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New brunch menu at Tavern at the New Oxford

August 17, 2017 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Looking for a new brunch spot to try? Donnelly Group’s Tavern at the New Oxford in Yaletown recently introduced a new brunch menu. Served until 4 pm on weekends and holidays, you’ll find brunch classics like breakfast sandwiches, eggs benedict, French Toast as well as ones with a twist like brisket poutine. I recently had the opportunity to try these new brunch items at a media tasting. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

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

To start, the Tavern at the New Oxford has a beautiful and spacious outdoor patio which is perfect for enjoying brunch on a warm summer day. I loved the pretty string lights hanging from above. The space is quite private and covered. The inside of the New Oxford has quite an interesting character to it with influences from the University of Oxford and British sporting culture.

Chef Sarah Stewart, who came over from Juniper to be Donnelly Group’s new Development Chef, prepared and discussed the dishes on the new brunch menu.

What We Tried

Our tasting menu consisted of:

Yogurt and Granola ($12)
Mushroom Scramble ($13)
Huevos Rancheros ($15)
Sausage Board ($14.50)
Nola French Toast ($14)

To start, we enjoyed the palate-cleansing Yogurt and Granola featuring fresh fruit, preserves, honeyed Greek yogurt, granola and toasted seeds. I thought there was a beautiful balance between the fruity and nutty toppings.

The Mushroom Scramble was very light and refreshing. This dish came with three free run eggs, goat cheese, baby kale, arugula, pesto and a side of fingerling potatoes. The greens used were fresh and crisp. I loved the incorporation of pesto – a favourite sauce of mine – with the eggs. The fingerling potatoes were golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

For those who want a bit more heat to their brunch, I would recommend the Huevos Rancheros. It comes with a cheese quesadilla, avocado, yam, sunny eggs, and cotija cheese. The spicy parts of the dish were the chickpea and the carrot habanero hot sauce. The dish is loaded with flavour and would satisfy spicy lovers.

A great item to share or just enjoy yourself is the Sausage Board. You can build your own plate with a sausage and two sides (choice of toast, potatoes, spicy chickpeas, greens). Other possible additions at an extra cost are pork belly, sausage and avocado. Options for sausage include North Shore Bratwurst, Postmark IPA Chorizo, Smoked Jalapeno Cheddar, and Heritage Beef Banger.

And for those who want something sweeter, there is the Nola French Toast. I loved the light and fluffy stuffed brioche with brown butter oats and lime whip. Not to be missed is the Bourbon maple syrup (which really does taste like bourbon).

Overall Impression

The Tavern at the New Oxford has some really delicious brunch items ranging from sweet, savoury and spicy. I thought the dishes were great to have individually. However, there were so many tasty items that I’d love to share with others in order to have more dishes! My favourites were the Huevos Rancheros and the Nola French Toast. Rating: 4/5

Black Ice Cream Now Available in Vancouver

August 13, 2017 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

What is this summer’s hottest food trend you might ask? Black ice cream! Yes, black ice cream and all it’s Instagram-worthiness is all the rage. Yaletown nitrogen ice cream maker, Mister, is the first to bring black ice cream to Vancouver.

Disclosure: None of the food in this review was complimentary by the business. Thanks Maggi (vieamaggi.com) for the treat!

How it is Made

The flavour is actually black Coconut Ash ice cream and it is made from pieces of coconut that have been burnt and then ground into a fine, edible activated charcoal powder. The activated charcoal is then mixed with coconut bits, coconut milk and cream. The flavour also comes in a vegan variety which uses coconut milk instead of dairy. To complement the black ice cream, Mister has created a black waffle cone that is coloured black from coconut ash activated charcoal.

How does it taste?

I found the primary flavour of the ice cream to be coconut. It was ultra refreshing and not overly sweet at all. As for the texture, the ice cream was smooth and creamy due to the liquid nitrogen process. I didn’t find any dominant flavours with the black waffle cone; it tasted like a standard waffle flavour at best. A cautionary note: you will get a black tongue from eating the ice cream.

Bottom Line

I have quite enjoyed many of Mister’s products and the Coconut Ash flavour is probably now one of my favourites. If only they would make it as a pint as I would gladly take it home. I recommend trying the Coconut Ash flavour while supplies last.

