Mosaic Bar and Grill × VanEats: Mosaic Harvest

VanEats Mosaic Harvest Prix Fix Menu

Exam week, the only period of time during the school year where we actually have nothing to prepare for.  To celebrate, a group of us made a reservation to redeem the VanEats passes we purchased months ago. Yes, on a Tuesday night. We're not bad students, we promise! What is VanEats? It is a website that features exclusive dining passes for prix fix menus that are only available with the pre-purchased pass. This particular dining pass was for a beautiful three-course dinner for only $27. That is including tax! Mosaic was also offering a Dine Out Vancouver menu that contained similar dishes, but it costs $38. Lemme hear a "SCORE!!!"

Collectively, it is the Crumpet's fourth time at Mosaic Bar and Grill and the third VanEats dining pass (see here and here). It's no doubt that this restaurant is one of the best in Greater Vancouver. We're probably one of the last bloggers to review this particular Autumn Harvest menu, but nonetheless, we must contribute our praise. Our thoughts for each and every item on the VanEats menu is below!

Complimentary Scones

Shortly after ordering, we were provided with a generous amount of scones. More than we could eat. They were served warm and toasty (looooove!), moist and tender inside. Mmmm~ There was a distinct smoky flavour to the scones; my best guess would be that they were smoked salmon scones. Second best guess would be bacon. These miniature scones were the perfect start to the meal! But since a full dinner was coming up, we tried to limit ourselves. So hard...

Fall Salad

The two Crumpets had the Fall Salad as an appetizer. Thinly sliced raw carrots, beets, turnips, and mixed greens elegantly sat atop smears of tangerine dressing. The vibrant colours make it visually appealing. The green dots were, I think, green onion puree, but it didn't taste like much. Overall, the salad was a bit bland. I would've probably liked the salad a lot more if the dressing was more tangy. It's not a terrible salad, but it isn't one that left a vivid memory.

A la Minute Smoked Skuna Bay Salmon

The A la Minute Smoked Skuna Bay Salmon is a must order when at Mosaic. The accompaniments to the fish change throughout the year, but it a dish we would recommend first comers to try. The texture of the fish is in between sashimi and smoked salmon. No worries, it's completely cooked!  _____ thought the smoked salmon was okay, kind of had an odd smoked taste to it but the wasabi sauce was good pairing with it.

Roasted Chestnut Bisque

While the description sounded delicious, the Roasted Chestnut Bisque was not very well liked. It didn't really suit Clumsy One's taste. She says, "At first I forgot that they pour in the soup later, so when I looked at that pathetic piece of lettuce thing with that brandy cream smeared on the side I thought, "is this it?" Hahaha. Yes, but it was an odd creamy-ish soup." Those with an acquired taste for brandy may enjoy the soup a lot more.

Seared Baja Ocean Wise Scallops

Over half of us had the Seared Baja Ocean Wise Scallops as our main course. 

The Clumsy One's thoughts: "I like the scallops, I wish there were more of them though. The ham was salty but sort of appetizing in a way, and figs I gave away. The sauce didn't really have much flavour on the plate now that I think about it... That's just me though."
 
Mosaic has been praised for their perfect scallops so Coconut Crumpet, being a seafood lover, had high expectations for this dish. Again, the plating was artistic and elegant. The savoury flavours of the four large (not super large) scallops and prosciutto contrasted the sweetness of the sweet potato puree and dried mission figs. I really enjoy the juxtaposition of flavours, textures, and temperature so this entree lived  up to its expections. Even though we thought the prosciutto was too salty, the dish deserves the praise its gotten. Another minor nit-picky suggestion would be that fresh figs would've made the dish even better. Probably will have to wait for summer to get in-season figs. Cue Olaf singing "In Summer". Ahh, we love Frozen~

Grilled Curried Cauliflower Steak

Our waitress made sure Peanut Crumpet knew the Cauliflower Steak wasn't actually steak, as unknowing customers have been disappointed.  This was a disappointing dish as the curry sauce was "salty like the sea". So unfortunately, despite having tasty components like dates and pine nuts, the overly salty sauce ruined the entree. Because of this dish, Peanut Crumpet felt the quality of Mosaic has slightly decreased since last year.

