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Newly Opened: Ugly Dumpling on Commercial Drive

January 4, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened on Commercial Drive is Ugly Dumpling, a restaurant specializing in pan-Asian comfort food with a farm-to-table approach. Ugly Dumpling takes over the space formerly occupied by the Merchant’s Workshop at 1590 Commercial Drive.

Ugly Dumpling Commercial Drive Vancouver

The restaurant is co-owned by Chef Darren Gee (formerly The Farmer’s Apprentice, Kinome and Le Crocodile) and Van Doren Chan (formerly Le Crocodile, Hawksworth and Ugly Dumpling’s sommelier).

Ugly Dumpling Menu

The menu changes seasonally as the ingredients are sourced from organic and local farms. Chalkboard specials featuring drinks, the daily dumpling and staff meal are posted on the restaurant’s Instagram account.

The name of the restaurant is a bit of a misnomer as the restaurant isn’t a dumpling house. There is just one daily dumpling and these are sometimes handmade by Van Doren Chan’s mother.

The rotating beverage program features sake, sherry, wine, and local craft beer. Also available is house made kombucha and soda.

The beverage menu is whimsically presented as a coloring book. Crayons are presented on the table so that you can color at your leisure.

Interior

The decor seemed pretty minimal with dining tables of 2 – 4 and an L-shaped bar.

10-Course Family-Style Omakase

I visited Ugly Dumpling with my fellow foodie friends David (pickydiner.com), Hanson (noshandnibble.blog) and Kristina (drunkenoms.com). We went with the 10-course family-style omakase priced at $60 per person.

Note: None of the food nor drinks in this post were complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

The simple dishes that we had throughout the evening certainly exemplified the theme of food tasting better than it looked. In a previous article, Van Doren Chan had noted, “food doesn’t always need to look good to taste good.”

What We Tried

Homemade Pickles

To start homemade pickles featuring shoyu fennel, onions and oshinko (Japanese pickled radish).

Marina’s Gold Oysters, pickled grape, fresh horseradish

These wonderfully plump oysters have a salty and sweet flavour profile with a green melon finish.

Winter Greens Salad, Asian Pear, Pickled Radish, Bonito

Spicy Marinated Burdock Salad

I’m not sure that I have had a burdock salad before so this was interesting.
The burdock had a crunchy texture and had a sweet, spicy and mild flavour. The salad also had celery and carrots.

Pork, duck and mushroom pate with persimmon relish

The pate was mild in flavour and was delicate in texture., The persimmon relish was unique and added some sweetness to the pate.

Steamed tofu and shirako with XO sauce and ginger

The most unique aspect of this dish was shirako otherwise known as salmon sperm sac. The sac was creamy and custard-like in texture, and had a slightly sweet and subtle savoury flavour.

Daily Dumpling: Pork, Spicy Cod Roe, and Cheese

Too bad we only had one dish of dumplings because they were really good! The dumplings had a crispy, golden exterior (although some were a bit burnt) and a very interesting savoury filling of pork, spicy cod roe and cheese. The filling tasted more meaty than fish and cheese.

Steamed Radish Cake with Soy Bacon and Sour Cabbage

Tamarind Glazed Whole Lemon Sole, Komatsuna

I enjoyed the sweet and sour glaze with the tender meat of the sole. This dish was cooked with Japanese mustard spinach.

3-Week Aged Whole Quail, Turnip, Ginger, Scallion

Our group enjoyed the quail with the gently crispy skin and flavourful, tender meat.

Housemade Noodles: TanTan Ramen

The ramen was not as good as we expected as the sauce was overpowering the noodles; there was just too much of it. I think that there should be just enough sauce to coat the noodles. The noodles weren’t very al dente.

Steamed Black Sesame Cake, Quince, Matcha Milk

The steamed black sesame cake was very light and fluffy but the black sesame and matcha flavours were too subtle for me.

Red Bean & Yuzu Marble Cheesecake

Similarly, the marble cheesecake didn’t have very pronounced red bean and yuzu flavours.

Ugly Dumpling vs Mak and Ming

The last time I tried a similar Japanese-influenced set menu (which is not sushi) was at Mak and Ming (see post here). I would say that Ugly Dumpling is more on the casual side with homestyle eats whereas Mak and Ming is modern fine dining. I thought that the dishes at Mak and Ming were somewhat more memorable than Ugly Dumpling.

