Category Archives: quick eats

Quick Noms-Bali Thai Southeast Asian Grill

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In my search for solid, cheap eats I was really pleased to read Foodology.ca’s post about Bali Thai in the Harbor Center Mall food court, you can check it out by clicking here.

There known for outstanding, friendly service here and great food to match-something that I haven’t found a lot of in food court cuisine.  I’ve made a couple visits there this week and tried a couple 2 item combos so let’s get on to the good shall we!

This is a plate that I had on my 2nd visit, it’s Indonesian Fried rice as a base and my 2 items were a Indonesian Lamb Curry and a stewed eggplant dish, the wonderful owner also insisted that I take a vegetable fritter with some of their outstanding peanut sauce because as she put it-”you look like a hungry boy!”-lady you have no idea!.  I had the lamb curry on my 1st visit and there’s a picture of it below and description below, it was so good I had it again on this visit .

The vegetable fritter with the peanut sauce was something that I could eat a ton of-it really was that star of the plate, it had a good mix of veggies in it and that peanut sauce was smooth and flavorful and should not be missed.

The eggplant for me was not a winning dish, I found it sour tasting and the spices really did overpower and the fish sauce flavor was a but too much for me.  The rice option that I chose was OK but the other type I tried on my 1st visit was my favorite hands down.

This is the Indonesian Lamb Curry, it was creamy, fragrant and delish, the meat was super tender and pretty much melted in my mouth, the sauce was not spicy at all and had coconut milk in it I believe and potatoes made u the rest of the dish.  For the rice choice I went with a saffron and coconut rice that was fragrant and delicious.

For my other item I chose a beef curry from Indonesia I believe, it consisted of nice tender chunks of beef in a flavorful coconut broth-no potatoes in this one, boss lady said it was really popular and she was right, the dish wasn’t much to look at but made up for it flavor wise.

For a 2 item combo with your choice of rice or noodles it will run you $6.49 and you will leave with a smile on your face and a full belly that’s for sure-if you’re a big eater they’ll give you extra rice for free which is a great thing.  If you find yourself in the area and looking for a lunch that is out of the norm for most food courts I’d give these guy’s a try.

Bali Thai on Urbanspoon

Dirty Apron Deli and Cooking School

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The Dirty Apron is one of the more unique places to grab lunch in the downtown area. Nico and Karri Schuermans~the owners of Chambar and Cafe Medina have combined a deli of fine meats and cheese’s, ready to eat freshly made sandwiches and salads, a hot carvery and a gourmet grocery store all in one but to cap it off the also have a great cooking school with a variety of classes all in one cleverly designed space.

Great meats

Killer sandwiches

Tempting baked goods

The seating is communal at long tables and the have their house made chili sambal oil for you to jazz up your food if you like to.

I went with one of the baguette sandwiches~roasted chicken, arugula and sun-dried tomatoes with grana padano Parmesan and pesto mayo.  They make their bread fresh all through out the day in small batches so whenever you get your sandwich have no worry~you bread is usually no more than an hour old.  There was two halves to this sandwich and it was wrapped up nicely in paper, the chicken was moist and tender and all the ingredients worked well together.

I also got some of their fresh salads, they sell them on a /100 gram rate that’s around $3.50 (ish).  I went split it up choice wise seeing everything was the same price so the hardest thing was choosing what to get out of the 6 different choices.

This is a Brussel sprout salad with prosciutto and broccoli.  It was a nice fresh salad and the sprouts were cooked nicely but still crisp but without that cabbage taste, one thing I wish there was more of was the prosciutto.

The Mediterranean couscous was the other salad I got, it was a brightly flavored salad with the roasted red pepper and roasted onion being a balance to the vinaigrette.

With my sandwich and salad~I bought 100 grams of each my bill was around $17 with tax, seeing it’s really fresh great quality food the price is justified and I’ll totally be back.

Dirty Apron on Urbanspoon

Akira Sushi-Some Cool Rice

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Akira has been open for quite sometime now and is a popular choice for great sushi with a special twist.  It’s one of those places that I’m guilty of not going to enough but after reading Erin Ireland’s Metro article showcasing the black rice used to make sushi I know I had to make a stop in at this local neighborhood favorite.

I went with some Avocado Maki made with black rice, it costs .75 cents extra per roll and is a makes for something different, it didn’t taste any different from the white rice to me and it seemed to me a bit looser in texture.

Next up I went with the standard Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box for around $9.

It came with the usual miso soup and I must say it was a set up flavor wise from other places, the broth had a great depth of flavor without being too salty.

