Simba’s is an East African restaurant. The dishes we ordered were suggested by the chef and owner himself. He was the one who personally cooked and served our dish. Awesome service and great food!
Rating: 4 out 5. The food was good. Service was excelled as well. And the ambiance felt like we were really in Africa!
check them out: http://www.simbasgrill.com/index.html
Address: 1269 Hamilton Street
What we ordered:
Escargot for our appetizer
close up of the snail!
Cache Chicken cordon bleu stuffed with Swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms with crispy risotto cake and grilled vegetables
White truffle infused mushroom risotto
Rating: 3 out of 5
I ordered the chicken but did not like it so much… my sister ordered the risotto and it was good! the escargot was also good but the fact that it’s a snail made me uneasy while eating it but it’s good especially with the mushrooms and the sauce.
check them out: http://cachebistro.com/
Seattle Series continued with Cheesecake Factory! delayed for months!:O
THE BEST CARAMEL MACCHIATO EVER!!!!!
Red Velvet!!!
I lost my pictures of the Reese’s, Dulce de Leche and White Macadamia!:( But they were all good!!!
FINALLY! I can blog again after being on hiatus for months because of busy busy school schedule! I’m just glad school is over (although summer session is starting very soon!). Anyway, for my first post, the very popular and highly acclaimed Phnom Phen restaurant located in 244 E Georgia. I ate here twice this month. The first time with family and the second time with friends. Both trips were satisfying in terms of food, service and overall experience.
I apologize again because I forgot the names of the other dishes we ordered. All I remember was the chicken wings! I really apologize. But I can check on the names again in my next visit:) Below are the pictures from my first trip!
Chicken wings: this is really really good!!!! I would not say the best because I’ve tried better ones but definitely one of their signature dishes. It tasted like pepper corn tofu.. also, the sauce didn’t really do much and it was good by itself anyway.
I forgot the name sorry! But this was kind of like Vietnam’s version of chow mein or something. I found it ok but my brother really loved it. They have other noodle/noodle soups so I might try those next time.
Lettuce Wrap! so good!
forgot the name of this dish!
Oyster cake!! (photo by: Kristel Coso)
Chicken Wings!!! (photo by: Kristel Coso)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5. The chicken wings are good but I’ve tried better! This restaurant has been quite a buzz for some time but it’s worth the try!:)
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/181389/restaurant/Chinatown/Phnom-Penh-Vancouver
I love baking and cooking! But I do more baking because it costs less time and effort. Last weekend, I baked some cupcakes and made the icing all from scratch. The dulce de leche or “toffee syrup” - is just caramelized condensed milk which I boiled for about an hour and a half. I will upload some of my baking videos soon!:) I haven’t been able to post recently because of school but don’t worry, I will update as soon as possible!:) I would like to thank Alyanna Uy for this awesome photo!:)
Hey readers! I have not been updating because of the load of school work I have to do-_- i have not even finished my Seattle series yet! Anyway, I will update it ASAP! For now, I’m going to do a quick review of Benkei Ramen, located at 545 West Broadway, near the Cambie Canada line. My friends and I did not intend to eat here but since the restaurant we wanted was full, we just decided to go with Ramen! Not a bad choice considering it was a cold, rainy night! So, what we ordered: Shoyu Ramen with Veggie toppings, Shio Ramen and Shrimp Gyoza. Thanks to Raissa Cheu for the photos!
Shoyu Ramen with Veggie toppings: Served with bamboo-shoots, spinach and nori! the soup base lacks flavor, but i liked the toppings. overall, an “ok” ramen
Shrimp Gyoza: I’ve tried better Gyozas but ok I will be lax on this since it’s shrimp and i love shrimps and i super love gyoza. but i’ve tried better. this is “ok” as well.
Shio Ramen: my friend ordered this and she said it’s ok as well!
Overall, I’m rating this ramen place a 2.75 out of 5. It’s an “ok” place but there are better ramen places in Vancouver like Santouka and Kintaro. The service was efficient and friendly too. So, when you’re really craving for ramen and you happen to be around in the area, Benkei is the place. Although, there are lots of other great restaurants around this area too! And oh, did I mention that this is right next to Marble Slab? hahaha.
Check them out: Benkei Ramen
Happy Eating! -Llana :)
For my next Seattle Series, it’s CPK!!!!!! Oh how I’ve missed you!:> We ate here for dinner after a long and tiring day of shopping. This is again located at Westfield Mall, across a car dealer whose name I forgot. I think it’s Honda. But anyway, here are the food we ordered:
All photos are from Alyanna Uy. When the blogger is hungry, she cannot wait to dig in:P
Crispy Mac N’ Cheese: our appetizer! a twist to the classic mac and cheese!
Check them out: CPK
Happy Eating, Llana
I tried this in Manila, pretty normal. I do not know about the taste here in Seattle but one of the best I’ve tried so far is Timothy’s in Steveston. But worth to try!;)
Photo by: Alyanna Uy
For my second feature, it’s Auntie Anne’s pretzels!!!!!!! The best hand-made “mall” pretzels ever!!!! I love love love their caramel dip!!!:)
All photos taken by Alyanna Uy
Hi readers!!!:) I’m on Reading Break right now so to start off the week, my friends and I went to Seattle for 2 days for a much-needed eating and shopping trip!:) To start my “Seattle Series”, I am proud to present the Philippines’ very own, Jollibee! Located at Westfield Mall in Tukwila, around 40+ minutes from Seattle Downtown by public transpo or 20+ minutes by car. I have not had Jollibee for almost 2 years so this was one of the highlights of the trip! I usually order my usual, 2-pc. burger steak and always with extra gravy but since I’m missing the classic chicken joy, I got the 1-pc. chicken joy and spaghetti. I would have gotten their pies as well (I swear, better the McDonald’s) but I needed space in my tummy so I resisted. Anyway, below are the pics from Jollibee. I also posted pictures from Red Ribbon but I did not get anything from there:)
All photos are taken by me unless otherwise stated.