Sous Vide Peace Country Lamb

The third and final entree is the Sous Vide Lamb. Sous vide is a special cooking method in which the cut of meat is sealed in a plastic bag and placed in a hot water bath to cook. This ensures the meat is cooked evenly and yields a super moist result. P ordered it medium; one piece was done to her liking while the other was on the rare side. The raw areas of the second piece wasn't so pleasant for her. She enjoyed the broccoli rabe (aka broccolini).

Pumpkin and Nutmeg Creme Brule

Both desserts were equally as tempting so we ordered two of each! The Pumpkin and Nutmeg Creme Brule was excellent! The custard was thick, creamy, indulgent and had a level of spice that would please those that enjoy warm spices while being mild enough for those that don't to thoroughly enjoy it. The caramelized layer of sugar was not too thick, as when it is thick, the shards can be extremely sharp. It was just enough sugar to satisfy a sweet tooth and round out a meal. The pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) went perfectly with the dessert; I scooped up all the seeds from the platter and dumped them into my creme brule. 

The biscotti/cracker things on the side didn't taste like much at first. But when I went back to them after finishing off my creme brule, their subtle sweetness came out and it kind of helped wash down all the flavours from the meal. Chewy from all the seeds and nuts, I love textural food!

Slice Mosaic Chocolate Cake

The Clumsy One (nickname re-confirmed after the cutlery incident, haha!) doubted me when I told her most people end up packing half of Mosaic's Signature Chocolate Cake home. When dessert was served, the two with the cake even challenged each other to a race to see who could finish their cake first. This massive slice of cake has alternating layers of dense chocolate cake and rich ganache. A thin shell of melted chocolate coats the exterior of the cake, which is hiding at the base. The cake itself is a bit dry, but with the frosting it tasted very good. Some diners have hailed this cake as the best chocolate cake in Vancouver. While it is a pretty good chocolate cake, since the cake was a tinge dry, we don't think it was the best (that's a very subjective term anyways.) When the need to doggy-bag half of the cake home, you will be provided with a sturdy box and a nice bag. Good quality stuff, ya know. Just as a note, a full sized piece of cake, as seen in the photo, is part of the VanEats menu but only a 'mini' slice is offered for the $38 Dine Out menu. Another reason why VanEats happens to be the better deal.

Fruit Plate (vegan dessert)

I encouraged Peanut Crumpet to ask if the restaurant could subsidize some sort of vegan option for dessert. Our waitress was prompt to check on the request for us and came back offering a Fresh Fruit Plate. It wasn't anything spectacular but the act of accommodating dietary restrictions contributes to the restaurant's good service.

Our waitress for the night was fabulous! Always with a smile, her service was cheerful, helpful, and efficient throughout the three and a half hours we spent occupying that table. She periodically came to ask how our food was, if we wanted anything else, and to come refill our water. As I was describing the menu to The Clumsy One sitting next to me, she joked about how I knew the menu inside and out.  "On Urbanspoon?" she asked. Yup, I've seen like all the other blog posts on the Mosaic Harvest menu. We made sure to leave her an appropriate amount of tips for her great service. I probably should've combined the amount into bills instead of leaving a pile of loonies and toonies... Sorry!

VanEats passes for this particular menu are still available on their website. They can be redeemed up until end of February. For $27, this is a better deal than Dine Out Vancouver!




Love from Coconut Crumpet & Co.

Bella Gelateria: Hot Chocolate Festival 2014

Hot Chocolate Festival 2014

"Hot chocolate festival? There's such a thing?" 

That's the reaction I get from many of my friends when I am trying to find someone to go with me. It's fourth year running, Vancouver's Hot Chocolate Festival is steadily growing in participants. With an extra hour to kill between watching Frozen and dining at Mosaic Bar and Grill, we took the opportunity to take part in the festival. Bella Gelateria is only two blocks away from Mosaic, so we decided to pay a visit.

Hot Chocolate Festival 2014 menu

The Three Nutty Crumpets came to Bella Gelateria for during the Hot Chocolate Festival last year and since then, the menu of hot chocolate has incredibly expanded. I remember having about three or so choices, and it costing a lot more. I'm extremely impressed with the creative flavours Bella Gelateria has to offer this year; if my stomach was bigger, I would've loved to try more! A gelato bar in hot chocolate? My love for hot and cold food together is calling...

