Foodie Trip #4: Big River Brew Pub and 007 date

Ronald suggested we should watch a movie on Sunday! We decided on Cloud Atlas but we couldn't make it to the showings. So we settled with Skyfall!

After reading GoodEat Janice's post about Big River, I suggested to give that a try! The pub was quite packed when we arrived. Ronald and I each decided on what we wanted to get and ordered right away. However, we did NOT expect the food to take 40 minutes to arrive. Yes, 40 minutes! The hostess was very apologetic about the situation. She explained that everyone wants to grab a bite before the movie, which was understandable.

Pesto Chicken Penne
Chicken, sweet bell peppers & onions in a creamy basil pesto sauce with parmesan and penne. Served with signature beer bun

Ronald got the penne! The bun on the side is actually a beer bun. The bun was soft and chewy with a strong malt or barley taste. Need to look up recipes on how to make this! Aside from the bun, the penne was average. It could have been served a bit more hot.

BBQ 1/2 Chicken
Half roast chicken smothered in adobo bbq sauce. Served with garlic mashed potatoes & fresh sauteed vegetables

My turn :D I had a chicken craving (again). Scanned the whole menu and settled for this! I was going to get what Janice recommended, but could not recall what she had suggested. The chicken was DELICIOUS! The meat was tender and juicy. The barbecue sauce was rich and definitely brought out the chicken flavour. It would have been nice if there was more sauce for the mashed potatoes as that was a bit dry.
                               

Blonde Ale

Since Big River is a brewery, I wanted to try their beer! I picked the one which seemed like everyone else was getting :P I thought the beer was decent! Definitely better than some of the ones that I have tried.

I would like to visit Big River again, only if I don't have to wait 40 minutes for my food! :(

Big River Brew Pub

180-14200 Entertainment Blvd.

Richmond, BC V6W 1K5

Steveston Village: Outpost Mini Donuts Co.

Yeeeeeeeee! Donuts :)
I have ALWAYS wanted to try this place! Actually, ever since Ronald and I walked passed by the store...:P
The window display of the shop looked really cute and dainty the last time we walked by!

Christmas theme window display

I didn't take a picture of the interior. The store is not too big! When you enter, you can see their open kitchen. On the left there is a fireplace with a sofa. So cozy :)

Assorted mini donuts - some Christmas specials                     

Frying area

My favourites were caramel apple (new, I believe!), cinnamon sugar and homemade maple! You may think this is like Timbits, but NO! Timbits is just coats and coats of sugar.  The flavours are all unique! My sister really liked the wild blackberry!

I highly recommend this cozy donut store! The ladies working there were very nice! Next time, I will definitely stay and enjoy my donuts in the store :)

UBC: The Moon

Update for October - I did not go to any of the places on my list. :( Maybe after final exams...

This was actually my lunch couple weeks ago! I haven't had time to write up a blog post. But here it is!

I got this meal combo at The Moon in UBC SUB's basement. I remember when I was in first year, this meal combo (combo A) was only $3.75. Now it costs $5!

Combo A consists of choice of fried rice/fried noodles and a choice of sides. For sides, they usually have stir-fry veggies, fried chicken wings, sweet and sour pork and something else :P. I go for the chicken wings every time!

The chickens are very crispy. But some times, I don't think the chicken tastes too fresh...and the fried batter masks that taste. So I don't eat this very often! Also, I prefer the fried rice over the noodles as the noodles tend to be kind too dry in my opinion.

This is lunch box fills me up every time! Definitely worth the price (since everything else in the SUB is so expensive...)

Check them out if you are craving for Chinese food :)

http://www.ams.ubc.ca/businesses/the-moon/

Foodie Trip #3: Ebi Ten

Chicken craving = SATISFIED!

After reading The Food Queen's blog post about That Barista Thing, I was really excited about it! Knowing Ronald has an interest in latte art, I asked if he wanted to go. Since the event was taking in Vancouver Public Library, I suggested to give Ebi Ten a visit as it has been a while since we went.

Ebi Ten is a Japanese fast food restaurant. The way the restaurant works reminds me of a cafeteria. So first you would pay for your meal. Then you get your receipt with a number on it. When your order is ready, they will call your number!

Menu

Layout of store

I finally remembered to take a picture of the store! As you can tell, there are not much seats available. If you are going with a friend, I suggest you to take turns to purchase your meals.

