Jeong Ga Nae (정가네)

Lately, my family has been eating a lot of Korean food. The lack of decent Chinese food within a 30 minute radius forces us to find lunch in other places. Jeong Ga Nae took over the spot of an old, failing, Korean barbeque restaurant. They serve similar dishes though. I suggested we try this newly opened restaurant when my grandma came in to have lunch with us.

On a Thursday afternoon, we were seated promptly in the small restaurant. I'm guessing there are less than twenty tables in total. Two or three other tables had customers already eating rice and noodle dishes. After placing our order, it took a while for the waitress to bring us hot tea and side dishes. Since we ordered two stews, two bowls of rice were included. The bowls are extremely hot, so be careful not to burn your hand! I was pleasantly surprised to find that they served purple rice. Now I'm not 100% sure if the rice itself is purple or the darker rice just dyed the white rice purple. The bibimbap also uses the same purple rice, so I'm assuming that there is no plain white rice served here.

Hot Stone Pot Bibimbap ($9.95)

Their 돌솥 비빔밥 is called 'Mixed Vegetable in Hotpot' on the menu. It is filled with vegetables like carrots, shiitake mushrooms, lettuce, zucchini, and bean sprouts. There is a bit of ground beef and a whole egg to make this dish a well balanced meal. I appreciate how they take care when frying the egg to ensure it's runny when it gets to your table. Some restaurants over cook the egg, and that's no fun at all. One of the two waitresses came to our table to help us mix (비빔) the rice (밥). Now you know the literal meaning of bibimbap. Mix rice. Verb object structure as my Mandarin teacher would say. Anyways, I'm not sure if it is because they always do that or they thought since we weren't Korean that we didn't know how to do anything. I was slightly disappointed to find that there wasn't much of a crunchy rice layer to be found, even though the stone bowl was super hot. The non-traditional bibimbap at Kimbap Cheonguk is much better. Either the rice wasn't actually cooked in the pot or it didn't get heated up for long enough. Besides that, this simple dish is delicious and very filling. I love it mixed with a bit of the hot sauce they provide you with. Oh, and it comes with a small bowl of broth. Very garlic-y.   

Potato Pork Bone Soup ($8.95)

The next dish we shared was the pork bone soup. There were at least four large bones with a bit of meat stuck to each of them. It's not an expensive cut of meat, but this is a common Korean stew. It's a larger size than the tofu soup below. The look of the liquid looks very similar to the tofu one as well, but the flavours are distinctly different. This one has a stronger onion and garlic flavour. It's an okay stew, nothing spectacular. I probably wouldn't order this again if I was just eating it myself.

Spicy Tofu Soup ($8.95)

Yes, it's another gif of a boiling soup. The second time is not as  cool... When ordering this tofu soup, there are four addition choices. Kimchi, pork, beef, or seafood. My mom went with beef. There are a lot of really large chunks of smooth tofu in this small bowl, I really like eating it with the rice. Diced onion and zucchini are also thrown in there. Near the end, I discovered that they had actually put a whole egg into the soup. All the white and yolk had been completed cooked by the boiling soup. I recommend this one over the pork bone stew. Plus, this one comes bubbling and the other one doesn't, not nearly as exciting.

My mom liked how the food here was not overly salty, like some other Korean restaurants we've been to on North Road. Korean food is spicy enough; there is no need for excess amounts of added sodium. Three dishes fed 4 people, coming to a total of just under $30 before tips. 

Many of the other customers in the restaurant were Korean, so that is a good sign. If I come back again, I would like to try their cold noodles or their shared stews that continue boiling at the stove built into the table. It's essentially a larger portion of a stew that feeds two or more people. 

With a small, but steady, stream of customers trickling in, I can see Jeong Ga Nae becoming an increasingly popular restaurant. They will need more waiters to clean tables and maybe a broader menu in the future, but for now, my first experience here has been positive.  



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Apricot Gouda Scones

At the Eat! Vancouver festival in May, I picked up the spring issue of All You Need is Cheese and one of the recipes that caught my eye were these Apricot Gouda Scones. They are super easy to put together and are very healthy. The whole batch only uses a mere tablespoon of additional fat! Instead, it's the slight moistness of the cheese that seems to hold it together. Cheese can be fattening but I believe a controlled amount of it is in fact good for you. Cheese is also very natural with very few ingredients. It was my first time dealing with gouda cheese; it's like a milder and sweeter version of white cheddar. 