Black Sesame Hot Chocolate ($5.50)

Since dinner was around the corner, I limited myself to having just a cup of hot chocolate. My heart was set on the Black Sesame Hot Chocolate the moment I saw it on the menu. Knowing how ah-may-zing their black sesame gelato is, I was really excited for this drink. For $5.50 (tax included), this generous cup of hot chocolate is creamy and packed full of the flavours advertised. It wasn't overly sweet, as the base of this drink was half white chocolate and half 85% dark chocolate. I drank about half of this and packed the rest to go. As I was pouring it into my paper cup, I saw how much black sesame paste went into this drink. A thick layer of black sesame paste lined the bottom of the cup; remember to stir while drinking. No wonder it tasted so good! 

All Hot Chocolate Festival drinks at Bella Gelateria come with half a slice of Erin Ireland's To Die For Banana Bread. I was pleasantly surprised that this year, the slice of banana bread was of normal thickness. Not exaggerating but last year we got half a slice that was only one centimetre in thickness. That's half of what is seen in the photo! Like seriously, you must be kidding me... -shakes head- However, the banana bread isn't as good as I remember it to be. It was missing the crunchy bits of salt that contrasts the sweetness of the loaf. There was even less macadamia nuts than before (it didn't start off with much in the first place) and it just tasted sugary. Nevertheless, the side of banana bread is a nice treat that, with the drink, will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Italian Honey Moon Hot Chocolate ($5.50)

My other two friends both ordered the Italian Honey Moon Hot Chocolate. "Hazelnut" totally caught their attention. I saw little chunks of honey nougat and hazelnuts floating on the surface. This one should be a little sweeter than the black sesame since it is made with 65% cocoa chocolate. The Clumsy One said that there was a generous amount of hazelnuts in the drink. Our other friend commented that she had to open her mouth a little wider to get the bits in as she drank. The serving size of the hot chocolate here is very large, be prepared to feel very full after gulping down the whole cup! (And a experience a bit of a sugar rush as well) Both drinks are well worth the very reasonable price. A specialty drink at Starbucks costs just as much, if not more, and they just use flavoured syrups and blech.

I'm very glad we decided to make a stop here, as it is probably one of the best places to join in on the Hot Chocolate Festival. Bella Gelateria's menu contains more flavours than most of the other participating cafes, making it a good choice for larger groups that may have different preferences. And ice cream bars in hot chocolate sounds insanely cool. If I get the chance to come back to try more of their Hot Chocolate Festival offerings, I have my eye on the London Foggy, Black Magic, and Extra Dark Chocolate drinks. Peanut Crumpet had the extra dark chocolate last year and it's not sweet at all. Those that love a true dark and bitter chocolate should definitely try Bella Gelateria out!


 
Love from Coconut Crumpet & Co.

The Flying Pig: Fat Rats Pig Out

We would like to formally introduce the Fat Rats, a group of girls whose vision of a party centres around food. The group nickname started off as a casual joke made by Papaya Crumpet, but it was so applicable and suited us perfectly that it stuck. To the point where Coconut Crumpet spent over an hour meticulously cutting out paper letters as props for our graduation group photo-shoot. F-A-T-R-A-T-S. 

So after we held those letters for less than two minutes, the session was over and we were charged 75-freaking-dollars. That photography company starting with the letter A exists to pocket poor about-to-enter-university student's what-could've-been-tuition money by the stacks. To make us all feel better that we didn't waste hours of our precious time prettying up and getting stuck in traffic to get to Vancouver, we braved the downpour of typical autumn rain to get dinner at the The Flying Pig. 

Even without a reservation (because they don't take reservations for dinner), we were seated quickly and our dripping wet umbrellas joined the impressive pile by the entrance. Lighting is dim and the decor is cozy, the ambiance sitting between that of a classy restaurant and a casual neighbourhood joint. The Fat Rats were probably the youngest and most formally dressed diners in the whole restaurant. Not awkward at all..

While we examined the menu, water was brought to the table in glass bottles that resemble vintage milk bottles. Our waiter took our order, and our photos before zipping back into the open kitchen where tons of cooks moved to and fro from stove tops and hot appliances.