Sushi and snacks fridge

A) Ebi Ten Bowl ($8.25)

This Ebi Ten bowl was definitely catered to my preference *drools*. I was having a chicken craving (as always), but I also really like tempura shrimps! The amount of batter for the tempura was perfect; they were definitely not drenched in batter before frying. I quite enjoyed the teriyaki sauce. It was not too sweet like some teriyaki sauce I have tried; it was just enough to bring out a savoury taste.

Salmon Sushi Rolls

Ronald's salmon sushi rolls! They were probably made in the morning. So, it didn't taste really fresh.

8) Buta-Mayo
Gingered stir-fried pork on rice with cabbage and mayo

Ronald's again! At first, I thought it was just pork with cabbage because I didn't see the rice. Ronald thought it was just "okay". He said he expected "chunks of meat instead of slices". So this didn't really fill him up.

I wouldn't recommend getting their sushi. But, try the Ebi Ten Bowl!! It was delicious :) 

Ebi Ten is great if you are in a hurry but still want to grab a decent lunch!

Ebi Ten

388 Robson Street 

Vancouver, BC V6B 2B2

Microwaveable meal: Salisbury Steak Meal

After I got off work today, I was hoping to go home and eat some leftovers from today or yesterday's dinner. But, no luck. My parents went out to eat so there wasn't anything to eat at home...except this.

I always try to stay away from microwaveable foods. Well, I did learn the process of how frozen foods are produced, but it is still considered "fast food". 

Banquet - Salisbury Steak Meal

Nutrition Content

Of course, being a nutrition student, I always look at the Nutrition Facts Table! First off, this meal is only 230 Calories. Daily diet for women should be around 2000 Calories/kcal. This being said, I think this meal will only be considered a "snack" or part of a meal. Next thing that caught my attention is the sodium level. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for sodium is ~2000 mg. This meal itself is already 930 mg. And this is the reason why a lot of Canadians and Americans are consuming much higher levels of sodium than recommended. With high levels of sodium in our diet, this will lead to an increased risk of various health concerns such as high blood pressure, kidney disease and stroke.

Another thing that was interesting to point out, was folic acid. From my understanding, folate is the natural form and folic acid is the synthetic form. Does this suggest that external sources of folic acid was added?

Final product after microwaving for 5 minutes

On to the taste of the meal! Well, the steak obviously did not really taste like steak. It tasted plastic-y. The sauce was savoury! The high sodium content can probably be traced back to the sauce. The corn was on the dry side. I had to put add some sauce to mix it up. I guess the best part was the mashed potatoes! It is kind of difficult to mess up mashed potatoes :P

I believe my parents got this at WalMart in the states for around $1.25 USD.

Ikea Restaurant: Swedish Meatballs

First time I ever had Ikea food was when I went to Portland with my family a year or two ago! Of course, the prices were cheaper and portions were bigger.

I have been to the old Ikea probably gazillion times, but have not tried their food. But I suspect all Ikea foods should taste the same. My sister, Kimmie, had a sudden craving for Ikea food (meatballs, to be specific), so we decided to go after I got off work!

Menu

The set up of the "restaurant" is pretty much like a cafeteria. You grab a tray, pass it along the tray line and just take what you want to eat!

Garlic Bread

(Left to Right) Meatballs, Salmon, Ribs

(Left to Right) Haddock, Fries

Swedish meatballs with gravy, lingonberry jam, and fries (top)
Swedish meatballs with gravy, lignonberry jam, and mashed potatoes (bottom)

So we both ended up getting 15 meatballs ($3.99 for Mondays-Fridays; $5.99 for Saturday&Sunday). You get to pick your own choice of sides (fries, mashed potatoes, pasta with tomato sauce, vegetables or salad). I decided to go with the mashed potatoes while Kimmie got the fries. 

The texture of the meatballs was soft and meaty. Don't expect it to be like Chinese fish/beef balls! I wasn't particularly fond of the lingonberry jam. I thought it was an odd complement to the savoury meatballs and gravy. I really enjoyed the mashed potatoes though! The texture is very creamy and smooth; just how I like my mashed potatoes. I took a couple of Kimmie's fries and thought they were just alright (nothing special).

For $3.99, I really couldn't ask for more! I think after Kimmie and I finished up, we didn't eat dinner but instead had a snack later at night.

My mouth is watering as I reminisce on this lovely meal :P Ikea date anyone?

Toshi Teppanyaki @ YVR

This, my friends, is one of my many comfort foods!