Apricot Gouda Scones

I have an bad luck when it comes to making scones. My batter is never thick enough to turn over on a floured surface to cut into shapes. I tend to have to stick with drop scones instead... 

At the back of the right picture are my fluffy mini quiches. They are so delicious when warm and covered in gooey cheese~

A little bit sweet and a little bit savoury, these scones are unique and make for a great afternoon snack. Warm scones and a cup of tea are the ideal way to wind down after a tiring day, or served with high tea.

Apricot Gouda Scones

Recipe from All You Need is Cheese

Yield: 12 mini scones

Ingredients

• ¼ cup dried apricots, quartered
• ¼ cup apple juice
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ tbsp sugar
• ½ tbsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 oz of gouda, grated
• 1 tbsp coconut butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
2. Place dried apricots in a small saucepan. Add apple juice and bring to a boil. Let simmer 5 minutes, covered, then let cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients with Gouda.
4. Using a fork, incorporate butter into dry ingredients, adding milk while stirring. Fold in the apricot mixture. 
5. Distribute dough in big spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake in oven 12–15 minutes or until scones are golden brown.

 Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Continuing on with the strawberry shortcake theme, I baked up a small batch of these cookies to give away as thank-you gifts. It is my second time making this recipe and both times have been very successful and taste heavenly. Just beware of the fruit juice burning in the oven as the strawberries bubble away. These strawberry shortcake cookies are great way to use up a excess strawberries, although really, when do does one ever have too much fruit? There are two fruit monsters living in my house so fruit is consumed at astonishing rates. 

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Summer is the time to incorporate as much seasonal produce as possible. Berries are such a summer flavour; these cookies are sure to disappear very quickly from the cookie jar. Maybe I'll attempt using other fresh fruit the next time I make these. Blackberry honey cookies....mmm~~

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Baby Strawberry Whole Wheat Shortcakes

Baby Strawberry Whole Wheat Shortcakes

These miniature sized shortcakes are too adorable! They are the perfect size for high tea; slightly smaller than the circumference of a regular cupcake. May I mention that besides the whipped cream, they are fat-free and vegan? Talk about the perfect summer dessert! These shortcakes look absolutely stunning when served on a platter. Anything baby-sized is cute.

I chose to use strawberries because they are currently in season and super cheap to buy. I also like how it is possible to slice the strawberries and use the tips to make a star shape. To make this dessert look even better, opt to use a pipping bag to add the whipped cream. I ran out and had just plopped it on with an icing spatula. I guess you can say it gives it a more 'homemade/backyard barbeque' look, hahaha! Stabilizing whipped cream will allow the whipped cream to hold it's shape and to sit out on a plate for a long time without deflating and melting all over the place. Very important when you plan to eat for 4 hours on a summer's day.

Baby Strawberry Whole Wheat Shortcakes

Shortcake recipe from Better Homes & Gardens magazine

Yield: 9

Ingredients

Shortcakes

• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• ½ cup + 3 tbsp whipping cream

Stabilized Whipped Cream (not vegan; Peanut Crumpet's vegan whipped cream can be found here)

• ½ cup whipping cream
• ½ tsp powdered gelatin
• ½ tbsp cold water
• Honey, to taste

Topping

• Sliced strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
2. In a large bowl combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add whipping cream; stir with a fork just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.  
4. Using a cookie scoop, drop dough mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 inches between mounds.  
5. Bake about 18 minutes or just until the tops begin to brown. Once the shortcakes are finished baking, allow them to cool completely before assembling.
6. To make stabilized whipped cream, whip whipping cream with an electric beater until soft peaks form.
7. Dissolve powdered gelatin in cold water and add it immediately to whipped cream.
8. Continue beating until incorporated. Sweeten with honey to taste and continue beating until stiff peaks. Store in fridge until ready to use.
9. To assemble, slice the shortcakes into half horizontally using a sharp knife and a gentle hand. Smear a dollop of whipped cream on the bottom side and arrange strawberry slices (or bits) on top. Smear a bit more whipped cream on the top half of the shortcake as 'glue' and sandwich on top. For more decoration, add a bit of whipped cream on the very top of the whole shortcake and top with half a strawberry. (Wow, how many times did I use the word 'top' in this step?)
10. Best eaten immediately, or can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡ 

