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Notch 8 Restaurant Weekend Brunch Buffet

June 20, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Taking part in weekend brunch is a decidedly indulgent and wonderful way to enjoy your time off. At Notch 8 Restaurant located inside the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, weekend brunch is a delicious affair with Chef-led action stations, hot and cold offerings and a decadent dessert bar. The brunch is available on Sundays from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm; adults $59 and $29 for kid 12 and under. Having enjoyed Notch 8’s breakfast buffet, I was excited to try Notch 8’s weekend brunch. Here is a look at my experience.

Disclosure: I visited Notch 8 as media where my meal was complimentary. Opinions are my own.

To start, diners can choose from either a mimosa or Caesar cocktail as part of the buffet.

The buffet has a variety of offerings and is organized into different sections.

The pastry section features rustic artisanal bread, cereals, fresh pastries, juice, smoothies, whole fruits as well as carved fruits. Some of the cold offerings include coconut chia seed pudding and salads (like heirloom tomato bruschetta salad).

The charcuterie section features cheese boards as well as seafood platter with hot smoked salmon, sockeye candied salmon and cold smoked prawns.

Hot offerings are aplenty and include steamed dumplings (like har gaw and siew mai), French toast, wild salmon frittata, Canadian Bacon Benedicts, Porchetta Hash and more.

At the carving station, you’ll find classic prime rib, the feature rotisserie (it was Turkey when I was there) as well as Yorkshire Pudding and gravy.

Notch 8’s Chef de Cuisine Will Lew leads a very elaborate “Eggs on Toast“ action station. The dish can certainly be customized to your liking and here is the impressive list of ingredients available:

Eggs:
- selection of poached and sous vide eggs free range BC chicken eggs
- trout caviar| ikura | masago | lumpfish caviar
Toast: tuscan loaves | brioche | artisan sour dough| blini multigrain
Spreads: smashed avocado | tomato bruschetta | herb garlic neufchatel cream cheese
Toppings: smoked salmon bacon | crab| shrimp| prosciutto | Chorizo
Garnishes: Scallions | chives| dill | micro greens | pickled shallots | grilled cipollini onions
Sauces: Hollandaise| crème friache| motoyaki sauce

It was very entertaining to watch Chef Will create my customized Eggs on Toast creation complete with a fiery torching.

The ultimate eggs-for-brunch action station @notch8restaurant @fairmontvan led by Chef de Cuisine Will Lew. Take a look at the amazing ingredients you can choose from. Available at the weekend brunch buffet. – The Eggs: poached and sous vide free range british columbia chicken eggs | trout caviar| ikura | masago | lumpfish caviar – The Toast: tuscan loaves | brioche | artisan sour dough | blini multigrain – The Spreads: smashed avocado | tomato bruschetta | herb garlic neufchatel cream cheese – The Toppings: smoked salmon bacon | crab | shrimp | prosciutto | Chorizo – The Garnishes: Scallions | chives| dill | micro greens | pickled shallots | grilled cipollini onions – The Sauces: hollandaise | crème friache | motoyaki sauce #Media – #video #chef #cheflife #chefs #yvreats #chefsofinstagram #gastroart #brunch #fairmont #fairmontvancouver #fairmontmoments #theartofplating #chefstalk #videography #foodgressing #foodvideo #cooking #videoshoot #videostar #videograms #myvancouver #yvreats #vancouvereats #vancouver #sonya7iii #instagramvideo #igvid #gourmet #eggs #culinary

A post shared by Food•Travel•Lifestyle Blogger (@foodgressing) on Jun 19, 2018 at 4:43pm PDT

The drool-worthy dessert bar comes complete with a decadent selection that includes strawberry cake, pumpkin bundt cake, crème brulee, pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding, blueberry crumble, the OMG cake, cheesecake.

Diners can also enjoy music from a live DJ.