Overall Impression of Ugly Dumpling

I thought that our omakase exerience at Ugly Dumpling was only OK because it was largely unmemorable despite having tried many of their dishes. I appreciated the simplicity, finesse and uniqueness of some of the farm-to-table ingredients but as a whole I couldn’t find too much that really stood out to me.

If I had to pick out some notable moments, that would have to be the daily dumpling, the persimmon relish on the pate, the shirako (salmon sperm sac) with the steamed tofu and the 3-week aged whole quail.

All the dishes we had for the omakase are available a la carte. I would recommend trying the Daily Dumpling, the Tamarind Glazed Whole Lemon Sole and the 3-Week Aged Whole Quail.

Rating: 3.5/5

Ugly Dumpling
1590 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC
uglydumpling.ca

Newly Open: Spiritea at Aberdeen Centre

January 2, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly open at Aberdeen Centre in Richmond is Spiritea, a modern tea house serving fruit and milk teas made with all-natural fruit, pastries and features an Instagram-worthy interior. Although this location is just freshly opened, plans for locations in New York and Irvine, CA are already in the works. I was invited a media tasting recently. Here’s a look at my experience.

Spiritea Aberdeen Centre Richmond Tea House

Disclosure: I was invited for a media tasting where all food and drinks were complimentary.

Modern & Elegant Interior

Spiritea’s modern and elegant interior features plush velvet chairs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a tall ceiling with overhanging lights. It seems like a very inviting and warm space for people to gather over drinks and desserts.

Teapresso Machine

What sets Spiritea apart from other tea shops is that they brew all of their teas on the spot in a special Teapresso machine. They use premium tea leaves, fresh fruit, Avalon Dairy organic milk and pure cane sugar made in France. Their focus is to provide the freshest and highest quality ingredients without the use of artificial fruit syrups or powders.

Spiritea Menu

Spritea’s drink menu is focused on fruit and milk teas made with all-natural fruit and not bubble teas. These include Cloudteas (which are salted cheese cap drinks), Lattea, Fruitea, Puritea and Glacier Cold Brew.

Their Glacial Cold Brewed Tea involves soaking tea lives in low-temperature glacial water which will release tea tannins and caffeine. The result is a smooth taste and highly aromatic.

Their drinks are priced higher at $7 – $10 due to the use of premium ingredients (ie, real fruit, organic milk and pure cane sugar).

Spiritea’s Desserts

Spiritea also offers a small selection of desserts which are made by an external supplier. These include the Snowflake Cheesecake ($9), Chocolate Mousse ($9), Very Berry ($10) and Xmas Tree ($9). They also sell macarons in Salted Caramel, Earl Grey, Matcha and Lychee flavours ($2.75).

Chocolate Mousse
Xmas Tree
Snowflake Cheesecake
Very Berry

What I Tried

Hanson (noshandnibble.blog) and I tried a variety of drinks and pastries at the tasting.

We started off which a selection of Fruit Cloudteas including the Pineapple ($9), Strawberry ($9) and Very Berry ($10). The drinks feature real fruit mixed with tea and a salted cheese cap to intensify the flavours of the tea as it passed through the cheese cap layer. I found the Pineapple Cloudtea to be particularly refreshing with its tropical flavours.

We also tried the TanCho Black Tea ($7) which had a great milk and black tea flavour. Next was the Superfruit Combo Fruitea ($9) which had real grapefruit, orange and lime. This was also very refreshing and it felt like a healthy drink since it had a few different fruits.

We tried all their desserts: Very Berry ($10), Snowflake Cheesecake ($9), Chocolate Mousse ($9) and Xmas Tree ($9). I liked their presentation and they tasted fine for externally supplied pastries. However, they did seem a bit on the expensive side given the size.

The Snowflake Cheesecake was more or less a standard cheesecake but I thought it could have used a graham crust. The Xmas Tree was a composite of Very Berry, Matcha and Passionfruit.

Overall Impression of Spiritea

I like Spiritea’s commitment to using quality ingredients (real tea leaves, real milk and pure can sugar). Their setting makes for a lovely way to pass an afternoon with others over drinks and desserts. Their drinks were refreshing and I hope to see perhaps more desserts in the future.

