DOV2018: Honey Salt, delightful lunch

Restaurant: Honey Salt (visit their website here)

Location: 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Canadian, Seafood
Dineout Price: $25 for lunch; $40 for dinner

Date of visit: January 19, 2018
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 4.5/5
Food variety: 3/5
Food quality: 5/5
Buck worthy? 5/5

So excited for our first Dine Out of the season! I chose this classy lunch location for a date with Adorables to start! Located in Parq Vancouver, it is easily accessible through the entrance of the JW Marriot. There are various themed seats from regular tables to sofas and lounge chairs, a very comfy casual feel. They're offering a $25 lunch and $40 dinner menu for Dine Out Vancouver.

Adorables ordered a Sweet Tea ($5.00) to start, I found this a little bland but he enjoyed it.

Appetizers

Burrata & Heirloom Beets charcoal-roasted beets, arugula, honey vinegar

In presentation, this dish was quite nice, salad topped with a generous portion of burrata. The salad itself was nicely coated in the honey vinegar and contrasted well with the gooey rich burrata cheese. Some of the beets were a little too burnt for my liking but the beet itself was tender and sweet. Overall the burrata was too overpowering and the imbalance made this dish underwhelming.

Tofino Fry calamari, sidestripe shrimp, lemon, peppers & spicy Japanese "kewpie" mayonnaise
We were both impressed with the generous portion size of this dish. The simple yet elegant presentation caught my eye. The batter was light and flavorful, went well with the calamari and shrimp. Peppers were a little overcooked; the lemon had a great unique crunch and wasn't overly tart. Paired with the mild and tart mayonnaise, this was a well rounded dish.

Entrees

Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken creamy slaw, durkee's dressing, brioche & nice little salad

Honestly, I expected something a lot different than what was presented to us. Nonetheless, it was presented as a burger with three nice crispy pieces of chicken nestled between a delicious brioche bun paired with a small salad.

The chicken was tender, crispy, and seasoned well but a little dry. The creamy slaw made good presence in the burger. However, the mustard in the dressing was a bit overwhelming in some parts. Little side salad consisted of romaine lettuce, carrots, radicchio, and a very tart dried berry (unsure what it was, guessing barberry or cranberry) in a nutty cream-based dressing. Very pleasing.

Poke Bowl BC albacore, green chili ponzu, avocado, cucumber, tobiko & black rice
Surprisingly, this was the highlight of the meal for me. This was visually appealing, elegant and colorful. They even went the extra mile to make rice crispies out of black rice for added texture to the dish. The green chili ponzu was a nice balance of tart and creamy. Tuna was very fresh and such a generous portion that it overwhelmed the amount of rice present. Pleasantly surprised with the half avocado and pickled radish added extra color, crunch, and zest to the bowl. A delicious creation.

Desserts

Brown Bag Baked Apple Pie  ginger ice cream

We were both perplexed at the sheer size of desserts but we thoroughly enjoyed this succulent apple pie. It did come in a brown bag and opened at the table to reveal a nice pastry inside.

Big chunks of apple inside the pie and a buttery flaky crust topped with ice cream-- heaven in a spoonful! I didn't taste any ginger in the ice cream, felt like it was just plain vanilla ice cream (smooth and creamy though).

Warm Apple Cider Donuts bourbon & cinnamon sauce

After diving into the pie and nearing the brink of our stomach capacities, we split one of the three donuts. I didn't expect it to be so dense and a little dry, but with the sauce it was quite delicious. The sauce was like caramel with bourbon and cinnamon accents and enhanced the donuts.

I love how they placed it in a light blue bowl on a white plate because I'm a sucker for that color combination. Just perfect, they were nestled so snugly that I almost didn't want to take one.

Needless to say, we were both very stuffed after our meals and had to pack the remaining desserts to go. Service was attentive and warm, I did get the feeling they're still getting used to their roles and how the place is run. Our entrees appeared before our appies were done and cleared, which is uncommon practice for a higher-end establishment like this. Our waitress promptly noticed and apologized for the rush of dishes and explained that it sometimes happens during lunch, but of course I didn't even notice until she brought it up. We both enjoyed our date at Honey Salt and would definitely return-- especially for that delicious apple pie!

