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 ♡

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

Pike Place Chowder

Even though my family goes on semi-annual road trips to America, we never really find the effort to go try new food. We've developed this one-meal-a-day schedule making it rather difficult to convince everyone to try a new restaurant when all cravings are for Sweet Tomatoes (which is one of my favourite restaurants ever, but still.) So finally, after pestering my father year after year, he finally promised to drive through downtown Seattle so we could have some clam chowder. The good stuff.

Pike Place Chowder @ Pike Place Market

Parking at Pike Place Market isn't free, but thankfully it isn't outrageous. Between 0 and 1 hour is $3 and between 1 and 2 hours is $6. Payment is made via a machine by the elevator on the Main floor. My tip is to keep your eye on the time and set aside at least 15 minutes to get back to the garage to avoid missing your desired time deadline. I believe it is only around $8 for all day parking if you enter before 9am.

Pike Place Chowder @ Pike Place Market

So finally, we are at Pike Place! Surprisingly, even on a Monday, there were so. many. people. everywhere. I understand that it's a tourist area but even when I visited in the summer, there weren't that many people bustling about. As a reference, the line up for the original Starbucks was out the door and down to the corner of the street. It was insane.  

Looking at the Post Alley sign on Pine Street

The famed Pike Place Chowder is located on a street called 'Post Alley'. It isn't accessible by car and there is only a street sign at one end. Just so happens we completely missed that end and made a gigantic circle around the block just to find it was a 200 metre walk from where the parking elevator was. It really is an alley that is a back lane turned business area. 

The fastest way to get to Pike Place Chowder is to walk from the tulip shop (under the giant Public Market sign on top of the roof outside) down Pine Street about 100 metres. The entrance to Post Alley is directly across the street from Sur La Table, a home good store. 

Pike Place Chowder Menu

We arrived just before noon, and juuuuust before the mad lunch rush of both tourists and office workers. The line up was just barely around the corner when we got there and the wait wasn't too long. There is one employee ladling the soup and another one ringing up the cashier, making the line of hungry customers chug along smoothly. Both employees were very patient and generous with us indecisive first-timers, even if their stiff facial expressions look otherwise. At first, we were going to order four large bowls of soup but then we saw a quart size of soup available (which is equivalent to two larges). He already poured soup into one of the large bowls but simply dumped it out and scooped us a quart size. Even though the menu board is already full of writing, I think they need to indicate the price of the quart to let customers know that it is an option.

A quart (32 oz) of Clam Chowder ($13.95), large (16 oz) Seafood Bisque and Market Chowder ($8.45 each)

After all the lengthy talk about everything other than food, it's time to talk about the soup!

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 ♡

Market Broiler

The males in my family are extremely well trained and behaved. They are used to my mom and I going shopping for hours and wait patiently for us with no complaints. Really, that is amazing and I can't even fathom how they manage to do it. Applause please. While we were shopping at the Outlets at Orange, which was across the street from our stay at the Ayres Inn, my dad took a look at Market Broiler's menu and told us he really wanted to go. And dad rarely ever says he really wants to eat something; it would be inconsiderate if we didn't let him go.

There was that one day, one cloudy Sunday in August, when we ventured out to Santa Monica for a day trip. That didn't last long and we were back in Anaheim by mid-afternoon. After some more shopping at the outlets, we had dinner at Market Broiler. "California's favourite fresh seafood restaurant". We'll see if they live up to their claim.

We stepped foot into the restaurant at uhm...about 6pm? And two waitresses greeted us and one led us to a table. It's a pretty spacious restaurant, but only a few tables were occupied. For a Sunday night, there was a sparse crowd. Part bar, part table seating, and part outdoor seating, this location reminds me of The Keg or something. A couple sitting at the bar was sipping on a fishbowl sized margarita or something. It's called 'fishbowl' on the menu, and it ain't joking.

Complimentary bread

We were provided with warm sourdough bread, much like the type the Old Spaghetti Factory feeds us. I appreciate that the bread was warm, but the slabs of butter were past room temperature and became a gooey mess once opened. I just enjoyed my bread plain, and in limited amounts. I have a bad habit of gorging myself with empty complimentary carbs before I realize I have a whole meal to finish.

Southern Fried Catfish ($9.95)

My brother got a Southern plate, with fried catfish hush puppies, coleslaw, and fries. It was a really large portion of everything fried. Ehh...not really my style. We weren't sure what a hush puppies was, and asked our waitress. She got the chef to come out and explain to us, which was really nice. He explained it was essentially fried 'leftover' batter. The catfish (which is also called basa...which is not good for you..) was breaded in a cornmeal batter. I thought it gave a nice flavour to a flavourless fish. My bother didn't really enjoy his meal because the catfish didn't suit his taste buds. It's a matter of opinion; some love it, others don't fancy it. The coleslaw was seasoned with spices which was interesting, but didn't actually add a distinct flavour. For those that usually enjoy catfish, this may be okay. Other than that, I wouldn't specifically recommend this dish.