Spiritea
Aberdeen Centre 4151 Hazelbridge Way, #1968 Richmond, BC
spiriteadrinks.com

Hon’s Wonton House Olympic Village Vancouver

January 2, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

In the past, I have declared that I’m a fan of Hon’s Wonton House. Growing up in Richmond in the 90s, Cantonese-style fast food was the type of Chinese of food that was dominant in town and Hon’s was my family’s go-to Chinese food restaurant.

Hon’s has deep roots in Vancouver’s Chinatown having opened in 1972 and being known then as the city’s only place to get wonton noodles and potstickers. Now as a West End resident, I still head to the Hon’s on Robson regularly for my Cantonese-style fast-food fix.

Hon's Wonton House Olympic Village Vancouver

New Olympic Village Location

With the Richmond and Vancouver Chinatown locations now closed, I was surprised to hear that Hon’s had opened a new modern, location in Olympic Village.

The current owner of Hon’s partnered with restaurant-chain company, Box Concepts Food Group, to relaunch Hon’s restaurants with new branding and a new menu.

Hon’s Olympic Village Menu

The menu at Hon’s Olympic Village is much more focused compared to other locations. You’ll find noodle soups (like Wonton Noodle Soup), lo mein (like Beef Brisket Lo Mein), beef or veggie rice dishes (like BBQ Pork on Rice), and popular combos (like BBQ Pork Noodle soup combo) and so forth.

What I Tried

I decided to order takeout via foodora and went with Curry Beef Brisket on Rice ($12.50) and Curry Fish Balls ($8). The packaging seemed a bit more up-to-date as well compared to traditional styrofoam containers.

Note: The food in this review was not complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

The Curry Beef Brisket on Rice is a customer favourite and staple from 192 and features Hong Kong-style slow-cooked curry beef brisket and potatoes with rice. The savoury curry was pretty creamy and aromatic with hints of coconut milk while the beef brisket and potatoes were nicely tender.

The fish balls used were nicely bouncy in the tasty curry sauce.

Interior

I was only at the location to pick up my takeout but I noticed the nice, modern interior that made for an inviting yet casual environment for dining.

Overall Impression

There are plans for more Hon’s rebranded locations to open in the coming year. While I thought the food they serve at Hon’s Olympic Village was good, they don’t serve my go-to and favourite fried rice and noodle dishes. Because of that, I’d probably be visiting the older Hon’s locations rather than the newer ones. Rating: 3.5/5

Hon’s Wonton House Olympic Village
25 E 2nd Ave, Vancouver, BC
www.honswontonhouse.com

Newly Open: Xing Fu Tang Vancouver

December 26, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

The latest entrant to Vancouver’s bubble tea scene is Taiwanese-based Xing Fu Tang. Their shop opened up a few weeks ago in the South Cambie Neighbourhood in Vancouver at 3424 Cambie Street.

Xing Fu Tang Vancouver Cambie Canada Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea

Since opening up for business, Xing Fu Tang has generated a lot of interest from bubble tea lovers in Vancouver. Customers reported having to line up for almost an hour. Yesterday, after Christmas brunch at Dockside, I visited Xing Fu Tang where the lineup was minimal.

Stir-Fry Brown Sugar Pearls

What makes Xing Fu Tang unique is that they stir-fry their tapioca pearls in brown sugar in order to add an extra charcoal flavour to the drink. Customers can watch the stir-frying process right at the counter. Here’s a video that I took.

All ingredients are imported directly from Taiwan and follow the same recipe as their stores in Taiwan.

Xing Fu Tang Canada Menu

The drinks at Xing Fu Tang range between $6.50 – $6.95. Drinks that feature the brown sugar pearl include the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk, Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea, Brown Sugar Pearl Black Tea Latte and Brown Sugar Pearl and Herbal Jelly Milk.

Xing Fu Tang Vancouver Cambie Canada Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea Bubble Tea

Other drink offerings include Matcha Pearl Milk; Soda and Handmade Jelly; Lemon Green Tea and so forth. They do not offer customization options for ice level and sweeetness.

Xing Fu Tang Vancouver Interior

The modern interior of Xing Fu Tang Vancouver features a few dining tables for two and a counter by the window.

