twitter.com/jennylyyy:
I am a huge fan of restaurants that offer small plates. So when an excited friend messaged me raving about a Latin fusion tapas place she had gone to for dinner, I was excited! On the night of my last exam I took the chance to b-line it straight to Cobres for some celebration wine and some good food.
At first I was hesitant to give this place a try because I adore messy Mexican food and wasn’t sure if I would enjoy a fancy small plate dinner charging $15/plate for something I can get down my street for $5 bucks. Well, I am very glad I took a chance here because I had no complaints about any of the dishes. In fact I enjoyed it so much I am planning on taking a few more friends here next weekend!
Ceviche: Steelhead Trout
I had never had trout raw before but enjoyed it. The texture reminded me of salmon belly sashimi. I loved the fact there was jalapeños and pineapple in it, unexpected but very successful flavour combo.
Ceviche: Albacore Tuna
Once again the meat was tender and very fatty, which I love! This is fusion food so don’t expect the regular citrous ceviche flavours. Think more West Coast flavours infused with Mexican and Latin ingredients.
Cheese Papusas with Chilli Tomato Jam
As soon as I saw the word papusas I was sold! These came in miniature sizes with a “chilli tomato jam” - basically a mild salsa. Traditionally they come a lot flatter and less doughy but I still enjoyed these. Great starter plate.
Sea-salt & Chipotle dusted fry bread.
What a great invention and not greasy at all! Warning they do have a nice kick to them; if you are a weary spice eater you might want to keep a glass of their cucumber infused water near by.
Check out the chewy bread texture. Drool worthy goodness!
Pulled Duck Taco with Roasted Garlic
I remembered reading on Follow Me Foodie that these are apparently a hit so I made a note to leave room in my stomach for at least one taco. I thought the flavours were mild (I like my food well seasoned) but the duck was very tender and juicy.
Pulled Beef Croquettes with Jalapeno Roasted Garlic Chimichurri
Who ever decided to fry a ball of pulled beef is a genius!!!!!! The meat was tender and juicy like all the other dishes so far and packed full of beef flavour. The smeared chimichurri on top complimented it so well.
Maple Chipotle Tamarind Glazed Wild Boar Belly
Basically this is glazed 3inch thick cut bacon that has been slow cooked. ALERT ALL BACON LOVERS!!!!!
De-constructed coconut banana cream pie
I forgot what the dessert’s real name was and I can seem to find it on the website but my made up name for it basically describes it. I enjoyed it but thought the ratio of coconut to banana was way out of balance. If you are a coconut lover this would definitely be the perfect ending to your night!
The portions were a lot larger than I thought most plates would feed 3-4 people. Like I said I look forward to another dinner here soon and would recommend this place to anyone looking for something fun to try for dinner but keep an open mind. Do not expect Latin or Mexican food but a fusion of it with West Coast foods.
Foodie recommendations: Perfect for date nights or a good lining to your stomach before a night out and don’t forget to give the fry bread a try or the pulled beef!
Cheers!
After waking up and endlessly searching for a new place to check out for brunch with my two favourite ladies (Tracy and Monica), I finally gave up and tweeted @followmefoodie for some well needed recommendations. I was tempted to visit the Red Wagon but weary of the thought of a line-up. Thankfully @followmefoodie responding quickly with a suggestion to Cafe Regalade. After a quick google of the menu I was sold on the thought of a hot skillet breakfast!
We started out with mimosas for drinks (it was brunch after all) and each of us ordered a different breakfast so I could try everything (my friends know me too well by now).
Monica ordered the Paris Breakfast with 2 sunny side up eggs, cooked ham, panfried tomatoes, swiss cheese, potatoes, and salad. I expected sliced grilled tomatoes but everything was in a comforting stew, which is way better than what I originally thought it was. It came with french baguette slices to soak up the juices and dip in the runny egg yolk.
I ordered the Basque Breakfast with piperade, chorizo, aioli sauce, potatoes, and salad. Once again it was a thick stew with bread to soak up the hot mess of mainly chorizo and bell peppers. Pure french-comfort-food.
