Chad's West Coast Bar & Grill

Needing to grab a few groceries from Costco, we decided to give Chad's a try. My mom had visited with her friends for a breakfast not too long ago and commented that it was reasonably good. She also had a $10 off $30 coupon to use, making it the perfect opportunity to dine at Chad's.

The restaurant was quiet for a sunny Sunday afternoon; there was less than 10 tables of people when we stepped in at noon. We were asked whether we would like breakfast or lunch menus, "Both please!" The elderly man that seated us joked about how before 12pm they called it breakfast while after 12 they called it brunch.

It took a while for my ambivalent family to decide what they wanted to eat. Mainly because the menu was limited. Especially the lunch menu. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus combined would be the size of The Coquitlam Grill's breakfast menu. While we considered each and every option, our waitress took our drink orders and brought them to us. My mom was going to ask about the coupon but the waitress kind of cut her off and went to retrieve our drinks instead. When she came back, she offered to help with our decision making, which was professional of her. She mentioned many items that were not listed on the menu, such as french onion soup, barely soup, cream of broccoli soup etc. It would be helpful if there was some sort of 'today's special' menu so that diners know all their options. My mom tried to ask about the coupon again because we had a digital photo of the newspaper ad and not a physical copy. Our waitress asked if she could bring the phone to Chad (the owner) and ask if he will still accept it. Even though we gave her permission to take my mom's phone away with her, it was rather unnecessary(?) Afterwards, two servers simultaneously stressed the point that that they would agree to "make an exception this time" but not "next time". It wasn't a huge deal, but it was a bit overwhelming to have two people speaking very loudly to us at the same time. 

Let's talk food now!

Vegetarian Eggs Benedict ($10)

I'm totally a breakfast person so I went with an order of Vegetarian Eggs Benedict. The plating is elegant and inviting. The eggs were poached medium, still runny on the inside~ The combination of  too much hollandaise sauce and watery tomatoes made the English muffin soggy and tough. Next time I will ask for the sauce on the side. It wasn't a terribly eggs benny but it didn't blow my mind either. The breakfast potatoes were amazing though! Okay, I know it's very likely they are previously frozen but they were super crunchy; I couldn't help but engulf them all. My mom kept stealing a bite every now and then too. After consuming the entire plate, I felt full for the next six hours. Ooph..

S-S-S-Smokin' Southwest Chucky Burger ($12.50)

My dad ordered the S-S-S-Smokin' Southwest Chucky. My mom thought the presentation was impressive, the skyscraper burger and the cute bamboo pick; the small details do matter! My dad said the patty was "plenty lean", his tactful way of saying the patty isn't fatty enough (haha, that rhymes!)

Breakfast Tacos ($10)

The brother decided on the Breakfast Tacos, three toasted tortillas filled with scrambled eggs and pulled pork. I'm glad the tortillas were warmed through, and not completely crunchy (as I prefer soft tortillas). I took a bite of the pulled pork and it was much to sweet for me to want anymore. Nevertheless, the growing boy ate it all.

Sandwich and Salad Lunch Special ($11)

Even though the menu states that the lunch combos are only served from Monday to Friday, they actually allow it every day of the week. So my mom gleefully chose half a Turkey Avocado Club and half a side of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. Impressed by the quality and quantity of both dishes, she thoroughly enjoyed her meal. The turkey burger was generously packed with thick-cut turkey, avocado, crisp vegetables, and a slice of bacon. Her only complaint was that regular sandwich bread would have worked better than the kaiser bun. She loved the balsamic dressed quinoa salad; it had lots of fresh vegetables and a hefty portion of quinoa underneath. This combination makes for a very filling lunch. 

Our waitress came with our bill before we asked for it, indicating that it was brought not to rush us but purely because she would be off work soon. That's fine with us. Her service to us was relatively good throughout, but at times I felt like her pace was hurried for no reason. Perhaps it's her efficient 'get-it-done' personality. With the bill came a $10 coupon that could be used for any purchase, even under $30.

Chad's is open for breakfast everyday starting at 7am, and although there are only a handful of breakfast entrees, all of them are enticing. Especially with the $10 off any purchase, it is a really good deal. I will definitely consider coming back for breakfast, and potentially lunch, but not so much dinner as the menu doesn't provide many options and the prices are pretty high.

 

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Full menus after the jump!

Edible Canada at the Market: Dine Out Vancouver 2014

It's time for Dine Out Vancouver again! Undoubtedly the largest city-wide food event every year. Well over 200 restaurants are participating, making 2014 the biggest Dine Out Vancouver so far. On the opening day of reservations, I went through each and every menu to see which one appealed to me the most. The variety Edible Canada offered seemed most welcoming for a large group with differing taste buds. I quickly made reservations through OpenTable for a Saturday night, as weekends fill up very quickly. As a side note, I really wanted to go to Bistro 101 as their menu was awesome and super affordable, but it was booked solid within the morning hours of opening day. Crazy huh?