I usually get this delicious looking chicken steak yakisoba during my dinner break at the airport! It is sort of a "treat" for myself for working hard (not really...it really is just an excuse for me to satisfy my never-ending chicken craving).

This costs $8.95, which is quite a bit for food court standards. But, airport food is always expensive!
The chicken has a crisp outer layer, which I love. But the noodles on the other hand, I don't like as much. Sometimes I find it too soggy. I figured it was probably due to the fact that I go around 7 p.m. and their store closes at 8 p.m. so the noodles have been sitting around for a day (?). Once, I went earlier, at around 6 p.m. and it was better! The sauce for me is a hit or miss thing. At times it may be a bit on the salty side.

Chicken Steak Yakisoba

Overall, I think it is not bad for food court standards. But, it is a bit on the pricey side! I can't help it...I love chicken a lot!

Location: Domestic Departures Food Court (Level 3) at YVR

Birthday Snack: La Belle Patate (super belated post)

I didn't have time to blog about La Belle Patate before I left for Hong Kong. So here it is now!

My birthday was actually back in August, so this post is really belated.

La Belle Patate was somewhere Ronald suggested we should try...probably way back when summer started. We never had the chance to go due to school and work. So he suggested we should go for my birthday!

Outside of La Belle Patate

Tuesday Special

Not sure if the banner is always there...but yes, we went on a Tuesday!

Menu

There were a lot of choices on the menu. We couldn't really decide on one, so we settled for the Tuesday special! There was all you can eat for $19.50. But really, all you can eat poutine?! That sounds really awesome but kind of nasty at the same time.

Coca Cola in glass bottles

I was quite excited to see Coca Cola in glass bottles! Is it me or we don't have them around in Vancouver?

Tuesday Special - 2 small traditional poutines $8.49

CHEESE CURDS!

The size of the poutine looks quite small, but it was SO filling. I was glad the cheese curds didn't all melt, otherwise I can't test whether they are squeaky or not! So with the whole "squeaky" cheese curd business, when you bite into the cheese curds and if they "squeak", this means they are fresh curds. I thought it was the best poutine I ever had; though at the end, the fries were drenched in gravy which was too salty to consume.

Try it out if you are a poutine lover! There is a bus stop right in front of the restaurant, so it is quite convenient to get there. If you are looking for parking, there is an underground pay parking lot nearby.

Thank you for bringing me there :)

1215 Davie Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 1N4

王記台灣牛肉麵 Wang's Taiwan Beef Noodle House

Today I went out for dinner with my parents. My dad suggested to go to Wang's Taiwan Beef Noodle House because he was got really tired of the Chinese food in Richmond. Since Wang's located on Granville Street, it's pretty convenient for us.

Cute teacup

I thought their choice of teacup was quite cute; well, for a noodles house :P

Fried Wonton
炸雲吞

I am not a fan of fried food, but my sister insisted me to try it. I guess this is the "Taiwanese" style fried wonton. Inside is minced beef with a glutinous texture. The fried texture on the outside contrasts with the sticky interior which made it quite interesting!

Marinated Pork Hooves 

My parents ordered this. I am not a fan of pork hooves, so I didn't try it. But my parents enjoyed it. I believe it was only around $3.75 (another reason why my dad got it!).

Chicken Noodles

Minced pork on rice with marinated hard-boiled egg
肉燥飯

For their noodles soup, you get to choose your choice of noodles (thick, thin, or vermicelli). I was told by my parents that their thick noodles are the best, so I decided to go with that! I was really glad they didn't serve the chicken on the noodles, otherwise the fried chicken would be all soggy. I thought the chicken noodles wasn't anything spectacular. But since I love chicken so much, I had two small bowls of this!

Beef Noodles
牛肉麵

This was the highlight of the meal! I love how the beef briskets had a little bit of tendons in it. This made it extra chewy! I would definitely prefer this over Chef Hung's beef noodles due to the portion size of the noodles. This was around $8 whereas Chef Hung's is around $10 but with smaller portions. The soup base was very rich, but too oily for me to drink.

Give Wang's a try if you are a beef noodles fan :) Though I have not tried authentic Taiwanese beef noodles, I was told this comes really close to it!

8390 Granville Street

Vancouver, BC V6P 4Z7

Foodie List for October

Can't believe it has been a month since I came back from Hong Kong! With so many assignments/quizzes/midterms coming up, I came up with a foodie list (basically a list of restaurants/cafes I want to try) as my motivation :P

So, here it is!