The cute book our bill came in!

Small Victory: Friendly service, scrumptious baked goods!

Been super busy lately with finals and all, but since Urbanspoon and Zomato's merge, Zomato has reached out to bloggers to meet up to better understand the changes and get to know each other better!

Restaurant: Small Victory Bakery (visit their website here)

Location: 1088 Homer Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Coffee, Baked goods
Price range: <$10




Date of visit: April 16, 2015
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 4.5/5
Food variety: 2.5/5
Food quality: 4.5/5
Buck worthy? 4/5

Today I met with Sophia who is the community manager from Zomato for their Vancouver base. Super lovely chatting with her, got to know more about her and Zomato/Urbanspoon and what the future holds! But first, lets talk food. I ordered a Latte ($3.75), which came promptly. Nice presentation, I like the little wooden planks they use, the geometry of the shapes work out neatly when placed together (a little thing that makes me happy haha). The latte was quite strong, coffee was aromatic, I'm not much of a coffee expert though =P This drink kept me up until 4am the next day. I guess that's some good, strong caffeine.

I also tried their Maple Walnut Scone ($4.25...? I forgot the price...cuz she didn't offer me a receipt). It was quite a large size and she offered to help me heat it up. Oddly enough, it didn't come with butter, but she did give me a knife. I was a bit confused, so I used the knife to cut the scone in half. My goodness this thing is dangerous. It was so moist, a little chewy, and fluffy. The exterior was crispy and the difference in texture combined well. A bit sweet for some people probably, but I loved it. The walnuts were chopped up with a bit of maple flavor and cinnamon. I've never had a more enjoyable scone before! Luckily this place is far from where I frequent, or I'm definitely going to become broke!

I stayed for a bit after our meetup to do some work, the waiters came around to clear the table and were very friendly. I like how bright and spacious the place is, made it feel more clean. I didn't notice any free wifi available though, so it's a bit harder to get work done without draining all your data. Otherwise, I enjoyed my visit here and meeting the wonderfully enthusiastic Sophia! Looking forward to great things and the future of blogging with Zomato!

Kibo: I prefer my meals without mice around. Thanks.

Adorables got a Groupon ($11 for $30 of food) for this place, so we decided to hit it up before it expired! When I arrived it was empty, I had the restaurant to myself. Oh well, probably because it's a random Wednesday night.

Restaurant: Kibo Restaurant and Lounge (visit their website here)

Location: 1261 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Price range: $15+ per person




Date of visit: February 25, 2015
Atmosphere: 0/5 (mice? No thanks)
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 5/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 1/5

Server was very friendly and attentive, I was seated promptly and he brought me some water to start. I knew I wanted to try their Salmon Tartare ($8.00) because it sounded amazing online. Presentation was nice, with the tower of salmon tartare in the middle surrounded by four oba tempura pieces. It looked like a flower. 

The tartare was light, refreshing and a bit tart. I liked the cilantro and their use of sockeye salmon. Made it less fatty than others I've had. Oba was great as a chip to scoop the salmon tartare into our mouths. Fresh and crispy! Loved this dish!

As we sat waiting for our other dishes, little critters joined us at the restaurant (besides another couple who also walked in and were seated next to us). I mean mice. YEAH. MICE AT SUCH A NICE ESTABLISHMENT. I was scared for my life. Too bad they were camera-shy. I was tempted to ask if they were pets, but refrained. It was the first time seeing a live mouse for me though. Kinda lost my appetite at this point and was super worried I would die from the food. Our Kibo Roll ($13.00) showed up all pretty. I ate it anyways. It was an avocado and cucumber roll topped with seared tuna and salmon. The Kibo sauce consisted of ginger and radish, but it overwhelmed the whole roll. Far too tangy, gingery, and salty, taking it off, the roll was far more enjoyable. Adorables also mentioned it was too saucy (the bottom was all sauce), which I agreed with.