Made by Mister
Address: 1141 Mainland Street, Vancouver BC
Facebook: www.madebymister.com

Rodney’s Oyster House in Yaletown

October 8, 2016 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

The quiet part of Yaletown, located on Hamilton between Davie and Homer Streets, welcomed several new restaurants this year. New openings include modern, upscale Vietnamese eatery, House Special; Chinese fusion seafood restaurant, 21 Nautical Miles; and Japanese, Korean and French fusion, Kuma Izakaya. An older kid on the block is Rodney’s Oyster House, a popular casual seafood eatery with a friendly and lively atmosphere. Having visited the new Asian restaurants in the area, I thought it was about time to try out Rodney’s Oyster House So before summer ended, I visited them for a weekday lunch.

You would think that things would be quieter during weekdays but the restaurant was bustling with energy. The restaurant has three levels with the kitchen located in the basement level. A lot of nice, nautical-themed decor but not too cheesy. And a staff of young, handsome males? Yes, please. Let me plan my next girlfriend brunch here.

Rodney Oyster House Menu

On the lunch menu at Rodney’s Oyster House are hearty chowders, hot seafood sandwiches, cold plates (shrimp cockatails, salad and more), steamers (mussels and clams) and desserts. The menu is fully available online. Aside from lunch, they also have Happy Hour (Monday – Saturdays 3 – 6 pm) and dinner.

What We Tried

My husband and I had the following for lunch:

New England Chower
Lobster Roll
Half Dozen Oysters – 3 Kusshi and 3 Steller Bay
Complimentary Bread

To start, we were served complimentary thick slices of sourdough bread that was light, airy, fluffy with a chewy crust.

The last time I had a lobster roll was when I was in Toronto, so I was eager to indulge in this hearty seafood sandwich locally. I thought that Rodney’s version was good but nothing amazing.

More spectacular lobster rolls elsewhere have large, meaty chunks of lobster meat but the one from Rodney’s has smaller pieces which almost seemed unnoticeable. I also think it is less flavourful than ones I have had in Ontario. Still a tasty, lobster salad with mayo, a hint of lemon and served with tomato slices and lettuce.

Fries were golden and crispy and the coleslaw was tasty as well.

I enjoy oysters with a sweeter, fruitier profile so Kusshi and Steller Bay fit my taste. The Steller Bay oysters were very nice and plump and are larger versions of Kusshi oysters.

The New England clam chowder was piping hot, hearty and satisfying. I love to crumble all my oyster crackers into the soup. Reasonable portions of clams. A little on the thinner side and less creamy than I would like but still okay for a local chowder I suppose.

Overall Impression of Rodney’s Oyster House

I thought that the food that I tried at Rodney’s Oyster House was reasonable, seafood fare. I enjoyed the lively and casual environment. I’d be interested in returning and trying other items. Rating: 4/5

Website: http://rohvan.com/

Jugo Juice Yaletown: Smoothies & Snacks

September 7, 2016 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Over the past several months, I’ve visited Jugo Juice in Yaletown a few times for smoothies and snacks. Across Canada, Jugo Juice has many locations and offers a fast, convenient and healthy alternative to fast food.

On their menu are smoothies, protein shakes, fresh pressed juice, grilled wraps and flatbreads made with natural and healthy ingredients. With my Entertainment membership, I applied coupons on all my visits to Jugo Juice.

What I Tried

One my first visit to Jugo Juice, I used one of the Entertainment offers which was buy one 12″ wrap/flat bread/salad and get a 14 oz smoothie or fresh juice for free. I went with the Summer Strawberry (strawberries, peaches, apple juice, and cranberry juice) and the Chipotle Turkey Bacon Club (fire grilled turkey breast, crisp bacon, ancho chipotle pepper sauce with fresh red pepper, red onion, and real provolone cheese, on multigrain flatbread).

I thought that the smoothie was very fruity and refreshing. The turkey bacon panini was very light but still tasty. The multigrain flatbread was nicely crispy on the outside, the turkey was tender and the bacon was also crispy. I thought the cheese was adequately melted. The smoothie was valued at $4.45 while the panini was $6.75. Not the cheapest food for the portions, but this is what you “need” to pay for quality, healthy ingredients.

On a hot summer afternoon recently, I ordered a Blushing Mango (mango, raspberries, and tropical juices). Another refreshing drink with a nice tropical flavour that quenched my thirst.

