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.

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 ♡

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant 聚

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant

Sending or picking up someone from the airport usually means an excuse to eat in Richmond. My parents are not the type to willingly drive out for food. Hence why we always dine at the same handful of restaurants. I can count them all out to you with less than one hand. Despite my suggestion of trying a non-Chinese restaurant in Richmond (which yes, I know may sound dumb), my dad already made up his mind that he wanted Shanghainese. So, I made sure to go all out on exercising this week in preparation for heavy authentic Chinese food.

There is a plethora of Shanghainese restaurants in Richmond, all rivaling each other to win the title of 'best xiao long bao'. Having my best friend's Shanghainese grandpa, I've visited a few of the Shanghainese restaurants in Richmond over the years. Those include Top Shanghai Cuisine, Shanghai Wonderful, and Suhang Restaurant. I'm no expert in Shanghainese cuisine, so I judge according to my own preferences.

Dinesty is the number one ranked restaurant in Richmond, according to Urbanspoon. It now has three locations in Vancouver, Aberdeen Centre, Downtown, and this one. I noticed there were many Caucasian customers dining here, especially young adults. 

Open Kitchen

The plaza Dinesty is in has a large parking lot, large for Richmond at least. When we arrived smack-dab at noon, everyone seemed to just finish parking; it was a headache trying to find someone that was leaving. People fighting for spots left and right, oieeee.. While my dad circled the parking lot, my mom and brother went to put our name on the waitlist. For the amount of customers Dinesty has, the number of tables is not adequate. I'm estimating that we waited 15 minutes or so until a table for four opened up. The waiting area is very narrow and cramped. I did like the outdoor heater at the door; when the door opens this freezing breeze pulls through, brrr! Speaking of cold, the waitress made sure we were aware that the table we were being put at would feel the cold air when the door opens. I appreciate that she mentioned it to us as it is quite important to the customer's experience.  

The interior design of the restaurant is very modern and up-scale. The tables and sofa-like chairs look very new. Dinesty is different from other Chinese restaurants in a way because their tables are not crammed as close as possible in order to squeeze a maximum number of tables in. Their kitchen is wide open, which is a good sign as the customers have a clear view of how their food is being prepared. 

Illustrated, Diner-Friendly Menu

Matching the elegant design of the restaurant are these menus. I found it amusing how the cover says "open here". It's like we've never encountered a book before. I kid, I kid. Their menu is extremely user-friendly, and those who can't read Chinese very well like myself, can let out a sigh of relief as there are clear, colour photos for the majority of dishes. The English descriptions are quite concise too, minus a few typing errors here and there. Ahem, mashroom...

Spicy Beef Tendon ($6.95)

Most of the dishes we ordered are still considered dim sum dishes, so they are prepared ahead of time and served up really quickly. The Spicy Beef Tendon was the first to arrive. In Chinese, it's actually called "numbing spiciness beef tendon", but the spiciness was faaaaaaaaaaaar from numbing. Nevertheless, this was a well executed dish. The tendon was not too soft nor too hard. The hint of spiciness added just enough flavour without being well, numbing. Because if your tongue is numb, you can't taste anything. This dish was served warm and it was most delicious that way. Although this appetizer tasted good, it wasn't extraordinary. I would've done just fine with a three dollar Cantonese dimsum beef tendon. Make that two, for the seven dollars.

Yellow Croaker ($5.95)

Another appetizer dish. My mom quickly decided that she wanted to order this Yellow Croaker. I thought it was going to be some fillet of fish or some tiny fried fish, but then came these three jerky-like medium sized fish. I'm not in anyway bothered by whole fish as I love eating sardines and such. Unlike the beef tendon, this dish was served cold. The texture of the fish was dry and chewy like jerky, and the weak puddle of vinegar didn't do anything for the flavour. The problem I had with this dish was that it was boring. The taste was flat and just straight out nothing special. Two bucks per fish? Never again.

Sweet Soy Duck ($6.50)

Hangry, impatient people usually don't make the best last minute choices. This Sweet Soy Duck being one of them. I didn't try this dish, but after a few bites my mom declared it tasted like regular soy sauce duck. Which, in fair argument, it is. But nothing about this quarter of a duck was significant to match it's price tag of $6.50.

