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Soft Peaks Ice Cream Burnaby (Metrotown Area)

June 17, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Popular Gastown-based soft serve parlour, Soft Peaks Ice Cream, opened a second location in Burnaby this past April. The popular dessert spot which opened in 2015 is known for their handcrafted, organic ice cream creations made with Avalon organic milk and creative toppings like locally made honeycomb, Himalayan pink salt and more.

After enjoying dinner at Dinesty on Friday night, we visited Soft Peaks for some dessert. It had been a while (see old post here) since I tried Soft Peaks and I was eager to have some of their soft serve again.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. None of the food in this review was complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

Spacious Location

Soft Peak’s Burnaby location has been reported to be double the size of their Gastown shop. There are a few dining tables near the front of the cafe, bench seating along the wall, and more tables at the back.

Soft Peaks Ice Cream Burnaby Menu

On the menu at Soft Peaks Burnaby are their signature soft-serve creations. The signature creations differ by toppings and syrups but you get to choose your soft serve flavour (classic milk, dark chocolate or twist). The desserts are mostly priced between $6 for a small size and $7-$8 for a regular size. Cups are available for either small or regular, while cones are for regular-sized only.

If you also feeling adventurous, you can also opt to build your own soft serve and customize it with toppings (like yuzu marmalade, red bean, and more) and syrups (like liquid honey, matcha condensed milk and more).

Also available at Soft Peaks Burnaby is an espresso-bar serving Milano Coffee. Their drinks offerings include an Espresso Shot, Americano, Cappuccino, Caffe Latte and Cafe Mocha. A few non-espresso signature drinks are also on the menu: the Strawberry Milk Tea and Black Cube Latte.

Unique to the Burnaby location is the Frissant Ice Cream Sandwich. Created by The Swiss Bakery, the Frissant is somewhere between a fritter and a doughnut. This is sandwiched around the soft serve and syrup of your choice.

What I Tried

I came to Soft Peaks to specifically try the Frissant Ice Cream Sandwich ($6.75) and it did not disappoint! The Frissant Ice Cream Sandwich had previously received unfavourable reviews as customers had complained about the Frissant being “stale.” However, in an Instagram announcement last month, Soft Peaks noted that they improved on the quality of the Frissant.

I can certainly attest that it is wonderfully butter, crispy and flaky. The soft serve did melt rather quickly but Soft Peaks did mention in their Instagram announcement that their soft serves melt faster when served in Frissant Sandwich as compared to when served in a cup or cone.

I went with the original/dark chocolate soft serve twist with a strawberry puree syrup and loved how everything was satisfying but not overly rich and sweet. In all, I very much enjoyed the Frissant Ice Cream Sandwich as compared to the too sugary Churros Ice Cream Sandwich I have had from Hugo’s Churros.

Overall Impression of Soft Peaks Ice Cream Burnaby

It was a solid experience at Soft Peaks and I am looking forward to visiting again soon. I recommend their Frisssant Ice Cream Sandwich and would love to have it again. Rating: 4/5

Soft Peaks Ice Cream Burnaby
Address: 115-4603, Kingsway, Burnaby, BC
Website: softpeaks.ca‎

Coming Soon: Nana’s Green Tea Vancouver

May 27, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Regarded as the Starbucks of Japan, Nana’s Green Tea is a modern Japanese Cafe that will be officially open in Vancouver on June 6. Nana’s was established in Tokyo ten years ago and is considered as a pioneer in the use of matcha at Japanese cafes. Since then, 79 locations have been opened with plans for there to be 100 cafes by the end of 2019. The tea leaves used at Nana’s Green Tea cafe are from Uji, Kyoto, which is a renowned tea-producing region. Earlier today, I attended a media preview of Nana’s Green Tea Vancouver – the first location in Canada – at 2135 W 41st Avenue.

Disclosure: All food and drinks were complimentary at the media event.

