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Author Archives: Kevin Wu

Suika Snack Bar – VANEATS.ca “SupaSUIKA” Preview

May 12, 2013 – 21:55

With the great sunny and record breaking heat of late in Vancouver, it feels like an early start to summer, so the timing of this latest package from VANEATS.ca featuring Suika Snackbar is perfect.

Let’s look at the menu via Kevin and Billy..

Salmon Battera, sockeye salmon, salmon caviar, spicy cod roe mayo, Japanese basil, avocado shiso
Magical Mojito Pitcher, choose from watermelon, pomegranate and aloe flavours (regular price $28)
Steak Salad, diced & marinated AAA beef filet steaks on organic greens topped with watercress and beets
Ma-Po Rice Cake, deep fried rice cake with spicy ground pork sauce

Since we arrived a bit earlier than my reservation time, I chose to sit out on the patio and enjoy the remainder of the sun along with the mojito pitcher. Then plan was to drink some, then head inside to eat and finish the (final) Canucks game of the playoffs, but we ended up eating everything outside.

First up, the magical mojito pitcher. We both couldn’t decide on which flavour, so we asked our server for her favourite, and aloe it was. Light, refreshing..would have liked more of those jelly aloe vera bits, most of them seem to have sunk to the bottom. I basically ended up drinking the entire pitcher since Val had to drive later. Wooooo!

Next came the Steak Salad, diced & marinated AAA beef filet steaks on organic greens topped with watercress and beets.

The next item, Ma-Po Rice Cake, deep fried rice cake with spicy ground pork sauce, is something different and I thought it was done well, but Val wasn’t a fan. She thought it was spicy, the szechuan numbing kind..while I thought it wasn’t spicy at all.

The 4th item of the package was Salmon Battera, sockeye salmon, salmon caviar, spicy cod roe mayo, Japanese basil, avocado shiso.

Since it was starting to get a bit chilly outside, we ordered an Oxtail Ramen for some warmth and additional carbs.

This VANEATS.ca SupaSuika package is good value, and not just because of the mojito pitcher’s $28 price point, but for the quality of food that Suika consistently puts out! Don’t miss it as it’s on sale now and expires June 30th.

Suika Snack Bar

Address: 1626 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6J1X8

Phone: (604) 730-1678

Transit: EB w Broadway FS Fir St-

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The Guest House at The Burrowing Owl Estate Winery

May 8, 2013 – 09:00

After a long day of eating (Crucetti’s, Savvios), driving and ~~sampling~~ visiting numerous wineries, it was finally time to head to our final destination, The Guest House at The Burrowing Owl Estate Winery. Weather was on our side as we drove up the hill, so I had to stop and take a quick panorama.

As our visit was during the ‘low season’, there were some major renovations being done around the estate, but none that affected our stay at all.

No food pictures, just some interior pictures of our room. read more »

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No. 1 Noodle House

April 27, 2013 – 15:02

Quick post. Went to The Alibi Room yesterday night for some way overdue (not the beer, but the social gathering for it) beer with Adam, Christina, Danton and Tien. You see, Adam forgot about our dinner at Houseguest and so said he’d buy us a round next time. 1 year later, here we are and of course we were met with this sign.

This is the usual now at Alibi Room….so I left my number and we headed out for some food. My first thought was for Save On Meats for a cheap and quick burger, but on the way there we saw a line up for No. 1 Noodle House and decided to try it out.

If you want a good chuckle, read the comments on the post from Scout Magazine.

Anyways. To quote, since I’m lazy.

It’s basically a big ramen joint. [...] menu will be small – just three ramens (soy, pork, maybe chicken), fried chicken wings, bao buns, salads and Banh Mi sandwiches – with a small beer, sake and spirits component.

The place will be geared towards the chefs who work on the line all night and then don’t have many options for food and drink when they clock out. No. 1 Noodle House might stay open until as late as 4am, with a capacity for 75-90 people. Guest chefs will also regularly moonlight to create specialty dishes of their own.

Right now, the concept is for a 7 month pop-up, which Brand describes as a “business incubator”. If it works, they might stay or move somewhere else. Opening day is scheduled for late April or early May.

So the menu is basically finalized, nothing is over $10, and all prices include tax. Cash only while they get their card system set up, so be prepared. read more »

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Glowbal Group – Black+Blue Rooftop Patio Opening

April 26, 2013 – 11:59

Time flies. It’s been a short year and a half since Glowbal Groups Black + Blue opened on October 30th, 2011, and on April 24th, 2013 they celebrated the opening of their brand spanking new rooftop patio. It contains a complete kitchen and a Wood Stone Charcoal Broiler oven! No words, just pictures.

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Hakkaku Ramen

April 25, 2013 – 16:30

Up by Hastings and Willingdon is Hakkaku Ramen, a small ramen restaurant recommended to me by my hair stylist, Matt Do (InRed Hair Salon). Go see him and tell him I sent you. Sometimes before my appointment, I head out earlier to get a bowl of ramen. It’s no Kintaro or Hokkaido, but it’s decent and there’s nothing else around in North Burnaby.

