Fresh,Local,Wild

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Sean

With Spring here that means a lot of the food carts and trucks we love come out of Winter hibernation and this year has the benefit of a bunch of new carts hitting the streets. I visited the Triple D famous Fresh, Local, Wild on there opening day of the season. They have the items on the menu that were featured on Triple D as well as fresh new creations that Josh Wolfe is dreaming up.

The first item I had was the The Halibut Shawarma. Made with Ocean Wise halibut and all the traditional flavors you would expect to find in a great shawarma made this a winning dish. The shawarma was a great filling meal that didn’t leave me like I had a lead weight in my stomach after.

The next item on the menu for me was the Kebab Burger with 1/2 fries and 1/2 salad.

My fries were nice and crisp on the outside and the skin on the potatoes added that homemade flavor. The salad was dressed with a nice tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

My kebab burger was made from juicy heritage beef and mixed with herbs and spices. The toppings on this bad boy were the typical shawarma toppings-humus, lettuce and tabouleh. The humus was something that I have never had on a burger and was totally delicious. That’s not ketchup on my burger by the way-it’s Sriracha chili sauce, it added a nice zip to the flavorful toppings and kebab meat.

Fresh, Local, Wild is a solid lunch option that will satisfy your street food hunger. There open Monday-Friday till 3pm and they take cash and debit cards.

Ensemble Tap’s Taste Of Tap Special

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Sean

Ensemble Tap has become a favorite of mine for the great beers, great service and most importantly killer food that has kept me coming back for more.

From January 20th-Feb 4th,2012 you can get a Taste Of Tap, Dale has picked some of his best dishes and made them available in a 3 course menu for $29 (plus tax and gratuity) that is available with beer pairings for an extra $15 and it’s available at lunch and at dinner.

The menu options are as follows:

Asian Vegetable and Green Salad
Enoki Mushrooms, Cashews, Black Sesame Seeds
or
Popcorn Prawn
Tempura Sea Asparagus, Spicy Mayo
suggested pairing of La Chouffe Belgium Strong Blonde Ale, draught

plus

Bangers and Spætzle
House made Sausage, Tarragon Spætzle, Mushroom-Onion Pan Gravy, and Onion Slaw
or
Ensemble Burger
Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle, Fries
suggested pairing of Tap Pale Lager, draught

plus

Key Lime Pie
Chantilly, Toasted Coconut, Lime Zest
or
Root Beer Float
Dad’s Old-Fashioned Root Beer, Vanilla Ice Cream, Root Beer Rim
suggested pairing of Russell Cream Ale, draught

On my visit I wanted to try a couple of dishes that I had yet to nom on, I didn’t do the beer pairing because I was visiting at lunch and couldn’t get hammered!

This is the Asian Vegetable and Mixed Greens Salad, it has enoki mushrooms, black sesame seeds and cashews, the dressing is a peanut/sesame tasting creamy yet light vinaigrette, you do have the option of adding seared tuna or chicken to this if you want some protein but I went with it as is, I’m a big fan of dressings that taste like this so it was a winner there and the ingredients all went well together, the nuts provided a nice crunch, I’d definitely order this again. The price for this alone on the menu is $14 but it’s a bit bigger and served in a bowl~a lady next to me ordered this so I got to see regular version of this with tuna but the size of this was filling enough and a great starter.

The other option I’ve had on a previous visit~Popcorn Prawns

They are in a nice, light crisp batter and are scented with kaffir lime, the spicy sauce isn’t too hot and the dish is garnished with tempura sea asparagus.

For my main I chose the Bangers and Spaetzle, house made sausage, tarragon spaetzle, mushroom-onion pan gravy, and onion slaw. This was totally delicious!, the sausage was juicy on the inside yet had a great “snap” to the casing, the other star of the plate was the spaetzle, whenever I’ve had spaetzle it has always been cooked right~boiled in broth and then tossed in melted butter, they way they do it here really won me over, they crisp it yet its nice and tender on the inside~just the right amount of texture to make it hold up to the gravy that was rich yet not overly heavy, the chunks of sausage was a great touch~it reminded me of a Southern Sausage gravy that you would serve over biscuits and the onion and cucumber slaw cut the richness of the dish perfectly. This plate got a lot of looks from a couple diners around me and the common comment was how creative the twists on classic dishes are here. I almost couldn’t finish this plate and the regular version comes with another sausage and a bit more of the other goodies so beware~it’s a big plate and a full meal.

The dessert I chose was Dale’s Key Lime Pie and seeing that it was National Pie Day on my visit I thought it was a totally appropriate choice, served with Chantilly, toasted coconut and lime zest on a graham cracker crust. It was a killer pie and hit the spot, the filling was just tart enough and it was light and airy, if you’ve never had it before it’s a must try. The other option is a root beer float that is super popular and worth checking out as well.