Modern, Minimal Interior

Nana’s Green Tea Vancouver boasts a modern and minimalist interior. The space is narrow with 8 counters by the window near the front of the cafe and 18 seats for the dining area at the back.

Nana’s Green Tea Vancouver Menu

Drinks at Nana’s Green Tea Vancouver range from matcha-based, Azuki red bean to coffee. Their parfaits are very popular desserts with customers. Aside from sweets, you’ll also find donburi (rice bowl) with miso soup.

What We Tried

The following items were served at the media tasting. Some were presented as sample size only.

Matcha Chocolate Latte, Hoji-Cha Shiratama Float and Azuki Strawberry Latte

All three drinks were enjoyable and not too sweet. My favourite was the Hoji-Cha (roasted green tea) which came with Hoji-Cha ice cream and rice flour dumplings. I simply love the nutty undertones of the Hoji-Cha flavour.

Fresh Tuna with Curry Tartar Sauce Donburi

This donburi bowl was very good and had a distinguishable curry flavour. There were reasonable portions of fresh tuna in the bowl. I found the miso soup to be very comforting.

Matcha Shiratama Parfait

This is Nana’s Green Tea signature parfait featuring matcha ice cream, matcha syrup, whipped cream, azuki paste, rice flour dumplings, cereal cornflakes, vanilla soft serve, matcha syrup and matcha pudding. All the ingredients were of good quality and the dessert was not overall too rich.

Matcha Roll Cake

This swiss roll cake was light, fluffy with a notably intense matcha centre.

Matcha Gateau Chocolat

This cake was denser than the swiss roll cake and had a reasonable balance of chocolate and matcha flavours.

Overall Impression

Based on the items I tried from Nana’s Green Tea’s media tasting, I feel that their menu will be well-enjoyed by customers. I’d be interested to try more of their menu when they are fully open. The standouts from the tasting were the Hoji-Cha Shiratama Float, Fresh Tuna with Curry Tartar Sauce Donburi, Matcha Shiratama Parfait and Matcha Swiss Roll.

Nana’s Green Tea
Address: 2135 W 41st Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.nanasgreentea.com

Newly Opened: Perverted Ice Cream

May 20, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened is Downtown Vancouver’s sexiest (and perhaps naughtiest) ice cream shop, Perverted Ice Cream. Social media is abuzz about Perverted Ice Cream from their interesting, unconventional branding. I had heard about their “4 Days of 4 Play” promotion where all cones and cups were just $4 for the first four days of opening. I decided to give them a try especially since they are in my neighbourho0od. Here’s a look at my experience.

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

Robson & Thurlow

Located at the corner of Robson and Thurlow (797 Thurlow Street), Perverted Ice Cream takes over the former space of Cupcakes on Thurlow. The shop will be open daily from 11 am until late.

The shop may not be obvious from the outside to be an ice cream shop as the windows are tinted and covered (kind of like an adult store). As I was taking photos of the shop’s exterior, I noticed a few passersby trying to peer in to see what it was about.

Darkly Lit Interior

The interior of Perverted Ice Cream is small, darkly lit and on one side of the wall you’ll find “Perverted”-branded merchandise like T-shirts and waterbottles. I liked their cheeky slogan, “Every Time I Come Ice Cream.”

Perverted Ice Cream Menu

They currently offer 4 rotating flavours and they post these daily flavours on their Instagram page. At the time of my visit, there was the Brand Spanking, Lemon My Fao, Cocoa Dependency and Matcha Macho Man. Their waffle cones are made from activated charcoal and are coloured black. Aside from these signature flavours, you can also order a “naked” cone or cup, which is simply ice cream without any toppings. After the soft opening phase, you can expect a full menu and the prices to be at $6 for a cone or cup.

What I Tried

I went with two of their cone options. On the left is the Cocoa-Dependency featuring chocolate soft serve, chocolate sauce, and chocolate). On the right is Brand Spanking (cream + chocolate swirl, black chocolate shell, perverted crumble, and black chocolate wafer).