Even better is the Tuesday to Friday lunch special (11:30am to 3pm), from which you can order a Shio or Shoyu ramen with a choice of mini salad, extra noodles or rice for $7.45.

You have a choice of regular or fatty broth, and for the meat, belly (fat) or shoulder (lean). read more »

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Wineries of Oliver, BC

April 24, 2013 – 09:00

After a filling breakfast at Crucetti’s Family Restaurant, I figured we should probably drive around and see if any of the wineries were open at 10am on Sunday. The first thing I usually do in a new city is drop by the Visitors Centre, but unfortunately the one here in Oliver is closed on the weekends.

That’s no worry though, there are some handy maps available to look at.

I decided to take a drive along the outskirts of the city, instead of driving along Main street in the middle of town. The first winery we happened upon was Oliver Twist Estate Winery, where I immensely enjoying their Oliver’s Choice, made with Kerner grapes (so much that I bought a bottle…for my sister).

After this, we made our way over to Hester Creek Estate Winery. It was here that we saw a little pamphlet called the Winery passport contest, held by the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association. This gave us a bit of additional motivation and reason to visit the numerous wineries in Oliver. read more »

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Savvios Family Restaurant, Oliver, BC

April 24, 2013 – 00:13

Midway through our Winery tour, we were famished for lunch and needed something to eat, but there was nothing else around except for 7-11, A&W or some Chinese food. So…we ended up here, at Savvios Family Restaurant, where they serve Greek AND Italian cuisine. It’s weird how these two cuisines are always lumped together as a restaurant offering.

Entering shortly after noon, we were the only customers in here aside from some old man playing a foreign instrument sitting with who we would later find out to be the guy cooking our food. Now when I say this place is old and dated, I mean they’ve got old school wooden beams, dim lighting and red and green velvet tablecloths. It’s garish, it makes you cringe and smile at the same time at how messy yet “homey” the decoration is.

The menu is pretty standard, prices are on par with what you’d see in Vancouver for a restaurant of this kind. Val ordered the Chicken souvlaki, but there was no chicken left..so they asked her if she was okay with lamb. Sure, why not. How do you want it done? What do you mean? Flavour or doneness? We had no clue what our server meant so we said whatever’s best. Turns out that meant well done like rubber. For $12.95 it was okay I guess, lots of rice, lots of salad, lemon-baked potato and pita bread.

As for me, I had one of the specials of the day (I’m daring, I know), a beef donair with a side of Italian wedding soup. Heavy tzaziki sauce, loads of red onions dominated the donair itself, but it was filling and did the job.

Overall, it was food, it was edible..I mean, what can you say? It’s a family restaurant, it’s old, dated and in a small town. There’s not much else..

Savvios Family Restaurant
34646 97th Street, Oliver, BC
1 – (250) 498-4418

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Crucetti’s Family Restaurant, Oliver, BC

April 17, 2013 – 16:00

Looking for some food to eat other than Tim Horton’s for breakfast (thanks for the Wi-Fi and coffee), I quickly scanned through Foursquare and Yelp (had no choice) for some options. It was either Crucetti’s, Cock and Bull or Cantaloupe Annie’s (closed?) and so since we were closest to the Oliver Centre Mall, we headed to Crucetti’s.

Crucetti's Family Restaurant, Oliver, BC

The interior is dated, probably to the 1950′s. The patrons at the time of our visit around 9am were definitely all born then, if not earlier. By dated, I mean that the walls consist of a lower half panel of slatted wood and an upper half of floral wallpaper, complete with old black and white pictures of past Oliver baseball teams.

The menu is a single sheet of paper and contains all the basic breakfast items; two eggs any style, steak and eggs, eggs benny, omelettes, French toast, hotcakes, and some lighter options and add ons. Basically Crucetti’s is your classic breakfast diner. read more »

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Pumphouse Pub – Beer Cocktails Long Table Dinner

April 11, 2013 – 00:00

At the relatively quiet intersection of Blundell & No. 2 Road in Richmond, BC is a pub that serves up an amazing craft beer selection. Really, it’s a pretty cool place to be in as it’s got actual personable history, not some cookie cutter pub layout.

Of course, their beer selection is helped as they’ve got a working relationship with Beerthirst.

I was invited out to one of their longtable dinners, usually they are just a pour of beer paired with a dish, but this time it was beer cocktails. read more »

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Bún chả cá Hoàng Yến

April 9, 2013 – 16:10

Hoàng Yến is a fairly new restaurant on Victoria Drive, having taken over what used to be the Mayflower Cafe, a Chinese Canadian restaurant. They’ve kept the “-Canadian” part, but replaced the Chinese with Vietnamese.

Inside, it’s quite stereotypical of a Vietnamese restaurant with the tight table seatings, mirrored wall and a TV playing some Vietnamese channel, except…it’s really clean and bright! Service is pretty good too, even though it was super busy when we went at peak dinner time (630pm).

The prices are very reasonable and even include tax. Add-ons to any main (noodle or rice) are also very cheap ($1.50 for spring or salad rolls, $2.00 for coffee or 3 bean ice). read more »

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