Dine Out Vancouver 2014 at Edible Canada Bistro

Located smack dab in the centre of Granville Island, Edible Canada caters to many tourist. Usually that is a negative connotation but Vancouverites have left relatively positive reviews for the little restaurant. There is very limited free parking around the island, so expect to pay for parking, at least up until 7pm. Since our reservation was for 6:15pm, we only had to pay one hour of parking ($3.50 per hour). 

Seating inside Edible Canada Bistro

I was surprised at how small Edible Canada actually is. For some reason,  I envisioned it to be much larger. The photo above captures the entire seating area, with a few tables hiding behind the people in the forefront.

Part of the kitchen is open

There are two entrances to the restaurant; one that enters the little store in the back and another by the open kitchen. Servers will greet guests at both ends. I came a few minutes earlier than my reservation, but were seated amply at 6:15. 

Dine Out menu

Although I knew I would be ordering off the Dine Out menu, it's nice to know that their regular a-la-carte menu is also an option. Edible Canada prides itself in using seasonal and local ingredients and I think their menu certainly utilizes winter produce well!

An important note: the Fried BC Mountain Scallops are not actually scallops. 'Mountain Scallops' is euphony for sheep testicles. The waitress serving my parent's table explained that in detail while our waiter simply said "it's lamb." Not knowing exactly what it was, my friend bravely tried it. There was one small piece, the size of a slice of tomato. He commented it just tasted like chicken...

Crispy Humboldt Squid

Since 'scallops' were no longer an option for me, I chose to have the Crispy Humboldt Squid for my appetizer, and I am so glad I did. While the calamari I often have at My Greek Taverna is not half bad, it's been a while since I've had calamari this good. As a reference point, the best calamari I've ever had was at Market by Jean Georges at the Shangri-la Hotel; Edible Canada's is extremely similar. Super, super, super tender and bouncey, my jaw muscles didn't have an intense work out to bite through these. The batter was light and crispy, thinly coating each 'finger' of squid. Each piece was about a centimetre in width so each bite was meaty. It was divine! The squid ink aioli was yes, intriguing, but no, not flavourful. Squid ink doesn't have a dominant flavour, it's more for the colour contrast. The shaved fennel salad on the side was delicious! It was my first time trying fennel, and I've heard non-stop glorification for this little used plant. True to descriptions, fennel has a mild licorice flavour. Not overpowering, but a very unique taste. Thin slices of fennel were accompanied with some thinly sliced radish and, I believe, apple for sweetness. 

Celeriac & Apple Soup

Since my brother isn't a seafood eater (nor a lamb testicle eater), he ordered the Celeriac and Apple Soup. The portion is on the smaller side, but that's acceptable since it's only an appetizer. I had a little spoonful and the soup was very creamy and kind of sweet. There are little chunks of apple that add a little crunch.

Seared Lois Lake Steelhead

Despite having salmon pretty often (love living in Vancouver!), this Seared Lois Lake Steelhead dish was impressive. Lighting tapping the skin with my fork, I knew the skin was super crispy. Quoting my brother, who is a picky seafood eater and also had the same dish, it was a "fish I know I will enjoy." The crispy skin had to be the highlight of the fish. Unlike my last year's Dine Out experience at The Boathouse, the fish was just cooked, keeping the middle moist and smooth. (Regarding The Boathouse: A seafood restaurant overcooking fish is a failure. And halibut too!) My meal at Edible Canada opened up opportunities to try many new foods, and sunchokes are next! Also known as a Jerusalem Artichoke, these ginger-looking root vegetables have a texture between an artichoke and a potato. They were cooked until super soft but with a crispy side and I thought they were delicious! If only they were more readily available at the supermarket. I haven't had the best experiences with cooked kale at home; mine were tough and tasteless so I've been sticking to kale chips. But the kale here changed my mind. It was not completely limp and wilted, but it was soft enough to chew without too much effort and seasoned just right. The bits of boar bacon really added a punch of smoky flavour. I'm no advocate for bacon (please don't hate me) and usually avoid it. But the little slivers sprinkled over the kale just took the dish to a whole new level. It was what bacon should always taste like.

Left: Bacon Ice Cream Sundae, Right: Chili Dark Chocolate Pudding

I didn't notice all the supplementary costs until after I made the reservation. While I understand that some ingredients are costly, it kind of defeats the purpose of a prix fix menu. That leaves diners with three options per course instead of the seemingly five options. This Bacon Ice Cream Sundae was an additional $2 but the description really lured me in. Brownie? Ginger? Ice cream? You see, I love the idea of a hot and cold dessert. To my dismay, this was nothing like I envisioned. The presentation was cute, but the quality did not match the other two dishes I had that night. The brownie bits where packed full of ginger flavour which I loved, but it was hard, dry, and much too chewy. And although I'm not a fan of bacon, there was one, exactly one, no more than one tiiiiiiiny piece of bacon in the whole dessert. That is not an exaggeration. My brother kept eating my dessert hoping to come across a piece of bacon. I ended up finding that one piece. It had no distinct smokiness like the boar bacon, in fact I think it didn't match the dessert whatsoever. There was also a few whole pieces of walnut, but it didn't even taste toasted so it was rather out of place as well. Overall a very disappointing dessert.