Muscles, Clams, and Fries

La Casita Tacos

A long day of walking around downtown really helps to build up some appetite. With two days until Christmas, a few Fat Rats went to enjoy some of the Christmas festivities in Vancouver. Stops included the German Christmas Market (a quick review: on weekdays, entry is $3, which is acceptable. But anymore than that I would not recommend going because it's really small, everything is super overpriced, and overall the market is not exciting at all), Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt hotel, and Bright Lights at Stanley Park. The later two events were much more worth our time. 

When the Bright Lights started getting really crowded (as it gets darker and darker), we rode the bus back out to Denman Street and walked a few blocks to La Casita Tacos. The little restaurant seems to be newly opened, but they have an older sister restaurant in Gastown that is more sit-down style. I saw plenty of praising reviews for La Casita and it seemed to be the perfect place for me to curb my craving for fish tacos, one I have had since Palm Springs.

Counter Service

At 5:30pm on a Monday evening, the restaurant was empty except for a couple finishing up their meal by the window. We were unsure whether or not to take a seat first and expect table service, or to walk up to the counter and place our order. It's kind of a mix of both; order at the cashier first, then the food will be brought to the table. The woman at the front is very warm and welcoming to us Mexican-food-newbies. We all ordered 4 tacos for $10. I really appreciate being able to try multiple types of tacos with just one order. Since one can customize according to their preferences, it makes it easy to dine with a group of friends who may have different taste buds.

Top: Veracruz Fish; Bottom: Egg & Green Bean, Baja Fish

SalaThai

After having possibly one of the most carb-heavy brunches at The Fish Shack, I still didn't feel very hungry when dinner came around. My aunt took us to SalaThai on Burrard Street for a dinner of Asian cuisine. 

SalaThai looks like it has been in business for many many years. Upon stepping into the restaurant, I noticed how much Thai-related decorations are placed all around the restaurant. Everything from a rickshaw to elephants and exotic plants. The lighting inside is dim, giving it that 'high(er) class feel' and the table settings resemble that too, with the napkins fancily folded up. The restaurant is fairly large, probably because it is an older establishment. There is a private party room and an elevated 'indoor patio' as well. The tables and chairs are quite dated, and some of the chair seats are sunken in and not comfortable to sit in. 

Since we were all unfamiliar with Thai cuisine, it was difficult to make our dish choices. They have an option for a set course menu at $25 per person. The menu is expensive for what you get. The portion sizes for each dish feed one person; perhaps they want to mimic a 'fine dining' restaurant. Anywho, here is what we ordered. We shared family-style.

Beef Satay

As appetizers, we got two orders of beef satay (total of 6 sticks) and a green papaya salad. The beef satay was tender and well seasoned, but the peanut dipping sauce was watered down and not pungent enough. The picked cucumbers on the side were very appetizing, or 'stomach opening' as the Chinese would say. Although the satay tasted fine, it did not match up to the high price. 

Green Papaya Salad

I was very excited to try my first green papaya salad. It did not disappoint; the saltiness of the fish sauce, the chili, and the crisp produce, and crunchy peanuts blended well together. This was around $9 or $10 for a small bowl-sized pile of shredded papaya. Something I will attempt to make at home next time.

Special Curry with Scallops, Prawns, and Young Coconut Meat

Since it is a Thai restaurant, we couldn't go without trying one of the many types of curry. We settled on one listed on the chef's special page that had scallops, shrimp, and (apparently) young coconut meat. Sounded unique enough! I was pleasantly surprised that they used the big, fat, juicy scallops. Frozen or not, it is an appreciated component. The shrimp, wait prawns, were just as large and delicious. There was six of us trying to share this one order of curry so I didn't get the chance to fish out a bit of everything. The major complaint is that the curries do not come with rice. A bowl of rice cost $2; even if that bowl is a decent size, two dollars for white rice is kind of ridiculous. Curry is no good without rice so we ended up ordering like four bowls of rice just to slop up all of the curry. It was a thick and rich (from the generous amount of coconut milk) curry (you don't find that too often!), but one shallow plate of it with a price tag of $17 makes the most of us want to refrain from eating it again.