Tracy, who’s on a “strict healthy food only” diet because she’s convinced she needs to be more toned for her up coming trip to Miami, ordered the Healthy Breakfast. It came with 2 boiled eggs, low fat yogurt, fruit salad, home made granola, milk, and dipping soldiers (fried bread sticks…healthy right?). The granola was a bit too sweet for me but I stole Tracy’s yogurt and used it as dipping sauce for my potatoes and she did feed me a dipping soldier with yolk. Honestly I recommend the skillets but if you are looking for a lighter alternative give this breakfast a try but I’m sure the calorie count in both meals are pretty close (all that sugar in the granola and fried bread!?!?).
I had also ordered a side of Pate (chicken and pork liver). It was kind of dry with only mild flavours, nothing fabulous but not bad either. I would recommend this to someone wanting to try pate for their first time since it’s so mild.
I loved this place and their deliciously, massive skillet breakfast options and yes of course I will be coming back here! For brunch it goes right up there along with Cafe Medina, Acacia Fillo Bar, Acme Cafe and of course Jethro’s. Thank you Follow Me Foodie for such a fabulous suggestion!
Foodie Recommendation: I never got to try their desserts because I was so stuffed by the end of my main but from what I heard and saw they sound/look amazing. Give them a go and let me know how it goes!
Cheers!
Marcello’s second chance
This restaurant has had a total face-lift. Not only in renovations on the interior (I honestly don’t really see the difference) but also in the attitude of the staff. The first time I had gone there it was a mess. Service was pleasant but slow, my salad was wilted, and my pasta was literally sitting in a pool of oil and grease. When our bill came I was unsatisfied with the charge for what I had barely consumed but like I said every place has their bad days, so today I gave Marcello’s a second chance - Over lunch with my best friend, Tracy.
I was very pleased! Our waiter was busy working the crowed floor but quickly came as soon as she could and apologized. We ordered the stracciatella(chicken stock with egg), spaghetti with marinara sauce & spicy sausage, and of course a medium pizza parma (mozzarella&proscuitto). I was very pleased with everything. The soup came with freshly baked italian bread, the pasta was chewy (in a good way), and the pizza was perfect. I am very glad I came back here and gave it a second chance.
Would I come back here for lunch? YUUUUUUuuuUP!
Cheers!
Looking for some southern BBQ??? Check out Memphis Blues.
I had the sampler for dinner. Which consisted of: ribs, brisket, short-ribs, pulled-pork, chicken, sausage, fries, coleslaw, potato salad, and BBQ pit beans all smothered in some seriously dark BBQ sauce. Everything is still super tender and juicy with a mild smoke flavor.
Foodie Recommendation: Pour some beans over the fries…pure comfort.
When there is a moment to spare I will crack down on blogging about this awesome corner in town. Can you guess where?
Guu Otokomae - After a late work meeting, instead of heading home to study I ended up in Guu. FAIL
(check archives postings for full review)
Hibiki Japanese Restaurant - before a serious study session
(check out archives for the full post)
I use to work near Acacia and I can’t believe I have never noticed this place before. Thank you Urbanspoon and its users for helping me uncover this small but precious gem in our city.
Acacia Fillo Bar is going onto my list of favorite brunch spots in Vancouver. Brunch is probably my favorite meal of the day on weekends. It gives my friends and I a chance to enjoy a comforting meal and laugh over last nights events.
Usually it’s pretty busy here (according the the waitress) and the Fillo (spelled phyllo normally) pastries are baked fresh to order, so come with some patience and enjoy the whole experience of dining here by sipping on one of their many refreshments like the freshly squeezed orange juice.
Breakfast Fillo - Ham, bacon, cheese, and spinach. This was my favorite! I had asked for some yogurt on the side, the cool sauce complimented it well.
Steak and Mushroom Fillo - Good if you like tonnes of meat but lacked seasoning.
Eggs Benny - ham and sausage topped with yoghurt. Well-made but I needed a large dose of hollandaise sauce, which they didn’t have available.
Over-all I love this little cafe and I look forward to eating brunch here on another weekend soon or even coming back for dinner and giving the dessert Fillo’s a try.
Foodie Recommendations: Stop reading and drop by to give this place a try. Remember to try one of their many stuffed Fillos! I promise there will be no regrets.