1pc Chicken Joy and Jolly Spaghetti (photo credits: Alyanna Uy)
Burger Steak (photo credits: Alyanna Uy)
Jollibee menu
Red Ribbon menu
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Red Ribbon cakes (photo credits: Alyanna Uy)
So I’m writing this Jollibee branch a 4.25 out of 5. I love their chicken and tmy friends said the burger steak tasted the same. But the spaghetti was a bit different. Not entirely different but only a slight one, like with the sauce, cheese and meat. Service was efficient and the restaurant was nice and clean. No long and chaotic line-ups!:) As for Red Ribbon, the cakes were pricey. I wanted to try the Brazo but they don’t sell them by slice so I did not get it. So when you’re in Seattle, don’t forget to drive down to Tukwila and try Jollibee and Red Ribbon! A taste of the Philippines!;)
-Llana
I discovered this quaint place when Socialshopper.com featured a deal from them. Soirette is located at 1433 West Pender Street. Please do not dare to walk it, I walked it from Burrard! Save yourselves and take the 19 bus! Anyway, I came here unexpectedly after dropping by Thierry and finding out that their macarons were sold out! I was disappointed so I came here instead. I ordered a box of 6 worth $12 in total with tax. I ordered rose, caramel fleur de sel, violette, rocher, raspberry and strawberry.
cute packaging!
macarons - strawberry, rose, violette, caramel, raspberry and rocher
this came with the box! it’s back to back but i forgot to take a picture of it.
one got smushed because my camera fell on it as i was trying to take the picture for the first time…:(
Honestly, I didn’t really like the macarons. First, the size is too small for me. Secondly, it’s overpriced, Thirdly, lacks flavor. I like Thierry better (review to follow soon!). Thierry has bigger servings and it’s more delicious. Cheaper as well. My dad didn’t find anything special in these too. But among the flavors I tried, I liked the strawberry, violette and raspberry. But you really had to chew well in order to taste them. This was kind of a let down because I had higher expectations since this received high ratings in urbanspoon. But, I will give this another chance and come back. The lady was nice anyway and I liked the interior. I won’t give any ratings first since I’m coming back. HAHA. Check them out at:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1619490/restaurant/Robson-Street-West-End/Soirette-Macarons-Tea-Vancouver
-Llana
Nori was part of my childhood<3 I remember my classmates and I would always share this back in gradeschool! those were the days….:>
Happy Eating!!!! -Llana
I would like to thank my friend, Hannah for sharing these chocolates with me!:) I know you can only buy these in Japan or HK..so sad they don’t have it in Vancouver!:( unless some Japanese/Asian stores carry it. So as mentioned above, it’s green tea and pumpkin cheesecake flavors! I am not a fan of green tea but this didn’t taste bad at all. I actually liked it. As for the pumpkin one, it’s kinda weird at first because you can really taste the pumpkin and I’m not as adventurous when it comes to chocolates mixed with other flavours but this was a good experience to try. She said that there are other flavors like ginger! and I also searched it online they have caramel macchiato, fruit parfait, blueberry cheesecake etc… only in Japan I guess!:) oh well, enjoy the pics!
I haven’t been to their actual store yet in Steveston but I really love their cakes!!! I’ve tried a couple ones but here are the latest cakes for my cousin’s and aunt’s birthday - Red Velvet and the other one is Mango Cream Cheesecake I think. Both so yummy and so rich. I like both but the adults or the older ones prefer the Mango I think..:)
Check them out - Diplomat Bakery
My dad bought this from T&T I think… and it’s good! I don’t usually eat green tea-flavored like ice cream but this was an exception! I think I found a new favorite!
A semi-fancy dinner with the girls! Adesso Bistro is located at 1906 Haro Street. You can take the 5 Robson bus and get off Denman and walk towards Haro then turn right. Adesso is on the left side. I read about this restaurant at Scout Magazine’s website. This is a quaint Italian restaurant away from the hustle and bustle of Robson street. They have a wide selection of wines and drinks. They have appetizers, pastas and house specials too. What we ordered: Anatra, Cinghiale, Salmone alla Ligure, Aragosta, Linguine alle vongole and Pizza (the name of which I forgot-_-)
Anatra: this is what I ordered! Braised duck and potato gnocchi with chanterelle, cherry tomato and parsley. I love what I ordered. I have never eaten duck actually, or maybe I have but not cooked this way. Also, I wanted to try gnocchi (after watching it on Food Network). The meat was very chewy and yummy, the gnocchi was very good as well. I also like the chanterelle mushrooms and cherry tomatoes and the sauce as well. overall, a good dish.
Cinghiale: wild boar ragu with paprika and tagliatelle. I don’t speak Italian so the only thing I understood was the boar. HAHA. I didn’t get to try this but my friend liked it!
Salmone all Ligure: salmon fillet with lightly stewed tomatoe, olive, pinenut and potato. my friend really really liked this dish and I also read in other reviews that people also liked this!
Aragosta: poached lobster, lemon, saffron and lobster sauce. hmmmmm lobster..who can go wrong with this heavenly sea creature! my two friends who ordered this dish really liked this. i got to try this too and the lemon and saffron flavors did give a kick to it. really good!