If you haven’t been in yet to Ensemble Tap it’s a perfect reason and a great way to get a real taste of Ensemble Tap.

The Four Seasons Vancouver YEW Restaurant and Bar

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Sean

If you’re looking for a treat meal one place to definitely keep in mind is YEW restaurant and bar in the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver.

The room is huge and beautifully decorated, the huge fireplace is a great divider between the open dining room and the bar/lounge area. The service here is top-notch and your every need is taken care of effortlessly, the staff are very knowledgeable on the menu and take the time to answer any questions you could have.

Canadian chef Ned Bell came on board as the Executive Chef for YEW in August 2011 and the menu was completely reworked to what we have now, he brings his own food philosophy ‘Globally Inspired and Locally Created,’ – a process that begins with premium ingredients, sourcing the best of what is available locally and seasonally, and then focusing on flavor to the YEW space and to the menu and it totally shows.

I started with a Kronenbourg Blanc for $8 and glass, this is a favorite beer of mine. It’s light and has a lavender floral note sightly, it was perfect to cut through the richness of my main and also works with a variety of different foods~if your new to drinking beer give this one a try.

This was my main and man did it hit the spot!, delicious lobster mac and cheese with corn and an amazing creamy sauce tied it all together nicely.

At $22 a bowl its on the high-end but it’s worth it if you’re looking for a treat, there was lobster chunks through out and the lobster was cooked perfectly, the tender buttery pieces of lobster melts in your mouth and its bathed in a rich buttery sauce that isn’t cheesy. The sprinkling of bread crumbs on top were the perfect garnish.

For dessert I went with their dessert trio. It features all three of their dessert tapas and for $8 it’s a great deal. They also have fresh berry pies and fresh fruit crumble on the menu if that’s more of what you’re looking for and also they offer a cheese selection.

Duck egg custard tart was first up, it was a rich and creamy custard with hints of vanilla, the pastry for the tart was the perfect vessel for this yummy dessert. The one thing i was concerned with when ordering this was the duck egg flavor and if it would be to intense but I didn’t taste any kind of eggy flavor in the dish.

This is a Australian Candied Sugar Cherry Ravioli in a young coconut pineapple consomme. It’s molecular gastronomy and was a blast to eat, you take it like a shooter and when you squish the cherry ravioli it explodes in your mouth and you taste a flood of sweet cherry juice. I could throw back 5 or 6 of these!

Finally we have the Espresso Banana Milk Chocolate Lollipop. The espresso is in the homemade marshmallow that encapsulates the lollipop, inside the milk chocolate is semi soft and melts in your mouth, all of the flavors combined with a definite treat.

If your interested in checking out YEW feel free to visit there website here and if you’re looking for a great hotel check out the Vancouver Four Seasons website here and follow them on Twitter @FSVancouver .

La Belle Patate Traditional Québécois Poutine

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Sean

La Belle Patate opened it’s doors on Davie Street a couple of years ago and the West End and rest of Vancouver was introduced to what a traditional Québécois poutine should be and taste like.

Since they’ve opened I’ve added a couple notches to my belt eating their delish poutine and now it seems if I have poutine someplace else I’m comparing it to La Belle~they make a damn great product it my conclusion that I haven’t found anyplace else in Vancouver and if you have never been you should go~NOW!

The restaurant itself is cozy and there is lots of seating, Canucks games and other sporting events are played on flat screens and they are licensed to serve beer, wine and hard liquor.

The menu is pretty large featuring choices of poutines and a selection of Montreal Steamies (hot dogs), Smoked Meat sandwiches and grilled cheese.

On this visit I grabbed some takeout poutine featuring my favorite kind and one that I have never had before so on to the food!

First up is my favorite-the Montreal Smoked Meat poutine in the small size. For $7.50 you get a good amount of smoked meat and they chop it in nice big chunks. The cheese curds here are nice and squeaky and I believe they get them weekly from Quebec. The gravy or sauce used here is vegetarian and not too salty.

This is one that I have never tried, the hotdog poutine or Poutine saucisse, it has there Montreal steamies fried on the flat top first and then mixed with sauce and cheese curds. It was pretty good but I think I’ll stick to my Montreal Smoked Meat poutine- I liked the flavor more and it felt more decadent, I could see this being awesome with kids though.

Dunn’s Famous Open’s in Vancouver

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Sean

Dunn’s Famous has opened up shop in Downtown Vancouver and it’s being embraced with open arms by tourist’s and locals.