Fresh Catch of the Day: Snapper ($11.95) - cooked perfectly

The menu at Market Broiler is really vast. There are so many items and specials hidden here and there. I found a fresh catch of the day special which cost only twelve dollars. My dad had originally wanted to eat snapper and lucky for him, that was the special of the day, so we saved a few bucks. Both parents ended up getting the special, just with different sides. My mom chose coleslaw and fries, and my dad chose vegetables and roasted potatoes. When our entrees arrived, my mom's fish was cooked perfectly. It was smooth and melt-in-your-mouth, the perfect texture. This piece of fish was very well enjoyed.

Overcooked snapper :(

Unfortunately for my dad, his fish resembled nothing like my mom's piece, despite being the same fish. It was flaky like overcooked tuna and very disappointing. We're guessing two different cooks prepared each of my parents' fish. My dad sent his back to kitchen and hoped the next piece would be better. The way the staff brings stuff back to the kitchen is a bit odd. Instead of taking the whole plate away, they ask you to place just the item you don't want on a smaller plate and bring that back. I like how they don't waste you're vegetables, but the way our waitress asked my dad to put the fish on another plate was awkward and borderline rude. 

When the 'fixed' order of snapper was served to my dad, it was the complete plate, vegetables and all. The head chef (same one that came to explain the hush puppies) came to apologize and brought my dad a special sauce he made to 'make up' for the poorly executed fish. (The sauce was a garlic-y oil, which my dad thought was a much more suitable pairing for the fish as compared to the tartar sauce.) I was happy to see that the chef came out personally to apologize, it was very professional. The little 'gift' was another part of his good customer service. 

So, after a long wait for his entree, my dad finally got to eat. The texture still wasn't identical to my mom's piece of snapper; I guessed that mom's was actually undercooked by a tad bit, which is how my dad prefers his fish. But it wasn't terrible so my dad didn't bother sending it back again. Lesson of the day: if you're unhappy with a dish, send it back.

Creative Combinations: Coconut Shrimp & Mahi Mahi ($16.95)

I was pretty excited to find a page in the menu where I could build build my own entree. Two mains and two sides. I chose coconut shrimp and miso mahi mahi. The shrimp were large, but as seen by the colour, they were fried for too long. The coating of shredded coconut didn't come close to the flavour of the coconut shrimp I had in Kahuku. The coating at Market Broiler didn't bring any flavour. The dipping sauce for the shrimp, which is the slightly orange-y one, was AMAZING. Pure coconut bliss. It was sweet, tangy, very coconutty, and reminded me of pina colada. It may sound weird, but it works beautifully with the coconut shrimp. When my mom wasn't watching, I ate the sauce on it's own, tee hee~

The mahi mahi fish, hidden under that kale, didn't taste like miso at all. I was rather confused by this. Miso is such a strong, salty, distinct flavour and I could taste none of it. It looked like it was a totally different seasoning, more like cajun spices than miso. The fish was cooked okay; mahi mahi is a sturdy, flaky, white fish. I was just a little disappointed because I was looking forward to the miso part of this entree. -pout-

My sides were disappointing. The vegetables were more mostly-raw-red onion than the good stuff, and the roasted red potatoes tasted more like boiled than roasted. Wheres the crispy skin? Not here. Fail 'roasted' potatoes.

Market Broiler isn't a fantastic-omg-must-try restaurant, it is a chain so... Our experience had it's ups and downs. The service from our waitress was slow, but the head chef (which by the way, is Asian. I find that cool, haha!) is a great business person. Food was mostly mediocre and needs improvement; however the array of options available is wonderful. But I guess the more variety they serve, the higher the chance of ordering a 'mehhh' quality dish. Price is reasonable, but I recommend coming for lunch because the lunch specials are around ten dollars and sound like a better deal. I wouldn't purposely come back to Market Broiler, only if there was no better options at the time. 

Reviews on Yelp



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Fisherman's Market & Grill

Since having sea bass on a cruise 2 years ago, my dad has been craving that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fish. It's not commonly found in Vancouver so when I saw it on menus in California, I took the chance to bring my parents in hopes of finding good sea bass. Sorry to ruin the ending for you, but we didn't find what we were looking for.