Linguine alla Vongole: manila clams, white wine and herbs. it just takes that to whip up this simple yet delectable dish. you can never go wrong with seafood!;)
Pizza: last but not the least, the PIZZA, the name which I forgot…or could not find in their online menu. but this pizza is really really delish! classic Italian style (you know the kind of pizza they make in legit Italian restaus… the crust is thin and crispy, sort of like a thin pita or biscuit of some sort).. really yummy!
Overall, I’m giving Adesso a 3.75 out of 5. The food was great, the service was really efficient and nice (we had a reservation and we were late and yet they accommodated us very well), ambiance is very nice although it was noisy at that time, sounded like a classy noisy Chinese restaurant, washrooms are clean and well-stocked.. overall, it was a nice, “hidden” place with good Italian food. If you like to get away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown, this is THE place.
Check them out foodies!!!
Urbanspoon, Yelp and Adesso Bistro website.
Bon apetito! -Llana
*****All photos were taken by the talented, Chelsea Go. I do not own any of these images!*****
This is my first Dine Out Vancouver for this year. Urban Thai Bistro is located at 1119 Hamilton St., a short walk from the Canada Line. Here’s their Dine Out menu for only $18!
I came here with a friend so we got to try most of their items. What I ordered: Tom Kah Goong for appetizer, New Zealand Lamb Loin Chops for the main, and Deep fried Banana with mango ice cream for dessert!
Tom Kah Goong:this hot, spicy and sour soup with tiger prawns, mushrooms, lemongrass and coconut milk! I’m not a big fan of anything coconut but this soup is pretty good actually. The blend of spicy and sour adds zest to the coconut milk so it’s very creamy and has lots of flavors. pretty good and warm considering it was cold that night.
New Zealand Lamb Loin Chops: So I got this for my main! I would have gotten my usual and favorite Pad Thai but I wanted something new. Lamb is not my favorite but I don’t mind eating it, but after this I now know what people meant by the aftertaste so now I won’t eat lamb anymore. HAHA. It does have the aftertaste! but the dish was good especially the green curry sauce. Although I won’t appreciate it anymore because of the aftertaste that I just realized after eating this. hahaha. But if you love Lamb, go for it.
Deep Fried Banana with Mango Ice Cream: YUMMY! I love deep fried banana!!! especially mango ice cream!! simple dessert, evocative combination!
Here’s what my friend got: Lettuce Wrap for appetizer, Goong Pad Ma-Mauong Hin Ma-Pan for main and also the Deep Fried Banana for dessert!
Lettuce Wrap: this was my favorite dish of the night!! i love the grounded chicken and all other veggies in it! So good! And now I’m craving for more of this! The portions were small though (it is only an appetizer) but I wished they have given us more! HAHA. but this was really good!
Goong Pad Ma-Mauong Hin Ma-Pan: Goong Pad what?! The name is complicated and long but it simply: stir fried tiger prawns with roasted cashew nuts and chili. HAHA. I will be biased again because i love seafood especially shrimps so I must say this was also good, but nothing exciting about it. The dish was pretty simple so nothing special. All our main came with white rice btw.
Overall, I would give this restaurant a 3.50 out of 5! Very good service (it was not packed, only a few tables were occupied when we arrived), the food was good and ok -I really loved the lettuce wrap! Some dishes were strong but some are just average, the place was nice - dimly lit, cozy ambiance, and the washrooms (for women) were clean. I would love to come back here and try their Pad Thai and other dishes!
Check them out:
Urbanspoon, Yelp, Thai House website.
*Urban Thai Bistro is a subsidiary of Thai House Restaurant Group. They have other Thai Restaurants across Vancouver so check them out!
Happy Dine Out!
-Llana
Hey everyone! I’m going to post about one of my favorite go-to restaurants, Next Noodle Bar located at 560 Robson St. I’ve been to this restaurant a lot of times (can’t count.. i think 5 or 6 times already) and have always been very satisfied with every visit! Here are the items we ordered:
Char Keow Teow: one of my favorite dishes here! SEAFOOD (my favorite!!)+egg+assorted veggies. This is so good! I never get tired ordering this! HAHA. I don’t like spicy food that much but this one is an exception. I always forget to request it as less spicy but still good!!!
Wor Wonton Noodle: my friend ordered this and she said that it’s delicious! I also read another review on this in Urbanspoon and says it good too.
Seafood Tofu Soup
Jumbo Prawns Chow Mien
Crispy Ginger Beef: this dish gets my seal of approval because it’s so good!!!! this is so good that “once you pop, you cannot stop!” Just ask my friend who loved this so much she said she could eat this everyday! hahaha. the sauce is very good! This is definitely a must-try for all first-timers! so good! I came across this dish when the lady suggested their best-seller so ever since, I’ve been ordering this.
Overall, I am rating this restaurant 4 out 5! Good food, great service (the lady was so nice and they kept refilling our water and tea!). nice ambiance and decent washroom! HAHA. Has always been my go-to restaurant. I will never get tired of eating here as long as they keep the quality as it is (or make it better) and be consistent in their food and service. They make deliveries too and we tried it once, efficient service and good, hot food:)
*thanks to my friend http://cosogirl.tumblr.com/ for lending me her camera to take these pictures.
Check them out: Urbanspoon
Happy eating!
Llana
I found pictures from my visit here last year June and I’m excited to share with you this unique place where YOU create your own pasta! Everything is your choice, from the pasta, to the toppings (meat, veg), to the sauce and the ganache. Basil Pasta Bar is located at 636 Davie Street., corner of Granville and Davie.
