Cheesecake Etc…–Best (and only) Cheesecake in Town~

 

If you have a sweet tooth and you are a night owl, The French influenced Cheesecake joint is the perfect spot for you. The secret family recipe has been in Vancouverists heart for a long long long time. The owner’s love affair with jazz and cheesecake make this place exceptional for late night dating scene. The live music scene has not been as active as it claimed once was.  The cheesecake is absolutely fabulous. Made daily in the morning, the cheesecake has amazing soft smooth creamy texture.  The cheesecake is light with cheese flavours. The sweetness is very balanced as well. Adding on top the mouth watering strawberry sauce. It is one perfect cheesecake.  I used to love their whipped cream because it has a very strong milky taste. But it doesn’t seems to be the same anymore.

Back in the day I often stray away from the regular order. However, I don’t think they really works for me.  Unless you like chocolate exceptionally, their chocolate cheesecake is alright. The other topping I often find doesn’t really work with the cheesecake that well. Their coffee is alright. The tea selection is minimal. But the price is ok too. It is not too bad to have a latte that is under $2.75.  You don’t get that kind of price around anymore.

Worth the drive? Yes. Definitely, especially you have girl that has sweet tooth.
Food: 27/30 (strawberry cheesecake only)
Decoration: 20/30
Service: 18/30
Price: $10

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Kingyo (Gold Fish) Izakaya– Tasty Food in Style~

 

There are 4 major Japanese Izakaya chains established in Vancouver. Guu, Zakkushi, Happa, and Kingyo. They all have its own features but when you want stylish food. Kingyo has to be the top of the list. Situated on the popular Denman St on the west end of the downtown,

Kingyo is a two stores wide establishment with a big wooden door that is very modern Japanese.

( Chef’s Protégé focusing on the creation)

It is interesting that all Izakaya like to preserved a little bit of Japanese tradition. Japanese culinary master like to do daily creation and create the menu with calligraphy. Therefore, you can easily see this kind of special menu that is written freely with calligraphy character. However, this is just a photocopy from the original copy and does not change daily. (it changes from time to time)

(Salmon Carpaccio)

The Salmon Carpaccio is drenched with vinaigrette sauce mayonnaise. The sauce is quite rich which works quite well with the strong taste of the salmon.  The salmon is absolute at the peak of its freshness. The salmon is quite thick which is just slightly thinner than the regular Sashimi slice. If it were paper thin like the typical beef carpaccio, I think the texture would go in the next level. (Sushi Master should have the ability to create paper thing sashimi with no problem)

(Ebi Mayo)

The Ebi Mayo here is nice and crunchy with burst of seaweed flake flavor. The secret mayonnaise is absolutely to die for.  This mayonnaise definitely has some kick to it.  The fried batter is a little bit off, as you can see it is not in its golden state.

(Stone grill Beef Tongue)

The Beef Tongue is grilled on hot stone. I remember they have the best beef tongue in Town. But, tonight the meat is lacking a bit of flavor. It is still very good. The dab of hot sauce is what making this dish great.

Mackerel pressed sushi. Lightly seared and soaked with sweet soy sauce, the Mackerel is fresh and sweet tasting. The mackerel is a hard fish to deal with raw. It is really hard to get rid of the fishy smell. The mackerel is done beautifully here,in combination of the pressed sushi rice. It makes a great filling dish.

Chicken karage with three types of salt. Now this is fried chicken to perfection. The meat is juicy and tender with perfect crusting. The salt gives the chicken different types of flavoring. Hint of mountain and ocean. I kinda wished the salt is here when I am grilling my beef tongue.

Three Flavours Beef – Tender stir fried beef slices with excellent original teriyaki flavor. To keep things more exciting and playful, the two side dressing provides different acidic flavouring and some kick to the beef!

To finish up the meal, perfect grilled cod fish with miso sauce. The tenderness is incredible. The special miso sauce beautifully accompanied the fish. The fish meat is glowing with transparency. I would call it the signature dish at Kyngyo!

The after meal desert, frozen grape. This is the smartest invention of all. Yum!

Kingyo offers unconventional Japanese food at the highest level without breaking your budget. If you want to impress any visitor from out of town. This is the place to be! After a stroll in Stanley Park or English bay.  This venue would complete your night and impress whoever you are with! Dining at Kingyo is never a dull experience.

Worth the drive? Yes!
Food: 26/30
Decoration: 24/30
Service: 22/30
Price: $30~$45

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Montmartre–Rugged Café for Adults

 

Yes. Again on the Main street and 30th ish. How do I find this? This time as I finished eating Grub the other day. There are just so many treasures on this little block. The rugged ceiling and the antique bike display make this café the perfect hang out place for the radical in the neighborhood. The café is a big supporter of the live music. Some interesting music is played almost every night at this joint.

This joint offers a nice electric environment for adults that are still hot in their dates. The selection of dessert is limited. Ice cream sundae or crepe… but with liquor. Perfect for the third that =p

The crepe is excellent and the ice cream which I believe is house made. You can actually taste the ice chunk in it.