I really liked the toppings that were used such as the wafer which was nice and crisp and the crunchy perverted crumble. I did find that the ice cream was a bit on the thinner side and thought it would taste better being thicker and creamier. However, I read that their ice cream is made with organic milk and no artificial stabilizers. Since it has no stabilizers, that is probably why it melted so quickly in my hands. Messy as in, pass me the tissue and a lot of it. A lot, I tell you.

I also found the waffle cone to be thin and that might have contributed to not holding up the rather quickly melting ice cream. In comparison, the black, activated charcoal cone from Mister is much more robust and thick (see post here).

Overall Impression of Perverted Ice Cream

I enjoyed Perverted Ice Cream’s fun, unconventional branding for an ice cream shop in Vancouver. I also like how their soft serve uses organic milk and no artificial stabilizers. However, I do think that their soft serve and waffle formula needs a bit more tweaking. They are just in their soft opening phase and I feel there is potential. I’d be interested in revisiting in the future. Rating: 3.5/5

Perverted Ice Cream
Address: 797 Thurlow Street
Website: ‎www.pervertedicecream.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

Newly Opened: Boba Boy Kerrisdale

April 29, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened in Kerrisdale is Boba Boy, an Ontario-based franchise that is quickly expanding in BC. Boba Boy is known for their signature Boba Boy bottles which are tall, reusable containers with screw on caps that are great for on-the-go. Another unique aspect of Boba Boy is that they freshly make their own tapioca which come in different flavours like matcha and taro. I was in Kerrisdale yesterday and decided to try out Boba Boy for the first time.

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

Boba Boy Kerrisdale Menu

Boba Boy Kerrisdale offers a variety of drinks including Fruity Tea, Signature Milk Tea, Fresh Sunkist, Fresh Tea, Speciality Slush/Smoothies, Mousse Latte and Fresh Juice/Milk. They offer a variety of toppings like Tapioca, Coconut Jelly, Grass Jelly, Pudding and Red Bean. The drinks come in regular size ($4.50), large ($5.50 – $5.80), and their signature Boba bottles ($5.50 – $6.50). The Boba bottles are about $2 premium over the regular size.

Some of their drinks come with tapioca and are a bit cheaper as a “package”. These are listed in a separate menu.

Freshly Made Tapioca

I found an official video by Boba Boy which showcases how they make their tapioca. The tapioca do not have additives or preservatives.

On one of the walls inside the store are some facts regarding tapioca. Some of the apparent benefits of tapioca include healthy weight gain, increased circulation, improved digestive system, boosts metabolic activity, improve brain health, blood pressure regulation and increased energy level. I didn’t know that there were so many “health benefits” to tapioca!

Modern, Clean Interior

The interior of Boba Boy Kerrisdale has a modern, clean design. There are some tables for two and a lounge area in the back with some larger tables.

A musical trio came into the store just as I was there. They were working with the Business Improve Association to bring in some cheer to the neighbourhood.

What I Tried

I ordered the Purple In Love Latte ($5.50) with Taro Pearls (+$0.60) and the Original Pearl Milk Tea ($6.50) – both in Boba bottles.

Flavours

The taro latte was particularly good as it was rich and creamy. The original milk tea wasn’t as strong and flavourful as elsewhere but I can live with it.

Tapioca

The tapioca were smaller, harder and chewier than ones you would get say from Chatime. I guess that’s what you get when you have more naturally-made tapioca. The pearls didn’t hold much of their flavour. The taro and original pearls tasted pretty similar in my opinion. In terms of volume, the pearls occupied approximately one-fifth of the Boba bottle. They are smaller but densely packed and were stuck together at the bottom of the cup. I would swirl the drink with my straw or shake the bottle in order to loosen the pearls.

Boba Bottle

Was the Boba bottle worth it? To start, I like it for the novelty factor. It’s a great way to get bubble to go. If you have a large to-go order of bubble tea say for like 10 of your friends, I think the Boba bottle works perfectly.