I certainly enjoyed the sweet and savoury offerings at Notch 8’s decadent brunch buffet. The weekend brunch buffet at Notch 8 is a great way to gather with friends and family over delicious food in a warm and inviting environment. I would love to revisit in the future and would recommend the buffet to others.

For reservations or more information, 604-662-1900 or email hvc.concierge@fairmont.com.

Notch 8 Restaurant & Bar
Address: 900 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.notch8-dining.com‎

Vancouver Rooftop Patio & Bar: Dublin Calling

May 11, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Granville Street’s only rooftop patio and bar is now open! At the Dublin Calling Rooftop, guests can enjoy the sun while indulging in beverages and bites, weekend brunch or catching a game in an upbeat and inviting outdoor location. The Dublin Calling Rooftop will be open from Monday until Sunday daily from 11 am to 1 am.

Special weekend brunch includes avocado toast topped with a sunny side up egg as well a sweet bailey’s cheesecake stuffed French toast. Along with these brunch items guests can indulge in classic pub fare and daily drink specials.

The Dublin Calling Rooftop is an outdoor expansion of the popular Dublin Calling Party Pub & Kitchen. There you’ll find pub grub, Pool, Ping Pong, Skee Ball, Dart lanes, Foosball, Extreme Shot Basketball, BuckHunter and Golden Tee, along with 35 big screen TVs. Broadcasting sports matches of every kind, Dart Lanes and Pool tables can also be reserved every day of the week from 11 a.m. until late.

Here are a few photos from last night’s media launch:

Dublin Calling
Address: 900 Granville St, Vancouver, BC
Website: dublincalling.com/vancouver

Fairmont Vancouver Notch 8 Breakfast Buffet

May 7, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

I’m a fan of Notch 8 restaurant having tried their afternoon tea a few times as well as dinner. This past weekend, we celebrated my friend’s birthday with a breakfast get-together at Notch 8 Restaurant inside the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. For breakfast, there is the buffet option as well as a la carte options. Here’s a look at my breakfast experience at Notch 8.

Notch 8 offers two breakfast buffet options. There is the Continental Buffet ($28 per person) which includes a selection of breakfast pastries, cereal, granola, fresh fruit and berries with your choice of fresh juice, freshly brewed coffee or Fairmont teas. You can also opt for the Full Breakfast Buffet which includes both hot and cold morning selections ($34 per person). The hot and cold items are in separate sections of the buffet area.

In general, I thought that there was a lot of variety with the breakfast buffet. It was nice that they offered gluten-free breakfast bread and muffins. For the hot section, there were buttermilk pancakes, Irish steel cut oatmeal, crepes with poached pear compote, porchetta hash, herb roasted nugget potato, and chicken & apple sausage. There were even some dim sum: steamed pork and shrimp dumplings. The hot food were kept warm in oval stoneware dishes as opposed to the usual stainless steel buffet tray.

One standout was the hot maple smoked salmon toast with poached egg and hollandaise sauce.

In general, I really enjoyed how everything tasted and the type of food offered. Below is a photo of my plate from the buffet. We had one main server for our party and service was excellent. All hot drinks were ordered through her and she brought them out in a timely manner. There was an automatic 15% gratuity which was added to our bill.

What was also great about dining at Notch 8 was that our party could opt for the buffet and a la carte. That is, they did not enforce everyone at the table to have the same thing. It was really nice of them to be flexible in that sense. One of girls in our group had this lovely Ricotta Honey Toast featuring honey fig walnut whole wheat loaf, stone fruits, vanilla mascarpone, pistachio brittle and maple syrup.

Thanks to Notch 8 restaurant, the birthday girl received a special dessert platter featuring some of Notch 8’s popular desserts. This included the following:

#OMG cake: a seven layer chocolate mousse cake with hazelnut praline and passion fruit gel
Brie & Walnut Cheesecake featuring Saskatoon berry, almond crisp, blood orange vanilla bean and ice wine gelee
House made ice cream

Birthday candles were placed on the two #OMG cake slices. After we sang Happy Birthday, the birthday girl blew out the candles.

