

Langley Thai Restaurant: Ban Chok Dee

April 15, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Ban Chok Dee Restaurant is the sort of place worth driving for. Specializing in authentic Thai cuisine, Ban Chok Dee is known for their artfully presented dishes while still maintaining a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Chef-owner Parinya Loptson is the mastermind behind Ban Chok Dee and she is the epitome of girl power being a female chef and entrepreneur. Last month, I had the opportunity to visit Ban Chok Dee, meet Chef Lopston and try some of her creations.

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

Springtime Scallops in Thai Curry Sauce

As a judge for the Vancouve Foodster Curry Challenge, I tried Ban Chok Dee’s participating dish called Springtime Scallops in Thai Curry Sauce. The dish was inspired by springtime in the Lower Mainland. It featured seared jumbo scallops infused with pandan leaves; Thai rice crackers stuffed with smoked, spiced bale-infused pork belly; pickled jicama; and caramelized cherry tomatoes. These were served in Thai curry sauce; purple and orange sweet potato purée; basil drops; dehydrated fruits with coconut jasmine rice and garnished with edible spring flowers and dill.

I loved the juicy scallops, stunning presentation, bold flavours, and overall creativeness. The use of purple yam was unique. It was a very fun, non-traditional execution for a curry dish. I liked how the chef took risks and the end result was impressive. Ban Chock Dee end up being the media judge’s winner for the Curry Challenge.

Golden Wontons

Chef Lopston is such a talented chef; she is able to take a simple dish like wontons and turn it into art. These artfully presented wontons were incredibly crispy on the outside; they were filled with pork, garlic, cilantro and ground pepper. It’s a rather labour intensive dish; in fact, the wonton wrap is made in-house. Served with homemade sweet plum sauce.

Miang Khum

A Traditional Thai snack bite combining all Thai tastes (sweet , salty, sour, spicy, coconuty, peanuty ) and savoury herbs in one bite.

Herbal Prawns Salad

Mixed Thai chilies oil with lemongrass, shallots, apple, cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce and prawns served on cucumber block.

Overall Impression of Ban Chok Dee

After meeting Chef Loptson in person, I was so impressed with her culinary passion which certainly translated into edible works of art. My post is just based on her Langley location, but the Maple Ridge one would certainly be worth visiting as well. Rating: 5/5

Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
Address: 20563 Douglas Crescent, Langley, BC
Website: http://banchokdee.com/‎

Abbotsford Dessert Spot: Popbar Highstreet Mall

April 12, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

I have been a fan of popbar ever since they expanded into the Metro Vancouver. Their natural, preservative free and made fresh daily gelato treats are very tasty in my books. I had already been to popbar at Metrotown and Tsawwassen Mills so I was excited to visit their Fraser Valley location at Highstreet Mall in Abbotsford.

Disclosure: I visited this location as media and received complimentary products to try.

Highstreet Location

Compared to the other BC locations which are small outlets within malls, popbar Abbotsford is more of a stand-alone store. They have their own dining table area.

I also noticed that popbar Abbotsford has quite a few products for sale. There are popspreads (like almond crunch and almond spread) and poppings to go (including chocolate espresso beans, white chocolate almonds and more).

popbar Abbotsford menu

Like other popbar locations, the Abbotsford store offers a tasty array of treats include the popSorbetto, popGelato, yogurtPop, ultimate double shake, hot chocolate on a stick, frozen hot chocolate, popaccino and more.

You can customize each treat with unlimited dippings or poppings for $0.50 each. You can also make it a popwich (a gelato sandwich) for $0.50. Also on the menu are a few espresso-based drinks like cappuccino, latte, and so forth.

What I Tried

I tried the strawberry yogurt pop ($4.49) with a white chocolate dip ($0.50) and waffle cone topping ($0.50).

I also enjoyed the dulce de leche gelato ($4.49) popwich (+$0.50) with chocolate sprinkles (+$0.50), white chocolate dip ($+0.50) and a green tea drizzle (+$0.50). I’ve enjoyed the popwich in the past and this did not disappoint. I absolutely love the cookies that they use because they are absolutely crunchy.

Overall Impression of popbar Abbotsford

I really enjoy how popbar Abbotsford has its own dining area where you can sit down and enjoy the treats with friends. The treats are made with quality ingredients and have a very nice flavour. I would recommend giving them a try.