Standard California rolls, not my favorite sushi roll so I didn’t eat all of these, from what I tasted the imitation cram mix was fresh and the rice was cooked nicely.

The usual green salad that comes with bento boxes, this one was good, the dressing was on the thick side but it wasn’t heavy or oily and there was a bit of sweetness to it.

Your rice for the chicken teriyaki, here it’s served on the side instead of under the chicken, it’s cooked perfectly and was defiantly more glutenous than the black rice.

And last but not least~the chicken teriyaki, it was nice and juicy, they use the chicken thigh here and it was also nice and crispy, the sauce was thick yet not overly sweet, it was some of the better chicken teriyaki I’ve had in a while and it was served on top of sautéed cabbage that was a different touch from the usual bean sprouts.  The was also a piece of broccoli and a baby carrot on the side.

Instead of gyoza you get a piece of fruit, honeydew melon in my case, it was fresh and a nice way to end a good meal.

Akira Sushi on Urbanspoon

Tossed

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A new option for healthy quick eats has opened it’s doors in the Downtown core and I wouldn’t call it fast food but rather good food fast. The Tossed chain is from the USA and the location in downtown Vancouver is the first and only in Canada.

The interior is bright and modern and goes with the healthy eating concept, the food is prepared when you order it but everything is packed to go~even if your eating in, you can order online for pickup in advance right now but eventually going to get there online ordering system to the point where they will deliver your food to you in your office downtown, they also do catering.

The menu is really diverse compared to other options like this in the fast casual market, they offer custom made salads as well as chef created choices, soups, sandwiches, panini, smoothies and desserts as well as something I haven’t seen before-fat free, whole wheat buttermilk crepe wraps.

On my first visit I was served by the owner of the location, he was very helpfully with suggestions and answered any questions I had.

I went with the Turkey Crepe Wrap for $7.95, it had smoked turkey, smoked bacon, romaine hearts and chopped tomato with mayo.

It was a was a good lunch but the smoked bacon flavor over took the wrap and the turkey flavor was muted, as for the crepe as a wrap I really like it compared to a tortilla, the texture and flavor were light and showcased the ingredients in the wrap. Your wrap comes in some white paper-keep it on and peal it down as eating otherwise your wrap will be a mess to eat-I removed the paper to get a photo and have learned my lesson, also you might want to not get them to cut it in half and eat it like a burrito.

On my 2nd visit I went with something I saw on There Is Always Room , Heather raved about the soups here and I had to try them-I love some good soup, they had Mushroom Bisque or Chicken Noodle, I went with the bisque as part of there Tossed 2 combo for $7.95, you get your choice of daily soup or 1/2 salad (Caesar, spinach or vegetarian) and 1/2 a sandwich or panini.

The soup was totally delicious, it had a mix of wild mushrooms in it including shitaki, the flavor of the broth was nice and rich in a good mushroom way, it wasn’t a creamy mushroom soup that’s for sure~I licked my bowl clean and would order a large bowl of this again.

I chose the roast beef sandwich for my main on multigrain bread, it had baby arugula, roasted red peppers and thousand island dressing.  It was one good sandwich, the bread was nice soft yet it totally held together, the thousand island dressing was light in taste and worked with all the ingredients~something I never would have put on a sandwich, the arugula and roasted peppers provided a nice savory note and were a nice change from the typical lettuce and tomato for a roast beef sandwich.

I think Tossed is a great healthy option that fits with the lifestyle of a lot of people who live in Vancouver, they also offer a gluten free menu, it’s a great addition to the Vancouver Good Food Fast Scene!

You can order and check out there menu online by clicking here

Tossed on Urbanspoon

The Spot Cafe

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The west End and specifically Robson and Denman is packed with dining options that span the ends of the earth but if you’re looking for a regular mom and pop coffee shop The Spot Cafe fills that roll quite nicely.

It has all the usual sandwiches and salads that you would expect to find as well as wraps and Panini sandwiches.  The owners work right in the restaurant and are there to answer any questions you might have, I’m not sure how many generations of the Korean family work here but it looked like the owner’s elderly parents and his kids all work behind the counter and making the food so you really do get the vibe of a family operation.

They offer some drinks sweetened with cane sugar and can be found in these glass bottles~it’s just like the sprite from the 70′s before corn syrup started screwing everything up!