Cheers!
http://www.acaciafillobar.com/
I have been procrastinating about posting this fairly new steak house, Black+Blue having not fully made up my mind about how I feel about my experience there yet. Usually I avoid dining at Glowbal Group owned restaurants because the food is always either “not the greatest and overly priced for what it is” OR my other response is “really….”. I can see Glowbal’s target market and how they are trying to sell the whole concept of a unique dining experience and not just the food itself but I can honestly say the food could be a lot better than it currently is.
As you can see the interior of Black+Blue was very impressive, with their famous pink Himalayan salt wall containing all the meats. I would consider taking friends here for drinks before a night out but not a famished foodie.
I was invited out by a couple of close friends for a rare dinner with all of us together, therefore I could not turn down the offer. Plus I am willing to give any restaurant a try at least more than once despite the negative reviews. Everyone has bad days right?
If your are reading this you probably aren’t wanting to hear me ramble on about who or what I’ll do here so lets jump right into what I had to eat. (Did you catch the mild joke in my wording)
Beef Carpaccio - There was a lemon but not grilled like they claimed, and I couldn’t see any arugula. The beef had an odd flavor to it…I’m allowed to say this because I have had many beef carpaccios countless time and this was the worst, specially if it’s a $16 plate of thinly spread beef…presentation wasn’t too pleasant either - I have no problem spending beyond a $100 for my meal as long as it taste good.
Crispy Calamari - I managed to steal one piece of the calamari before the boys emptied out the plate. It was crispy and wasn’t chewy.
Shrimp Cocktail - No idea what it taste like but I didn’t hear any complaints from the boys.
Oyster Rockefeller - I had no idea what’s going on with this dish. The salt was a bad idea because it got into the sides of the oyster shells and overwhelmed the flavor if there was any. All I tasted was salt, a lot of it too.
Prawn Saute - I liked the prawns the best, the sauce was nice. The waiter had suggested some bread to soak up the buttery sauce, which was a thoughtful suggestion.
Mac & Cheese - It’s sold as a side dish if your curious to try and wondering where is it on the menu. Nice concept but I wish the 3 cheese sauce had actual flavor to it. My friend Tracy who fears the strong taste of cheeses, complained there was no flavor to the sauce - that’s saying something.
Bread - The bread surprised me. I didn’t expect it to taste like a sweet chinese pastry bun. Not bad if I had wanted chinese pastries…
Louie Salad with Lobster - Presentation was disastrous but the flavors where not ok (butter milk ranch dressing resemblance) but I would of liked to see at least one chunk of lobster. The lobster meat was smashed to a smaller consistency than canned tuna.
Salmon - Bacon makes everything taste better.
Beef Tenderloin - The steaks were a la carte. I really wish I had something positive to say. Maybe it was that particular beef choice or the cut of it but it was dry. Medium rare and dry usually don’t go together as describing words for steak.
Prime Rib - This cut had a lot more fat marbling in it naturally therefore it was a lot more juicy and tender. The yorkshire pudding was a pleasant addition. This was the only cut offered with sides, a 10oz was $29 which wasn’t bad at all.
Coq au Vin - It’s chicken and I liked it because it wasn’t dry. The flavors where bland but that seemed to be the theme going on tonight so it didn’t come as a shock.
Broccoli - Nice crunch, good portion.
Mash Potatoes - Smooth texture and buttery.
Our main course took awhile to come out. Ordered a drink and the waiter had forgotten. Asked to pack something to go and it was thrown away. There were apologizes and a new leg was cooked up but the excuse was the one server didn’t speak much english. That’s one hell of an excuse because I don’t understand why he would be working at a place where the number one requirement should be understand your customers needs but at least our main waiter was pleasant, forgetful but pleasant.
Foodie recommendations: Nice place to entertain guest and friends or have a meal with a date but if you are a Foodie looking for the next great chow, this would not be the place for you.
http://www.glowbalgroup.com/blackblue/
I had literally sacrificed a part of my education to get my foodie-fingers on this place.
I took a night off of projects, readings, and an unnatural load of math homework to go out for an evening of laughs and GOOD FOOD. The Alibi Room has been on my mind for weeks now, since I’ve heard rumors of tasty chicken wings and the best beer selection in town hidden out on the skirts of Gastown.