Popbar Abbotsford
Address: 3122 Mount Lehman Rd G115, Abbotsford, BC
Website: ‎www.pop-bar.com/abbotsford/

Robson Street Fine Indian Restaurant: Spicy 6

April 11, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Robson Street is home to some amazing restaurants in Vancouver serving up a wide range of cuisines. If you’re craving Indian food, you might just consider Spicy 6 (Robson & Thurlow) that offers authentic Indian food with a modern twist. Last month, I had the opportunity to visit Spicy 6 and try a few of their offerings.

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

Charming and Elegant Interior

Spicy 6 is sort of a hidden gem being located on the second level of the building. Walking into the restaurant, I noticed the calm and relaxing atmosphere; it’s a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. If you sit by the window, you can enjoy the views of Robson Street.

The well-appointed interior boasts beautiful and colourful Indian-inspired murals. The restaurant is more on the fine dining side with its ambiance. White tablecloths with neatly folded napkins and simple floral centerpieces.

Spicy 6 Menu

The chefs from Spicy 6 are from New Delhi and they specialize in tandoori dishes. Some of the tandoori creations on the menu include Mustard Chicken Tikka, Lamb Sheekh Kabob, Tandoori Prawn and so forth. Also on the menu are a variety of non-vegetarian (like Chicken Korma, Saag Chicken, Kadai Lamb) and vegetarian main dishes (like Muttar Paneer, Aloo Gobi, Okra Masala). They also offer a lunch buffet.

What I Tried

Exotic Saffron Chicken ($25)

As I was a judge in the Vancouver Foodster Curry Challenge, I had the opportunity to try Spicy 6’s participating curry. The Exotic Saffron Chicken featured stuffed chicken with cottage cheese in a savoury curry. Served with jasmine rice and naan. I liked how they got creative and stuffed the chicken with cheese; that made the dish much more memorable. A good, savoury curry overall. Spicy 6 end up being the third place winner in the media judge’s category for the challenge.

Tandoori Prawn ($19)

I also tried the Tandoori Prawn featuring jumbo prawns marinated in grounded mustard, yogurt and spiced cooked in a clay oven. The prawns were nicely sized, bouncy and I enjoyed the smokey flavours.

Butter Chicken ($17)

I’ve been looking for new place to order butter chicken for takeout on a regular basis and Spicy 6 just might be it! I really loved their rich, flavourful butter chicken which had a nice balance of sweet and tomato flavours. The chicken pieces were tender and juicy. I would definitely love to have this again.

Naan

I also thought that Spicy 6’s naan was well-executed being crispy and chewy on the outside and light on the inside.

Peshawari Naan ($6)

One of the surprising standouts from the meal was the peshawari naan, which is a sort of dessert naan. I’ve never had a sweet naan before so this was a real treat for me. This naan was stuffed with cashews, pistachio, raisins and coconut. Loved the sweet nutty flavours and textures; it’s really worth having either as a side or dessert.

Overall Impression of Spicy 6

I really enjoyed the rich, flavourful Indian dishes at Spicy 6 and thought the prices and portions were reasonable for the area. I’d certainly be interested in revisiting as well as ordering some takeout. If you do want a nice sit-down experience for Indian cuisine, Spicy 6 has a lovely atmosphere to enjoy a meal. Rating: 4/5

Spicy 6 Fine Indian Cuisine
Address: 1116 Robson St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.spicy6.com

San Francisco Teochew Hot Pot: Teo Restaurant

April 10, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Most of us are familiar with the spicy, Sichuan-style of hot pot, but one restaurant in San Francisco brings a rather, unique hot pot experience to the dining scene. Teo Restaurant at The Good Hotel (7th and Mission) in SoMa specializes in Teochew-style (aka Chiuchow, Chaochow, Chaozhou) hot pot. Teochew is a region of Southern China’s Guangdong province and is known for a style of Chinese cooking which is healthier, lighter and more natural. During my visit to San Francisco recently, I had the opportunity to dine at Teo Restaurant and experience their Teochew hot pot. Here’s a look at this style of hot pot and why you need to try it when you visit San Francisco.