PRO TIPS: The Boba bottle has a special, longer straw so don’t grab the wrong one meant for regular size. If you bring the Boba bottle on your next visit, you apparently get a refill for the price of the regular drink ($4.50).

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

Overall Impression of Boba Boy Kerrisdale

I really liked the richness of the Purple In Love mousse latte, but the Original Milk Tea could have a stronger tea flavour. The concept of preservative-free, fresh house-made tapioca is fantastic but their hard, chewy texture leaves much to be desired. The initiative to have customers reuse cups for bubble tea is a good one. All things considered, I would be interested in returning to Boba Boy to try out more of their drinks. Rating: 3.5/5

Boba Boy Kerrisdale
Address: 2184 West 41st Ave, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎bobaboy.ca

Now Open: The Italian Osteria & Cheese Bar

April 25, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened in the Walnut Grove community of Langley is the Joseph Richard Group’s latest venture, The Italian Osteria & Cheese Bar. This is the first Italian concept by JRG, one of B.C.’s fastest growing food, beverage and entertainment organizations with 21 public houses, restaurants and liquor retail outlets in BC and Alberta. Last month, I attended a media event to celebrate the grand opening of The Italian where we tried some items from their menu.

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

The Italian

The menu was designed by Chef Matthew Stowe (JRG Director of Culinary Operations & Top Chef Canada Winner), JRG Executive Chef Andy Slinn and Chef Jason Harper. You’ll find handmade pastas, pizzas as well a cheese bar featuring favourite and lesser known cheeses from Italy.

What We Tried

The evening consisted of a sit-down tasting of several of The Italian’s offerings.

Antipasti Board

The antipastia board consisted of local and Italian meats and cheeses, marinated artichokes, olives, eggplant caponata, Italian crackers and toasted focaccia.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Just how nonna would make them! These meatballs had a nicely springy texture with a bright, tangy San Marzano tomato sauce.

Local Butternut Squash Ravioli

The Butternut Squash Ravioli was a heavenly pasta dish with a smooth, brown butter sauce, roasted mushrooms, caramelized squash, and topped with shaved Grana Padano.

BRAISED SHORTRIB PAPPARDELLE

I would love to order the Braised Shortrib Pappardelle again. The sauce had the perfect, hearty meat flavour and the pasta was wonderfully al dente.

Traditional Lasagna

There’s nothing like a juicy, hearty, tasty lasagna that warms the soul. The Italian’s lasagna had a meaty, flavourful Bolognese sauce complimented with a bright San Marzano tomato sauce.

Prawn Pesto

Seafood lovers would enjoy the Prawn Pesto featuring Linguine, house made pesto and oven dried tomatoes.

Nonna’s Lemon Tart

For dessert, we indulged in Nonna’s Lemon Tart. The custard had a nice lemon zing along with some sweetness in every bite. The basil added some aromatic and sweet elements. The coconut crumble and vanilla bean gelato added some more textural contrast to the dessert.

The Italian Osteria & Cheese Bar
Address: 20330 88th Ave, Langley, BC
Website: www.jrg.ca/establishment/italian-osteria-cheese-bar/‎

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/

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

Coming soon: Dominion Bar + Kitchen in Surrey

March 6, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Coming soon to Surrey’s restaurant culture is Dominion Bar + Kitchen which is expected to be open its doors on March 21. Dominion will be a new social hub located in the lobby of Civic Hotel, Autograph Collection®, the first world-class hotel built in the area in over two decades. The menu is centred around New Canadian entrées, appetizers, and classic favourites, with a focus on local.

Dominion Bar + Kitchen Restaurant Surrey

Credit: Dominion Bar + Kitchen

Dominion is named for the Dominion of Canada and confederation — the idea of ‘Unity in a Community of Nations’ — that we now celebrate as Canada Day. Dominion drew inspiration from the idea of cultural unity to create a menu of ‘New Canadian’ cuisine that embraces inclusivity, share plates, and dishes influenced from diverse cultures across the region.