Not So Low Carb

While Jugo Juice has been dubbed as “healthy” option, the smoothies and food aren’t exactly low carb. All the nutritional info of the food they serve is posted on their website. When I looked at the number of carbs in my smoothies, I found the Summer Strawberry to have 34 grams of carbs and the Blushing Mango to have 44 grams! As for the panini, it had 68 grams of carbs. Certainly if you are counting your carbs, you’ll find these numbers a bit high.

Overall Impression

All in all, the food I tried at Jugo Juice tasted good – nothing to complain about there. But if you’re really conscious about the nutritional content, take a look at their website to find out which options are best for you. Rating: 3.5/5

Website: https://www.jugojuice.com/

New Yaletown Restaurant: Elements Diner

September 1, 2016 by foodgressing 2 Comments

Elements Diner is a new Yaletown restaurant at 910 Beatty Street serving Asian fusion cuisine. Their menu is East meets West featuring dishes of an international range. As the Georgia Straight has aptly summarized it, you’ll find dishes from the Philippines (Crispy Pata, Sizzling Pork Sisig), Taiwan (Honey Toast Box, Bubble Tea), France (Croque Monsieur, Croque Madame), Italy (Fungus Wild Mushroom Risotto), and China (Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage, Scallions, and Pork Floss). Last month, I decided to try out Elements Diner with an Axka deal they had for a dinner for 2.

Modern & Minimalist

The interior of Elements Diner is modern but quite minimalist. When my husband and I walked through the entrance, we were greeted by one large empty space. There were some sofas near the front, counter seating near the windows, a few dining tables at the back. The middle of the restaurant had an ordering counter. The layout of the restaurant just seemed a bit confusing because it seemed more like a takeout place rather than a full-service sit down restaurant. As we approached the counter, a server greeted us and directed us to one of the tables.

What We Tried

The Axka deal was a dinner for two (1 appetizer, 2 mains and 2 drinks) and valued at $28. We ordered the following:

Drinks
- Classic Milk Tea ($4)
- Taro Milk Tea ($4)
Appetizer
- Edamame Waldorf Salad ($7.75)
Mains
- Crispy Pata ($14.95)
- Drunken Chicken-roll Risotto ($11.95)
- Pork Sisig – replacement dish ($11.50)

The bubble tea drinks were okay in terms of flavour, ice levels and sweetness levels. The tapioca pearls could be improved because I thought they were a bit too hard.

The Edamame Waldorf Salad was a twist on the classic Waldorf Salad by having crispy edamame. It was a bit fruity and sweet from the apples, creamy from the mayonnaise, and nutty from the candied walnut.

The Crispy Pata is a Filipino-inspired dish with deep-fried pork knuckle with spiced soy vinaigrette. If you have a cholesterol problem, you certainly will want to avoid this dish. The exterior was nicely crispy and the meat was tender and succulent. The vinaigrette dip is needed to cut the grease.

When we tried the Italian-inspired Drunken Chicken-Roll Risotto, we immediately found it too salty. So salty that it was pretty much inedible and we had to return it to the kitchen. The owner a few times and she later determined that salt was mistakenly added to the chicken stock.

Mistakes in the kitchen happens sometimes but the texture of the rice was still all wrong. The rice was hard not creamy and silky in a proper risotto, so even if the chicken stock had not been salted, I’m not sure if it the dish overall would have tasted good. I will give credit to the owner who handled the situation really well and she offered to provide us with a substitute dish.

We chose the Sizzling Pork Sisig with fried egg and garlic rice as the replacement dish and got it as takeout since our parking was running out. I tried it when we got home and didn’t find the dish that appetizing.

Overall Impression

I wanted to like Elements Diner but the experience was entirely lackluster. There wasn’t one dish I tried that I truly enjoyed. In general, I think Elements offers too many dishes of varying types of cuisine. For our dinner, we had four styles – American, Filipino, Italian and Chinese dishes – and the flavours just didn’t go well together. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend Elements nor would I return. Rating: 2/5

Facebook: @elementsdinervan

Yaletown Mexican Restaurant: Salsa and Agave

August 28, 2016 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Salsa and Agave is a Yaletown Mexican restaurant that has been around for several years now. They occupy two locations on Pacific Boulevard between Davie and Drake: one is a full-service sit down restaurant and the the other is a take-out counter. They’re the only eatery in the Yaletown area serving Mexican cuisine with blockmates being Little Saigon and DD Mau. Based on other people’s reviews, I get the impression that their food is somewhere in between authentic but not quite Tex-Mex. This last summer, I visited their takeout counter on two occasions, which is only open Monday to Friday during lunch hours.