Overall Impression

I really enjoyed the breakfast buffet experience at Notch 8 restaurant. Food tasted great; options were plentiful; and service was 5-star. Our party of 10 had a wonderful time and I would definitely recommend Notch 8 for special events and group dining. Rating: 5/5

Related:

Notch 8 Restaurant & Bar
Address: 900 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.notch8-dining.com‎

Assembli in Downtown Vancouver Now Open

March 14, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Cambie Village’s build-your-own pizza and salad eatery, Assembli, has just opened a second location in Downtown Vancouver. Located in the heart of the financial district at 1066 West Hastings, Assembli’s newest location allows customers to customize their own meal at one set price. I was invited to a media event at Assembli last night. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

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

Build Your Own

Pizzas and salads are made fresh-to-order at Assembli and all priced at $14. The ingredients are presented and labeled in their “assembly” bar. Assembli takes pride in their quality ingredients: fresh, non-GMO, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and local and organic when possible.

If you’re feeling adventurous, the DIY option is certainly the way to go with all the toppings you want. Salad bases include organic mixed greens, romaine, kale and more while pizza bases come in original crust or gluten-free (+$3). Protein choices are aplenty including herb-roasted chicken, cajun chicken, pepperoni, genoa salami, ham, spicy chorizo, bacon, shrimp, herb and olive oil tofu, and more. And there is certainly no shortage of toppings like chili pineapple, pineapple, roasted garlic, roasted root veggies, roasted red peppers and more. There are over 50 toppings to choose from.

Now if you’re feeling lazy and want to keep it simple, Assembli offers house-made selections. For pizza, the selection includes Smooth Crimini Kale (sautéed mushrooms, mozzarella, olive oil tossed kale, artichoke, red onion, white sauce), Carne-Dian (seasoned ground beef, pepperoni, bacon, mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms, red onion, spicy tomato sauce) and more. For salads, there is the O-Mega Braniac (mixed greens, quinoa, cucumber, cabbage, blueberries, beets, avocado salsa, walnuts, seed mix, glory dressing) and so forth.

What I Tried

Having tried Assembli before, I have a few personal favourites. I had to have (again) the Sexy Hippie Salad (brown rice, quinoa, roasted root veggies, celery, beets, parsley, walnuts, apple, honey and dijon dressing) and the Hawaii 5-0 (ham, mozzarella, chili pineapple, spicy tomato sauce).

One attendee ordered a gluten-free crust; the shape of the crust is rather pretty!

Red Truck Beer provided beer pairings for the evening. The selection included Red Truck Lager, Red Truck Ale, and Northwest IPA.

Assembli – Downtown Vancouver
Address: 1066 West Hastings
Website: ‎http://www.assembli.ca

Dinner at Hyatt Regency Vancouver’s Mosaic Grille

February 25, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Mosaic Grille at the Hyatt Regency Hotel is a destination for modern casual dining in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Their seasonally-inspired contemporary menu features locally sourced produce, sustainable seafood and fresh ingredients. I had the opportunity to try their winter season dinner features. Here’s a look at the delicious creations by the Mosaic Grill team.

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

Prime Location

Mosaic Grill’s spacious dining space is in a prime location which allows diners to enjoy views of Downtown Vancouver.

What I Tried

Dinner Rolls

To start, complimentary dinner rolls in a basket arrived at the table.

Appetizer: Delicata Squash Salad ($14)

One of the appetizers we tried was the squash salad featuring ash ripened goat cheese, pomegranate, baby kale, puffed grains, pumpkin seeds and honey vinaigrette. A very tasty winter salad with tanginess from the goat cheese, bursts of sweetness from the pomegranate and honey vinaigrette.

Appetizer: Roasted Parsnip Veloute ($12)

This dish spelled all sorts of wintry comfort with the creamy, smooth roasted parsnip veloute and the chestnuts, mushroom pate, sage on rye bread.