Xing Fu Tang is known for having in-store interactive activities for customers and a culture of spreading “joy, warmth and love.” At the Vancouver location, you can randomly pick out a fortune stick which has a number on it. You then find the corresponding fortune in a cabinet on the wall. I got #86 and the fortune was, “It is not the end of the road if you make a turn.”

What I Tried

I tried the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk ($6.50) and the Matcha Pearl Milk ($6.50).

The top layer of the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk is torched like a crème brûlée and has a bit of caramelized texture.

The pearls are warm while the rest of the drink is cold so it’s interesting to hold the drink by the bottom and feel the heat.

After mixing up the drink a bit more, I found the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk to be nicely creamy and milky. The drink tasted of a mix of brown sugar, caramel and roasted milk tea. It wasn’t overly rich which was nice. The pearls were on point being soft and chewy and properly cooked on the inside.

The Matcha Pearl Milk had a very decent matcha flavour but not an overly bitter aftertaste. The pink pearls didn’t have a distinct flavour to them but were appropriately chewy although were a bit firmer than the brown sugar pearls.

Parking

There is metered parking on Cambie. You can find free Parking on West 18th Ave and West 19th Ave between Yukon Street and Manitoba Street.

Overall Impression of Xing Fu Tang

I enjoyed the drinks that I tried from Xing Fu Tang but the Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea moreso than the Matcha Pearl Milk tea. I also liked the fact that you get to see the pearls sweetness. I would be interested in trying more of their Brown Sugar Pearl offerings. Rating: 4/5

Xing Fu Tang
3432 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC
www.xingfutang.ca

Newly Opened: Forêt Noire Pâtisserie

December 16, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened on West Broadway is Forêt Noire Pâtisserie, a modern bakery-cafe serving French-style treats. The shop caught my attention with their vibrant magenta balloons displayed in front as I was driving along West Broadway. As a lover of French pastries, I was curious about what they had to offer and decided to visit the shop this weekend.

Forêt Noire Pâtisserie Vancouver West Broadway

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

Interior

As soon as I entered the door, I was greeted with a tantalizing, long display of desserts and viennoiseries. The front area also features a variety of pre-packed confections to enjoy yourself or for gifting.

The patisserie boasts an eye-catching interior design with bright whites accented by magentas, pinks and reds. There are several dining tables inside and outside where customers can relax and enjoy the treats.

Forêt Noire Pâtisserie Menu

Leading the kitchen is Executive Chef Christian Lai Chun, a former pâtisserie & chocolatier artisan from Ritz-Carlton Hotel and instructor at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.

On the menu are a variety of French desserts (eclairs, tarts, cakes and so forth) as well as vienoisseries (croissants, quiches, pies and so forth). The desserts are priced between $7-$8 while croissants are around $3.50.

Coming soon are baguette sandwiches like BC smoked salmon and tuna. For the drinks menu, they offer a range of hot and cold espresso-based drinks as well as teas.

What I Tried

I ordered a few desserts from their display to try as well as latte.

Signature de Forêt Noire ($7.20)

Made with Almond Gyanaja chocolate sponge, Valrhona dark chocolate 61%, white chocolate kirsch, cremeux, amarena cherry in kirsch and chocolate streusel.

I liked that this was an elevated interpretation of a traditional Black Forest cake. The cake, which was nicely moist, was wrapped in chocolate that is decorated to resemble tree bark to compliment the chocolate trees on top. I liked that the amarena cherries were rich in flavour but not overly bitter nor sweet.

Mille Feuille ($7.20)

The Mille Feuille was on point with alternating layers of light, crispy caramelized puff pastry and vanilla cream. The cream had a nice, smooth texture and vanilla flavour.

Exotic Flower ($7.20)

Made with mango mousse, hazelnut praline feuilletine, coconut dacquoise, fresh mangos, white chocolate chantilly, and passion fruit cremeux.

This dessert boasted citrusy flavours from the mango complimented by the nutty flavours from the hazelnut praline feuilletine.

Pain au Chocolat ($3.50)

The Pain au Chocolat was solid being buttery, flaky, and golden brown. I liked how the croissant did not leave much grease on your hands. And when you first bite into it, there is that wonderful crunch sound.

Cafe Latte

I went with a light roast for the latte as they did not have medium roast. The latte was good and did not have a bitter aftertaste.