Pad Thai

And again, as Thai-food-newbies, we ordered Pad Thai because hey, how can it go wrong? I'm no expert critic on pad thai but this was merely okay. The noodles were more on the sweet side and had the slightly wet-sticky feel. Not necessarily good or bad, but just the facts. There were a few slivers of tofu and a bit of crushed peanuts. It was pretty basic and nothing about this dish stood out to me. It wasn't cheap either, around $15 I believe...

Pineapple Fried Rice

Finally, we ordered a Pineapple Fried Rice because my aunt, who has come before, said it was tasty. We also needed something to fill our stomachs with. This was more presentation than anything else (I saw they also serve fried rice in a young coconut shell). The pineapple was hollowed out, but because of its small size, it barely held anything. There was some chicken, sauteed onion, and cubed pineapple in the fried rice and the top is some pork floss (or fluff). Again, it didn't have anything that made it distinct and worth purposely coming for.

The total cost for this dinner was nothing close to cheap, considering what we received. The presentation of all the dishes was very beautiful and the quality is okay/good, but the portion sizes and WOW factor just didn't do it for us. The location is very convinent, just around the corner from Pacific Centre and Robson Street, meaning that many of the customers are probably tourists that ran into the closest restaurant looking for a meal. (Ahem, tourist trap.) I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone nor choose to come back, as the money could very well be spent on better food deals or go to a better cause. Sorry SalaThai, but the cons from our first encounter heavily outweighed the pros.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

The Fish Shack

The Fish Shack in Downtown Vancouver

It's been too long since I've had a proper brunch; time to drag my family out to Downtown for some runny poached egg goodness!

Lunch and Brunch menus + fresh sheet

After an immense amount of time spent looking through essentially every single brunch menu in the Downtown-y side of Greater Vancouver, I settled on The Fish Shack. It's cheap, the menu items are unique, and it just so happens to be a walkable distance from where all my relatives live (I got to visit my cousin's new baby boy!! Gaahhhh~~~) I actually called the restaurant about an hour or two before my visit to make a reservation, but that wasn't necessary. Even on a Saturday at noon, the restaurant was only about, say, a quarter full? Enough people to convince me that it's a safe place to eat, but with no wait. 

Interior of The Fish Shack facing Granville Street

To begin, I really like the interior of this restaurant. It's casual, chill, yet still put together. There is half a second level that I think would be an awesome place to hang out with some friends. The decor has a very suitable fisherman-esque theme. There is a tiny area for outdoor seating where there are heaters for the chiller days, like when I visited. There wasn't any loud, annoying music blaring through the restaurant. It's a very family friendly spot too. So far, so good.

Water in mason jars

We were seated promptly and provided with menus and water in mason jars. My parents giggled at the fact their water cups resembled mini versions of the cups at Hong Kong-style cafes. The menus can be viewed on their website; I really appreciate it when restaurants have their full menu (with prices and updated items) online.

The waiters and waitresses here are very casual, like the joking type. Our waiter was very efficient and provided us with good advice on the menu and delivered swiftly. The only small complaint I have about the service here is when I called in, the girl that answered the phone spoke too casually. Instead of politely being asked to repeat my phone number, all I got was a rude "What?" So I was taken aback by the sudden harsh tone.

Fish & Chips lunch box with Manhattan (top) and New England (bottom) Clam Chowder

On to the food. My dad and brother ordered a fish and chips lunch box each. It comes with one large piece of fish (probably cod), some fries, coleslaw, and their choice of chowder. The red chowder is Manhattan and the white chowder is New England. The Manhattan was too watery and not flavourful. The New England was creamier but still not as thick as we prefer our chowders. However, there was a good amount of whole clams in the soup. The fries were soft and almost soggy; my dad did not finish his. The coleslaw is typical and tastes good. The fish is fried very crispy and golden, but I would rather the piece of fish be thicker but shorter in length. That way each bite is more meaty instead of just tasting fried batter. For a restaurant that pride's itself in their fish, this fish and chips dish was not phenomenal enough to blow me away. It was rather...average.

Fish and Chips Benedict

My mom got the fish and chips benny from the brunch menu. Their benedicts are really unconventional, and I like 'em! The fish pieces were fried beautifully and the eggs poached soft and runny. The potatoes on the side are AMAZING; crispy on the outside, soft and mushy on the inside. Perfectly seasoned. Gotta bring my best friend here just for the potatoes. The side of fruit is a nice touch and a clean way to end a heavy meal. The benedicts are probably the best items on the brunch menu. Can't go wrong.