Entree: Farm Fed Game Hen ($30)

The farm fed game hen entree featured celeriac puree, wild mushrooms, foie gras potato croquette, roasted pear, and glazed cipollini onion jus. The chicken was wonderfully tender and the croquette was nicely golden on the inside with a tender, hot fois gras potato filling.

Entree: Bison Short Ribs ($31)

Another entree I tried was the bison short ribs with smoked carrot puree, salt baked turnips, spiced brown butter mash potato, preserved ramps, puffed beef crisp and merlot shallot jus. The dish was particularly interesting in terms of presentation with the puffed beef crisp.

Dessert: Pumpkin Pie Parfait ($11)

For dessert, a Pumpkin Pie Parfait – a sort of deconstructed dessert with Earl Gray short bread, candied walnuts, white chocolate and coconut lemon cream.

Spiced Pear Crumble ($12)

A rich and flavourful dessert, this spiced pear crumble featured a cardamom poached pear, bourbon gelato, fennel pollen anglaise and cinnamon tuile.

Overall Impression

The Mosaic Grille culinary team never ceases to impress me with their well-executed and creative dishes. Their winter menu is worth trying before the season ends. My ideal three-course menu would be the Roasted Parsnip Veloute, Bison Short Ribs and Spiced Pear Crumble.

Mosaic Grille & Bar
Address: 655 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC V6C 2R7
Website: https://vancouver.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/MosaicGrille.html‎

Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea

February 6, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

If you’re a fan of classical Hollywood cinema, you most definitely need to indulge in Notch 8‘s newest afternoon tea theme. The Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea celebrates the golden age of Hollywood when Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Humphrey Bogart and Marlon Brando graced the screens. This afternoon tea set is available now until April 1st with sittings at 11am, 1pm & 3pm from Wednesday to Sundays and priced $65 for adults and $32.50 for children. I recently had the opportunity to try out the Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

Disclosure: I was invited for a media tasting. All food and drinks in this review were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Old Hollywood Glamour

The afternoon tea experience at Notch 8 is not just about the food but in the decor and ambiance as well. Placted throughout the room are photos of revered Hollywood stars from the past, movie clapboards and even the occasional Oscar trophy.

On one side of the room, there was a movie screen playing a black and white movie under red velvet curtains.

Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea Menu

This tea set features three “courses”: The Red Carpet, The Matinee, and The Silver Screen Premiere. Guests will receive scones with clotted cream, delectable savory bites like the Steak ‘Oscar’ Truffle Sandwich with Tenderloin and Dungeness Crab, and the Caviar & Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs, as well as mouthwatering sweets like the Lights, Camera, Action – Green Tea & Cherry Gateaux Clapboard. You also have choice of Fairmont teas and themed cocktails are available at extra.

Silver Screen Cocktails

Notch 8 is known for their creative cocktails and they have a few created for the Silver Screen Hollywood Afternooon Tea.

The Marilyn

Paying tribute to the one and only Marilyn Monroe, The Marilyn features Finlandia, fresh raspberries, fresh lemon with sparkling water.

The Bogart

Named after Humphrey Bogart, The Bogart has Kraken spiced Rum, Crème de Cacao, Fernet Branca, and chocolate bitters.

THE RED CARPET

Raspberry & Cranberry Cremeaux, Golden Streusel

To start, a refreshing, creamy and berry-licious palate cleanser.

Scones

We received two scone flavours, Cranberry and Giandujia Chocolate, along with clotted cream and citrus butter on the side. The scones were amazing as usual being very light, buttery and flaky.

Our three-tier afternoon tea set consisted of The Matinee (savouries) and The Silver Screen Premier (sweets).

The Matinee

The savories included the Steak “Oscar” Truffle Sandwich; Cobb Salad on Melba Toast; Green Goddess Salad with Lobster and Ruby Red Grapefruit; Chicken A la Keene Gougère; and Caviar and Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs.