Overall Impression

All the items from Forêt Noire Pâtisserie were very good and seemed to have a good amount of creativity, complexity and quality ingredients (for Vancouver standards). The modern and chic interior made for a nice space to gather with others over delicious treats. For me to rate them higher, I need to see even more innovative flavours and uniqueness in their menu items. Rating: 3.5/5

Forêt Noire Pâtisserie
236 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC
www.foretnoirepatisserie.com

Koko Monk Chocolates Opens Second Location

December 7, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened in Kitsilano is Koko Monk Chocolates’ second location at 2883 West Broadway. This new store is a 1,100-square-foot space featuring a dedicated Hot Chocolate Lounge and an onsite production facility. The new location came to fruition after Koko Monk’s founder and chocolate maker, Paul Dicer, launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise $10,000 toward the cost of a new location. The original location, at 1849 West 1st Avenue, remains open.

Disclosure: I attended a media event at Koko Monk Chococolates’ second location.

The Art of Chocolate

Dincer draws inspiration from his comprehensive background and education in fine art, literature and philosophy in creating his chocolate products. His creations are one-of-a-kind, complex flavour fusions using raw chocolate (unadulterated, unprocessed cacao beans). The Koko Monk name highlights a philosophy of living and working with one’s environment and employing natural ingredients, rather than forcing synthesized solutions that go against their natural functions.

Hot Chocolate Bar

Koko Monk has drawn raves for its variety of hot chocolates (BuzzFeed ranked it among the “Greatest Places in the World to Get Hot Chocolate)”, and its new 16-seat lounge is the perfect environment in which to savour them. Koko Monk currently offers 14 unique — and uniquely named — flavours of hot chocolate, including “A Non-Conformist’s Plea for an Imaginary Summer” (tomato hot chocolate with rose and raspberry), “Strange Gravity” (oregano hot chocolate with melon and a touch of anise), and “Brunette Bangle” (curry hot chocolate with coconut liquor).

The specialty hot chocolates come in small ($5.95), medium ($7.85), and large ($9.50). Can’t decide on just one flavour? Go for a hot-chocolate flight featuring three mini servings, available every Saturday ($10 per person, minimum order of 2). I tried the “Istanbul Blues” (dark hot chocolate with ottoman ‘salep’ root and cinnamon), the “Cosmic Rose” (vegan coconut milk – dark hot chocolate with salted rose caramel and cardamon) and the sneak peak of 2019 Hot Chocolate Fest participating drink tentatively named “Love and Pain.” I particularly loved the “Istanbul Blues” with its floral flavours and would love to have it again. “Love and Pain” really tasted like its namesake being sweet but then turning into sweet, spicy and bitter afterwards.

Other Artisan Chocolate Products

Guests will also find other artisan chocolate products including individual chocolates, fruit and nut barks, vegan bars, and sugar-free selections plus Turkish coffee, espresso-based beverages, and locally-made pastries.

At the media event, our tasting plate included the “La Mer” (watermelon sea-salt infused chocolate), “Bacchanalia” (balsamic vinegar caramel with sea salt) and “Flirt” (salted red rose caramel with raw sugar and Himalayan sea salt). I particularly enjoyed the La Mer due to the uniqueness in incorporating watermelon flavour into chocolate.

In 2019, Koko Monk will begin to produce its “ready-to-brew” Hot Chocolate Cubes, which were part of Dincer’s successful Kickstarter campaign (offered as rewards for backers). The new creations will be available in both of Koko Monk’s locations, allowing everyone to stir up Dincer’s addictive creations at home at their convenience.

Koko Monk Chocolates
Address: 2883 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎kokomonk.com/

Starbucks Reserve Bar Pacific Centre Vancouver

December 5, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

New at Pacific Centre is a stunning and sprawling Starbucks Reserve Bar, which is the largest of three premium Starbucks Reserve Bar experiences in Canada and the largest Starbucks store in Vancouver.

starbucks reserve bar vancouver pacific centre

The store is open to public starting December 11 and is located at 700 West Pender Street at the southwest corner of the intersection of West Pender Street and Granville Street. I was invited to a media event. Here’s a look at the new space.

Interior Design

A wall of windows lines the length of the store flooding the space with natural light and drawing customers in.