Salsa and Agave Takeout

The takeout menu looks to be more or less the same as the menu at their sit down restaurant. It’s very extensive ranging from burritos, tacos, tortas, rolled tacos, soups, salads and more. It’s casual eatery where prices are reasonable.

Salsa and Agave’s takeout counter is located at 1223 Pacific Boulevard. They have a few dining tables inside and outside. Since the weather has been good on the times that I have visited, I have chosen to eat at one of their outdoor tables.

What I Tried

Complimentary tortilla chips and salsa are served when you dine in which I thought was a nice touch. They appear to be using Que Pasa brand tortilla chips because I noticed a few boxes of them in their restaurant. I regularly buy Que Pasa from grocery stores and am familiar with the taste. However, I thought that the ones served at Salsa and Agave tasted stale. In fact, if you look on Yelp, a few reviewers have also commented the same. Their salsa was disappointingly mild and watery, and I found similar Yelp comments on that as well.

On my first visit, I had the BC Burrito ($10). It comes with diced steak, roasted chicken, rice, beans and sliced avocado with your choice of Morita, Red Mexican or Avocado sauce inside.

For $10, it was definitely big and filling but the taste was nothing to rave about. It was very bland; the chicken was dry; the steak was tough and the sauce was like a pureed mush.

I decided to go to Salsa and Agave a second time to give them another chance. Perhaps I just ordered one of their “bad” items last round. This time, I went with a trio of rolled tacos ($9.50). These were stuffed corn tortillas that were pan fried, topped with lettuce, sour cream, tomato, cheese and house avocado sauce. For protein, I chose a mix of papa (potato), pollo (shredded chicken), and carne (shredded beef).

The tortillas were pretty crispy on the outside, but again the meat was dry. The best one of the trio was the potato one which was very tender. Oh, and if you search for “dry” in Salsa and Agave’s Yelp page, you’ll find it to be a common occurrence in their food.

Overall Impression of Salsa and Agave

I really wanted to like Salsa and Agave, but unfortunately the food was mediocre. Good portions for the price but the taste was nothing to write home about. They are the only Yaletown Mexican restaurant, but I would rather go elsewhere in Downtown Vancouver (Molli Cafe, La Catrinas, Los Amigos). Rating: 2/5

Newly Opened: 21 Nautical Miles Seafood Bar

August 3, 2016 by foodgressing 1 Comment

Disclosure: I was invited to a media tasting organized by Chinesebites.com where all food was complimentary. All opinions are my own.

The quiet part of Yaletown, located on Hamilton between Davie and Homer streets, recently welcomed a slew of new Asian restaurants. In the past month, I have reviewed newly opened modern, upscale Vietnamese eatery, House Special, as well Asian fusion Kuma Izakaya. Their neighbour, 21 Nautical Miles, is newcomer serving Asian fusion seafood at at 1257 Hamilton Street. Furthermore, they are in process of becoming an Oceanwise restaurant. I recently had the opportunity to attend a media tasting organized by Chinesebites.com.

Luxurious & Chic

The interior of 21 Nautical Miles is luxurious, modern, and elegant with Asian accents. The accents are a mix of traditional and contemporary including Chinese solid wood benches and modern art interpretations of Chinese opera figures. The high-ceiling is adorned with a multitude of gold-coloured pendant lights. The restaurant is divided into two floors with the main dining area on the ground level and an upstairs lounge.

What We Tried

Our tasting menu including the following:

Seafood Party
- Black Pepper
- Spicy
- Garlic Butter
Golden Fried Pepper Salt Calamari
Chinese Pork Burgers
House Spicy Spot Prawns
Skewers
- Lamb (cumin)
- Beef (cumin)
- Chicken (satay)
- Pork (48 hour braised)
Grilled Oysters with Cheese (oyster served half cooked)
Herbal Coconut Mussels
Garlic Steamed Lobster Tail
Abalone with House Special Sauce
Mango Thousand Layer Cake

The tasting started off with us receiving a dispenser of beer to help wash all the pending seafood down.