Steak “Oscar” Truffle Sandwich

One of my favourite savoury items was the steak truffle sandwich which had tenderloin steak, dungeness crab, Béarnaise aioli and truffle. The aroma and flavour from the truffle made this sandwich very appealing.

Caviar and Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

I also very much enjoyed the deviled eggs with caviar. Definitely one of the more beautifully yet also tasty items from the savoury selection.

The Silver Screen Premier

For sweets, there were some very creative and beautifully presented treats: Chocolate Tuxedo, Lights, Camera, Action, Reel to Reel, Walk of Fame and Marilyn Linzer.

Chocolate Tuxedo

Underneath this well-dressed treat was a flourless chocolate cake. Very moist and just right in terms of decadence.

Lights, Camera, Action

Green tea lovers, rejoice! This movie clapboard-inspired treat had a mix of green tea and cherry gateaux.

Reel to Reel

Inspired by movie reel, this shortbread cookie featured burnt caramel cream and cocoa nib.

Marilyn Linzer

If a tart were made to look like you, what would it be? This Marilyn Monroe-inspired Linzer Tart had passion & mango fluid gel, almond crisp and passion fruit foam (to mimic Marilyn’s blonde hair).

Walk of Fame

This Hollywood Walk of Fame-inspired treat was made of Devil’s Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Cremeux Star.

Overall Impression

Notch 8 continues to put out entertaining, creative and most definitely delicious afternoon tea themes. The Silver Screen Hollywood theme is one of my favourites yet. For reservations or more information, please call 604-662-1900, email hvc.concierge@fairmont.com or book on OpenTable.

The Victor at Parq Vancouver: Steak, seafood & wine

January 24, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Vancouver’s newest entertainment destination, Parq Vancouver, has officially unveiled a new restaurant, The Victor. The restaurant’s Pacific-Northwest-focused cuisine features contemporary and classic seafood, steak, a sushi and raw bar, paired with a curated wine, craft beer and cocktail program. This is Parq Vancouver’s largest restaurant with 170 dining room seats, 80 bar seats, and 55 patio seats. Last week, I was invited to a media event to celebrate the grand opening of The Victor. Here’s a look at what you can expect at the hottest new restaurant in town.

Outdoor Park with Stunning Views

The Victor offers an elevated dining experience on the sixth floor of the DOUGLAS, accessible through the lush outdoor park and showcasing stunning views of BC Place Stadium and Vancouver’s skyline. In the spring, those seeking full immersion in nature can lounge on the elegant patio leading out to the park, the resort’s sixth-level elevated green space comprising 30,000 square feet of verdant greenery, ponds and walkways.

Cocktails, Wine, Seafood & Sushi

The center focal design element of The Victor is an elegant bar that flanks one side of the restaurant and an elevated seafood and a sushi and raw bar on the other. The seafood counter features an abundant display of live oysters, lobsters, crabs, clams, mussels and other fresh local seafood and shellfish.

Inspired by Queen Victoria

The interior design of The Victor was inspired by the reign of Queen Victoria. Paying homage to the adage “To the victor belongs the spoils,” the room immerses guests in a rich and intimate décor, incorporating earthy tones, commanding oak tables and banquets reminiscent of the green leather benches seen in London’s chamber of the House of Commons.

The Victor Menu

The Victor is open for dinner nightly from 5:00pm to 10:30pm (11:00pm on Friday and Saturday). Entrée prices range from $18 to $79. Steak selections include wagyu, striploin and bone-in tomahawk, as well as a delectable selection of sides. Sushi fans can take a seat at the sushi and raw bar and sample classic selections made with a modern twist. The journey continues into dessert with decadent dishes such as crème brulée donuts, perfectly caramelized and topped with a cloud of maple cotton candy. All dishes are crafted by a powerhouse kitchen team led by Kim Canteenwalla.