Disclosure: I attended a media tasting at Teo Restaurant where all food and drinks were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Fresh Beef

Compared to other hot pot styles, Teochew hot pot uses only beef but not just any kind of beef – in fact, only fresh beef. You might be used to dropping in slices of frozen meat into your hot pot but that is not the case at Teo Restaurant. They source fresh beef (never frozen or aged) from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows raised on farms in Sonoma, California. Furthermore, the beef they use is certified humane, antibiotic free, hormone free, and is sustainably raised.

Superior Bone Broth

Teochew cooking is considered to be one of the healthier, lighter and natural styles of Chinese cooking as the use of oil is modest. Teochew cuisine is known for fresh ingredients, vegetable carving, and superior bone broth. Teo Restaurant’s Chef, Zhang Zongwen, personally hand-selects and hand-cuts the local beef to be placed into the soup.

What We Tried

How it works is that you choose a broth (regular or spicy) and wait for it to boil. You then select the beef, vegetable or noodles to cook in the broth. For some added flavours, Teo Restaurant offers house-made dipping sauces. The hot pots come as individual sizes so you can cooking however you like and adjust the hot plate heat settings yourself.

We tried the Beef Short Rib ($10.98), Beef Flank ($6.98), and Beef Tongue ($10.98). The Beef Short Rib is a must-try being ultra tender and juicy. The Beef Tongue was more a delicacy being tender and crunchy. Not to be missed are Teo Restaurant’s handcrafted beef meatballs which were very bouncy, flavourful and oh-so-delicious. We also enjoyed vegetables like napa cabbage, lotus root and mushrooms. The suggested cooking times for the meats are written on the labels.

Teo Restaurant’s regular, non-spicy broth was just perfect for me. I loved how hearty it was and it was very drinkable.

Interior

I quite enjoyed the contemporary, industrial-chic interior of Teo Restaurant. Bright windows, cozy banquettes, a bar and a mix of small and larger dining tables. They also have VIP rooms to accomodate events and larger parties.

Other Menu Items

If you’re not in the mood for hot pot, Teo Restaurant also offers other dishes like claypots, soups, rice & noodle, vegetables and desserts.

Overall Impression of Teo Restaurant

I love the concept of having fresh beef in hot pot and the delicious broth prepared by Teo Restaurant. I’d recommend others to try Teochew-style hot pot which was nicely light but still satisfying. Teo Restaurant is certainly one place I want to revisit on my next trip to San Francisco.

Teo Restaurant
Address: 1111 Mission St, San Francisco, CA
Website: www.teosf.com

Essential San Francisco Bakery: Vive La Tarte

April 9, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

There is no shortage of amazing bakeries in San Francisco and one of the city’s top places for baked goods is Belgian-inspired Vive La Tarte in SoMa. After getting caffeinated at Blue Bottle Coffee, David and I proceeded to try out some of the goodies crafted at Vive La Tarte and, of course, take photos of their very Instagram-worthy croissants.

Note: None of the food in this review was complimentary. This review was done anonymously. Opinions are my own.

Industrial-Chic

Walking into Vive La Tarte, I was immediately impressed by the cool, industrial-feel of this spacious, modern bakery. The kitchen is open and also very big; I love how they allow customers to see how their products are freshly made.

Seating is aplenty at Vive La Tarte but could be a bit of challenge as it is very busy. I really like their theatre seating area (very unique!) but there are also dining tables, seating outside and by the window.

Vive La Tarte Menu

Vive La Tarte is known for their photogenic stuffed croissants like Pain Au Chocolat, Orange blossom and Za’atar, Almond, and so forth. These tantalizing pastries are on display at their ordering counter. Also on the menu are some lunch and breakfast menu items like Smashed Avo Toast, Fried Egg Sandwich, Cobb Salad and more.

What We Tried

I went all croissant-crazy and got the Pain Au Chocolat ($4), Orange Blossom and Za’atar ($4), Key Lime ($5) and Strawberry Shortcake ($5). David had a Breakfast Pizza ($8).

The Key Lime and Strawberry Shortcake croissants are what I would call, “next-level croissants.” It’s hard to go back to a regular croissant after this. Each bite is sinfully delicious with the combination of buttery and flaky pastry and a luscious cream and custard filling. I’ve seriously died and gone to croissant heaven.

The meringue on the key lime croissants was a nice touch.