DIY Summer High Tea

DIY Summer High Tea

Tuesday June twenty-fifth, the day every single one of us has finally been released from the grasp of year end exams. And what better way to celebrate together than a five hour catch-up gossip session over high tea? Paying to experience high tea at a fancy cafe Downtown is not within our poor student budget, and making food ourselves allows us to have a wider variety of food. Our specialty is eating, and eating a lot. This is just the beginning of an awesome summer vacation, with many more get-togethers involving food to come. 

Here is the menu for the Summer High Tea. Please see the recipe posts for more photos!

Clockwise from top left corner: Fruit Jello Parfait, Earl Grey Cupcake, Salad (sans dressing), Green Tea Macaron, savoury bottom tier, Lemon bars

Fresh Salad with Orange Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Open-faced Cucumber Sandwich with Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese

Open-faced Avocado Sandwich

Classic Club Sandwich

Black Tea-Infused Garlic Miso Chicken Salad Cone

Bell Pepper, Green Onion, and Gouda Fluffy Mini Quiche 

Mini Beef and Cheese Sandwich Roll

Apricot Gouda Scone

Baby Strawberry Whole Wheat Shortcake

Earl Grey Cupcake

Matcha Macaron with Chocolate Ganache

Lemon Bar

Fruit Jello Parfait

Love from Papaya and Coconut Crumpet and Co.

Denny's: "Fourth of July" Breakfast

Bright and early on a Saturday morning, my family drove down south to take my aunt shopping at the Seattle Outlets. There are not very many restaurants open at 6am for breakfast; Denny's is open 24 hours. Coming here for breakfast is the first stop on my family's seasonal trip to the states, and this time was no exception.

Denny's Bellingham

We usually order from the 2-4-6-8 dollar menu; basic pancake and eggs  breakfast is only $4 and with toast and drinks is $6. However on this past visit, the new menu was patriotically themed for the upcoming Independence Day. Since the prices were not too expensive, we gave it a try.

Red, White, and Blue Pancakes & Apple Pie French Toast

Both breakfasts came with two eggs, shredded hashbrowns, and a choice of meat (bacon or sausage). Coffee is not included.

On the left is the pancakes my mom shared with my aunt and my dad shared with me. Pretty much all plates served at Denny's is can feed at least two people. The red came from strawberries, white from whipped cream and icing, and blue from the blueberries incorporated into the pancakes. They're all concentrated in the center of the pancake, which is not the most convenient when you want a bit of everything in each bite. Thankfully they didn't skimp out on giving you blueberries. For some reason, I thought the pancake base wasn't as fluffy as their plain pancakes. Besides that, these were acceptable and worth the $7 for the set.

My brother had the whole Apple Pie French Toast to himself. It was about the same price as the pancakes. The french toast is topped with cooked apples, strudel, and caramel sauce. Uhhh...can someone say carb (more specifically glucose) overload? I took one bite of this and thought it was way. to. sweet. And that's coming from a person who can eat three plates of dessert. Also, the sauce soaks into the bread and makes it soggy after a while. French toast without the crunchy outside is no good to me. As you can see, I didn't like this one. But of course, my brother cleared it anyways.

At the Bellingham location right next to Bellis Fair mall, the service is has been pretty good. But I can only speak for the waitresses that work in the morning hours at around 7am when it isn't too busy. Very patient, friendly, and cheerful, even during the early hours. Coffee is filled constantly, cream is brought even before we ask, and they come and check up on you every now and then. When I remember, I usually am able to find a 20% off coupon on the internet. But even without the coupon, the total cost is very low. The portions here are "truly American", as my aunt said. That allows us to feed 5 people for under $30, becausee we only needed to order 3 plates. This is why my family has adjusted our road trip schedule to have breakfast at Denny's instead of the Burger King next door. We pay $20 for 4 people either way. Might as well be at a sit down restaurant with real plates and cutlery instead of a deserted fast food establishment.