Then, we proceeded to don on bibs, plastic gloves and have our mallet ready in hand to prepare for the Seafood Party – an Asian-flavoured seafood boil which includes crab, mussels, clams, shrimp, corn and potato. Slowly by slowly, large stainless steel bowls of seafood in three different flavours arrived: black pepper, spicy, and garlic butter. With much anticipation, the seafood was poured out onto the table with respect to their “flavour” pile. At that point, it was every person for him or herself as we each grabbed our share of seafood from the piles. This was messy business to eat, but definitely worth getting dirty for (and not just your hands).

I enjoyed the garlic butter the most but if you love a good kick the spicy flavour doesn’t disappoint. The seafood quality seemed good overall but I especially enjoyed the sweet, juicy corn. The least desired items were the potatoes so perhaps they might consider omitting it from the boil. Given the portions and quality, I thought that the regular price of $38.95 per person (with a two person minimum) was reasonable.

Check out the video by Chinesebites.com on us eating the seafood:

The Golden Fried Pepper Salt Calamari had a light, crispy batter with tender pieces of squid. Nicely seasoned with pepper and salt.

The Chinese Pork Burgers had a rich and seductive aroma of slow-cooked pork with Asian sauces. The taste met my expectations as well: a little sweet and savoury with juicy, tender pork.

The House Spicy Spot Prawns was beautifully arranged though not very memorable in terms of taste. It was just mildly spicy so don’t expect a good kick out of it.

We tried assorted skewers including cumin-flavoured lamb and beef, chicken satay and 48-hour braised pork. Some night-market favourites here but these were well-executed for restaurant-style. Good flavours and not too chewy texture for the meat. I’m a die-hard lamb skewer lover and 21 Nautical Miles’ version did not disappoint.

One very fatty tender piece of braised pork indeed!

With the Grilled Oysters with Cheese, the oysters are served half cooked. A comforting dish with melted cheese.

The Herbal Coconut Mussels came in a rich, creamy coconut broth. A good conservative dish though nothing to write home about.

I was quite enthralled with the Garlic Steamed Lobster Tail. The lobster was juicy, tender, slightly sweet and meaty. All that and baked with cheese makes it a winner in my books.

The Abalone with House Special Sauce tasted mainly of the hoisin sauce. I appreciated that the abalone texture was nicely soft and tender.

To finish off, we had the Mango Thousand Layer Cake. It was an elegant cake consisting of alternating layers of thin crepes and light pastry cream with a single middle layer of mango. Paired with vanilla ice cream, this dessert was a beautiful end to our meal.

Overall Impression of 21 Nautical Miles

I feel that the main appeal of 21 Nautical Miles is the Asian-style seafood boil. It’s a fun, delicious, get-down-and-dirty kind-of-meal to be enjoyed in a good company. The Golden Fried Pepper Salt Calamari, Garlic Steamed Lobster Tail, Skewers and Mango Thousand Layer Cake were my favourites. There is a lot of potential here and they make an unique addition to Yaletown’s dining scene. Rating: 3.5/5

Website: 21nauticalmiles.com

Newly Opened: Kuma Izakaya in Yaletown

July 31, 2016 by foodgressing 1 Comment

Disclosure: I was invited to a media tasting organized by SophiaEats.com where all food was complimentary. All opinions are my own.

The quiet part of Yaletown, located on Hamilton between Davie and Homer streets, recently welcomed a slew of new restaurants. New openings include modern, upscale Vietnamese eatery, House Special, as well Asian fusion seafood restaurant, 21 Nautical Miles. Newcomer Kuma Izakaya at 1233 Hamilton Street is bringing French flair to Japanese and Korean dishes. I recently attended a media tasting at Kuma Izakaya where I learned more about their story and tried several of their dishes.

Chef Owned

Kuma Izakaya is chef-owned and operated by Hyun Woo Kim, who is originally from South Korea. Chef Kim’s background includes working at restaurants in Europe and locally at the popular Miku restaurant in Coal Harbour. Most notable, however, is his experience from working at the three-Michelin-star restaurant, The French Laundry, in Napa Valley. With his diverse culinary background, Chef Kim opened Kuma Izakaya with a menu that has also a number of influences including Japanese, French, Korean and Italian.

Cozy, lounge feel

Kuma Izakaya’s interior has a lounge feel with cozy banquettes and a few long tables. One unique piece of decor is the chain curtain that adorns the walls with instant photos of their customers. The inside can accommodate about 50 diners, but on a lovely day, you might just want to sit on the patio which can hold up to 30 people.