Design elements include a prominent coffee bar crafted from rich walnut wood, copper accents reminiscent of the company’s flagship Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle, and a striking backdrop of Michelangelo Marble. It’s distinct brown, black, and gold colouring calls to mind coffee growing regions around the world.

The Bar

Guests are invited to sit at the bar, chat with the knowledgeable baristas, and watch them move around the laboratory-like setup as they personalize your cup of brew.

The bar gives baristas a platform to engage in a dialogue with customers over a variety of brewing methods, from the state-of-the-art to the time-honoured, including: a manual Black Eagle espresso machine, Clover® brewing system, Chemex® brewer, Siphon, coffee press, and Nitro Cold Brew taps.

The Reserve Bar showcases the rarest, most extraordinary small-lot coffees Starbucks has to offer. The selection of coffees will change throughout the year based on harvest schedules around the world. The store will debut with:

STARBUCKS RESERVE® CHRISTMAS 2018: Woodsy aromas and flavors of sweet mandarin and mulled spices.
AGED SUMATRA: Robust with deep notes of cedar and sweet black licorice.
PANAMA CARMEN ESTATE: Floral, lemon & praline notes

Starbucks Reserve Bar Pacific Centre Holiday Menu

Special Reserve food items include the Chorizo Mac & Cheese and the Pear, Bacaon and Brie Flatbread.

The Starbucks Reserve Bar at Pacific Centre is offering a special holiday menu (in addition to the exceptional Reserve Bar menu and core menu). Along with featured Reserve coffees, the new store will also offer a Hazelnut Bianco Latte (handcrafted with Starbucks Reserve espresso with steamed, house-made hazelnut praline-infused milk) and a Cold Brew Float (Cold brew with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream).

Starbucks Reserve Bar Pacific Centre Vancouver Hours

Opening date: Tuesday, December 11

Location: 700 West Pender Street at Pacific Centre; southwest corner of the intersection of West Pender Street and Granville Street

Store Hours:

Mon – Thur: 5:30am – 10:00pm
Fri: 5:30am – 11:00pm
Sat: 7:00am- 11:00pm
Sun: 7:00am- 9:00pm

Poquitas Cantina Pop-Up Restaurant

December 3, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened in Fraserhood is Poquitas Cantina, a pop-up restaurant serving up Latin inspired dishes and cocktails with brunch, Happy Hour and dinner service. Located at 630 Kingsway, Poquitas Cantina takes over the space formerly occupied by The Black Lodge. The restaurant is expected to remain open until March 2019 as the block will be demolished and redeveloped subsequently.

The team behind Poquitas Cantina includes husband-and-wife duo Chef Luc and Lisa Leimanis (who together own Railtown hotspot The Uncommon Cafe) and their friend Jennifer Scott (local public figure and interior designer of A Good Chick to Know). The trio, who are lifelong friends, each bring their areas of expertise to the game: culinary, business and design, with the common goal of creating an unpretentious neighbourhood haunt for great cocktails and delicious tapas with a Latin flavour.

The space at Poquitas features fresh whites and heavy pops of vibrant tropical Central and South American palettes. The focal point of the dining area is the bar with small dining tables along the sides.

The tapas style menu at Poquitos Cantina was inspired by Chef Luc’s travels throughout Mexico. Tapas run 5 pm until late and diners can expect dishes like the Yucca Stack, Grilled Chorizo, Borracho Steak (beer marinated steak served with chimichurri and grilled garlic toast), Honduran Ceviche and so forth. Brunch on the weekends run from 10 am to 2:30 pm and you will find a range of dishes from traditional Mexican-style breakfast items like the Asada & Eggs to more creative and unique ones like the Arepa Stack.

I was invited for a media tasting of their brunch menu. Here’s a look at what I tried.

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

One of the more unique brunch items is the Arepa Stack ($14) (a corn pancake) accompanied by chorizo, diablo slaw and toasted hominy corn and guacamole. I had some add-ons to the dish including a soft poached egg and avocado. The crispy arepa texture was interesting while the chorizo added some spicy and smoky flavours to the dish.

We also tried the Gangsters Cubano ($13) featuring a pulled pork sandwich with cheese, pickle, and mustard. This was served with poquitos chips including some made from fried vegetables (like sweet potato and yam). The sandwich had fun mix of flavours from the sweet and spicy pulled pork, the sharp pickle to the tangy mustard seeds.