Corn Bread Hash

Sorry about the blurry photo, evidently I was too hungry at this point to have any more patience.

I ordered the Corn Bread Hash, which sounded very different and I was attracted to the corn bread part, because I have a love for corn bread, specially Sweet Tomatoes'. When this came, no joke, my jaw just dropped to the floor. It was massive. Served in a medium sauce pan (yeah, not even a small sauce pan), this was pure carbohydrate overload. There were cut up pieces of prawn (not those measly baby shrimp) and slices of sausage mixed in with the cubes of corn bread. Chopped tomato was present too, except I don't think it did much to the dish besides release all its water and make everything soggy. Not visible in the photo, but the same roasted potatoes that accompanied the benedict lines the entire bottom of this cast iron pot. As if there wasn't already cups and cups and cups of corn bread to fill me up. The two small eggs were poached soft, although slightly on the more well done side of runny. When served, the corn bread still had some crunch to it, but by the end of my devouring, everything had begun to get soft and mushy. This was a fun dish, but I don't think I'll be ordering it again anytime soon as it was just way too much food and it wasn't super "WOW".

Time to dig into brunch!

The brunch items at The Fish Shack are a really good deal. For under $10 a entree, the food is prepared well, creatively planned, and taste is good. I would come for brunch again and order the benedicts. Thumbs up for brunch! 

For Twitter users, tweet #hookitandcookit plus your table number (which to be honest, I couldn't find) and see what surprise you get! I didn't have data service on my phone so I couldn't test this out... boohoo!

Why I don't have a boyfriend

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Cafe Medina

Cafe Medina, probably the most popular and well known brunch restaurant in Greater Vancouver. I've been wanting to try their food for the longest time and finally had the chance to this summer. All the hype and praise for Cafe Medina energized me to get up early on a summer weekday and ride the Skytrain with my brother to get a hefty breakfast. But where my expectations too high? Let me expand...

The line up at Cafe Medina

To begin, Cafe Medina is extremely accessible by public transit. It is around the corner from the Stadium-Chinatown skytrain station, no exaggeration used. Just follow the signs and exit to Beatty Street and turn right. I'm very glad we had no troubles trying to locate the restaurant because that area can be kind of sketchy.

Another indicator that assured us we were at the right place was the mass of people standing around on the sidewalk. Cafe Medina is known for long line ups. Just earlier that Sunday, my best friend's mom was going to take us there for brunch but we were told over the phone that there was a 1 hour and 45 minute wait... So we went to Phnom Penh instead, you should check that uber popular restaurant out too! 

The first thing to do when arriving at a busy restaurant is to put yourself on the waitlist as soon as possible. Those one or two tables that wrote their names down two seconds before you did will make a big difference when growling stomach syndrome begins. The waitlist is on a very narrow clipboard that is hung on the doorframe inside the restaurant. There should be a pencil on the counter next to it.

We arrived at 10am on a Friday and waited 45 minutes. It was a very long 45 minutes as I got hangry beginning at 10 minutes into my wait time. I understand that the restaurant is small, very small. There were many groups of two (like us) waiting so I suppose that was part of the reason for the long wait. A lot of people bought a latte to drink while waiting and some people come just to get a latte to-go. Many tourists also visit Cafe Medina, that's how famous it is.

Cafe Medina Brunch Menu

When we finally got seated, we were given ice water and a menu. Even though it was a Friday, a brunch menu was given to us. Maybe since it's summer, brunch is served on extra days? Twisted Fork Bistro is doing so. I already knew I was going to get the Paella but my brother was rather ambivalent. He said he wanted something 'heavy' so I suggested the Les Boulettes, spicy lamb and beef meatballs with two poached eggs. One thing I didn't expect, was that the prices were more expensive than listed on their website. About a dollar more for each entree item. Not a lot, just something I noticed.

Waffles ready to be served

Their waffles are very famous, but as I was waiting, I noticed they were not made to order and therefore, probably served room temperature. I read on Follow Me Foodie that the waffle batter is from Damien's Belgian Waffles in Richmond. That kind of takes the 'special-ness' out of the waffles. So, I saved my waffle quota for later in the day to spend at Nero Belgian Waffle Bar (posts here and here).