Myer Dunn founded Dunn’s Famous Restaurant in 1927. Due to Myer Dunn’s unique recipes and high quality standards, Dunn’s Famous quickly became a local institution for Montrealers and visitors alike.

I made my visit on their 3rd day after opening and the place was packed but because it was just me dining I was able to get a table right away. The space is big and split into 2 rooms~one bigger open space with the bar in front with nice high ceilings and a smaller space up some stairs in the back that’s more intimate but one complaint~they have the tables packed pretty tight so getting up and moving between the table next to you and going to the bathroom or leaving if you’re sitting along the wall on the wall banquettes is very, very tight space wise, other than that the seating is really comfortable.

Food wise seeing this was my first visit and real experience with Dunn’s~I had a sandwich once at the Costco lunch counter and it wasn’t good~the meat was really dry and I was thoroughly disappointed but this place is a world of difference. I ordered a 6oz Super Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich for $10.99 with a Poutine Québécois upgrade for $3.50, the sandwich plate also comes with coleslaw and a dill pickle. You also gave a couple other options for side dishes for your sandwich like Caesar salad for a bit cheaper than the poutine option.

The poutine Québécois was not was I was expecting, the cheese curds were not squeaky like a true Quebec cheese curds should be, other than that the poutine sauce was flavorful and the cheese curds did taste good despite not being the texture they should have been. I’d order there poutine again as a meal on its own because some of the options they have look really good and they offer a smoked meat poutine that I’d like to try.

This is the standard side that comes with every sandwich plate, the coleslaw here is a vinaigrette based slaw with the cabbage finely shredded and there is also some carrots in the mix. For me this slaw was kind of bland, the vinaigrette didn’t come through and I’ve realized that I like creamy dressed slaw~I’m also hoping that there still working there kinks out in the kitchen and things will improve with the sides. The pickle on the other hand was delicious and made up for the slaw let down.

This was the real star of the plate and meal. This is a small sandwich that is a 6 ouncer on light rye with mustard and it’s not toasted unless you ask.

You have the option of light, medium and fatty for your meat~you didn’t have this choice at Costco and it made a great difference, I went with medium and the meat was melt in your mouth tender and was stacked super high as you can see!

Over all my first experience at Dunn’s was pretty good and I left with a full belly, I saw some huge plates of food going out and I’m looking forward to going back and trying some of their other signature sandwiches~the double decker Ruben looked pretty amazing and the couple sitting next to me from Montreal did give the thumbs up for authenticity of food so I’d say that Dunn’s is going to settle in quite nicely in the Vancouver dining scene . You can check out the Dunn’s BC website here and there also on Facebook.

Edible Canada At The Market

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Sean

Edible Canada and the Granville Island Public Market has opened it’s doors and is offering something that is a perfect fit on the island and is serving up some authentic local fare that is partially sourced right from the on site public market. It’s more than just restaurant here though, they offer public market tours, chef table market dinners and one of the best patios in Vancouver.

They also offer a store featuring all Canadian products, you can also get Championship BBQ Pit Master Rockin’ Ron Shewchuk’s BBQ pulled pork that’s vacuumed sealed and just needs to be reheated and enjoyed. One other thing to note is all the planter boxes outside contained edible items, from the one pictured with different lettuces to flowering lemon thyme and other herbs and they also feature electric vehicle recharging stations in front for you to use for free.

The purpose for this visit was to try there burger and there fries but these aren’t just ordinary fries-there cooked in duck fat and served with a bacon aioli!

My burger was made from meat sourced from the market and was cooked perfectly, the toppings were BC double smoked bacon, Canadian cheddar cheese, farm fresh heirloom tomatoes and it’s served with a homemade ketchup and housemate dill pickle served on a house made roll. I love the idea of a burger made completely from local products, the burger itself was OK, the meat like I said was cooked perfectly but the local greens on top added a grassy flavor and the housemate pickle was a disappointment-it tasted like was seaweed smells like and didn’t work with me, other than that the other ingredients of my burger were good.

Next up we have the duck fat fries, I loved the extra flavor from the duck fat and the fries were really crispy and I wish more places offered these. The bacon aioli is a bit on the salty side but I love the idea and this was a good way to really see what their homemade ketchup tasted like, compared to the famous brand we all grew up with this one was more sweet than sour. One negative was the fact a lot of my fries were small-like little fry nibs, once I got thru the big ones on top the rest of the fry cone was these fry nibs-perfect for poutine but not on their own.

At the end of the day the rest of the menu at Edible Canada is really good and they provide the best dining value for your buck on Granville Island and is the best way to sample some real Canadian cuisine.