I really really love this place since you can customize your dish and for the price of only $7.95 all day, it’s definitely worth it. They have pre-set combos too if you’re too lazy to choose or having a hard time deciding. Here’s what we ordered. I don’t have names because it’s customized. They have house specials too like pasta + soup.
Overall, I give this 4.5 out 5! I came here last year of June and I was really happy with my visit that time. The food was good, service is nice, location is convenient and affordable too. I haven’t had the chance to come back again but if I do, I will update this post. If you want a quick eat pasta joint, this is Highly recommended! Basil Pasta Bar is like the McDonald’s of Pasta places! hahaha. :D
Check them out in Urbanspoon, Yelp and their website.
Buon apetito!
-Llana
Hey friends! today’s post features Cafe Luxy located at 1235 Davie St. I love pastas (since I’ve stopped eating rice since last summer! well i still eat but very little portions!) especially seafood pastas, specifically shrimps! Another favorite pasta place of mine is Basil Pasta Bar (rated 91% in Urbanspoon). Highly recommended by me and it’s affordable too! Anyway I’ll do another review of that next time but I’ve tried it once and loved it.
So here’s what we ordered at Cafe Luxy, I don’t remember what my other friends ordered by I remember mine because the server recommended it and said it was his favorite.
FettucineaiFrutti di Mare: prawns, scallops and creamy tomato sauce. Again I’m biased with seafood and red sauce pasta so I was satisfied with my order and it tastes good and creamy. The noodles were a bit overcooked for my taste but overall it was very good. The serving size is crazy huge too! I did not finish because it was really a lot! Can be shared for 2 persons but they have certain regulations which you should ask first before sharing. Overall, I am very much satisfied with my order. This costs 16.98 without tax so I paid about $21 including tax and tip. Not bad since the rest of it was saved for lunch the next day. Comes with salad and bread too!
Here are what my friends ordered but I apologize because I don’t remember any of the Italian names! I am really sorry. I do remember one though, the Penne Ricardo.
Penne Ricardo - chicken, spinach,mushrooms with rose gorgonzola sauce
The rest I forgot their names….:|
Overall, I would rate this restaurant 3.75 out of 5. The ambiance and interiors are nice, server was friendly and accommodating, food was delicious, servings were really big so I guess the price is ok. Overall, I am satisfied with my visit and would come back again.
*thanks to Trishia Sy for the photos taken using her iPhone.
Check them out on Urbanspoon, Yelp and their website!
Happy eating!
Llana
Hi everyone! I hope you are all warmed up because It’s been snowing like crazy for the past days here in Vancouver. I know it’s nothing as compared to what the guys in the East coast are experiencing every year but it’s just very very cold! Anyway.. for my second post, I went to Bonchaz Bakery Cafe located at 426 W Hastings in Downtown. I’ve been seeing this bakery’s name at Groupon because they have a NOW! Deals with them so I got curious and brought my friend along with me. Sorry for the very poor VGA quality pics! they don’t look appetizing:| I took them with my phone since this was a spontaneous trip! I promise to take better pics next time!;)
On with the food: I ordered Breakfast Trio, Chocolate Truffle and 12 oz London Fog.
Breakfast Trio Wrapper
Breakfast Trio - Ham, Cheddar and Egg
Breakfast Trio: So I got this Breakfast Trio with Ham, Cheddar and Egg inside this very soft and chewy, home-made Bonchaz bread! According to some facts I found in the web, Bonchaz is a Mexican inspired recipe from concha blended with the French brioche sweet pastry (learn more about the facts and tidbits on another foodie’s blog!). And indeed, it was very soft and chewy and tasty and yummy and heavenly! It’s because these breads are made fresh everyday at the store! There’s nothing much to say about the insides because this is actually just a regular breakfast treat but the bread made up for it. I could have just brought the bread itself actually HAHA. for the price though, it’s not bad for $3.95. maybe 2 something would have been great but I can compare this to the Chinese pastries you buy from T&T or other Chinese bakery shops. It has a similar feel.
Chocolate Truffle
Chocolate Truffle: hmmmm… I heard this is one of their best-sellers! Before ordering, I managed to check Yelp! and read the reviews and recommendations of other customers so I got this one. I really like this because as what my friend said, “crunchy on top and soft on the inside!”. I think these are some of the characteristics of a Bonchaz bread, cookie-like crust and soft dough. From the food blog I linked above, I read that the truffles are imported from France! Legit truffles right there folks! This is tasty and good. Cool surprise when you get to the middle hahaha. My only comment is that they should’ve heated this more so it could get that really chewy and chocolatey taste. But overall, this is good! for 1.75, not bad at all!
London Fog: I ordered a 12 oz cup of my favorite - London Fog! The Earl Grey tea they used was from Mighty Leaf Tea. I liked how they made their London Fog because it’s not so sweet, it has a light taste to it but I added lots and lots of honey just because I wanted it to be a bit sweeter but I liked it! Just right for me - not too sweet and not too bland. got this for $2.95
What my friend ordered: Soup of the Day - Bacon and Mushroom and another famous, Banana Walnut Bonchaz.
Bacon and Mushroom Soup
Bacon and Mushroom Soup: very fitting for this cold weather! it tastes like French Onion soup! I got to try a bit and my friend finished it to the last drop so it tastes good. She also said that it had the home-made taste to it.
Banana Walnut Bonchaz
Banana Walnut: another one of their famous Bonchaz! I got to try a small piece too and I can say that it’s also good like the one I ordered! I’ve read a couple of reviews from people who tried this at EAT! Vancouver event and they really liked it as well! There’s a filling of banana walnut paste in the middle too so that must have been good.