For drinks, we had a regular drip coffee featuring Mexican coffee beans and a Caesar.

For the full menu and other details, check out www.poquitoscantinavancouver.com and follow along with the social story at @poquitosvancouver.

Poquitos Cantina
Address: 630 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎/www.poquitoscantinavancouver.com

Mumbai Street-Style Eats on Davie: Mumbai Local

October 5, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

While Davie Village is home to several restaurants serving Indian cuisine, a newly opened eatery called Mumbai Local is setting itself apart. The restaurant is opened by Chef Tushar Tondvalkar (formerly of West Oak) along with a few friends to offer a menu that is inspired by street-style eats from Mumbai. Their menu looked interesting so I decided to try them out for dinner last month.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. The food in this review were not complimentary. Opinions are my own.

Bright Colors, Vibrancy

The interior of Mumbai Local is designed to mimic the vibrancy of the city of Mumbai. I really liked their bright yellow mural that pays homage to the city but also has makes a nod to Davie Village.

Mumbai Local Menu

The menu starts off with chaat (snacks) where puri (flat or hollow crackers) are offered with different options of toppings and fillings ($7). From 11 am – 3 pm, they offer a four-layer tiffin box ($15 – $18) with your choice of daily special stew, rice, local bread, dal (like a soup) and condiments. From 3 pm onwards, they have a variety of street-style eats ($7 – $12) including Masala Toast Sandwich, Chicken Lollipop, Masala Lamb Chop and so forth. For dinner ($14 – $20), they offer entrees like Missal Pav (spicy sprouted bean stew), Hakka Noodles, Mumbai Special Pav Bhaji (mashed mix vegetables cooked with butter and spices). Sweet treats are also unique ($5 – $7): Falooda (rose milk with vermicelli), Shrikhand (sweet hung yogurt), and Guava Kulfi (guava ice cream). Their menu can be viewed online.

You’ll find a few Indo-Chinese dishes on the menu like the Chicken Manchurian Dry (chicken cooked in Indo – Chinese Manchurian sauce, with scallions and cilantro) and the Hakka Noodles (noodles cooked with vegetables in Hakka sauce topped with scallions and served with sunny side up egg).

What We Tried

Pani Puri ($7)

Mashed white peas stuffed in hollow crackers served with sweet tangy pani. The cracker shell was very light and crispy while the mashed white peas filling was very smooth. It was advised to eat these quickly as they can get soggy if you wait too long.

Shev Puri ($7)

A mixture of potato, onion, shev and raw mango delicately placed on flat crackers, drizzled with tamarind and chili chutney. This was an interesting dish from a texture standpoint while I enjoyed the spicy, sweet and savoury flavours.

Kombadi Vade ($17)

Chicken cooked with coconut caramelized onion served with rice and vade. This was a very homey, comforting dish and I really liked the coconut flavours in the curry.

Chicken Lollipop ($11)

These chicken wiglets had an Indo-Chinese twist being served with schezwan chutney and cabbage slaw. The outside was nicely charred and the meat was tender and juicy on the inside. I liked the mix of spicy and tangy.

GUAVA KULFI ($5)

Perhaps a little pricey for just ice cream on a stick, but I liked the novelty factor. This dessert consisted of guava ice cream on a stick, sprinkled with chili salt. You get the spiciness from the chili salt on the outside and then the sweetness of the guava ice cream on the inside.

Overall Impression

Mumbai Local presents a very unique menu for the area which has been accustomed to Indian all-you-can-eat-buffets and Western-friendly Indian dishes. I thought all the dishes we tried were good and I enjoyed the friendly and lively atmosphere. I also noticed a lot of East Indian customers which is a good sign that the dishes are more closely authentic. Rating: 4/5

Mumbai Local
Address: 1148 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1N1
Website: mumbailocal.ca/‎

First Look: LOT185 Café + Wine Bar

September 26, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

On Friday, September 28, LOT185 Café + Wine Bar will open at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Overlooking Jack Poole Plaza, this new space will embrace the modern aesthetic of the Convention Centre while offering a casual dining experience for both visitors and Vancouverites. I was invited to a media preview of LOT185. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

Inspired by the laid-back atmosphere of European cafes, and tapas and wine bars, the menu at LOT185 will focus on sourcing local ingredients while embracing the diverse landscape of British Columbia.

