Saturday, June 07, 2008
Pretty Good Prix Fixe at Cru, Vancouver, BC
We were searching for an interesting place for dinner to complement (but not upstage) the dinner at Vij's we were planning for the next day. We did some online searching and found Cru, which seemed to have an interesting menu and a decently priced prix fixe menu. Overall, the place was warm and the service friendly. It was a little funny because the server kept explaining ingredients and techniques on the menu that we already well known to us. Perhaps our overly casual (San Francisco-friendly) attire led him to beleive that we didn't know very much about food. The prix fixe was $42, but Giao ordered a la carte.
Fries with Dijon Aioli $6
The fries were addictively, and surprisingly, delicious. They were hand cut and very crispy. The aioli was better than average.
Poached Spot Prawns (+$5 to add to prix fixe)
These were totally delicious and a highlight of the meal. They were perfectly cooked and served with a mango cucumber salad and a cilantro puree.
Roasted Halibut (part of prix fixe)
The halibut was flaky and tender and was served with red quinoa, poached fennel and a caper brown butter. This dish was also very good, but there was a tad too much acid in the dish and we could have done with fewer capers.
Duck Confit with Potato Goat Cheese Hash $16
This dish sounded awesome on the menu, but fell a little flat on the plate. The duck was tasty, if standard, but the potato goat cheese hash was grainy and flavorless.
Lemon Tart (part of prix fixe)
The flavor was good, but the texture was off. The pastry tasted mass produced and the lemon filling was very, very runny.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Fries with Dijon Aioli $6
The fries were addictively, and surprisingly, delicious. They were hand cut and very crispy. The aioli was better than average.
Poached Spot Prawns (+$5 to add to prix fixe)
These were totally delicious and a highlight of the meal. They were perfectly cooked and served with a mango cucumber salad and a cilantro puree.
Roasted Halibut (part of prix fixe)
The halibut was flaky and tender and was served with red quinoa, poached fennel and a caper brown butter. This dish was also very good, but there was a tad too much acid in the dish and we could have done with fewer capers.
Duck Confit with Potato Goat Cheese Hash $16
This dish sounded awesome on the menu, but fell a little flat on the plate. The duck was tasty, if standard, but the potato goat cheese hash was grainy and flavorless.
Lemon Tart (part of prix fixe)
The flavor was good, but the texture was off. The pastry tasted mass produced and the lemon filling was very, very runny.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Labels: Decor: 2, Food: 1, nouveau American, restaurant, review, Service: 1
Standard Pho at Bao Chau, Vancouver, BC
My sister lives in a neighborhood packed with Vietnamese places and Italian delis. When we are on vacation we stuff ourselves because we just want to try everything. So, true to form, we stopped by Bao Chau for a quick pre-dinner snack.
Large Pho $6
Since the large was only $0.50 more than the small, we just ordered the big one. It was decent, but the broth was not amazing, which is what you are looking for in pho. Giao ordered this one with extra tendon and tripe.
2715 HASTINGS ST E
VANCOUVER, BC V5K 1Z8
No Website
Large Pho $6
Since the large was only $0.50 more than the small, we just ordered the big one. It was decent, but the broth was not amazing, which is what you are looking for in pho. Giao ordered this one with extra tendon and tripe.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
Bao Chau
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
Bao Chau
VANCOUVER, BC V5K 1Z8
No Website
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 1, restaurant, review, Service: 1, Vietnamese
Perogies at Perogy Place on Granville Island, Vancouver, BC
My sister took us to Granville Island, which is not actually and island, but rather, a peninsula. Either way, it is essentially a market made for foodies. We ate a lot.
Cheddar Perogies and Potato Pancake $6
This was quite a plate of food for the money. It was served with fried onion, sourkraut, sour cream and applesauce for the pancake. A satisfying breakfast.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
Perogy Place
Granville Island Market
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Can't find website.
Cheddar Perogies and Potato Pancake $6
This was quite a plate of food for the money. It was served with fried onion, sourkraut, sour cream and applesauce for the pancake. A satisfying breakfast.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
Perogy Place
Granville Island Market
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Can't find website.