Lavender Latte (8 oz. for $3.85)

I got a Lavender Latte to sip on while our food was being prepared. A little splurge for myself for waiting patiently (psht, what an excuse :P). Lavender is the most popular flavour so I figured I couldn't go wrong choosing that one. The 8 ounce cup looked larger than I expected and was more than enough. The latte was very smooth and had a mild lavender flavour. Not bitter at all (as I'm not a regular caffeine drinker). Although I can't say I'll be dreaming of this latte, it was very good and worth trying. Swirling the foam with the cute tiny spoon is how I passed time. The whole cup was cleared well before the food arrived.

Top: Paella, Bottom: Les Boulettes

Paella - I haven't tried a traditional Spanish paella before, so this fusion one is my first dish labeled with the name paella. I expected the dish to be served baked in a mini cast iron skillet like in other people's photos, but it was in the same dish as my brother's. It was quite a large portion (for one person at least) of curried orzo, mixed with vegetables and chorizo, topped with fresh herbs, avocado, and a single poached egg (our server asked if we wanted fried, but poached is healthier). This dish was very rich and extremely filling since the orzo expands in my stomach with all that latte I just downed. The avocado must have been drizzled with lemon juice because it had that tang to it. The chorizo was sliced very thinly and after being baked, resembled Chinese sausage. Didn't really enjoy the dry sausage, or the saltiness from that. The egg was poached perfectly, but that's probably the only highlight. Overall, it was a good meal but just weighed me down for the following hours. Not a dish I'd be running back for but sparked my interest in trying more paella.

Les Boulettes - Three large meatballs floating on a large serving of thick tomato stew. My brother said it was more like sauce than stew, as it was quite thick. A side of hummus was also included. Whether the grilled foccacia was for dipping into the stew or spreading hummus on, I'm not sure. The potent flavours of every element of the entree kept my brother from finishing it. The stew (or sauce) was so packed with spices it wasn't possible to eat by the spoonful (not that they provided you with a spoon). Nor can you eat hummus by the spoon... The meatballs were juicy and also very flavourful, but after a few bites the inside of our mouths were just lingering with spices so it was rather difficult to pinpoint what the tatse was. My brother said that it this dish was tasty but the spices were so powerful he got tired of it quickly.

Would I recommend this restaurant? Not reeeeally. (gasp!) Majority of people probably would, giving Cafe Medina's food rave reviews, but the it didn't blow me away. There are other restaurants I would recommend before this one. The common con from myself and the brother was that the flavours were too strong, it made our mouths call for water to dilute it a bit. Prices are very reasonable and portions are plenty, but the food was just not worth our nearly one hour wait. I felt like a simple breakfast sandwich from Yolk's a few steps away would have left a better impression.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Soirette Macarons & Tea

My brother always hears about my eating adventures in downtown, about all the yummy food, and everything we can't get our hands on near home. Summer is the perfect time to walk around the streets of downtown, so I agreed to take him on a day trip.

Soirette Macarons & Tea storefront

After a heavy brunch at Cafe Medina, our mouths were all salty and desperately called for something sweet. But our stomachs were waving their hands saying "no more food!". We compromised and by walking around a bit to assist our digestion. I saw the Soirette pop-up store inside Holt Renfrew but none of the macaron flavours appealed to me. After my brother showed interest in trying macarons, we continued our walking to Soirette instead of taking the bus. I couldn't quite recall if Soirette was located on West Pender or West Cordova, resulting in extra walking to be done.

This isn't my first time visiting Soirette, but it was my first time trying their food. Papaya Crumpet once dragged us here on one of our foodie adventures. The distance in my mind seemed a lot longer than it actually is. Probably because all I remember is Peanut Crumpet barely making it to Soirette because of a full bladder. "It's around here!" "We're close!" said Papaya Crumpet.

It's strange that my brother would be interested in macarons. Macarons are usually a 'girly' thing at tea parties or given as gifts. "I thought your brother was into manly foods like burgers and bacon.", Peanut Crumpet said to me. "He just eats everything.", I replied. If he is willing to pay for these delicate cookies, then I can't complain.

