YEW: Last dineout-- datenight!

To end our Dine Out adventures this year, we decided on YEW, located at the Fairmont beside Pacific Center. They offered a $40 3-course menu with optional wine pairings for each course (various prices). The inside decor is classy but felt comforting. Our server was very friendly and started us with some hot water. Adorables said that he looked familiar, almost like a person he had met during a volunteering mission many years ago!

We were provided with bread to start, Adorables and I gorged on their bread with herb butter.

I ended up dipping my bread in their Yew Lobster Bisque with crispy leek and croutons. I enjoyed this dish the first time I came, but it had been so long I didn't really remember the taste, only "it was good". This was a very creamy but thin bisque. Rich lobster shell flavor. Although it was a small bowl, it soon proved to be a little much all for myself (of course I shared the rest with Adorables).

I talked Adorables into getting the Albacore Tuna with green lentil salad and winter vegetables. Plated as a tower of fish on top of a green lentil salad and garnished with winter vegetables, it was a beautifully colorful arrangement.

Tuna was nice and fresh, lentil added texture to the mushy tuna. Gotta say their plating was simple yet elegant.

I knew it was a silly idea but we both chose more fish for our meal, with Adorables getting the Roasted Salmon with Greek style vegetables and coriander. The fish was cooked perfectly, flakey and not overdone. A golden sheen on the outside on a bed of veggies and soup. Adorables enjoyed the pairing of soup to his fish. I was impartial to this.

I had the Pan Fried Sablefish with vegetables spaghetti, coconut and bouillabaisse. This was a magnificent dish. The sablefish was flakey, moist, and melted in my mouth. Paired with the delicious bouillabaisse-- the dish was well enhanced. I liked this "soup" base more than the one Adorables had since it was more fragrant and full-bodied. The vegetable spaghetti was fine and nicely twirled on my fork.

Onto the dessert round! Their Green Mountain was made with green tea, chestnut, and vanilla yuzu creme. It was a smooth, creamy explosion of green tea flavor in my mouth. The chestnut was very sweet but in small amounts was fine with the rest of the dessert. I loved the shape of it, so cute!

Couldn't decide on the other dessert, our server recommended the Jitters Gateau made with coffee and brown butter Pain de Gênes, coffee cream, and coffee hazelnut streusel. It was amazing! I don't know what made the crunchy bits, but along with the cream and cake-- this was a wonderful dessert experience with a variety of sweet and bitter and textures too!

By the end of the night, we had fully enjoyed our meal and spent some time looking through old photos trying to remember the name of the guide who led the volunteer mission in Morocco-- it turns out our server was indeed the same person! He was still building the school, and it had expanded to become a community center with healthcare included. What an amazing end to our evening, and what a small world it is to reunite with old faces halfway across the world!

AnnaLenna: Fourth Dineout is fancy!

I'd wanted to try Anna Lenna for a while and Adorables managed to book us a table for 9pm. This year for Dine Out, they offered a $40 3-course menu with optional starter add-ons and wine pairings for each course (various prices). We were seated promptly and the interior decor is so cute!

For my starter, I ordered the Fried Humboldt Squid with dill aioli, malt powder, and pickled cabbage. The plating was simple, cubed pieces of squid topped with blobs of dill aioli. The squid was tender, but rather bland. Not outstanding to me.

Adorables ordered the Ham Hock Terrine with horseradish, apple, celeriac, and thyme oil. This reminded me of spam. It was nice and satisfying though.

My main was Pan Seared Trout on a bed of roasted turnips, clams, caper butter sauce and pickled shallot. What a beautiful dish this was! The trout had crispy skin and perfectly cooked interior. The fish was flakey, moist, and delicious in the sauce. I counted four clams in my dish!

Most of my friends ordered Glazed Boneless Short Rib with mirepoix and buttermilk mash. The short rib was tender with a little bit of bite. I quite enjoyed the buttermilk mash as it was creamy and smooth.

Onto the desserts (which were presented to us on a separate menu by the way)!

I ordered the Chocolate Caramel Mousse with almond croquant and thyme anglais and was pleasantly surprised with the gold flakes on top! The "almond croquant" was more like a crunchy caramel piece which enhanced the overall texture of the dish. Thyme didn't do much for me, just decorated the dish atop the cream.

I kept eating the light, fluffy, and smooth mousse while wondering where the caramel was, then I found it! In the middle! What a beautifully crafted dessert!

Others ordered the Yogurt Vanilla Panna Cotta with granola, beet sorbet, and apple gel. Before I remembered it was a beet sorbet, my tastebuds were thoroughly confused by the earthy and sweet flavors of the sorbet. The panna cotta was smooth and jello-like, apple gel provided some tartness to the plate.