What We Tried

Our tasting menu including the following:

Soju
Kuma Signature Salad
Assorted Sashimi
Assorted Aburi Nigiri
Kuma Chirashi Tartare
Mango Ebimayo
Crispy Chicken
Osso Buco
Kuma Seafood Champon
Kuma Hambagu
Tiramisu

Kuma Izakaya has several different flavours of soju. There were some nice fruity flavours including apple, peach, grapefruit and lemon.

To start, we had the Kuma Signature Salad made of fresh greens topped with sliced avocado, sliced tomato, pickles, housemade ricotta cheese, and crispy yam. There was a mix of crispy yams (purple, white and yellow) and I loved how they added a fun texture to the salad. I enjoyed the balsamic and house dressing mix which was tangy and slightly sweet.

Assorted sashimi (sockeye salmon, albacore tuna, hamachi, and amaebi) were presented in a lovely ice bowl. The lustrous, glistening sashimi had a wonderful clean taste. I was in sashimi heaven.

The assorted aburi nigiri (hamachi and amaebi) came on a beautifully arranged platter. The sushi rice texture was on point and the raw fish had a wonderful clean taste. The fried ebi was very crunchy and provided my daily dose of calcium!

Kuma Chirashi Tartare was very reminiscent of the one served at Miku. It was an aesthetically beautiful creation of balsamic spicy aburi tuna and assorted sashimi served atop of warm sushi rice. Garnished with tenkatsu and yam flakes then drizzled with avocado dressing. It had a spicy kick though not too overwhelming.

The Mango Ebimayo (deep-fried prawn with mango sauce) was super tasty. The sauce was rich in flavour and a lil’ sweet and savoury.

The Crispy Chicken came on a very long dish, which makes it good for sharing. Deep-fried boneless chicken with pan-fried veggies and Korean-style sauce. I experienced a mouthful of flavour with each bite.

The Osso Buco with premium AAA beef ribs simmered in house made oriental soy sauce was a favourite at our table. The savoury sauce was just delicious and left me lingering for more. I did think that the beef texture could be improved because it was a bit tough and chewy. An overall comforting dish.

Another hearty dish was the Kuma Seafood Champon which came in a rich, flavourful tomato seafood udon soup. The soup had been simmered with assorted pan-fried vegetables, chilli oils, and chilli powder.

To finish off a fantastic meal was the house made tiramisu. It came in glass jars which could easily mistaken for chocolate cups. It didn’t taste quite like the authentic tiramisu but nonetheless a refreshing creamy pudding dessert.

Overall Impression of Kuma Izakaya

All in all, I enjoyed Kuma Izakaya’s Japanese and Korean dishes with some European twists. There’s a lot of potential and Chef Kim seems to be eager to refine his menu based on the tastes of customers.

Website: www.izakayakuma.com

Newly Opened: House Special in Yaletown

July 15, 2016 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I was invited to a media event where all food and beverages were complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Newly opened House Special brings elevated and modern Vietnamese cuisine to Yaletown. At House Special, you’ll find creative craft beer, wine and cocktail pairings with dishes that have a contemporary take on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. It’s a trendy eatery offering an upscale Vietnamese food experience. Their location (1269 Hamilton) is in a very quiet part of Yaletown but this may soon change with more traffic from foodies coming to the restaurant.

Family Ties

Family is at the heart of House Special as the team behind it includes brother and sister duo, Patrick and Victoria Do, along with their mother and Head Chef, Yen, working alongside Executive Chef Phong Vo (formerly Heirloom, Electric Owl, and Ramen Sanpachi). The Do family have been in the local restaurant industry for the past 30 years, operating Green Lemongrass on Kingsway and in Richmond, as well as Broken Rice in Burnaby Heights. This is the first restaurant venture by Patrick and Victoria.