Overall, I would rate this bakery cafe at 3 out of 5. This would be your local go-to place when you’re extremely hungry. Not something really to rave about except the Bonchaz maybe. I would come back here just for the Bonchaz but nothing really really amazing about the food. I really liked a lot of things about this but there needs to be improvement in some areas. First things that i liked: I really liked their bread and the pastries I tried! I would go back here for more of the Bonchaz! I also like the space - great for studying not too crowded (when I went there that was around 6-ish pm). there were couches too and bar seats. Free Wi-Fi too! Affordable prices! Students get 10% off! I got all of my goodies for around 8 bucks! not bad because my London Fog would have cost half of my bill already in Blenz. I heard their pastries go on sale near closing time! You also get $2 off your next purchase the next day upon presentation of your receipt. Lastly, the staff was really really nice! Now things I didn’t like: they could have improved their interior! My friend commented on that too. I expected a cozy and more inviting space. I hated the fact that their washroom was a shared one in the whole building and you had to walk this long hall and go up some squeaking staircase! Creepy!:s
Anyway, I’ve said a lot! This is enough for now! Happy Eating folks!!!
-Llana
Check them out on:
Aside from restaurant reviews, I decided that I’ll be posting and sharing about “individual” food too.
For my first post on “just food”, I want to share with you two foods from two different countries. Cream Fudge BonBon Vache from Poland and Cebu’s Best Mango Chocolate from the Philippines.
I attended a Multicultural Festival last Sunday for the celebration of World Migrants and Refugees Day. Among the participating countries were the Philippines, Iraq, Mexico, Thailand, Poland, Portugal etc… I went to Poland’s booth and got to try this very delicious fudge!
Cream Fudge
It’s actually just a regular fudge but what I like about it is its texture - very firm, not soft and chewy, harder than your usual fudge which I like. It’s like the yema candy in the Philippines but less sweet. I feel like I can eat 5 of this candy without my throat getting sore. When I go to Poland, I will definitely look for this candy. It’s also hand-made. The fact that it’s from Poland makes it special already;) Only from Poland.
Next is, Cebu’s Best Mango Chocolate. My friend gave this to me and my family as her belated Christmas gift (Thanks Karyn!) straight from Cebu in the Philippines. It’s my first time to see this and instantly got curious!
Mango Chocolate from Cebu’s Best
It’s dried mango coated with dark chocolate. It’s actually good! The bitter taste of the dark chocolate goes well with the sweet taste of dried mango. Mango + chocolate is a good combination. It’s bitterly sweet. I forgot to take a picture of the packaging but it’s nicely boxed and individually wrapped. One box has around 5 plastic bags with around less than 10 individually packed chocolates inside. You can only get this from Cebu I think.
Well, that’s all I have to share for you guys today. Until my next post. I will go around the city to look for more yummy foods!
Happy Eating, Llana
What all foodies are ecstatically waiting for - DINE OUT VANCOUVER 2012! Starting on January 20-February 5, experience 17 days of culinary events such as the Plated and Paired at the Public Market, Dine Academy (Chinatown Culinary Tour), Secret Supper Soiree, Street Food City and so much more! Since this is my first Dine Out ever since starting this blog, I am really excited and anticipating for the events line up! Aside from the events, Dine Out also features Vancouver’s hottest and up and coming restaurants that offer three-course meals at $18, $28 and $38! This is such a good deal already and reservations are slowly filling up.
For the events, I am interested in the Dine Academy which features paid culinary tours, demos, wine tasting etc… but that depends if I still have the budget for it. Of course, I always look for the FREE events first! Take advantage of the free stuff because the best things in life are not free HAHA. Anyway, The Street Food City event looks interesting! It runs from Janaury 24-26 at the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza. Entrance is free but the food is not. Although they have a lot of specials and discounts so not bad. Another event I signed up for was the Brasserie Mystere on February 2. Get this - “an exclusive dining experience prepared by a renowned chef, in a secret location, featuring an exceptional meal paired and enjoyed with Kronenbourg 1664. Discover a dining experience as exclusive as the beer”. But, again there’s a catch, guests will be selected by random draw and will be contacted once chosen.
And…last thing I am excited about this event is the three-course meals! There is a list of participating restaurants on the website! All the information you need will be on their website so check it out! I am still undecided which ones to try but some of my candidates are Abigail’s Party, Pink Elephant, Salt Tasting Room, Stone Grill @ The Met and Via Veneto Ristorante Italiano… can’t decide yet! check out their promotional video too!
Happy Eating, Llana
First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012! I know it’s late but this is my first post for the new year 2012! so excited for this year actually… i hope lots of big and great things that will happen. Anyway, I was on hiatus because I was so busy during the Christmas break. Now that school’s back, I have a lot of time in my hands…FOR NOW. anyway, on to the food post!
For my first post, finally, I got to try what everyone is raving about - MEAT AND BREAD! Located at 370 Cambie Street (Victory Square). It’s walkable from Waterfront Station or you can take the 20 Bus Downtown. I am so excited to try this because everyone said the food was good and finally, on the first day of the Winter term, I got to try it! My friend and I ordered their best-seller, the Porchetta. It costs only $8! Here’s a picture my friend took. I didn’t bring my camera so I had to rely on my friend’s phone.
Photo credits: Chelsea Go (http://chelseaysabel.tumblr.com/)
Porchetta. ahh yes, the porchetta! it doesn’t just look good as in the picture, it tastes extremely good! For $8, it’s worth every penny! The top bread was a bit too hard for me though, nevertheless, it tasted so good. The inner surface of the bread was drizzled with olive oil i think.. i’m not sure but it has some sort of oil. Then the insides were much more heavenly - roasted pork that’s very tender and flavorful, pesto, and crunchy pork skin bits. To top it all off - yummy mustard on the side which, is also “man-made” by Meat and Bread. Definitely a must-try when you come here the first time! This is after all, their best-seller.