Being a health nut, I have a thing against chain restaurants. But I have to put that snobbishness of mine aside when I'm traveling in the states. Calorie counting and portion control is non-existent; my family burns it off with a 10 hours worth of shopping. Yes, my father and brother are extremely well trained when it comes to waiting for women to finish shopping. I know Denny's is a very popular breakfast spot for us Canadians traveling down the states. My family will continue making this our default breakfast stop during our road trips. 

Bellingham on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Cherry Fruit Juice & Icy Bar

The weather is warming up, which means I'm allowed to eat ice cold desserts again! One of my all time favourite cold treats is found at Cherry Fruit Juice & Icy Bar. There are two locations in Greater Vancouver; one is at the Crystal Mall food court in Burnaby and the other is at the Parker Place food court in Richmond. I have been to both and the quality and quantity is exactly the same.

3 Mix Icy ($4.25) and 8 Treasures Icy

On the vast menu, there are mainly pre-matched drink combinations or create-your-own. I usually opt for the later, which are called '3 mix' or '4 mix' drinks. The top two tall cups are both 3 mix drinks. The left includes canned lychee, almond pudding, and blueberries. The right is my usual default of grass jelly, red bean, and one other random item that seems to catch my attention. All icy drinks have shaved ice (just frozen water) and coconut milk. 

Seok Gi Si Dae 석기시대

Men like meat. That's kind of an unavoidable fact of life. My brother chose to celebrate his commencement with a dinner at Korean barbeque. Seok Gi Si Dae is a very homey restaurant run by a family of three near Koreatown that specializes in samkyeopsal (pork belly) and galbi (boneless beef rib). The parents prep in the kitchen and the son serves the guests.

We made a reservation at 6pm and found only two other tables eating at the time of our arrival on a Sunday evening. Originally, we were reserved a table in the larger area where you are seated on the ground. The tables are longer there and can fit more people. However, my grandparents were also coming and they are unable to sit on the floor. So we had to all squish at a small table with chairs. This resulted in my sitting right in front of the stove. It can get pretty warm and beware of the splashing oil. I had to put my cardigan back on to avoid getting tiny burns all over my arms... This is probably a benefit of having a longer table. I want to sit on the floor next time, more traditional and adds to the experience!

The menu is small, very small. There are only two choices of meet on the menu, and I believe they now have bulgogi as well for about $25 per serving. I've read that their servings are very plentiful and can fill much more than just one belly. It comes with unlimited side dishes and accompaniments to wrap the grilled meat, one small stone pot of soup, and kimchi fried rice at the very end. It's the full package with the price printed on the menu. The waiter said for our table of seven, a minimum order of six servings is needed. So we went with 4 galbi and 2 samkyeopsal. I think we enjoyed the beef more than the pork, as the pork gets pretty oily... Next time I would order one less pork.

Seok Gi Si Dae Menu

After ordering, all the side dishes (banchan) and wrapping ingredients were served. My family is so funny, we thought the lettuce with julienned green onions and hot sauce was a salad and started eating it before the meat came. Turns out it is supposed to go into the wrap...whoops. The kimchi and picked bean sprouts are put on the grill at the beginning to heat and crisp up. The hot plate is on a tilt, allowing the oils from the meats to flow down, through the kimchi, and into a little bowl under the opening at the end of the board. The kimchi and bean sprouts are also wrapped with some of the meat, but don't eat it all! It'll be used to make the kimchi fried rice at the end. The waiter had to come refill our grilled kimchi a few times since we kept eating it all. Warning: Do not come here if you're on a diet. This meal is full of fat, mwahahaha!

Side Dishes

Bean Sauce & Sesame Oil

Mosaic Bar & Grille: Coconut Crumpet's Turn

What time is it? SUMMER TIME! Coconut Crumpet has finally been freed from school (for two months), and what better way to start my vacation than with some fancy food?

I managed to convince my parents to bring me downtown to have dinner right after I took my last exam. Factors that helped me convince them were that my aunt was in town for the week, and my brother's prom was in Downtown and we had to drive him there anyways. After much consultation, suggestions, and research, I made a reservation at Mosaic Bar & Grille inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Burrard Street, as recommended by Peanut Crumpet. Her review can be found here.