The Strawberry Shortcake croissant wasn’t as sweet as the Key Lime, so it might be a good option for those want something less sweet.

David also really enjoyed his bacon egg breakfast focaccia – a great savoury, breakfast option by the way – which had a delicious crust.

Overall Impression

The stuffed croissants at Vive La Tarte certainly had me excited and they are just as delicious as they looked. I really love the atmosphere inside Vive La Tarte and would love to revisit them again next time I am in San Francisco. Rating: 4.5/5

Vive La Tarte
Address: 1160 Howard St, San Francisco, CA
Website: ‎www.vivelatarte.com/

Newly Opened: Ramen Taka in Vancouver’s West End

April 9, 2018 by foodgressing 3 Comments

As a West End resident and foodie, I am very privileged to be able to regularly dine at some of the top ramen spots in the city. At the same time, it irks me sometimes to visit, experience and write about new ramen restaurants that open in the area where competition is stiff. Take for example two ramen restaurants in the West End, Touhobenku and Menokura, which opened up and closed within a year or two. Vancouverites know a good ramen and they will keep returning if it’s good. If a ramen restaurant can’t manage to draw customers, the downfall is swift.

Hokkaido-based

The latest entrant to the competitive ramen scene in Vancouver is Hokkaido-based, Ramen Taka, at 841 Bidwell Street (off Robson Street). They take over the space formerly occupied by The Ramenman, which has since moved to Davie. Ramen Taka has five locations in Japan and this new Vancouver restaurant is their first international venture.

Ramen Taka Menu

Ramen Taka specializes in Asahikawa-style ramen which is known for shoyu (soya sauce based) broth that consists of a blend of pork, vegetable and seafood. The broth of Asahikawa ramen has the characteristic of being quite oily, and there is often a thin layer of oil on top of the soup. And yeah, oily it was (more on that later).

On the menu, you will find 5 types of ramen: Dragon’s Dewdrop (shoyu), White Dragon (sea salt), Supreme Dragon (miso), Dynamite Pork (spicy miso) and Vegan Ramen (miso). Customers can order extra toppings like green onion, corn, seaweed, chashu and more. There are just a few side dishes including chicken karaage, gyoza and French fries.

Their Grand Opening is today (April 9) and they will start to offer a special dinnertime menu. What stood out on the dinner menu was a Deluxe Truffle Ramen with sliced roast beef and truffle salt. This is probably the most expensive ramen out there in Vancouver as it is priced at $22.

The choices for side dishes also have expanded with the dinnertime menu and include French Fries (with savoury or truffle salt), Dashimaki Tamago (seasoned Japanese omelette), chashu with horseradish, octopus balls, and so forth.

Interior

Ramen Taka seems to have retained the same vibe and layout as The Ramenman. A hipstic-chic sort of place with a few dining tables at the back, a large communal table in the middle, and counter seating by the kitchen.

What We Tried

My friend and I visited Ramen Taka last night as she was interested in trying them out after seeing David’s Instagram post from his media tasting.

Disclosure: We visited Ramen Taka as regular customers but the chef end up offering us a few more side dishes to try on the house.

Zangi (Hokkai Chicken Karaage)

We started off with a 4-piece chicken karaage starter ($5.95). Unfortunately, the karaage missed the mark with me as the batter wasn’t particularly crispy and the inside was not very juicy or tender. The karaage pieces weren’t particularly big either. I would not order this again.

Dragon’s Rice

This dish featured seasoned rice mixed with chopped chashu and mushrooms. The chef offered this as a complimentary tasting but it is regularly $5.95. The texture and flavour of the dish was reminiscent of Chinese sticky rice, No Mai Fan. It is too bad that it stand out for me in terms of flavour.

French Fries with Truffle Salt

Another complimentary dish from the chef was the French Fries with Truffle Salt ($6.50). The fries were nicely crispy but I didn’t feel like the truffle flavours came through. It tasted largely of sea salt for me.

Dragon’s Dewdrop

My friend had the Dragon’s Dewdrop (Shoyu) ($11.95) with a clear broth made from pork bones.

Supreme Dragon Miso

The Supreme Dragon Miso ramen was just an OK for me ($12.95). The clear broth wasn’t particularly rich or flavourful to me but rather oily and salty. The broth was largely not that drinkable; the saltiness resulted me needing to drink lots of water for the rest of the night.