Worth the drive? If you are into this kind of stuffs. Unconventional. Non main stream.

Food: 20/30
Decoration: 20/30
Service: 22/30
Price: $15~25

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C Restaurant - The Brunch

 

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Here I am again at the notorious C Restaurant where most people in Vancouver believed to be overpriced. But I just love their execution with the food. With Groupon’s special %50 summer deal, we get to experience their Brunch affair. It is late into the May and we had some beautiful sunshine couple weeks ago…with the most cheerful mood the night before the brunch. I woke up and see the Vancouver Grey…

The bridge is still beautiful, but sigh come on shed some sun shine already.  Oh well let’s enjoy this moody brunch anyways… The brunch summer tasting value is a $40 value menu. The tasting value includes 5 courses. (well….mini mini course yes)

The daily muffin is quite fascinating to looked at.  The bite size muffin with light dressing is just delighting enough to open up your taste buds. The taste is quite delicate but at the same time people would called it blend as well if you like your muffin with a very strong taste.

The second dish – Granola Fresh Fruit Parfait with Greek yogurt and mint.  The Greek yogurt has a very thick tasting and contains a lot more healthy ingredient (active culture content) that is good for your digestion. It is the perfect healthy way to start your day.

The third dish – trout salad.  The citrus of ginger and grapefruit really complement the trout. The Salad just blends in as you pick up the trout bites by bites. I actually enjoys this very much. Excellent execution.

The main – Egg benedict. The hollandaiss sauce has a nice kick in it but not too much that overpower the taste of egg and ham and the English muffin beneath. The poach egg is absolutely beautiful. . .  the egg white is glowing like a magical ball. You can see the transparency of the yolk. It is perfect.

House made mint ice cream with house made cookie. Nice finish at the end, very refreshing. But I am not a big fan of the mint. But, something to note here is that I was afraid the ice cream drip as I eat it. But I never see anything drip out. At the end, I realized they stuffed whipped cream at the bottom. Isn’t that brilliant? Why didn’t any of the ice cream shop think of it. As you get to the bottom, the ice cream cone become a completely different dessert. Cookie with cream…wow brilliant.

Execution is done to perfection as always. But that being said some of the item IS a bit pricey if you think of it. Yogurt with fruits and granola is a big whopping of 10 dollar. I am sure the greek yogurt is hand made in the house and required lots of attention. But normal people wouldn’t consider the price affordable.

However, if you want to enjoy the perfect egg benedict. The $12 dollar egg and potato is quite common around the town. If you enjoy eating delicately, then this is definitely the restaurant to go. 

Related post: C Restaurant – Superb Seafood with amazing view.

Worth the drive? Depends how delicate your taste buds is. I definitely wouldn’t try the 40 dollar tasting menu again unless there is another special. It is too pricey for my pocket. But I would definitely come again for the eggs.
Food: 25/30
Decoration: 25/30
Service: 22/30
Price: $20~60

 
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Shiro–The best sushi bar in Town.

Visited 2009~2011

(中文)

The biggest feature of Vancouver is that Sushi bar (as well as Starbucks) can be seen at every single corner. Everybody has their own favorite place to go for sushi. But if you are talking about the value? Shiro can easily be crowned. In a obscured business square on Cambie street, hid away the king of Sushi bar. No mater how many times you have passed Cambie, chances are you never notice this restaurant or even believe this is a decent restaurant from the exterior. It looks exactly like any other sushi joint in town.  The cheesy signage as well as the Japanese style exterior wall, it is really hard to imagine that inside there is the best everyday sushi in Vancouver. After you walked in the door, you might feel slightly more comfortable. The neat and simple counter filled with customers, but still nothing truly convincing.

As the nigiri sushi is served, now you can truly spot the difference for this restaurant. The wild sockeye salmon is the only kind that is served here. The intense red color represents its better flavors and taste. The wasabi is also the feature here. Using REAL wasabi root, and made fresh at the facility. The taste is incomparable. The aroma is very strong and fresh, this is truly what wasabi should taste like. Most store use the North America horseradish and give a dyed it green, which is quite sad.

Here I also tasted the best Toro Nigiri. Nice knife work and the extra tuna oil gives it the extra flavor. The real crab California roll is an must order here as well. The freshness of the crab meat is hidden in every California roll. Other than sashimi and sushi, the bbq squid and many other items are all exquisite.

Worth the Drive? Yes
Food: 26
Decor: 18
Price: 15~35

P.S. However the shock factor is a bit different every time. I hate to say this the food is a bit inconsistent. I am not saying it in a bad way. But sometimes it is EXTRAordinary, but sometimes it is just very good. But it is all good comparable to the other sushi joint.

 

Tuna & Salmon Rose Don

Grub–Not your ordinary Grub!

 (中文)

Most people probably have a ill reflection on the Mount Pleasant Region. The industrial like main street and the close proximity to hasting probably gives off the wrong impression. Well at least I did. Grub Restaurant kinda falls under this category. Grub is usually used to described pub food, therefore there really is not a fine execution feeling to it. For some reason, I always think of the word as a negative feeling.  However, one night as I finished dinner at sawadee and happily walked toward my car. This little hide away caught my attention.  A very obscured room with two black board on the wall. Beef/Pork/Lam/Fish…ha cute!