Where to order or purchase seafood

Fresh seafood can be purchased on the left side and ordering cooked food is right beside. Hence market + grill. Reminiscent of the seafood markets in Hawaii where I also bought poke, yummm~
 
There are several Fisherman's Market & Grill locations in the Palm Springs area, one of which was across the bridge from where we were staying. Funny fact of the day: this bridge crosses a river. But I'm almost 100% sure that river has been dry for, like, ever. We came for a lunch on a very hot August day. There is outdoor seating which would be a wonderful place to enjoy some casual seafood, but the heat was just too much to bear. If the mist-sprays had been turned on earlier, it would've been okay to sit outside.

Fisherman's Market & Grill Menu

When we arrived, we didn't quite know what to do. It isn't table service, and it isn't counter service either. A waiter asked us if it was our first time at Fisherman's and we replied yes. He handed us a few paper menus and informed us that we placed our orders at the cashier, then he will find us a seat indoors. The paper menus he handed us were rather useless, as the whole regular menu is written on a massive blackboard and included the prices (with the paper version did not). 

I can't say the waiter was super courteous while treating us unfamiliar customers. The tone of his voice was a bit stern and frustrated. I get that we starred at the menu for a really long time, and began sitting at an open table supposedly meant for another group, but we're new and should be aware of that. 

We got into a bit of an ordering mishap as the cashier charged us for the wrong fish tacos. On Tuesdays, they have a $5 fish taco special (taco Tuesdays!). There is also a lunch special of the same dish that is $7.99, but happens everyday. And then there's the regular fish tacos written on the blackboard which costs $8.95. Keep in mind all of these are exactly the same dish. My mom didn't notice the mistake on the receipt until we were seated at a table. Thankfully our server fixed that for us and brought us back change. Lesson of this post: make sure the cashier punches in the right order before you pay!

While we were waiting for our food, I went to fill up our water cups with cold water from the soda machine and also added some lemon or lime from the condiments section. There is a variety of salad dresses, sauces (like tartar sauce), and salsa available to go with the food. 

Sea Bass Sandwich ($12.95)

Our orders swiftly arrived and we anticipated the sea bass burger the most. It was a disappointment and resembled nothing like the buttery Chilean sea bass we had long ago. This is because it isn't the same species of sea bass. I mean for under $15, we shouldn't have expected it to be Chilean. The Barramundi sea bass is the more common type found during my visit in California, and is probably what this was. The fish was cooked all the way through and the texture was flaky like a 'normal' white fish. It wasn't exciting at all and the burger was crumbly and fell apart easily. I would not recommend the sea bass burger sandwich. The coleslaw and rice pilaf sides were rather good though.

3 for $5 Fish Tacos

Here we have the Tuesday tacos! (Or just the Baja fish tacos in other words) On the poster advertising taco Tuesday next to the cashier, I noticed some famous food network stars came and voted this as the 'best fish tacos'. Now, I've never had a fish taco before, but I can definitely conclude that these were amaze-balls. Every element of this dish was fanta-bulous. Absolutely enlightening. To begin, the fish was fried to perfection, and I usually don't fancy fried foods at all. It was crispy yet not greasy and the fish was meaty and moist. Next, the corn tortillas were charred and thoroughly heated up on the grill, making it bendy and more flavourful. I have no idea how the tortillas didn't start breaking halfway through, but it was wonderful. The slaw looked plain, but was very lightly dressed, adding the necessary flavour but not over powering the fish and corn tortilla. A little squeeze of lime (okay, I put a lot...) and maybe a spoonful of salsa from the condiment bar made this dish the ultimate meal deal. Did I mention that these three tacos were each huge?! These tacos are must. get. Tuesday or not. I'm estimating that 25% of the customers at the restaurant were munching on these tacos. (My family ordered two) The table next to us, the table behind us, everyone was aware of the amazing taco deal on Tuesdays. I loved this so much, I am inspired to re-create it at home. So far, no luck, but I'll continue to dream about these fish tacos~

Ahi Tuna Sandwich ($12.95)

The dish I chose to order was the Ahi tuna sandwich. I had some pretty darn amazing Ahi in Hawaii and wanted to make a comparison. This wasn't bad; the fish was grilled to a perfect rare. The flavours in the sandwich were not overwhelming, but it was a good balance of fresh vegetables, creamy sauce, and bounce-y fish. I chose coleslaw and potato wedges as my sides. The potato wedges are reaaaally good too! Crispy on the outside and well seasoned; had to prevent myself from gobbling them all up. It was a good sandwich (I swear it looks like a burger!), but it's nothing I'd purposely go back for.

There aren't too many restaurant choices in Palm Dessert/La Quinta, so Fisherman's Market & Grill is a great place to go for lunch. Take a look at the $7.99 lunch specials on their website; there are some great deals there too like clam chowder and salad. If you're near a Fisherman's location on a Tuesday, pop in for some super delicious fish tacos that are easy on the bank account and an indulgence for the taste buds. Life changing. 