1. 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters Cafe

http://www.49thparallelroasters.com

I wanted to try this after seeing my friend's cup of latte on Instagram. The latte art was probably the most beautiful one I have ever seen. Apparently, it is owned by the same people who founded Caffé Artigiano!! So astounded when I found this out! 

I am a big fan of Starbucks but sometimes I find their coffee to have a sour aftertaste. I am no coffee connoisseur but the sour aftertaste is so displeasing! I prefer Artigiano's coffee as it doesn't have a sour aftertaste. Too bad they don't have any stores in Richmond!

2. Jethro's Fine Grub

http://www.jethrosfinegrub.com/

Jethro's have been on my list for the longest time (probably since April)! Their Chocolate-Chip Banana Bread French Toast sounds amazing! Scratch that, actually everything sounds good on their menu!!

Jethro's Fine Grub was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. And I trust Guy Fieri's recommendation after trying out Meat & Bread!

3. Miku Restaurant

http://mikurestaurant.com/

I found out about Miku while browsing on Urbanspoon. Their Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi caught my attention right away. They are firmly pressed into a rectangular shape! Some bloggers say it is the best salmon sushi they ever had! 

But, I probably won't get to Miku in October...if not, I will definitely go in November or during Christmas break.

That's all on my October Foodie List!

Foodie Trip #2: Meat & Bread

Yesterday, Ronald suggested we should have a foodie trip! He picked Meat & Bread in Gastown. I have always wanted to try after seeing so many pictures on Instagram and Facebook!!

Meat & Bread is basically a sub/sandwich store. The store itself is not very big. But they have 4 tables by the menu area, a long table which can probably seat 20-30 people and a long bar table by the kitchen/prep area (Sorry!! Forgot to take pictures :p). If you are going with a friend, I suggest that either you or your friend line up and the other go save seats! We went around 2 p.m. and there were quite a lot of people!

Menu

The menu features 4 different sandwiches. The daily special changes everyday. You can check their website or their twitter (@1meatandbread) to see their daily updates about their special!

Porchetta!!

Porchetta placed on top of the ciabatta bread

While you are lining up to order, you can watch them prepare the porchetta sandwiches! Porchetta is a savoury, boneless, moist pork roast. I think it is quite similar to Chinese roast pork!

First, they cut up the porchetta then the crispy skin. After, the cut up porchetta is placed on the freshly made ciabatta buns. To finish, they drizzle the salsa verde on top of the porchetta.

Wooden serving boards for the sandwiches

I like how they use wooden serving boards; it adds such a unique touch! Also the drop of mustard adds a nice finishing presentation.

Selection of drinks

There were a lot of people getting the apple cider. Perhaps I should give it a try next time ;)

Daily Special
BBQ Beef with Sesame Fennel and Apple Frisee Salad

Porchetta with Salsa Verde

I got the porchetta ($8) while Ronald wanted to try out the daily special ($9). I only finished half of the porchetta so I gave the rest to Ronald. He said the porchetta is definitely better than the beef.

I would definitely recommend trying the porchetta! It's so savoury and tender!!

Go check them out here! They have two locations in Vancouver :)

Day 1 in Hong Kong!

Yayyy finally have time for another blog post!

I probably won't be able to post pictures of things I ate every day in Hong Kong, but I will try to show you all the highlights :)

Hong Kong is truly a foodies heaven :P

Breakfast at Maxim
Luncheon meat with egg instant noodles and iced lemon tea

 I would say this is a very "traditional" fast food breakfast in Hong Kong. I know...as a nutritional science student, I should know better than having instant noodles for breakfast :P But hey...it was REALLY good!

Dinner at Watami Japanese Restaurant in Tseung Kwan O Shopping Mall

For our Beef Udon Hot Pot

Beef Udon Hot Pot

Salmon, shrimp, scallop sushi roll

Beef and egg rice

My drink :) Passion fruit and mango bubble tea

Beef Udon Hot Pot

Ramen

I was recommended to try out Watami from my bf, Ronald (Hi!! If you are reading this :P). Basically, it is a Japanese Fusion Restaurant. I thought it was pretty good! The highlight was definitely the beef hot pot. The soup base was DELICIOUS! It was very rich in flavour; went really well with the udon :) I think there are various Watami locations in Hong Kong...not too sure; but we went to the one in Tseung Kwan O Shopping Mall.

I believe there is a Watami in Richmond (across from Lansdowne), but I heard it is not as great. Maybe someone can try and let me know :)

Thank you for the recommendation :D