In contrast, the Chili Dark Chocolate Pudding was heavenly. Thick, luscious, smooth, and rich, this pudding ranks as one of the best chocolate puddings I've ever had. My brother is learning well from watching Food Network; the chocolate pudding had a "peppermint feel, but backwards." Meaning that he anticipated a cooling effect but felt a bit of heat instead at the back of the throat. It's quite an interesting experience! The chili wasn't super strong, but it gave a little kick as it moved down the esophagus. I wish I had gotten a few more spoonfuls of the dessert! 

The portions were, to be tactful, dainty. I felt the portions were just right as I didn't leave feeling like I had consumed enough to last me for a week. But those with a bigger appetite may not feel satisfied. My friend's grandparents ordered the Kurobuta Pork Belly and it was teensy tiny. Three pieces would've been needed to fill them up reasonably. The most filling entree would be the Lamb &  Barley Stew; my mom had that and she said the flavours were right on and the portion was generous. My best friend splurged and paid an extra $20 for her Filet Mignon. That was a full dish with a 6 ounce serving of steak, a large square of some vegetable gratin, and a handful of roasted vegetables. I mean for that much more money, it better have been filling! 

The service differed depending on the server. The waitress serving my parents table appeared much more enthusiastic and willing to serve. My waiter, however, left something to be desired. Our water was filled very regularly, so I can't say we got zero service. But it was all done without a word or smile. My friend said that he felt the waiter was actually picking on us due to our young(er) age. We just didn't get a very good vibe from our waiter. What angered my parent's table the most was how unprofessionally another waiter told them to leave. He came by once and said "we need this table shortly" and then came back again and sternly said "we need this table VERY shortly." My mom's friend wasn't even finished her coffee and we had been in the restaurant for less than one and a half hours. This left a bitter aftertaste to their experience at Edible Canada.

I recommend sticking to the dishes without additional costs as they taste even better than the ones that cost more. (Such as the pork belly and the sundae). Overall the quality of the food is good, nothing was over cooked and the flavours were balanced. On a scale of ten, I would give this meal a seven.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Cactus Club Cafe at Coal Harbour

Cactus Club Cafe at Coal Harbour

Cactus Club Cafe opened it's newest location sitting on the edge of Coal Harbour at the beginning of 2013. The spanking new interior and fancy design create fantastic ambiance. 

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Torch

I usually have quite the bad impression on chain restaurants, but since my aunt was in town and spontaneously invited us to have lunch with her in Downtown, a foodie can't say no. 

'Indoor patio' with windows that completely open to Coal Harbour

This particular Cactus Club is situated right beside Vancouver's Olympic torch at the Vancouver Convention Centre, making it a great tourist magnet. The restaurant is extremely large with outdoor seating lining the exterior and tons of tables inside. We arrived at noon on a summer Saturday and were seated promptly. At first, we wanted to grab a seat under their signature yellow umbrellas outdoors, but I'm so glad they were all full. We ended up sitting at the section facing Coal Harbour. There were huge windows on one side and the roof above, allowing tons of the warm summer sunlight to shine on us. What awed me the most is how the windows could open. The entire side facing the water was now completely open, creating an 'indoor patio'. The seabreeze freely blew in; it really felt like you were outside. If you have the chance to be seated in this area, it is just like the outdoor seating but even better because it has a view! Just the seating alone is worth the visit. The open-air windows was the best part of my experience here.

Cactus Club Menu

Now, I didn't have high hopes for the food, despite what others have said. I've always viewed these 'higher class' chain restaurants like Earl's and The Boathouse as over priced for what you get. Items from fancy sablefish to simple spaghetti and casual tacos can be found on the menu. While examining their menu, I found a lot of dishes to be Asian inspired. Which usually turn out really good or really bad. Since I was dining with my grandparents, we didn't try any of the Asian-esque food. Also, there seems to be some special dishes by Rob Feenie from Food Network Canada which sounds exciting. Do remember that these dishes are not made by the celebrity chef's own hands but mass produced. It makes all the difference.

The Burger

Getting on to what we did eat, both my brother and aunt ordered The Burger. It comes with Sea Salted Fries but you can substitute that with a salad or yam fries for an extra cost. By the way, the yam fries are really good! Fried till crunchy on the outside but still soft and meaty on the inside, yum~ This is probably worth order on the menu as my brother finished this in five minutes flat and my aunt continuously commented on what a great burger it was. When I was chatting with my dad at home, he said when he went to another Cactus Club, he remembers it being really good too. The beef patty is what makes this burger so good. It's juicy and tender. The numerous toppings also make this burger much more exciting. Every traditional burger topping is added, cheese, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, pickles, tomato, lettuce... Which is why this burger is called The Burger. The with a capital T. As a side note, I would avoid ordering the mini burgers because the patty may not be as juicy as the full size.

Raincoast Greens Salad