Dominion Menu

Dominion’s unique New Canadian menu has a west coast spin that uses local ingredients and influences from the many different cultures that make up Surrey. Signature dishes like the Bao Mac, a mini cheeseburger in a Chinese-style open-side bun and the Jäger Chicken, marinated in Jägermeister and served with German spaetzle noodle dumplings, are classically Canadian with an unexpected cultural twist.

Bao Macs | Credit: Dominion Bar + Kitchen

Jäger Chicken | Credit: Dominion Bar + Kitchen

Craft Beer and VQA Wine

Dominion’s craft beer selection focuses on local breweries across Metro Vancouver, such as Four Winds, Steel and Oak, and Parallel 49. The menu has local BC wine favourites, Burrowing Owl, Joie Farm, and Nichol Vineyard, from the Okanagan Valley, BC’s renowned grape-growing and vineyard region. Dominion also one of the first in BC to feature wine on tap, with a system that maintains wine freshness, minimizes oxidation and prevents overheating.

Whether you are sipping beers with co-workers, laughing with an old friend, or watching our bartender shake a cocktail before pouring it over ice, Dominion will bring social atmosphere, innovative design, and local comfort to the Surrey community

– General Manager Darren Pierce, who helped create and launch Dominion

Interior Design

Led by local restaurant design company RK Group Ltd., Dominion is chic, sophisticated and modern. Guests are first greeted by a ten foot, vibrant yellow portal door with custom Dominion ‘D’ shaped handles. The restaurant boasts views that overlook Surrey Civic Plaza, a vibrant public square with immediate transit access and pedestrian walkways and is expected to be the culinary destination for residents of and visitors to Surrey.

The interior of Dominion is an eclectic mix of intricate industrial lighting, bold furniture, and striking colours. Custom Italian, red leather upholstered banquettes, are perfectly contrasted with a stunning custom-designed chandelier, Circle Grigio Don Gaeta Italian floor tile, and local art. The feature display along the washroom corridor has three industrial photography images of the Surrey Steel Fabrication shop, captured by Brian Howell, an award winning photographer based in North Delta.

Credit: Dominion Bar + Kitchen

For more information on Dominion Bar + Kitchen’s grand opening, upcoming events, and the menu, please visit: DominionKitchen.com. Stay connected on social: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @DominionSurrey Hashtag: #DominionSurrey

Just Opened: ZenQ Richmond – Taiwanese Dessert

March 2, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll be excited to know that a new dessert spot has just opened in Richmond. Taiwanese-based dessert chain, ZenQ, has just expanded to a new fourth location in BC. Located at 3471 No. 3 Road, ZenQ Richmond specializes in Taiwanese desserts ranging from their signature collagen-riched grass jelly series to glutinous rice desserts and shaved ice series. I visited ZenQ ahead of their official Grand Opening tomorrow. Here’s a look at what you can expect from this new dessert stop in Richmond.

Disclosure: I was invited to a media tasting. All food and drinks were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

ZENQ RICHMOND MENU

On the menu at ZenQ are a variety of Taiwanese-style drinks and desserts. Drink series include ZenQ Tea Time Collection (like Original Milk Tea and Wintermelon Tea); Handmade Tea (like Jasmine, Black and Blue Mountain Green); and Special Drinks (like Grass Jelly Latte and Mango Refresher).

For desserts, there are Tofu Puddings, Grass Jellys, Creamy Frappes, Royal Sweet Soups, Black Glutinous Rice, Hot Grass Jelly, Waffles and Hot Sweet Soups. Additional toppings are available at an extra charge.

New drink additions to the ZenQ menu include Peach Refresher, Manger Smoothie, Matcha Red Bean Smoothie, Strawberry Slush and more.

Grand Opening Special

For the Grand Opening weekend on March 3 – 4, you will receive a free drink (Pearl Milk Tea, ZenQ Milk Tea with Grass Jelly, or Mango Refresher) with any drink or dessert purchase.