Cafe Side

An in-house bakery, overseen by Executive Pastry Chef Maurizio Persichino, will provide fresh baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, and other grab and go items during the day. The full service coffee bar features ethically sourced beans from North Vancouver coffee roasters, Moja Coffee.

I tried a variety of in-house prepared baked goods including the blueberry lemon scone, matcha cupcake and almond croissant along with a latte made with Moja Coffee.

Also delicious was the Westcoast Breakfast Sandwich featuring a free range egg, smoked sockeye salmon, spinach, and goat cheese.

Wine Bar

Tapas and Neapolitan–style pizzas will be featured in the afternoon and evenings with a menu crafted by Executive Chef Mark Massicotte that reflects the multi-cultural flavours that can be found all around Vancouver. For pizzas, there is the Prosciutto E Rucola, Funghi Biana, and Margherita. Small bites for sharing include charcuterie, albacore tuna poke, and so forth. A BC forward wine and craft beer list, complemented by a selection of international wines, will also be offered.

Casual Environment

The concept of LOT185 is to showcase the Convention Centre culinary team to the public in a more casual environment. The space is meant as an alternative dining experience to guests attending meetings and conventions the facility.

Official Opening on Sept 28

The public is invited for the official opening of LOT185 Café + Wine Bar on September 28. The first 185 patrons will receive a free 12oz coffee and fresh-baked blueberry lemon scone; a special welcome prize package and a chance to win a personalized lunch for four at a later date in the tasting room.

LOT185 Café + Wine Bar will operate both in tandem and independently from the Convention Centre with its own entrance off of Jack Poole Plaza as well as entry points from inside the facility. The hours of operation will be Monday to Friday from 7:00 am – 9:00 pm, Saturday from 8:00 am – 9:00 pm, closed Sundays.

LOT185 Cafe + Wine Bar
Address: Vancouver Convention Centre, #78 – 1055 Canada Place (Thurlow St Entrance Off Jack Poole Plaza)
Website: www.lot185.com‎

Ugly Dumpling Menu

Interior

10-Course Family-Style Omakase

What We Tried

Homemade Pickles

Marina’s Gold Oysters, pickled grape, fresh horseradish

Winter Greens Salad, Asian Pear, Pickled Radish, Bonito

Spicy Marinated Burdock Salad

Pork, duck and mushroom pate with persimmon relish

Steamed tofu and shirako with XO sauce and ginger

Daily Dumpling: Pork, Spicy Cod Roe, and Cheese

Steamed Radish Cake with Soy Bacon and Sour Cabbage

Tamarind Glazed Whole Lemon Sole, Komatsuna

3-Week Aged Whole Quail, Turnip, Ginger, Scallion

Housemade Noodles: TanTan Ramen

Steamed Black Sesame Cake, Quince, Matcha Milk

Red Bean & Yuzu Marble Cheesecake

Ugly Dumpling vs Mak and Ming

Overall Impression of Ugly Dumpling

Modern & Elegant Interior

Teapresso Machine

Spiritea Menu

Spiritea’s Desserts

What I Tried

Overall Impression of Spiritea

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Hon’s Olympic Village Menu

What I Tried

Interior

Overall Impression

Stir-Fry Brown Sugar Pearls

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Xing Fu Tang Vancouver Interior

What I Tried

Parking

Overall Impression of Xing Fu Tang

Interior

Forêt Noire Pâtisserie Menu

What I Tried

Signature de Forêt Noire ($7.20)

Mille Feuille ($7.20)

Exotic Flower ($7.20)

Pain au Chocolat ($3.50)

Cafe Latte

Overall Impression

The Art of Chocolate

Hot Chocolate Bar

Other Artisan Chocolate Products

Interior Design

The Bar

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Bright Colors, Vibrancy

Mumbai Local Menu

What We Tried

Pani Puri ($7)

Shev Puri ($7)

Kombadi Vade ($17)

Chicken Lollipop ($11)

GUAVA KULFI ($5)

Overall Impression

Cafe Side

Wine Bar

Casual Environment

Official Opening on Sept 28

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