I like the ambiance too. Very “hipster”. The interior is nice and cozy so that it separates it from its sketchy location. You have to see it for yourself to understand what I mean. The service was fast, although the guys were very weird because they stared and talked weirdly and creepily. That’s a downer though…so I’m thinking of just having it to-go next time so I don’t have to deal with those weird dudes!:s for my rating, it gets 4 out 5! Nice interior and definitely great FOOD. Was supposed to give 4.5 but because of those weird servers, i took the .5 off! HAHAHA. But i liked the concept and the overall feel.. or maybe because I’m just biased with all the positive feedback I’ve read. Still, the porchetta was so good. Go try it yourself and you be judge!;)
This is a photo I took of my sandwich which looks very sloppy because I had a hard time cutting it! the pork and bread all got separated so I used a fork and knife to eat it. They have an interesting selection of Jars - Mustard, Salt Rub and Samba I think… I wanna try their soup and their special next time. The special they had that day was sold out!! So I will definitely come back here regularly to try out new stuff! My rating overall: 4.5 out of 5! Definitely worth the visit again and again and again and again……:)
Thanks for reading. Cheers to more food adventures this year!
-Llana
Highly Popular in URBANSPOON!:)
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1552751/restaurant/Gastown/Meat-Bread-Vancouver
2 days before Christmas! Which also means, diets are a no-no and pigging out is a must! well, in my case. Tonight, I had a small Christmas dinner with two of my dearest friends. Gastown has always been this very interesting, quaint and little old town that reminds me of scenes in a movie in the 50s or 60s. Gastown offers a lot of places to eat, shop and have a good time with friends. So, we decided to try The Greedy Pig located at 307 W Cordova St. Accessible by skytrain - get off Waterfront and walk up to your left! We had a lot of choices but we decided to try out this small and interesting place.
their sign outside
Here’s a picture of their menu:
menu
What we ordered:
pork pulled sandwich with salad
braised pork shoulder, tangy bbq sauce and fennel slaw
Pulled Pork Sandwich. three letters - OMG! this is so goooooood!!!:) i asked the server what their best-seller was and this is it!! my friend who ordered this dish says it’s very good too! She gave me a piece so I was able to try it. I described it as “like ma-hu (pork floss) but more intact and solid”. the pork was really delicious and the bread was also soft! 2 thumbs up for this dish and gets my seal of approval!:)
smoked chicken pot pie
smoked chicken breast, green beans, potatoes, roasted garlic cream, puff pastry and argula
Here’s what I ordered, Smoked Chicken Pot Pie: the side salad was good and so was the dressing. This reminds me of the Shepherd’s pie at Granville Island but this is more expensive. Overall, I like this dish too but not as much as the pulled pork. haha im biased or maybe I wanted more of the pulled pork still that my mind didn’t really register the taste of this dish HAHAHA.. but this was good and the top part is not too crumbly, just right.
meatloaf on risotto
meat loaf, creamy risotto, veal gravy and tomato jus
Meatloaf on Risotto. yuuummmm another fave of mine!!! i also love this dish!!! the meatloaf is so soft and good. the risotto was good as well. “perfect combination of sexy and cute” HAHAHAHA. a must-try definitely! My friend also ordered Raspberry Ice Tea and it tastes good too! just normal raspberry + ice tea.
Overall, my rating for this is 4 out of 5 based on overall food taste, exceptional service (the server was super nice. we kept on taking pictures and she didn’t mind at all and was friendly and smiling the whole time), ambiance (sorry for the crappy pics it was hard to take good shots in a low light setting!). I also got to check their washroom. pretty clean and smells like Blenz washrooms (because it’s maintained by the same company haha). This is definitely something new and interesting to try because I’ve been going to a lot of Chinese and Japanese places. I wanna try more International cuisines like Middle Eastern, Indian, Greek etc…:) Check out The Greedy Pig on Urbanspoon, Yelp and their website! Christmas is coming up strictly no diet allowed for me!!!:)
Happy Holidays!!!
-Llana
My HS classmate and I met up tonight for dinner because she’s going home to Manila after 1 term at UVIC as an exchange student. We decided to eat at Guu Otokomae since I’ve eaten there a couple of times and I wanted her to try it as well but the wait was half an hour (our second attempt already) so we decided to look for another place. We ended up at East Fusion Food, 88 West Pender St. in the ground floor corner of International VIllage Mall. Close to T&T Chinatown, Rogers Arena, Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain stataion. The outside is nice but the inside looks like a fusion of modern restaurant and “cafeteria” style chinese restaurant.. there’s this “cafeteria” smell where your clothes will smell food afterwards but at the same time it looks modern and bright too. pretty decent place. Here’s the menu that took us forever to decide what to get!
front
back
finally, we settled with this one! HAHA. choose one dish from each category - soup, appetizer and main dish! all this for only $9.95
special menu
I decided to get the Sweet Corn Seafood Soup, Deep Fried Shrimp Wanton and BBQ Pork and Shrimp Fried Rice. My friend decided to get the same soup but she chose the Vegetarian Spring Rolls and Beef with Satay Sauce Fried Crispy Noodle.
Sweet Corn Seafood Soup. one of my favorite soups!!! anything ______ & corn! hahaha! i love seafood i really liked this dish! crab and corn is one of my favorites too but this is better! it has clams (like the ones you find in a chowder, cube-shape) and everything nice in a corn soup! reminds me of my favorite Knorr crab and corn soup! hahaha.