 

As I did some research online on this restaurant, I realized this is one of those restaurant that withheld the neighborhood kitchen concept, very similar to a restaurant I have been to in Seattle. I called this the home style contemporary.  I can never resist this kind of restaurant.  As I am buried in the MBA application I have decided to give this interesting dark room an try. As I arrived the restaurant at 7pm, I saw the dinning room is completely empty.  I was in shock and scared of my choice. Unsettling, I walked into the restaurant and ask for a table, and to my surprised the restaurant is fully booked.

 

 

 

The only table left is the little tiny bar, why not it might be fun. (To be honestly, the booking system is a bit weird, why would an restaurant leave the restaurant empty for a full 30 mins) See the little cute chicken? We are next! (nah we are eating right here) The menu is as the blackboard described, 4 meat and 1 vegetable dish. I am assuming it is different everyday. There is always pizza though…

 

 

It is best to wait for your dishes with glass of beer… The selection here is surprisingly abundance. Many different european brand as well as Canadian locals. (ranging from 4~5, reasonable)

 

The lamb rack is with yogurt mint sauce! The meat is perfectly tender, the medium rare lamb is without any gaming taste. The juicy lamb is accompanied with lamb sauce and tomato barley risotto. The combination brings out layers of lamb taste. The style is very distinguish. The risotto is mixed with tofu, a very Chinese style of cooking. Something to fill up your stomach but without the burden of over carb.

 

 

The thin crush pizza is very extraodinary as well. Light crunchy pizza accompanied with light tomato sauce and many different Italian toppings.  I particularly enjoyed the tomato sauce because it is very light and just bring out the flavors of each topping without over powering. (球薊) 跟紅洋蔥與橄欖!

 

This Restaurant is definitely a try. With 19 dollar main and 12 dollar pizza, it gives wonderful flavor performance without hurting your wallet.

Worth the drive? Yes
Food 24/30
Service 22/30
Decoration 20/30

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Zakkushi–What is better than meat on a stick?

Visited ~2010

(English)

Zakkushi (串燒) 在溫哥華是吃串燒的首選, 應該沒有其他店有比他更豐富的選擇. 不論是下班之後的gettogether 還是聚餐, 這裡都是非常適合的. 至今我已經在此度過無數個大家的生日, 日本式的吆喝下單, 以及不間斷滋滋的烤肉聲, 讓這裡充滿著活力. 串燒不論是雞心, 雞胗, 牛舌, 跟各個肉類都非常的入味. 搭配起司, 梅干, 海胎,的運用讓串燒吃起來非常的爽口而不油膩. 肉串大至以鹽燒, 與醬燒兩種方式處理. 兩者都非常的到味.

隨著時代的演變, Zakkushi 也快速的拓展到四家分店, 非常的會做生意. 每家的菜單都略有不同, 每一家也漸漸走向居酒屋的味到. 重原本純串燒轉向多元的菜單. 今夏最新的產品鹹酥蝦非常的有味到, 香脆的淡水蝦, 炸的金黃酥脆, 搭配海鹽的調味非常完美.

 

這家餐廳反而很受女性歡迎, 主要的事他們的炭烤麻糬, 搭配Mozzarella起司的軟綿綿的口感, 打動每一個女性的心. 說實在每次在看日本的菜單的時候他們都會標榜大受女性歡迎的都是含有麻糬的材料. 個人我是不太清楚他的魔力到底在哪. 不過是滿好吃的, 但我真的吃不多麻糬. 講到這, 喜歡吃肝的朋友, Zakkushi 肝的處理比較特殊, 他的肝的口感非常的綿軟, 我個人是還可以接受, 但是肝我還是比較喜歡吃有一點脆脆的口感. 所以不推薦這道串燒~

既然已經轉型成居酒屋, 就推見一下他的代表作, Beef Steak, 他的 Beef Steak 做的非常美味, 甜甜的日式醬汁加上恰到好處的蘿菠泥搭配決家的六分熟牛肉. 每一口肉都是非常的鮮甜. 另外如果怕整餐吃起來太多肉類, 建議他的buta shabu salad 涮豬肉沙拉也是非常的有口感. 和風醬汁搭配清爽的涮豬肉, 決配!
Downtown Denmen 的 Zakkushi 原本非常適合大型的聚餐, 他的大桌, 原本是木製長型的方桌搭配玻璃的吊飾, 非常有氣氛. 但現在可能因為想要更多的空間, 這大桌已經被拆掉改成普通的桌椅. 所以建議多人的聚餐可以到main street 的店面會比較有氣氛.
講到此, 夏天炎熱的天氣又讓我想要到此享受一杯冰啤酒搭配他一串串可口的串燒了~

Worth the drive? Yes
Food: 25/30
Interior: 20/30
Price: $30~50
Note: 其實只吃串燒吃到寶實在有一點奢侈, 如果只是來試試口味喝幾杯酒是不用到40 塊的價位.