MODERN & SHINY

ZenQ’s new Richmond location is more spacious than the Marine Drive one. There is a variety of seating here ranging from lounge seating, dining tables for 2 or 4 as well as a counter along the window.

What I Tried

Thanks to Chinesebites.com, I had the opportunity to try three drinks and three desserts.

Mango Creamy Frappe ($8.90)

As a lover of mango desserts, I was excited to try the Mango Creamy Frappe featuring fresh mango, mango jelly and ice cream. The mango flavours were more on the subtle side for both the shaved ice and the ice cream but it was overall freshing. My favourite part was actually the mango jelly which had a nice firm yet gelatinous texture.

Peal Milk Tea Creamy Frappe ($7.90)

I absolutely loved this dessert which had lychee jelly, pearl and vanilla ice cream. I love a classic pearl milk tea flavour and this frappe version didn’t disappoint. The lychee jelly was particularly delicious.

Tofu Pudding with Sweet Potato ($8.40)

A must-try at any ZenQ location is the tofu pudding. This time, I had the Tofu Pudding with Sweet Potato, Peanuts, Q Balls and Pearls. An overall very smooth dessert with the tofu pudding being silky; the peanuts being crunchy; the Q balls and pearls being chewy but soft on the inside; and the sweet potato being soft and sweet.

Handmade Taro Milk Tea ($4.70)

If you’re a lover a taro, you have definitely got to try ZenQ’s handmade taro milk tea. The drink had a lusciously smooth taro flavour and actual taro bits in it. It was also very comforting because the drink was prepared

Matcha Red Bean Smoothie

A blend of matcha milk tea, whipped cream with red bean toppings.

Peach Refresher

A peach-flavour drink that comes with pearls and coconut jelly.

OVERALL IMPRESSION OF ZENQ MARINE DRIVE

In general, I enjoyed the desserts and drinks that I tried at ZenQ Richmond. My favourite dessert was the Pearl Milk Tea Frappe and my favourite drink was the Handmade Taro Milk Tea. For their desserts, I like the fact that they have a nice presentation, made with quality ingredients and are not overly sweet. Rating: 4/5

ZenQ Richmond
Address: #130 – 3471 No. 3 Road
Website: ‎http://zenqbc.com/

Spacious Location

Soft Peaks Ice Cream Burnaby Menu

What I Tried

Overall Impression of Soft Peaks Ice Cream Burnaby

Modern, Minimal Interior

Nana’s Green Tea Vancouver Menu

What We Tried

Matcha Chocolate Latte, Hoji-Cha Shiratama Float and Azuki Strawberry Latte

Fresh Tuna with Curry Tartar Sauce Donburi

Matcha Shiratama Parfait

Matcha Roll Cake

Matcha Gateau Chocolat

Overall Impression

Robson & Thurlow

Darkly Lit Interior

Perverted Ice Cream Menu

What I Tried

Overall Impression of Perverted Ice Cream

Boba Boy Kerrisdale Menu

Freshly Made Tapioca

Modern, Clean Interior

What I Tried

Flavours

Tapioca

Boba Bottle

Overall Impression of Boba Boy Kerrisdale

The Italian

What We Tried

Antipasti Board

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Local Butternut Squash Ravioli

BRAISED SHORTRIB PAPPARDELLE

Traditional Lasagna

Prawn Pesto

Nonna’s Lemon Tart

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

Build Your Own

What I Tried

Dominion Menu

Craft Beer and VQA Wine

Interior Design

ZENQ RICHMOND MENU

Grand Opening Special

MODERN & SHINY

What I Tried

Mango Creamy Frappe ($8.90)

Peal Milk Tea Creamy Frappe ($7.90)

Tofu Pudding with Sweet Potato ($8.40)

Handmade Taro Milk Tea ($4.70)

Matcha Red Bean Smoothie

Peach Refresher

OVERALL IMPRESSION OF ZENQ MARINE DRIVE

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