Desserts and Sweets at Soirette

I expected to see fashionably dressed women chatting over high tea when I arrived on a Friday at 3pm. However, there was absolutely no other customer to be seen. My brother and I stared at the colourful assortment of macarons in the display case, tried a few macaron samples, and admired the other beautifully presented pastries and cakes beside. I picked out 6 flavours of macarons to try and we took our little box outside. We selected almost all the summer seasonal flavours. The summer flavours are s'mores, cherry pie, blueberry pie, charred corn, pandan, basil & strawberry, apricot & fennel, and mango.

Plant decoration at the colourful tables

We took a set at one of the three brightly coloured garden tables right outside the entrance. I really loved the colour combination of the tables and chairs, it is adorable! Makes me happy to be sitting at a pretty table eating pretty macarons.

My brother and I had a taste of each macaron; I would take a bite or two and he'd eat the rest. Here are our (mostly mine, because he's not quite the foodie yet) thoughts:

Half a dozen of macarons from Soirette

Bakery 101

Entrance to Bistro 101 and Bakery 101

Some of the greatest value food can be found at culinary schools. Students use quality ingredients and cook up fine-dining dishes and bake pastries and cakes that look like they belong in a high-end bakery. Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts is one of the best culinary schools in Vancouver. Their students run a bakery and a restaurant, both with exceptional prices. Every time I pass by Granville Island, I always make sure to pay a visit to Bakery 101 to pick up a chocolate croissant or a packet of macarons for Papaya Crumpet. Compared to the vendors inside the Granville Island Public Market, Bakery 101's baked goods are much more friendly to our wallets. Students supporting students, that's the way it should be~


I had originally wanted to take my mom and aunt to have lunch at Bistro 101 next door, but it was completely booked full. Instead, we found brunch at Twisted Fork Bistro and ventured to Granville Island in the afternoon. A sign outside the culinary school advertised all desserts were 3 for $10, so we stepped into Bakery 101 to grab some sweets for an afternoon snack.

Display counter at Bakery 101

Selection varies everyday, but there weren't as many desserts to choose from when we arrived compared to usual. The woman at the cashier explained that since the bakery is closed on the weekends, people tend to stock up on Mondays. 

Desserts from Bakery 101

Twisted Fork Bistro

Twisted Fork Bistro on Granville Street

While vising my aunt in Downtown Vancouver, she took us on a private walking tour around Burrard and Davie street. As it was almost noon, it made sense to also find some place to eat lunch. Twisted Fork Bistro was a lot closer than I thought so I suggested to try their brunch. It's been on my wishlist for a looong time!
 
Currently, Twisted Fork Bistro serves brunch every day of the week instead of lunch. I have no complaints as breakfast is the best meal of the day. Since the restaurant doesn't take reservations and I hear there are often long line ups, I prepared my mind to wait a for food. However, there was no line up trailing out the door and we were seated within five minutes. I guess because it's a Monday and many business people are at work. The man that greeted us was very enthusiastic, smile-y, and chatty; I love it when people's personalities lightens the atmosphere. 

Brunch Menu

After being handed the menu and the waitress serving us drinks, we decided to share three dishes among four people. At first I wasn't sure if the servings were that large but let's just say I'm so glad we only ordered three. The menu isn't extremely vast but everything sounds really good! Most look like a very balanced meal with lots of wholesome foods like eggs and vegetables. The 'twisted fork' that decorates the clipboard is really cute too~ 

Seating and Wall of Canned Goods

If you're looking for a quick lunch, this is not the place to go. The food took a really long time to come. I didn't time exactly how long but even while chatting with my family and examining the interior, it felt like a long time. This isn't too big of a bad thing for me since I do appreciate having some time to really enjoy being at the restaurant.

We were seated at the very last table. There are roughly ten or so tables in the entire restaurant, which, in addition with the long wait for food, creates long wait times (if there is one). The restaurant has dim lighting, it was only bright when we were there due to the natural sunlight coming in from the opposite side of the restaurant. During dinner the dark lighting probably creates a 'expensive French restaurant' type feel.

The wall of canned goods is right outside the bathroom near our table. Some of the jams are sold for $8 a jar while others were labeled for restaurant use such as "for cheese platter" or "for scallops". It's very neat that they can their own ingredients!

Bacon Fritatta

When the food finally arrived, it arrived all at once. Heated plates of large portions.