Reviews on Yelp

Palm Springs on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Yew Seafood + Bar - @ Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver

My family has been coming to Yew Seafood + Bar for quite a few occasions now. We often came for their prix-fix specials which were really great value for a fine-dining atmosphere. After VegFest Vancouver and some shopping that afternoon, we decided to try out their new "ocean to table" concept. Of course I didn't mind as I knew that Yew has developed a vegan menu as well; i was thrilled to try out their menu items.

Even their designed changed quite a bit as we walked in, but we were still greeted by the same welcoming servers and a warm atmosphere. We got seated right away without having made reservations and were given some iced water promptly after sitting at a table.

Our server that night was beyond amazing. He was so welcoming and willing to answer any questions you have about the menu. Upon ordering, we were given a basket of complementary mini biscuits (I recall they were earl grey with sea salt?). I told the server I was vegan and he quickly told me he'd bring a vegan bread for me! 

The vegan bread turned out to be a crusty baguette kind of bread, drizzled generously with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with some fresh parsley. I could really tell the olive oil was of high quality because of that strong decadent olive taste to it.

For dinner, my family ordered the Westcoast Paella, Mussels & Clams, as well as a side dish of Kennebec Fries. I ordered the Sweet Corn & Summer Squash.

Westcoast Paella

The Westcoast Paella consists of mussels, salmon, halibut, spot prawns, scallops, chorizo, and saffron rice. It's a seafood lover's pan of joy. Although I did not try this I can say that my family really enjoyed it, especially the saffron rice. Saffron is one of the most expensive spices, therefore rarely used in regular households. The flavour was strong in the rice and they surely didn't skimp out on the saffron when they list "saffron rice" in the paella (although I think a little of it goes a long way).

Shellfish & Clams

The Shellfish & Clams is served in a cioppino broth with a grilled pizza bianca on the side. As pictured above, it turned out the "pizza" was the complimentary vegan bread that I received prior to our meal! I was pleasantly surprised that they would give me something that's on the menu for free... and two big slices of it!

This cioppino broth past of the dish was rather salty for my family, as we're used to more "bland" foods we cook at home. So if you aren't a salt fan, don't order this dish.

Kennebec Fries

As a side dish, my family ordered the kennebec fries which came with a lobster and bacon aioli. The fries were thick-cut and crispy without being greasy. I did try this, but not dipped in the aioli. My family who tried the aioli with the fries really enjoyed it, saying that there was actually lobster in it. So if you are feeling some gourmet hand cut fries, don't hesitate to order this!

Sweet Corn with Summer Squash

My dish was sweet corn with summer squash, consisting of arugula, chanterelle & asparagus salad, and lemon vinaigrette. The lemon vinaigrette was defnitely the star of the dish. It was so lusious and lemony without it being too sour. I did enjoy this dish very much, but I had hoped for a bigger portion because although I am vegan, I don't eat carrot sticks and lettuce for a living. I do eat a large amount, maybe even kind of scary for some people... ask Coconut Crumpet for confirmation ;)

Don't get me wrong; if you have a smaller appetite than I do, which I can honestly say you do, this dish won't disappoint. Everything on this plate complements each other perfectly and I love how the woody earthy flavour of every vegetable can be easily distinguished from the dish, not hidden from some heavily seasoned sauce. The dish was super fresh, perfect for a summer day.

Organic Chocolate Mousse (Vegan!)

This is the part of the meal I enjoyed the most. So. Good. This is definitely my definition of a perfect finish to a meal. I've got to reinvent this and share it with you all!

It is an Organic Vegan Chocolate Mousse with tapioca, mango compote, and coconut sorbet. Doesn't that sound like utter bliss? Trust me, it is. Please don't leave Yew Seafood + Bar without ordering this. Heck, you can just walk in the restaurant ordering this one thing and your life would be complete. Well... for me, that is. 

The chocolate mousse is so smooth and with just the right amount of sweetness that I love (I'm a dark chocolate kind of girl), along with a delicious mango compote made with fresh mangoes. The tapioca adds a chewy touch, and the coconut sorbet just makes it cool and perfect.

Of course, my family would order one cappuccino to pair with dessert. The coffee was strong without being too bitter, and came with a little biscotti cookie. 

To end the meal, we were given a plate of vegan cookies and fish shaped chocolates, one for each person. The cookie was delicious, consisting of many nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, much like the ones I often make at home. My family was too stuffed to finish the fish shaped chocolates, so we ate the cookies and packed the chocolates home. 

I would really recommend Yew Seafood + Bar for those special occasions, because they really have something for everyone to enjoy. The service was first class, and the servers are willing to meet any dietary needs you have. Just make sure if you aren't a fan of salt, refrain from ordering any broth types of dishes, as those can be too salty.