Finally, the Crazy Roll ($12 online but they charged us $13) arrived. Visually appealing, Adorables was not impressed by the texture of the roll. The deep fried garlic chips on top stuck to our teeth and disrupted the creaminess of the whole roll. The spicy negitoro and avocado went well together as the spiciness cut the sickening feeling of super creamy avocado. I took the roll to go though, the mice kept running around and I just couldn't focus on eating. Nor did I have much of an appetite.

Service was not bad, but sadly, I won't return because of their vermin problem. I hope they'll fix it, but I checked online for their food inspection and it wasn't listed. I guess its a new problem. I'm still breathing, so I guess the mice were just around the store front. First time in my life that there was no tip to the meal. Adorables mentioned that if it were busier we would have never known. Maybe ignorance is bliss sometimes...

Ramen Jinya 陣家, Yaletown: Authentic Ramen

First night of Celebration of Lights! Excited, I headed downtown for lunch with RetroGirl and RL. I wanted ramen, and RetroGirl suggested a few places, Ramen Jinya caught my eye because it's not located where near the blob of ramen shops on Robson, instead, it's at the Yaletown end =O

Restaurant: Ramen Jinya 陣家 (visit their website here)

Location: 270 Robson Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Japanese, Noodle Shop
Price range: about $10




Date of visit: July 27, 2013
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 4/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 4/5

Upon entrance, I notice it's more brightly lit and urban than the other ramen shops, looked cleaner. Was a bit iffy about being seated right near the door, but glad we did, since it started getting warm and the cool breeze from outside was wonderful. RL tried their Tonkotsu Ramen Black ($11.25) before, so he ordered it again. Quite interesting, it was made with black seasame oil, hence the "black". Seems to be a popular item to be ordered.

I couldn't decide between two ramens, but since RetroGirl ordered their Original Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen ($9.75), I ordered the other. Hers looked quite fatty, but she said it was deliciously fatty =) Also ordered a soft-boiled egg ($1.00) on the side, which arrived separately from the ramen-- interesting. Do you see the giant ladle-spoon? It made eating a bit difficult haha but quite cool.

Finally, mines! I ordered a Tonkotsu Shio Ramen ($9.75) and remembered I like Shio much more than Shoyu miso, so I  was happy =D It's interesting here, they use authentic ramen (according to RetroGirl who has been in Japan for a while before). It's thinner than the other ramen I've had before, and it was really good. The broth was to die for. It was so rich and the flavors burst in my mouth. Almost had a foodgasm (please excuse the language). The Char Siu was also tender and not very fat, I liked it a lot. The broth ended up being a bit fattier than I'd expected, but everything comes for a price =P

Very memorable indeed, so if I'm in the area I will be sure to come again! Having learnt thin ramen is what one would expect in Japan is very intriguing for me, what of the other ramen places then? Are they FAKES D= They gave us a cute fan for the fireworks though ^-^

Anywho, very nice servers and spacious little store with delicious food? I'll be BACK.

Salsa and Agave, Yaletown Vancouver: Foodies took over the restaurant!

Foodies of Vancouver event! Great turnout, many fellow food enthusiasts showed and it was an amazing evening =) Salsa and Agave is quite a small little place, so we practically took over the giant long table in the middle of the restaurant! Yay!







Restaurant: Salsa & Agave (visit their website here)

Location: 1223 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
Cuisine: Mexican
Price range: $15-20 per entree




Date of visit: July 16, 2013
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 3/5
Food quality: 3/5
Buck worthy? 3/5

Courtesy of Charles Yu Photography

Located right near Yaletown roundhouse, this was a cute little store that one might not have noticed because of all the bustle around it!

So much food!! They gave us chips with dip to snack on as AY and I waited for everyone to arrive! Very first time trying Mexican, so I didn't know what to order. The waitress recommended their Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce ($12.00) so I got it. Easy. I realize Mexican food is not my cup of tea. I just didn't enjoy my meal as much as I think I should have.