I feel like a good test for a place besides trying an omelet is to try a clubhouse!~just kidding~I love’s me some clubhouse sandwiches and that’s what I felt like having, they do there’s here with house roasted shredded chicken instead of the sliced stuff you find at most places.  I watched the older lady making this and it was she was delicately assembling a bomb ~a food bomb that is, she was precise in her placement of all the ingredients down to each piece of chicken.  I used to work above a Korea run sandwich shop on Homer Street for a couple of years and it was they had some of the most well prepared sandwiches I have ever had and this place reminds me of it completely.

I watched the older lady making this and it was she was delicately assembling a bomb-a food bomb that is, she was precise in her placement of all the ingredients down to each piece of chicken.  I used to work above a Korean run sandwich shop on Homer Street for a couple of years and it was they had some of the most well prepared sandwiches I have ever had and this place reminds me of it completely.  For $7.95 it was a good value and a solid sandwich and I’d come back and eat here again for sure.

The X Spot Cafe on Urbanspoon

Fat Burger on Denman St

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Fat Burger is an American chain that has made its way up to Canada about 4 or 5 years ago. With a location on Denman street it’s not far away from my place but to be honest I made a visit here right after they opened years ago and they had a bit of a different menu~and it wasn’t a good thing, the prices for a burger, fries and a drink were over $14 and the value for money wasn’t there, I made the decision not to come back~till a couple weeks ago!

The decor inside is very American Diner and the walls are adorned with record albums from classic American artists and each location has a Wurlitzer Jukebox and the seating consists of booth type seating and some tables.

I ordered up their “Big Fat Deal”, it consisted of a bacon double cheeseburger, an order of their skinny fries and bottomless fountain drinks for $9.99. This was a better priced option that what I had before and made a lot more sense to me for value for money.

After placing your order at the counter your burger is cooked fresh so they give you a number and bring out your meal to your table when it’s ready~nice touch in my eye’s. They have all the usual condiments at the table as well as their brand of MSG free seasoning, I like the fact it’s MSG free but it’s still high in unnecessary salt so use it sparingly.

After waiting for 5 minutes my food was delivered to my table, it’s a nice amount of food and the burger looked like a classic bacon double cheese and would satisfy any burger lover.

The fries here have changed since my first visit~the potato skins are new and they are a bit thicker now, still they were good fries~not soggy and well seasoned but as I got to the bottom of the container they were soft from sitting.

My burger on the other hand was just what a bacon double cheese should be and it definitely kicks the Golden Arches in the butt!, the bun was soft yet it held together throughout the eating of the burger.

It was almost like my burger had a bacon tongue!, the burger size here is very similar to Nimby Burger in Kits, there not as big as Vera’s Burgers but still I didn’t walk away hungry.

With a good meal on this visit I’d come back and try them again,  the restaurant is also really kid friendly, while I was eating dinner a coupe Grandparents came in with 3 little ones and the staff hooked them up with toys to draw on and keep them occupied while waiting for dinner and it totally worked and the kids were quiet with Grandma and Grandpa smiling away!

Fatburger (Denman) on Urbanspoon

Notturno Paninoteca

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Notturno Paninoteca has opened its doors in Gastown and there putting out simple, great quality ingredients hand-made with love in and delivered in the form of some delicious panini.

Right now they are just open till 4pm but that will change in the new year because they have obtained their liquor license so longer hours and also small plates of yummy food Togo with those bevies are in the works so stay tuned for more info.

The room is long and narrow and everything is prepared right in front of you behind the bar. The chef has come up with some interesting flavor combinations and I dove in head first you could say on this 1st visit!

I went with the Fumo for $9.50, it has Speck (smoked prosciutto), grappa poached pear and taleggio cheese. Each panini is prepared fresh to order and comes with a side salad, the ingredients in my sandwich alone all have some pretty bold flavors but when all combined here it was magic I must say.

Each panini comes with a nice simple insalata and is a nice touch to see something so simple dressed~the ingredients really stand out.  If you are in the mood for a salad a little bigger they have one on the menu for $8.

The panini was totally delicious, the bread was super crunchy~it’s had a nice had outer crust from the panini grill and was nice and chewy on the inside.

The cheese on this was oooey gooey and would put a smile on any cheese lovers face~I was smiling from ear to ear!

If you find yourself in the neighborhood do yourself a favor and check out the delicious selections coming out of Notturno and get ready to eat a damn great panini, stay tuned to their twitter feed here for an update on store hours and menu or just subscribe to my blog.

**The kind folks at Notturno comped my sandwich and drink for me and I was not expected to write a review**

Notturno Paninoteca on Urbanspoon

Gyudon Ya

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Gyudon Ya opened it’s big wooden doors last year and I’ve passed by it a million times. They serve up Japanese fast food in the form of donburi rice bowls or in other words~Japanese rice bowl or dish.