Wine List

The wine list at The Victor is comprised of quality bottles sourced from around the globe, with a focus on BC, California and regions of France. This extensive selection is supplemented by one of Canada’s largest wine Enomatics; a preservation system that allows for high-end wines to be served by the glass. Craft beer selections extend a special nod to local breweries with Steamworks, 33 Acres and Postmark Brewing on the menu. Cocktail aficionados will delight in adventurous drinks separated into the categories of ‘Diplomacy’ (light and delicate) and ‘Campaign’ (strong and battle-ready), including the signature Emperor’s Sour and the Smoke and Oak house martini.

For more information, visit http://www.parqvancouver.com/restaurants/the-victor/.

The Victor @ Parq Vancouver
Address: 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.parqvancouver.com/restaurants/the-victor/

Downtown Lunch Spot: Finch’s Tea & Coffee House

January 22, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Finch’s Tea & Coffee House is a legendary lunch spot in Downtown Vancouver that is known for their European-style, gourmet artisan baguette sandwiches and salads. The place is so popular that they regularly have lineups. I visited Finch’s for the first time recently with a friend who works in the area and who goes there for lunch often. I’m normally not a “salad or sandwich for lunch” type of person but I was interested to see what the appeal of Finch’s.

Disclosure: None of the food in this review was complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

Old-World Charm

The interior of Finch’s exudes an old-world charm. It’s all in the details like the vintage dresser, antique chest, distressed wooden floors etc. The staff who operate the cafe seemed young and hipster. Definitely a quirky and kind of artsy sort of place.

Coming in a lunch, there was a lineup of what looked like people who mostly worked in the nearby office buildings. Getting a seat seems to be hard during this time but my friend arrived early enough to save us two seats at one of the communal tables.

What I Tried

Not being much of a sandwich person, I ordered the Prosciutto & Vine Tomato Salad with a free range egg (~$15). I don’t like the idea of having too much bread but I could see that Finch’s baguettes had a good proportion of filling to bread. My friend had the Avocado & Walnut Salad.

We waited in our seats for the food to arrive which took maybe about 10 minutes. A staff person came into the dining area, called out our names associated with the order and brought the food to us.

After taking a few photos of the food, I noticed that my free range egg was missing from my salad. I went up to the front and notified the staff who gave me the egg afterwards.

The Prosciutto & Vine Tomato salad came with red onion, red leaf lettuce, fresh dill, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was also served with buttered baguette. The portions of prosciutto seemed pretty reasonable but I was hoping that it would be arranged more nicely – like in a rose-shape – as I had seen on Instagram. The fresh dill was a nice touch but the perhaps could be cut smaller. The dill had both leaves and stem and they kind of got stuck in my throat. Also, the amount of dill could be less as I felt the salad got too bitter. I end up picking a lot of the dill off. The baguette on the side was a nice touch as a filler item. Sometimes, you can get so hungry from eating salad only.

On the plus side, if you don’t want to order coffee or tea, they have self-serve water pitchers at the front.

Ambiance

Finch’s is a busy cafe as expected, but sitting at the communal table was a bit weird (depending on who is next to you). My friend and I were chatting over lunch but the lady sitting next to us didn’t seem impressed as she was trying to read a book. The hipster staff could be friendlier but perhaps they were just too busy managing a lunchtime crowd.

Overall Impression of Finch’s

I thought my Prosciutto & Vine salad was overall OK; it had too much dill but the portions were reasonable and ingredients were fresh. The interior of cute and artsy but the cafe is so busy that it makes it hard to appreciate all these charming details. I personally wouldn’t return as sandwiches and salad establishments are not really my thing. Rating: 3.5/5

Finch’s Tea & Coffee House
Address: 353 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.finchteahouse.com‎

Johnny Rockets Vancouver Now Open

January 5, 2018 by foodgressing 1 Comment

In recent years, Vancouver has seen a few burger chains expand into the city. Unfortunately, these new openings were met with subsequent closures like Relish Gourmet Burgers location on Davie and Caliburger on Thurlow. New to Vancouver’s restaurant scene is Johnny Rockets, a L.A.-based franchise which was founded in 1986. Johnny Rockets Vancouver opened at 755 Nelson Street this past fall while two other Canadian locations are already operating in Victoria. I visited this Vancouver location a few months ago with a few other foodies to try them out.