The ramen egg had a nicely runny yolk. The chashu was lean – not super melt-in-your-mouth – but was decent portion. Noodles weren’t particularly al dente in my opinion. Portions overall seemed average for the price.

Overall Impression

I really wanted to like Ramen Taka but pehaps the Asahikawa ramen style doesn’t appeal to me. The side dishes didn’t really stand out either. The staff seem friendly and I could tell that they are still working things out in the kitchen. All the best to the owners and staff as it’s a tough ramen market especially in an area that is dense with ramen favourites. But for now, I’m afraid that I haven’t gained a new ramen restaurant that I want to revisit. Rating: 3/5

Ramen Taka
Address: 841 Bidwell St, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎@ramentaka.ca/

San Francisco Coffee: Blue Bottle Coffee Mint St

April 7, 2018 by foodgressing 2 Comments

Last month, David (pickydiners.com) and I ventured to San Francisco for a fun-filled, foodie adventure. After David flew in from San Francisco (and I already being in the city), we met up in San Francisco Union Square and visited one of his favourite places for a good cup of joe, Blue Bottle Coffee.

Third Wave Coffee

For the uninitiated (such as myself), Blue Bottle Coffee originated in Oakland, California and is a top place for third wave coffee. The popularity of Blue Bottle Coffee has emerged beyond the Bay Area as there are locations in New York; LA; Miami; Washington, DC; Boston; and even Japan (Kyoto and Tokyo). The company was acquired by Nestle in 2017 but still retains its “hipster” charm.

Mint Street Location

David and I visited Blue Bottle Coffee at 66 Mint Street which is located inside the historic 1912 Provident Loan Association building. It’s a small cafe and when we arrived there was a line up past the door. The line moved quickly and we put in our orders in no time.

In terms of seating, there is a communal table as well as seating along the counter by the bar and windows. It’s a tight space for the number of people but I enjoyed the large, bright windows letting in the natural light.

Blue Bottle Coffee Menu

On the menu at Blue Bottle Coffee are a variety of espresso-based drinks like macchiato, cappuccino, latte mocha and so forth. They possess the coffee contraptions to brew the coffee however you want (drop, siphon and more). Iced coffee is also on the menu as well as a few food breakfast and lunch options like avocado toast, breakfast sandwich, steel-cut oatmeals, and more.

What We Tried

I had the 17ft Ceiling Almond Milk Latte ($5.75) while David had the Oji Coffee ($3.25) and Fruit Buckle ($3.75).

I found my almond latte to be very smooth, rich and flavourful.

This location of Blue Bottle Coffee has an Oji iced coffee contraption that yields a refined cold-brewed coffee that they collect and serve in tiny glasses. David’s Oji Coffee had rich flavours and zero calories.

Overall Impression

It was a nice first-experience trying out Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco. I would be interested in visiting one of their locations again in the future. Rating: 4/5

Blue Bottle Coffee
Address: 66 Mint Street, San Francisco, CA
Website: www.bluebottlecoffee.com

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

Springtime Scallops in Thai Curry Sauce

Golden Wontons

Miang Khum

Herbal Prawns Salad

Overall Impression of Ban Chok Dee

Highstreet Location

popbar Abbotsford menu

What I Tried

Overall Impression of popbar Abbotsford

Charming and Elegant Interior

Spicy 6 Menu

What I Tried

Exotic Saffron Chicken ($25)

Tandoori Prawn ($19)

Butter Chicken ($17)

Naan

Peshawari Naan ($6)

Overall Impression of Spicy 6

Fresh Beef

Superior Bone Broth

What We Tried

Interior

Other Menu Items

Overall Impression of Teo Restaurant

Industrial-Chic

Vive La Tarte Menu

What We Tried

Overall Impression

Hokkaido-based

Ramen Taka Menu

Interior

What We Tried

Zangi (Hokkai Chicken Karaage)

Dragon’s Rice

French Fries with Truffle Salt

Dragon’s Dewdrop

Supreme Dragon Miso

Overall Impression

Third Wave Coffee

Mint Street Location

Blue Bottle Coffee Menu

What We Tried

Overall Impression

About Me

Recent Posts