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 1, restaurant, Service: 1
Japadog!
We had heard about Japadog from Anthony Bourdain's show, No Reservations. It sounded so weird it had to be good. Japadog is a glorified hot dog stand run by 3 very cute Japanese girls. There are several Japanese versions as well as standard hot dog cart fare.
Terimayo Dog $4.25
Served with teriyake sauce, mayo, nori and sesame seeds, this was a surprisingly delicious dog. The dog is partially sliced through in several places so that all the sauces get deep into every bite and then grilled. The bun is also placed on the grill and is hot and substantial.
Terimayo Dog $4.25
Served with teriyake sauce, mayo, nori and sesame seeds, this was a surprisingly delicious dog. The dog is partially sliced through in several places so that all the sauces get deep into every bite and then grilled. The bun is also placed on the grill and is hot and substantial.
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 2, Service: 1, street food
Friday, June 06, 2008
Eclectic Small Plates at Stella's in Vancouver, BC
We took an evening flight to Vancouver BC to visit N, my sister. We got in early enough to have a late night dinner at a small plates, brew-pub type place. The food was pretty good overall.
"Madrid" Style Mussels $7
These were served with chorizo and were plump and tasty.
Seared Muscovy Duck Breast$12
Served with a blueberry sauce and and apple/pear slaw, this dish was a little sweet for us, but the duck was nice and tender, despite being very, very rare.
Fried Pork Riblettes $10
Fried ribs are a little overkill, but they were pretty tasty. The meat was a bit hard to get off the bone, but the sweet chili sauce, cucumber raita and Thai mango dip were all good.
Korean Barbeque Beef Short Ribs $11
Sweeter and less spicy than my version, but flavorful and tender.
Miso Gravy Poutine $8
This was a strange, but oddly addictive, Japanese take on the Canadian classic Poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy).
Stella's
1191 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
Canada
"Madrid" Style Mussels $7
These were served with chorizo and were plump and tasty.
Seared Muscovy Duck Breast$12
Served with a blueberry sauce and and apple/pear slaw, this dish was a little sweet for us, but the duck was nice and tender, despite being very, very rare.
Fried Pork Riblettes $10Fried ribs are a little overkill, but they were pretty tasty. The meat was a bit hard to get off the bone, but the sweet chili sauce, cucumber raita and Thai mango dip were all good.
Korean Barbeque Beef Short Ribs $11
Sweeter and less spicy than my version, but flavorful and tender.
Miso Gravy Poutine $8
This was a strange, but oddly addictive, Japanese take on the Canadian classic Poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy).
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 2
Decor: 1
Service: 2
1191 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Labels: Decor: 1, Food: 1, restaurant, review, Service: 2, small plates
Temporary Sporadicity
I don't really think that sporadicity is a word, but it sounds nice, and gets the point across. For the next few weeks Giao and I are going to be going through a period of super-intense busy-ness. For that reason, postings will be a bit sporadic for a little bit. However, we will soon be back in full force and we will try to post as much as we can in the meantime.
The Sentinel: Solid Food from a Very Small Kitchen
Dennis Leary, former chef of Rubicon and current chef/owner of Canteen, has opened up a very tiny breakfast/lunch spot that is equally accessible from the financial district and SOMA, which makes it a great spot for us to meet each other for lunch. Chef Leary seems to have an obsession with increasingly smaller spaces. Canteen seats about 20 people, max and The Sentinel seats none. The Sentinel a simple lunch counter and it looks like Leary has got about 2 square feet of counter space back there. It isn't stopping him from turning out top quality lunch grub, however. Every day there are about 4 options for lunch, and they are always changing. The only drawback, which we find at Canteen as well, is that, while the food is delicious, the portions are a little small for our (admittedly huge) appetites.
Hot Pastrami on Rye $8
This broiled sandwich was hot and delicious. The red cabbage slaw was a nice touch.
Mushroom and Walnut Soup $6
Smooth and hot, but weirdly acidic.
Smoked Salmon Sandwich $8
Clean and light tasting. And the pickle was great too--briny and crisp.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
The Sentinel
37 New Montgomery
San Francisco, CA 94105
No Website
Too New for Health Code Violations
Hot Pastrami on Rye $8This broiled sandwich was hot and delicious. The red cabbage slaw was a nice touch.