Deep Fried Shrimp Wanton. again, i’m biased. shrimp+deep fried=omg. enough said.
Veggie Spring Roll. i also liked this dish. although i didn’t really notice the vegetables inside but it’s good. soft and crispy, dip it in the sauce = yummeh!
BBQ and Shrimp Fried Rice. hmmm nothing fancy about this one. it’s just like Yangchow but this lacks a little flavor. tastes ok..should have added more MSG to it HAHA kidding. or salt maybe. should have tried a different dish..next time!;)
Beef with Satay Sauce Fried Crispy Noodle. ok, this is good! hahaha. this compensated for the rice. it tastes like just any other crispy noodles so nothing much to say about this. it’s good that’s all!:) i love crispy noodles so yeah i’m biased again. hahaha. but seriously, this is good!:)
I would love to come back to this restau and try their other dishes. I’ll do some advance planning and careful inspection of the menu because it’s just overwhelming. we decided to go with the special because it’s cheap and we were hungry. i would rate this restaurant 3.5 out of 5. nice, decent place, good service although our mandarin skills were put to the test (we asked the server what their best seller was, we said “很多人吃的是什麼？最好吃的” sorry for those who can’t read Chinese..bottomline is the waitress didn’t really get our main point. HAHA. talk about language barrier with your own race.) oh i didn’t get to see the washroom too. hahahaha now i’m curious if it looks as nice as the outside. the food is pretty good. the tea is also good though it’s just regular tea. Next time, I will go on a Chinatown adventure because I’m sure there are a lot of good eats around Gastown/Chinatown area. That’s all! Don’t forget to check their Urbanspoon! 5 days till Christmas folks! get ready big belly! hehe:)
-Llana
My friend took me here one Tuesday afternoon because they had a promotion called “Ten Dollar Tuesdays” where they offer all their pastas for only $10 and dine-in only. It was a really good deal considering the price would normally be around $14+ and above. Trattoria Kitchen is located at 1850 W 4th Avenue. Accessible by taking the 44, 84 and 4 bus. My friend and I each ordered one pasta dish. I tried the LINGUINE GAMBERINI and my friend tried the LINGUINE VONGOLE.
Linguine Gamberini. jumbo tiger prawns, capers, olives,oregano roasted tomato aglio e olio. I really love shrimps and pasta especially seafood pasta, so shrimp+pasta=perfect combination! Gambas, Gamberini…everything gambas i love! hehe! so i really enjoyed this dish. the pasta is perfect, the sauce is subtle although i would have preferred more sauce because i like my pasta a little drenched in it but it’s ok. overall i enjoyed this dish.
and this was what my friend ordered:
Linguine Vongole. manila clams, thyme peperoncino, tomatoes and garlic. yum yum! i tried this one too and it’s also good! again, seafood + pasta = perfect combination!:) oil-based pastas are one of my favorites, followed by red sauce and white sauce.
Since I’ve only tried their pasta, I shall rate this 4 out of 5. I like the ambiance - fun and casual vibe, the server was also friendly, nice and accommodating, the food’s great. i didn’t get to check their washroom though so definitely gives me a reason to come back haha. but seriously speaking, i will come back here again:) i wanna try their other dishes! Photos were taken using my phone so the quality’s kinda crappy! That’s all for now! Below are links to their site and Yelp. You can also try other Glowbal Group restaurants around Vancouver. Check their website for more info. if you have any suggestions/comments, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks again and Happy Eating!
-Llana
My friend told me about this restaurant a long time ago and ever since we’ve been coming back here! i cannot count the times i’ve been here and tonight, we brought some friends who haven’t tried this yet. Umeda Japanese Cuisine is located at 1151 Granville St. You can take 14 bus and get off DAVIE if you’re coming from UBC. This is beside the Forum Sports Bar along the Granville stretch. I’ve tried other dishes like their bento box, which for me is just like any other bento boxes. Tonight, we tried their Specialty Sushi. Here’s a picture of their update menu! it used to be just a plain laminated paper before!
new menu
and here’s a part of the inside!
specialty sushi
I am really full from this dinner! we ordered a lot hahaha. here’s what we ordered:
AGEDASHI TOFU. it’s good especially with the sauce. a bit spicy for me though. the tofu is soft and just right. Price is $3.25
Agedashi Tofu
GYOZA. FYI, im a big big big big big big fan of gyoza!!!! i super love gyoza and.. fun fact! i ate around 25 gyozas during an eat-all-you-can! i just love gyoza especially ebi gyoza and pork gyoza! ok, make that all gyozas! hahahaha! for this one, it’s ok.. nothing special i can cook this at home too so nothing really special. but nonetheless, it’s gyoza and it’s my fave!:) for $3.75 (6 pcs) then that’s ok.
gyoza
EBI MAYO. we just wanted to try it since we were craving for more of this good stuff! deep fried prawns + mayo = heaven! but this restaurant’s ebi mayo is an ok one. not something to rave about, just ordinary. but it’s good. we wanted more mayo though. but it’s good!:) my friend even said, “lacks mayo!” $6.95 for this deep fried baby!
ebi mayo
KATSUDON. my friend got this i didn’t get to try it but nothing special just like other Katsudons! hehehe. this costs $6.75
katsudon
and…..here are the special rolled sushi!!! we ordered RAINBOW ROLL, DRAGON ROLL and GRANVILLE ROLL.
first up, we have the GRANVILLE ROLL! my favorite among the three we ordered! it’s deep fried prawns, cream cheese, crab meat no rice topped with special sauce (got this from their menu!). really yummy!! this is worth the try for $9.95 (i think!)