The rice was oddly cooked, it was too soft. The beans... I don't know what to say about them. Chicken in the enchiladas was so dry. Taste was good though. I liked the taste of the enchiladas. The corn tortilla was also rather... mushy. I've never had any Mexican food before, so I can't judge whether it's good or not ><"

Here's the other dishes people ordered, photos courtesy of Charles Yu Photography, thanks =D

Agave Burrito ($9.00)
Courtesy of Charles Yu Photography

I believe this is the Carne Asada ($13.00)
Courtesy of Charles Yu Photography

Nachos ($9.00)
Courtesy of Charles Yu Photography

Azteca Soup ($4.00/$7.00)
Courtesy of Charles Yu Photography

Four Tacos ($9.00)- Pastor, pollo, carne asada (?), and lengua
Courtesy of Charles Yu Photography

Overall it was a pleasant experience, the service wasn't exceptional, but they tried to be friendly I suppose. Partially our fault for taking up their restaurant space for so long =( Judging from the amount of people dining here, it's pretty solid. Just not my fancy. They're a bit tricky though. Tips were already included in the amount due, probably because we had a large group? Almost over-tipped for mediocre service! Teehee

Mini Munchie: Soirette Macarons & Tea

After a hearty breakfast with MS at Marulilu Cafe, we headed off to find macarons! I did some research, but when we got to our first location, they didn't look good at all. So we decided to go to Soirette's =)

Restaurant: Soirette Macarons & Tea (visit their website here)
Location: 1433 West Pender Street
Cuisine: French, Desserts, Tea
Price range: $10+ (depending what you get)







Date of visit: February 24, 2013
Atmosphere: 3/5
Staff/service: 5/5
Food variety: 2/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 1/5

When we walked in, all the seats were taken already, luckily we were just going to buy and leave anyways. I got a dozen macarons ($22), and most of what I saw at the store was macarons and a few desserts  (hence why the food variety is a 2/5). I wanted to be adventurous and try out as many flavors as I could =P

 I'm procrastinating, so I'm gonna note things about every macaron I had~~ I didn't get a pic of lavender though =( It was pretty good, not too strong of a lavender "flavor" though, just sweet.

White Truffle. The server recommended I eat this one last due to the stronger flavors, and she was good in letting me know, those grains of salt were indeed strong! Liked this a lot cuz it was well-balanced.

 Mango Black Pepper. Very strong mango flavor and definitely could taste that black pepper. Thought the pepper was a bit strong.

Matcha. Honestly, I don't know the different tastes between match and other green teas, this tasted just like a green tea one... =/

Black Rose. Even my mom said she tasted the rose flavor, and this was quite well done. A little over-baked in my opinion because it was a bit browned, but other than that, the rose was strong and the cream filling went well with it.

Chestnut. Couldn't figure out the flavor at first (yes, I started forgetting what each one was haha), because it wasn't a very strong flavor. All I tasted was sweet =/

 Creme Brulee. Not sure if this was supposed to have any eggy flavor to it or not, because all I could taste was sweet. =(

 Passion fruit. This flavor was the most distinct since it was the only one that had a tangy taste. It was sweet, but carried a very fruity flavor which I quite enjoyed =)

Chocolate Mint. Minty chocolate pretty much describes this macaron xD

Jasmine. Tasted just like the matcha, just a different color ^^"

Raspberry. Could definitely taste the raspberry, but I was expecting a bit of a tartiness to it, which was absent. Just had the raspberry flavor, almost like a Maynards raspberry candy xD

Rocher. It's like. Nutella in a macaron form! More Nutella than Ferrero Rocher, but then again, they're the same company aren't they? One of my classic favorites =)








Annnnd being the poor student I am, I doubt I'll be back any time soon. You might see me try to make them though xD I'd like to mention, the server who served me was very well-informed and helpful when I asked her what each macaron contained ;D