Mushroom and Walnut Soup $6
Smooth and hot, but weirdly acidic.
Smoked Salmon Sandwich $8
Clean and light tasting. And the pickle was great too--briny and crisp.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
The Sentinel
37 New Montgomery
San Francisco, CA 94105
No Website
Too New for Health Code Violations
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 1, restaurant, Service: 1
Won tons from B&M, San Francisco, CA
Wontons with Duck and Bok Choy $6
This is such a cheap meal and is pretty tasty as well.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0
Labels: Chinese, Decor: 0, Food: 2, restaurant, review, Service: 0
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
A Quick Dinner at Osha Thai, San Francisco, CA
We were hungry after being at the bar, and one of the newer outposts of Osha was right next door, so we decided to stop in for dinner. Despite it being very busy, we were seated right away. The food, however, was less than spectacular. This same dish, prepared at the original Osha in the Tenderloin, is worlds better.
Shrimp Paste Fried Rice $10
The use of frozen peas and carrots was both disturbing and disappointing.
Shrimp Paste Fried Rice $10
The use of frozen peas and carrots was both disturbing and disappointing.
Labels: chain restaurant, Decor: 2, Food: 1, restaurant, review, Service: 1, thai
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Spicy Shrimp Noodle Soup with Bok Choy
A very quick weeknight meal that reheats well.
-1 lb peeled shrimp
-2 packages shirataki noodles
-1/2 onion, sliced
-1 head bok choy, chopped
-2 tb dark soy
-1 tb chili garlic sauce
-1 tb hoisin sauce
-juice of 1 lime
-3 cans chicken broth
Sautee the onions in the doy and chili garlic sauce. Add in the rinsed and drained noodles. Add the other hoisin, lime juice and broth and bring to a boil. Add the bok choy and shrimp, cover, and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Labels: bok choy, homemade, seafood, shrimp, soup
Monday, June 02, 2008
Shrimp Fried Rice and Salad
We rarely eat grains, I was craving fried rice, and I had brown rice in the house, so I made a huge platter of it.
Shrimp Fried Rice
Spicy, sweet, salty and shrimpy.
Romaine Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette
Shrimp Fried Rice
Spicy, sweet, salty and shrimpy.
-1.5 cups brown rice
-1 bunch cilantro, chopped
-5 scallions, chopped
-1 lb peeled shrimp
-3 eggs, scrambled
-2 tb soy sauce
-1 tb fish sauce
-2 tb oyster sauce
-2 tb hoisin sauce
-juice of 1 lime
-3 tb chili garlic sauce
While the brown rice is cooking in a separate pot, scramble the egg and set aside. Cook the shrimp in a sautee pan in the lime juice and set aside. Sautee the scallions. When rice is done, add it into a big sautee pan with the egg, shrimp and everything else and sautee in the pan until everything is combined.
-1 bunch cilantro, chopped
-5 scallions, chopped
-1 lb peeled shrimp
-3 eggs, scrambled
-2 tb soy sauce
-1 tb fish sauce
-2 tb oyster sauce
-2 tb hoisin sauce
-juice of 1 lime
-3 tb chili garlic sauce
While the brown rice is cooking in a separate pot, scramble the egg and set aside. Cook the shrimp in a sautee pan in the lime juice and set aside. Sautee the scallions. When rice is done, add it into a big sautee pan with the egg, shrimp and everything else and sautee in the pan until everything is combined.
Romaine Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette
-1 part sesame oil
-1 part yellow mustard
-1 part rice vinegar
Whisk together all of the ingredients and dress the salad.
-1 part yellow mustard
-1 part rice vinegar
Whisk together all of the ingredients and dress the salad.
Labels: dinner recipes, grains, homemade, salad, shrimp
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Mother's Again in Portland, OR
Fried Ravioli $11
Fried pasta. What really can you say?
Perogis $12
Definitely comfort food.
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
Mother's Bistro
212 SW Stark St
Portland, OR 97204
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 1, restaurant, review, Service: 1
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