Specials + Spirits Tasting Menu

This week, I previewed House Special’s upcoming Specials + Spirits Tasting Menu. This special 4-course tasting menu with cocktail pairing runs July 22 – 24 and is priced at $65/person. The menu includes:

Apocalypse Cow
Beef carpaccio with broccoli and Vietnamese herb puree, served with crispy rice and roasted broccoli

Nick Carey’s “Apocalypse Now” New York Sour
Rye, Ginger Syrup, Citrus, Pinot Noir, Peppered Lime

Temple’s Fried Quail
Chicken fried buttermilk quail and sriracha gelee, served with a cilantro and jalapeño buttermilk biscuit

Bryan Statham’s “Hoi An Fruit Stand”
Watermelon, Gin, Ginger Syrup and Berliner Weisse

XO Cobia & Stuffed Squid
Boudin noir stuffed squid with seared cobia, served with lemon pilaf with mushroom xo sauce

Chef Phong Vo’s Sake Iced Tea

Fresh Soursop Sorbet

Nathan Jone’s Lemongrass Drop
Limoncello, Vodka, Lemongress Syrup Fresh Squeezed Kalamansi
Limes, Lemongrass infused Sugar Rim

We started off the evening with a unique and refreshing appetizer: compressed watermelon, octopus and cucumber on a skewer.

Next was the first course featuring beef carpaccio with broccoli and Vietnamese herb puree, served with crispy rice and roasted broccoli.

The carpaccio were nicely thin and had a slightly tangy taste. I enjoyed the crispy rice for textural contrast.

The New York Sour was a strong cocktail that was sweet and sour.

For the second course, we had chicken fried buttermilk quail and sriracha gelée, served with a cilantro and jalapeño buttermilk biscuit. The sriracha gelée should just be lightly applied to the quail for a gentle kick and some sweetness. I enjoyed how crispy the quail was.

The cocktail for the second course was “Hoi An Fruit Stand” – a refreshing concoction of watermelon, gin, ginger syrup and Berliner Weisse.

The third course seemed French-inspired: boudin noir stuffed squid with seared cobia. This dish showcases the culintary team’s creativity being filling the black sausage into the white pockets of the squid. It’s an interesting use of boudin noir, which was creamy and flavourful. The seared cobia was moist and tender.

The Sake Iced Tea was wonderfully aromatic and refreshing. It’s such a deceiving cocktail in being able to hide the alcohol taste so well. My favourite drink of the evening.

To finish off a fantastic meal was the fresh soursop sorbet. I must admit that I wasn’t familiar with what a soursop was. Fortunately, Patrick and Victoria’s mother/Head Chef, Yen, brought out the green tropical fruit to show us.

The final cocktail of the evening was the Lemongrass Drop: citrusy and vodka-infused.

Overall Impression

All in all, I was impressed by House Special’s innovative take on Vietnamese cuisine. It was a first for me to experience a cocktail pairing with Vietnamese dishes.

For more information on House Special and the Specials + Spirits Tasting menu, visit http://housespecial.ca/

Roman-style Pizzas at Sciué Yaletown

June 17, 2016 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Located near the Seawall, Sciué Yaletown location is a popular spot to grab some classic Italian coffee, authentic Roman-style pizza and Italian desserts. Most recently, my husband and I grabbed a bit to eat at Sciué prior to attending the Grand Opening event of the Vancouver Craft Beer festival at the Yaletown Roundhouse.

Forza! Italia

The interior of Sciué is modern and has a bright orange colour theme. If the weather is good, you just might want to sit outside on Sciué’s cozy outdoor patio.

Near the back of the cafe is the pizza station. Pizzas are sold by weight and one of the staff members cuts up the pizza for you.

What I Tried

My experience with Roman-style pizza at Gastown’s ZeroZero Pizzeria left much to be desired. So, I was really eager to try Sciué’s version which I had heard was excellent from fellow food blogger, David.

We went with the Funghi (mozzarella, mushrooms and our rustic tomato sauce) and the Focosa (spicy soppressata, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and pesto). The pizza came out to be $10 total and they were cut into more manageable wedges and rectangles for us.

At first bite, I was immediately impressed with how it tasted. Compared to ZeroZero Pizzeria , Sciué’s pizza crust is much thinner. Furthermore, the taste was better at Sciué because the crust-to-topping ratio was more optimal, resulting in a more delicious bite. At ZeroZero Pizzeria, there was just more crust than topping. The cheese was nicely melted and there was a decent amount of mushroom toppings. Although we spent only about $15 on the meal, we were decently satisfied.

While I quite enjoyed the pizzas at Sciué, I still think that Straight Outta Brooklyn is my new go-to pizzeria. Their crust is just absolutely scrumptious: crispy, crunchy and totally addictive.

Overall Impression of Sciué

All in all, Sciué serves up some Roman-style pizzas that are fresh, savoury and delicious. Great crust-to-topping ratio to ensure that each bite is just right. Rating: 4/5

Website: www.sciue.ca

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