It’s usually packed at lunchtime with office workers getting a quick lunch and is generally slower on the weekends so when I was walking past on a Saturday I stopped in to give them a try.

This place used to be a little cafe for many, many years and these guy’s took it over just over a year ago. The seating inside is limited to the bar and the window bar behind that, there are a couple of 2-top tables but that’s it. I wasn’t a fan of what they did with the place~it looked kinda dirty or “grungy” looking.

Food wise I went with something that totally sounded good:

The “grilled” beef short rib bowl, the quotes I used were also on the menu like that so it should have been a warning sign!, I chose to make it a value meal and my choices were kind of limited~potato salad or cabbage salad and miso soup

the cabbage salad was a total miss, the mix was a bag coleslaw mix and it wasn’t very fresh and the dressing had a sweet taste to it that I couldn’t put my finger on. The miso soup would have been OK but for the fact they put so much kombu in it that it wasted like the ocean.

My “grilled” Short Rib bowl consisted of 90% rice and about 10 thin slices of beef that has an odd rubbery texture to them and a sweet sauce in them, I don’t think they were freshly “grilled” and I have no clue why they use quotes around the word grilled other than to mean “grilled like?”, there was also some Japanese pickles and lettuce as well in the bowl but like I said~it was mostly rice.

With all the good food in this city it really stands out to me when I get a bad meal and boy I can say I didn’t feel good after eating this, I don’t think I’ll be back.

Gyudon Ya on Urbanspoon

Rasoee Indian Kitchen on Robson

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One of the new franchises to open this year has been Rasoee, serving up Indian food in a modern environment with a few twists on some of the classic Indian dishes is what sets them apart from what else is on the market.

I was lucky enough to have won a free regular size curry bowl and a free “small bite” or in other words~appetizer from there weekly twitter contest so I headed off to the location I’m near the most~Robson Street and chow on some curry!

I went with a bowl of beef curry on basmati rice it usually goes for  $7.49 on the menu.

The curry bowl was a decent size and the chunks of beef were on the large size, the curry itself was OK, the flavor of it was kind of one note and the meat was lacking the flavor of being stewed and cooked in the curry like I’ve had at other Indian places and one thing that I didn’t like was the sounds of a microwave being set when my meal was being prepared evident by this

the meat was lukewarm in the middle and kind of tough~in a nuked kind of way.  I think next time I’ll stick to chicken or totally vegetarian.

This is the small bite I chose, they call these Potato Tikkis, again they go for $2.99 for 2 pieces and they comes with a side of Rasoee Indian ketchup.

They are vegetarian and filled with ground chickpeas, spices and potato and the outside is light and crispy.  I really enjoyed these on their own but I didn’t like the Indian ketchup~it had the taste of strawberry jam for some reason and it was too spicy for my tastes.

At the end of the day my meal was OK from Rasoee and I’ll still keep them on my list of quick eats when I’m in the area.

Rasoee Indian Kitchen on Urbanspoon

Motomachi Shokudo 元町食堂 Revisit

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Now that the cold wet weather has set in hot bowls of yummy noodle soup are totally on the menu for me, some day’s it’s pho and on some its laksa but usually its ramen calling my name.

Motomatchi is a place I’ve been to on more than on e occasion since my first post 4 months ago and the dish that I’ve settled on hit’s the spot and fills your belly and the side dishes are a step up from the competition.

The petite pork bowl here is a step up from any other place I’ve been to, the addition of the shaved nori and the Japanese mayo make this one flavorful bowl.  The meat in it is nice and chunky yet super moist, when I eat mine I mix all the items up together resulting in a nice creamy touch from the mayo and for under $4 it’s a great deal.

This is the bowl of ramen that I have whenever I come here, it’s their Spicy Miso Ramen without the spicy chili oil.  I order this because if comes with organic chicken and more vegetables than their regular miso ramen and for some strange reason you can’t order the regular miso ramen with chicken so that’s how I was steered towards this.  The garnish is finely shaved leeks and they provide a nice texture in the soup in addition to the usual bean sprouts.

You also get green cabbage, snow peas, corn and diakon radish in the mix and the noodles here are cooked perfectly.  They do let you add extra chicken when you order for $1.50 ad its a worth addition otherwise you only get 2 medium-sized pieces.

If you’re looking for a great bowl of ramen check out definitely check out Motomatchi Shokudo, it does get busy but the table turn over is pretty quick but be warned the space is small and storage for your bags and stuff is limited.

Motomachi Shokudo 元町食堂 on Urbanspoon