Traffic was horrendous that evening; roads were blocked off, it was rush hour, and it was Friday night. It took almost one and a half hours to reach Downtown, by then my stomach was growling. Before leaving the house, I called Hyatt to ask about their parking prices. It is extremely expensive, probably going to cost $30, so park at Pacific Centre instead for $6 during after-hours (i.e. dinnertime), it's only a few blocks away.

Mosaic Bar & Grille is on the second level of the hotel. We were seated by the window with great natural lighting for food photography and a view of the street to do some people watching. The menu isn't very vast, but the ingredients are seasonal. On one side are appetizers and main courses, and the other side is build-your-own main course. You can choose a protein (either 4 oz or 8 oz), two vegetable sides, a starch, a sauce, and a broth(?) There is also a tasting menu for $45, it's a good deal but I didn't try it this time. 

Bella Gelateria

The best gelato in the world? Possibly found right at home at Bella Gelateria. 

Black Sesame and To Die For Banana Bread Gelato ($6.43)

This is my third encounter with Bella Gelateria, and it definitely won't be my last! Especially since the summer season has just begun. After a very enjoyable experience at Mosaic Bar & Grille, we decided to find dessert elsewhere. My aunt is quite like me, loves to shop and eat sweets. Bella Gelateria was not only close by, but also an ideal place to bring my visiting aunt. We arrived at around 8pm and there was only a short line up that led out the door (don't worry, the door is very close to the counter). We also snagged a table as soon as we saw one. There isn't a lot of seating indoors, but in the summer, many people take their ice cream outside where there are quite a few benches on the sidewalk. You can do some people watching as you enjoy eating this creamy deliciousness.

Nutella-stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt and Brown Butter

A classic with a classic-Can we call this a double classy cookie? 

Sushi California with Two Nutty Crumpets

Schools out and the sun's shining, it would be a pity to waste it at home. After writing numerous paragraphs in fellow classmates' yearbooks, Peanut Crumpet and Coconut Crumpet went to fill their growling tummies with some sushi. And Sushi California was the closest stop that also fits our student budget.

Peanut Crumpet had an Avocado Roll ($2.95) and Coconut Crumpet an Unagi Roll ($3.95). A review on the unagi roll and other items from Sushi California can be found here. There isn't much to say about these two rolls, as they are both very simple. 

Gomae Salad ($3.25)

We shared two appetizers, both of which we really enjoyed. The Gomae Salad is fresh seaweed with sesame oil. This is sold at T&T Supermarket or in a large tub from Costco. Nevertheless it's an aromatic and delicious dish of fresh algae. 

Wakama Salad ($3.50)

The second appetizer we shared was the Wakama Salad. It's cooked spinach smothered in a peanut sauce. We dipped pieces of rice into the remaining peanut sauce. I'm pretty sure its the same sauce they drizzle on the Spinach Crab Roll. Obviously Peanut Crumpet loves this.

In addition to the Fried Oysters, these two appetizers are worth ordering if you're wanting some extra food to nibble one between bites of sushi.



Love from Coconut Crumpet & Peanut Crumpet

Joe Forte's Seafood & Chop House

My love for brunch is beginning to rub off on my best friend; smoked salmon has become one of her new favourite foods. At the beginning of 2013, Joe Forte's had a $10 eggs benny special. I took advantage of the awesome deal and had my birthday brunch there with this very best friend of mine. The most recent trip on Sunday was to celebrate her graduation; her mom booked a large table for 12 at Joe Forte's knowing she really enjoyed the smoked salmon eggs benedict from the last visit. It is time to stuff myself silly with eggs and hollandaise sauce again. This will be a compiled review of my two visits so far this year; please excuse my jumping back and forth of events. 

Complimentary Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Sushi California

For an early Father's Day celebration, we met up with my grandparents at their favourite sushi restaurant, Sushi California. Located across from Lougheed Town Centre and the Skytrain station, it's a bustling little restaurant with many customers. I've been visiting Sushi California every now and then for the past few years. The cheap price and decent portions are what draws most customers back.

California Roll ($2.95) & Alaska Roll ($3.95)