Note: Except for a small sample, none of the food in this review was complimentary. This review is done anonymously. Opinions are my own.

Johnny Rockets Menu

Known for a retro diner-style menu, Johnny Rockets Vancouver serves classic hamburgers, fries, onion rings, and world famous milkshakes. Since my visit a few months ago, burger combos with a large fries and large soda ranged between $13 – $15. Since then, it appears the restaurant has lowered its pricing to be just $9.99. A new milkshake flavour that was developed just for the Vancouver market is the Matcha Green Tea Milkshake.

Clean & Modern

I was expecting Johnny Rockets to have a sort of retro-diner vibe but this didn’t seem to be the case with their Vancouver restaurant. The interior seemed modern with a mix of dining tables, high top tables and booth seating.

What I Tried

I ordered The Rocket which was a classic cheeseburger featuring Canadian cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, white onion and special sauce. For a side, I went with regular French Fries.

The burger was simple and good. The patty size was OK (maybe could be a bit thicker), had a reasonable meat flavour and juiciness. Lettuce was nicely crisp while onions and tomatoes seemed fresh. The melted cheddar was on point.

One person from the group had The Smokehouse – thick-cut smoked bacon, crispy onion rings, Canadian cheddar cheese and their special
recipe “Smoke House” BBQ Sauce.

We were also given a complimentary Chocolate Milkshake sample which I found to be too thick and sweet.

Overall Impression of Johnny Rockets Vancouver

The Rocket burger I had was simple and reasonably satisfying. I can’t comment on the value as much because prices have lowered and I don’t know if the portions have changed. They are opening a location on Oak Street in 2018 and I would be interested in revisiting. All in all, it seems that their food seems reasonably priced for quality and taste. Rating: 3.5/5

Johnny Rocket’s
Address: 755 Nelson St, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎www.johnnyrockets.ca

TWG Tea Festive Offerings & Gift Ideas 2017

December 14, 2017 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

This season, TWG Tea has numerous festive offerings to be gifted, enjoyed at their on-site cafe, or simply to indulge by oneself. Here’s a look at what they have to offer.

Disclosure: I was invited to a media event.

12 Days of Christmas Gift Box

TWG Tea’s ultimate festive offering, the 12 Days of Christmas Gift Box, is composed of an enchanting collection of 12 ornament-sized mini 25 gram tea tins filled with TWG’s favourite fine harvest teas and most beloved blends. Enclosed in a gold and ruby-red chest and elegant sleeve, the 12 Days of Christmas Gift Box is an advent calendar in your teacup. On the first day of Christmas, awaken the frosty morning with a spirited cup of Joy of Christmas Tea, a tantalizing mélange of black tea blended with warm spices, rare fruits and malty chocolate. On the days following, discover other classic favourites such as Milky Oolong Tea, White Night Jasmine Tea and Darjeeling Princess Tea. The 12 Days of Christmas Gift box retails at $198 and is available at the TWG Tea Salon and Boutique in Vancouver.

Joy of Christmas Tea

For the season that keeps on giving, TWG Tea also celebrates the blessed time with a limited edition Joy of Christmas Tea as part of TWG Tea’s seasonal Haute Couture Tea Collection. As the fiery yule log crackles in the fire and family and friends gather to celebrate, indulge in a warm and sparkling cup of black tea blended with spiced fruits and velvety chocolate just in time for the joyous festivities. The Joy of Christmas in Haute Couture Tea Collection retails at $48 and is available at the TWG Tea Salon and Boutique in Vancouver.