Recipe To Riches Week 3 Product Tasting

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Sean

With the Food Network Canada show Recipe To Riches entering its 3rd week and the appetizer category being decided I couldn’t wait for this product to hit the shelves. John had some stiff competition from contestants offering and Italian favorite-sausage stuffed olives that were breaded and fried and mini Tourtière pies and the chicken grenades came out on top and John won $25,000 and a version of his product in all stores that sell Presidents Choice products.

Big in stature, John Grass is a former university football player with an equally big heart. The tough guy with a soft side worked as an orderly at a hospital while in school who now helps operate a seniors home that’s owned and operated by his family. As with football, he’s fanatical about food and spent 3 years developing the recipe for his awesome appetizer. You can see his winning episode here and also get his original recipe here is you’re looking to make the chicken grenades from scratch.

They come completely raw and I was surprised to see them skewered already. After letting them sit for 5 mins while my oven was heating up they separated nicely and you also have the option to cook these on the BBQ but they can’t be done in the microwave. Price wise they come in at $8.99 for 10 pieces.

They are pieces of chicken with 2 different cheeses, pieces of jalapeno, sweet apple pepper jelly and all wrapped up in glorious bacon. It also looks like there is some seasoning that has a nice smokey hot flavor to it. The box says to cook them at 425 for 17-20 mins but because I have a convection oven I had to alter my temps to between 375-400 so they wouldn’t come out cremated.

They still came out a bit dark and the jelly burnt around the grenades but the actual product was in good shape. The skewers also make it out OK without looking like they had been through a forest fire.

I really enjoyed these and can see how they would be a popular hit served up watching your favorite sporting event and washed down with a beer or two.

Milestones Grill and Bar English Bay

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Sean

Milestones at English Bay is a longtime standard summertime hangout for me because of the killer patio overlooking English Bay and the tasty drinks they offer. With the renovations done to the chain the interior is like the Robson street location which makes for great daytime dining and intimate dimly lit evening dinners.

I live right around the corner from this location so it’s really convenient and a solid stand by when I have a late night at work and want dinner later in the evening without going to a loud bar.

Heineken Draft $7.99. I started out with a big beer and from what they had on tap this was the most appealing choice for me. The size of the glass surprised me-it’s one big beer so I got my moneys worth.

Crispy Asian Chicken Bites $9.99-tossed in a Thai chili sauce with cucumber and toasted sesame seeds. I really liked these boneless chicken bites, the sauce was more heat than sweet and the bites were all crispy and juicy. I’d defiantly order this again.

Milestones Beef Burger with the American topping add-on $12.99+$1.50. All the burgers come with the usual lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle, you also get your choice of fries or salad-I added the extra .99 for yam frites.

The burger is juicy and the double smoked bacon was nice and fried perfectly. The yam frites were so so-they reminded me of cremated yam strings!, the plate comes with a southern aioli that is really heavy on the cumin.

Milestones continues to be a go to choice for a sold meal and the menu is big enough without reading like a novel so you’re sure to find something that will satisfy your hunger.

Milestones on Robson-Old And New Favorites

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Sean

I grabbed lunch at Milestones on Robson St a couple of days ago and I was surprised by the new interior redesign~lots of black and pops of orange and fake snake skin chairs.

With alot of new items on the menu I went with a new appy and an old standard main for my lunch and here’s what I got:

Trio Of Roasted Mushroom and Goat Cheese Risotto Balls $10.99, A lightly fried panko crusted medley of roasted mushroom risotto, creamy goat cheese and Reggiano cheese, served with a chili Arrabiata sauce.

These were really good, the goat cheese wasn’t to strong and the risotto was still creamy on the inside with a really crispy outside because of the panko, the sauce tasted more like a tomato sauce rather than a chili sauce, the parm was tasty and I the size of the appy was large and could be shared by 2 people.

Grilled Chicken Salad $14.99, hand shaven chicken breast, crispy red tortilla strips and cilantro, tossed with a honey lime vinaigrette and drizzled with peanut sauce. This has been a favorite salad of mine over the years and nothing besides the presentation style has changed much for the dish itself~the ingredients are still exactly the same and it’s just as enjoyable but man the price has really gone up, I remember when this salad was like $10 bucks!.

At the end of the day my lunch was good food quality wise but value for dollar just wasn’t there for me, Milestones is a what you would expect from a chain restaurant but theirs other places~like one across from this Milestones, that are more innovative in my eyes.

Jack Layton’s Final Letter Turned Into Art

Image

Art director Stuart Thursby has taken Jack Layton’s final message to Canadians and turned it into visual art that can be appreciated by one and all in my eyes and I wanted to share it with you all and can seen with the creators other work on Stuart Thursby’s webpage.