Vegetable Dumpling ($7.95)

Honestly, I'm not trying to be super picky in this review, but the mediocre food doesn't stop at the appetizers. The Vegetable Dumplings seemed to be a popular choice as I browsed through other diner's photos on Urbanspoon. I really enjoy vegetarian food so this type of dumpling is right up my alley. The wrapping of these small dumplings are thin and not too tough, and the overall dumpling was not too salty, but not bland either. However, the texture of the filling was off; the tofu and vegetables were unappetizing mushy. I don't think too highly of the one and only Northern Chinese restaurant in the Tri-Cities, Lucky Gate, but their version of the vegetable dumpling is much much better. Lucky Gate's dumplings are larger and the tofu and vegetables are more distinguished as they are finely diced rather than mashed.

Spicy Sesame Noodles/Dan Dan Noodles ($6.50)

At first I was worried at how much carb-dense dishes we  ordered. Then we discovered that there was not enough to keep everyone full. Quite a surprise considering that we were dining Chinese. This bowl of Spicy Sesame Noodle was one of the best dishes we had for lunch. Dan dan noodles are called 'peanut noodles' at most restaurants. Traditionally, it should be made from tahini (sesame butter) and not peanut butter. I'm quite picky about my sesame/peanut noodles. I prefer sauce-y noodles over soup-y noodles. Although Dinesty's version of dan dan noodles is more on the soup-y side, the soup was packed with nutty flavour. It was thick enough to stick to the beautifully made al dente noodles. The only downside to this dish was the size. No understatement here, but there was the equivalent of two tiny bowls of noodles. Each of us got to eat one measly little pile of noodles. Sad for me because I actually liked this dish.

Noodles with Meat Sauce ($6.50)

This Noodle with Meat Sauce was not as good as it's spicy sesame cousin. While the portion was noticeably more generous, the noodles were over cooked and nearing mushy. The meat sauce had some firm tofu in it, which was different yet tasty. 

Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings/Xiao Long Bao ($6.95)

And I save the most anticipated for last. Are their Xiao Long Bao worthy of being hailed as 'the best'? (Whatever that means..) Just to help my readers put my review into context, I actually don't have much interest in xiao long bao. My brother loves them, and I know many people are obsessed with these little packages of pork sitting in a bag of soup. I just don't have a soft spot for them. I did eat one for the sake of reviewing them. They were miniature sized, which I don't mind as long as the taste is good. The flavours were balanced, not too salty but can still taste the natural pork flavour. The soup was there, but I wouldn't say there was a lot of it. The pork meat was moist, the wrapping, like the vegetable dumplings, was thin and not tough. Overall, a good value xiao long bao. My family liked how the dipping sauce had a lot of ginger.

Final verdict: Three out of the seven dishes we ordered "can do", meaning that they were good but not amazing/life changing. I'm glad the food was not laden with salt and MSG, but that being said, the flavours weren't a wow factor either. The word underwhelming describes my experience at Dinesty perfectly. I guess the largest issue is that we paid nearly $14 per person but still felt hungry afterwards. The 'dainty' servings are just that small. If you compromise the size, the flavour better make up for it. Unfortunately, it didn't. Perhaps after expanding the business, Dinesty Chinese Restaurant's quality has decreased. After this so-so meal at Dinesty, I know I won't be coming back. Probably ever. I would recommend the Shanghainese food at Top Shanghai Cuisine across the street. 

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

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

Secret Location Tasting Room - "Revealing" the Secret

So I thought it's finally the time to post after months of living the suburban life.

Since my mom and I do not visit downtown often, this time we decided to focus on the

food part.

I've heard about Secret Location since its opening in 2012.

According to their words, it is the first concept store in Vancouver, which includes a Secret Boutique (owner Carey Melnichuk's collections of designer goodies from all over the world) and a SL Tasting Room.

Unlike the other restaurants, SL does not have its name written in big fonts. It took me some time to find the blue and white label of "one water street", its real address.

When I went it was quite dark outside, so I'll leave it up to you to explore the beautiful interior designs of the restaurant ;)

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 ♡