It was diffidently worth the backed-up load of extra work I had to conquer the next day at BCIT. The service was awesome, with friendly staff going the extra mile to make sure you are comfy and satisfied. There was a line-up as predicted for such a popular place but we only had a small group so it was only a 30min wait, usually it’s an hour plus…eekkk! My recommendation would be to book an appointment ahead of time (48hrs before attending).
The waiter had suggested a cheese plate, beet salad and a hummus platter to pair with our 3 orders of the chicken wings. Everything complimented nicely with our multiple beers. Forgive me, for I do not remember the names of them but all the servers have an extensive knowledge with their selection and will be more than happy to help.
I would recommend giving these tangy wings a try if you are planning to make a stop at the Alibi Room. They come fresh with a nice crunch on them with a puddle of sweet, salty and vinegary sauce at the bottom of your plate.
As you can clearly see I was having the time of my darn life - So good, two at a time good!
Cheers!
I love the service at the Robson location, the manager there (Matt?) is very talented in mirroring the guest and relating to them with his light in the moment jokes.
I have dinned here countless times ( both Robson and Yaletown) and have always left either super satisfied or overwhelmed by the amount of salt that goes into the food here. It’s honestly a 50/50 when it comes to the food taste (depends on who’s cooking and if they’re super busy or not) but I would continue to come here on weekends because of its suitable weekend ambiance. I recommend almost everything on the menu and believe it all should be given a try - EXCEPT for the “tuna tacos”, tacos are in quotations because what I saw and tasted did not resemble a taco of any sorts (cause I sure know GOOD Mexican food). Overall it’s a nice place to eat, drink, and have a few drunken (drunken is always optional) laughs with friends or for a nice date with your mate.
Foodie recommendations: Skip the rolls and go for the rest of the stuff on the fresh sheet IF they aren’t sold out yet.
Cheers!
I know cake for breakfast and Cheesesteaks for lunch; if Marie Antoinette was still alive with her head on she would of approve of this indulgent day off food. If ya’ll have no idea to what I am referring to, check out the post before this one.
This place opened up a few months ago with Anthony Stedlak (Food Network host for the Main) as the chef. With his expertise of good eats, that would explain the constant stream of meat-hungry customers lining up daily for their greasy fix.
Since there was a long day of Foodie adventures ahead of us, we settled for the main attractions: the Philly (with sauteed onions and provolone cheese), the Big Shot (with wagyu beef, sauteed mushrooms, crispy onions, truffle aioli and fontina cheese), and finally the ACC Fries (tossed in garlic, parsley, and parmesan) with a side of truffle aioli.
The food came quickly and sizzling hot. Our 6inch subs were packed with tender, juicy meat hot off the grill and cheese that could hardly be contained by the bun. It was a sloppy hell of a mess but in the greatest way possible! The crispy fries served as a nice carb-break in between the meaty bites of the Cheesesteak.
Foodie Recommendations: Even for the strong eaters out there, I would still suggest ordering a 6incher to start off with. That shits intense.
Amen to meat and cheese!
http://americancheesesteak.com/
This place has received a lot of negative reviews. A friend of mine who ate here awhile ago even said the food was so uneatable, he had walked out half way through his meal.
Since than the owners had changed, and I have dined here several times as a quick go to after school with no complaints. The service is on point and friendly, and the food has always left me satisfied.
My favorite rolls are the: Caterpillar roll, Popcorn roll, and the smoked salmon roll. I would recommend these to anyone with any kind of taste pallet.
I know I have mentioned Ki-Isu before in a short post but I thought I blog about it again since my revisit here reminded me of how much I adore this little corner in Yaletown. I have been eating here for at least 7yrs now, and it still taste as wonderful as the first time I wandered into the shop hungry.
Salmon Nuggets. Crispy and light.
Chopped Scallop & Taro sushi. Fresh, and well prepared with a decent price.
Dynamite roll. Usually, I never order this roll but at Ki-Isu its made with the right portion of rice and the its a nice mix of texture.
Crunch Crunch roll. This roll is a top seller here. Its a combo of the spicy tuna roll with bits of tempera and tobiko piled on with Japanese mayo drizzled on top. It’s honestly, one of the best sushi rolls I have ever had! A must try for Ki-Isu.
Perfect spot for a cold day in need of some miso soup or a nice lunch outdoors with a scenic view of a waterfront and park.