TWG Tea Festive Set Menu

With the cheers of merriment and chimes of sleigh bells echoing around the fireplace, indulge in the warm flavours of luscious chocolate, succulent fruits and Christmas spices in a tantalizing yuletide feast with TWG Tea this December. Let the festivities begin with a magical cocktail infused with Joy of Christmas Tea or opt for an eggnog-inspired mocktail infused with tea, almond, cinnamon and a sprinkle of cocoa.

For your main course, tuck into a succulent feast of grilled wagyu beef with black truffle and foie gras beef jus, accompanied by charred pears poached in Red Christmas Tea, served with silky mash potato and cabbage braised with veal bacon and chestnut.

TWG Tea Festive Offerings & Gift Ideas 2017

Credit: TWG Tea

For a sweet nightcap, end the festivities with a Joy of Christmas Tea infused yule log, encasing a chocolate hazelnut sponge cake filled with a luscious Joy of Christmas Tea-infused cream mousse accented with vanilla & orange custard and cinnamon Streudel, coated with a milk chocolate glaze. Adorned in joyous colours of red and gold accented with delicate chocolate snowflake and ornament pieces, this unique creation is the perfect topping for any Christmas dinner.

Credit: TWG Tea

TWG Tea’s full Festive Set Menu is priced at $42 for a main course, tea and dessert. Cocktails or mocktails are available for an additional $16 and $12 each respectively. The Joy of Christmas Tea Yule Log is also available in small or large sizes and is priced at $9.50 and $68 respectively. Available at the TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in Vancouver until December 31, 2017.

Joy of Christmas Tea Macarons

In sparkling shades of snowy white, luscious ruby-red and hints of gold, TWG Tea has transformed its signature macarons into delicious jewels of bite-sized confection. The limited edition Joy of Christmas Tea infused macaron showcases a smooth and crisp white almond shell topped with gold leaf, tenderly filled with a velvety smooth ruby-red ganache infused with exotic notes of pineapple and spiced fruits, the perfect sweet treat to delight your loved ones. The Joy of Christmas Tea macarons are available in limited edition gift boxes of 6, 12 or 20 count and priced at $18, $36 and $60 respectively.

Credit: TWG Tea

Red Christmas Tea Shortbread Cookies

Treat Father Christmas with a warm glass of milk and a serving of Red Christmas Tea Shortbread Cookies, a marvelous biscuit infused with theine-free red tea and spiced orange flavours to illuminate any cold frosty night. The Red Christmas Tea Shortbread Cookies are priced at $12 for 12 cookies.

For more information on TWG Tea’s offerings, visit www.VanSingDG.com

Overall Impression

Build Your Own

What I Tried

Prime Location

What I Tried

Dinner Rolls

Appetizer: Delicata Squash Salad ($14)

Appetizer: Roasted Parsnip Veloute ($12)

Entree: Farm Fed Game Hen ($30)

Entree: Bison Short Ribs ($31)

Dessert: Pumpkin Pie Parfait ($11)

Spiced Pear Crumble ($12)

Overall Impression

Old Hollywood Glamour

Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea Menu

Silver Screen Cocktails

The Marilyn

The Bogart

THE RED CARPET

Raspberry & Cranberry Cremeaux, Golden Streusel

Scones

The Matinee

Steak “Oscar” Truffle Sandwich

Caviar and Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

The Silver Screen Premier

Chocolate Tuxedo

Lights, Camera, Action

Reel to Reel

Marilyn Linzer

Walk of Fame

Overall Impression

Outdoor Park with Stunning Views

Cocktails, Wine, Seafood & Sushi

Inspired by Queen Victoria

The Victor Menu

Wine List

Old-World Charm

What I Tried

Ambiance

Overall Impression of Finch’s

Johnny Rockets Menu

Clean & Modern

What I Tried

Overall Impression of Johnny Rockets Vancouver

12 Days of Christmas Gift Box

Joy of Christmas Tea

TWG Tea Festive Set Menu

Joy of Christmas Tea Macarons

Red Christmas Tea Shortbread Cookies

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