Granville roll
next on the list is the RAINBOW ROLL. it’s crab meat, cucumber, avocado topped with avocado & sashimi and Tobiko and a special sauce. for $7.95, i think it’s the worth the try but after trying the Granville Roll, it sort of overrides the taste of this one because they both have crab meat. but don’t get me wrong this is good too!:)
Rainbow roll
and the last one, the DRAGON ROLL. ok I apologize I don’t think I have a photo of the Dragon roll because we all just started digging in that we forgot to take one. but anyway here’s the photo i got from their menu with the description below it as well! sorry for the blurry image. the presentation of this one is really nice and the best presentation among the three! it’s good too!
Dragon roll
I also tried their dessert last time but i can’t remember when…anyway, their ice cream is from Mario’s Gelati , I forgot what I ordered as well and I’m not sure if they still have it available.. but it’s so so so so so so good!!! it’s vanilla ice cream with a raspberry (not sure) filling inside! most jap restaus carry Mario’s Gelati and I want to visit their factory one of these days…. so yummy!:)
Mario’s Gelati Ice cream Photo Credits: Chelsea Go
Photo Credits: Chelsea Go
I’ve been to this restaurant a lot of times since this is my go-to japanese restaurant when I’m around the area or coming from school since the location is convenient. not the best japanese restaurant but it’s good. i like their special rolled sushi too. i’m rating this 3.5 out of 5! the restaurant is clean, the ambiance is nice and bright (tonight it was but for some other days it was a bit too dim for me), the service was good and they constantly refilled our teas although we weren’t assisted at once but I understand there was only one runner that time and she was all over the place. the washroom is clean too and smells nice!:) the special rolled sushi rolls are definitely worth the try! check them out at Urbanspoon and Yelp, click the links below!:) hope you guys enjoyed this review and made you hungry!:P till my next post! just keep eating!
-llana
i know my friend made that!:) hahahaha!:D
thank you!:) yes i will
i think i know who you are!;) THANK YOU!!!!:D
I discovered this cute little Japanese crepe place while on the 99 bus. their cute little sign caught my attention and I was immediately drawn and i could not wait to try it!
It’s located at 2967 West Broadway. I came here last September and I tell you, this is one of my favorite crepe places in town! it’s also close to UBC so if you feel like de-stressing, take the 14 bus and get off Camarvon st. (please verify using google maps). it’s beside shoppers’ drug mart! look at their menu! it’s so quaint and clean!
I ordered their TERIMAYO CREPE under their specialty savory crepes. It has chicken, bonito flakes, wasabi and OC sauce i think and you get a side of salad as well. the sauce of the salad was so good and according to my friend, it’s from Costco. HAHA. I super loved this dish it’s like Japadog on a crepe! definitely a must-try! it’s also very packed! unlike some crepes where you only get like half the size of the crepe and the rest is empty. very flavorful and lots of stuff in it.
My friend ordered the MEAT LOVERS’ CREPE, a must-try for the ‘meateatarians’ haha! i took a small bite and it was good. it’s meat so it must be good.
meat lovers crepe
The server was also super friendly! i forgot her name though.. because i befriended her and she was really patient because i kept on asking questions and it took us sometime to decide. I asked about their CALPIS drink because I’ve never tried it before so she gave us a sampler! she’s so nice. I don’t think I have a photo of it but it’s color green, the original flavor. it’s so good!!! oh here’s what my friend ordered too, their TARO MILK TEA. he said it’s really good so make sure to try their milk teas and calpis!:)
taro milk tea
I came back here a few weeks after but sadly I don’t have pictures. I ordered their dessert crepes this time and I got the STRAWBERRY + WHITE CHOCOLATE SWEET CREPE. 2 words - deliciously sweet! strawberry and white chocolate? how can you go wrong? but if you’re not a sweet tooth, I think you’ll find this too sweet! but since i love white chocs, i enjoyed it. just make sure to order lots of water!;) again, the service was great and we sat indoors. next time when i come back (since it’s worth it!), i’ll take more pictures!
My rating for this would be 5 out of 5 (for my 2 visits) - great food, great service and most of their crepes are under $10. prices are subject to change though. they have other selection of crepes so be sure to check their Facebook link below or check their Urbanspoon ratings below. I would definitely come back here. I like their ambiance; their interior is really cozy, just a very happy place to be! and their washroom is clean too! im kinda particular with washroom cleanliness. hehe! they have this cute little jar of rolled papers where you can leave a message, share your story, write whatever for other customers to read. mine was posted in their FB page! haha! If you’re around West Broadway or coming from UBC and want to catch a quick meal or whatever, drop by Moii, worth the try! haha:)
happy eating! <3 Llana
Hey all!:) welcome to my food blog! I’ll be documenting and sharing with you all my food experiences and travels around Vancouver! I will try to update this as often as possible (if school is not on the way) so stick around and I hope you enjoy reading my blog! I am a frustrated and an amateur food blogger (i just want to eat that’s all! hahaha) so do not expect so much fancy critique because I’ll be writing and describing in layman’s term, something you’d expect a seven year old to understand, haha kidding! Thanks for dropping by and I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy eating and posting!:)
happy eating and keep it full! diet doesn’t start till tomorrow, right?;)
<3 Llana
PS. thanks to Chelsea Go for pushing me to do this!:) you’ve seen the rise and fall of my “super promise swear blog” and now we have a new goal! hehehe!!:D thanks to Mikko Chan for that cool logo i have above there hehe:D