Some people ordered the Affogatto with house Irish ice cream and fernwood expresso ($8), they said the ice cream was very nice with the coffee-- quite strong! Almost overwhelming with the alcohol and caffeine combination for one person! All in all, it was an enjoyable evening with slow but friendly and patient service. They ended our night with some fudge when they brought the bill!

DineOut 2015: Bistro 101

To start off our Dine Out 2015, Adorables and I hit up a location I wasn't able to visit last year! Super excited to be supporting other students, and trying this place out after hearing so many positive things from friends!!

Restaurant: Bistro 101 (visit their website here)

Location: 1505 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver
Cuisine: French, International, Pacific Northwest
Price range: $28+tips & tax





Date of visit: January 20, 2015
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 3/5
Food quality: 3/5
Buck worthy? 3/5

We had arrived earlier than booked time, so we had to wait a bit before they seated us, at our appointed time (6:00pm). Their dineout menu this year was $28.00. Our waiter promptly arrived at our table to inform us of the daily special on their menu. We were started with complimentary bread, of which we were only able to try a couple pieces, but were delicious!

We also got complimentary Ravioli (in wonton wraps). I found these interesting as the sauce overwhelmed the ravioli. Wrapping was cooked al dente. Otherwise nothing special.

For my appetizer, I ordered their special of the day, Pan Seared Scallops with an avocado mash. Visually, it was quite appealing (besides the fallen sweet potato chip). I found the scallops a wee undercooked, but were wonderfully seasoned-- very fresh. The highlight was the avocado mash which had avocado, onion, and herb. It was a bit spicy but so creamy. The chips were oily and soft, I was confused by them.

Adorables got the BC Smoked Salmon Roulade which had fresh crab, chives, and grapefruit. This was delectable. It was creamy but had some bite to it because of the deep fried salmon skin on top. I wish there were more grapefruit, as it added some tanginess to the rich flavor of the crab and salmon. Lovely plating.

For my entree, I ordered their special of the night, Pan-seared Arctic Char with Rice and Melons. The char was cooked nicely, moist and soft on the inside and a little bit of crisp on the outside. The melons were coated in a cream sauce, adding some sweetness to the dish, but felt out of place.

The rice was definitely overcooked. It was soft, dense, and mushy, perhaps they should consider getting a rice cooker. The zucchini on top was placed nicely! The charred leek on the side was too tough to eat (I'm not sure if it was meant to be eaten haha). At least they got the star of the dish right, that was some good fish!

Adorables ordered the Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Glazed Shallots, Chickpea Fries, and Watercress. Plating was nice, but I was surprised with the steak pieces, as it was pre-sliced. I expected a piece of steak. Anyways, it was tender and seasoned well, cooked to a medium, medium-rare as requested. Shallot melted in my mouth and was amazing. The chickpea fries were like BRICKS. Solid and bland, it could use a lot more seasoning and fluffing.

Onwards to dessert, I felt a bit childish giggling at my Vanilla Bavarian and Apples with Butter Pecan Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. They had used diced apples and apple sauce, the apple sauce looked like little wormies going towards the Bavarian ^^" Anyhow, the Bavarian was light and fluffy, I wish there was more. The cookie under was also light, crispy, and fragrant. The ice cream was average, I couldn't figure out what they sat it on (it was a powder of some sort). I didn't have much of the apple sauce because it was too salty =/

Adorables ordered the Chocolate Caramel Tart with Caramel and Chocolate Crèmeux. The tart was lined with a soft, flakey crust, creamy chocolate and caramel layers. It was very smooth. Plating was also clean and neat. Wonderful dish.

Also complimentary, were a Raspberry Jelly, Chocolate (Dark and Milk), and Macarons (I'd been eyeing them all evening). The jelly was interesting, had some bite but not chewy. Chocolate was delicious, it was so rich and smooth. Macarons had caramel filling, not bad but I feel they weren't chewy and moist in the middle enough. But it was free, so I enjoyed them more =D

Overall it was a delightful evening, I enjoyed the service and food. Although a bit disappointed with food, I had a great date night along with all those free complimentary dishes they gave us =)

Forage: DineOutVancouver #2-- beautiful creations!

So... by this time every place is almost fully booked. And Adorables found a booking here-- for 9:30pm. Suuuuper late dinner. But worth it! Super excited about Dine Out #2 =D All photo credits to Adorables (now my official photographer heh heh)








Restaurant: Forage (visit their website here)

Location: 1300 Robson Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Canadian, Seafood
Price range: $20+ per person





Date of visit: January 29, 2014
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Staff/service: 5/5
Food variety: 4/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 4/5

Their dine out menu is $28 and is a three course meal. For the appetizer, I chose their Forage Award Winning Seafood Chowder, it looked so nice. Rich, creamy, and "sweet". Loaded with salmon, scallops, and what I believe to be mini lobster tails. I really liked this soup, including the soft-boiled quail egg. (Feediddles also ordered the chowder-- this is actually hers because hers looked more interesting than mines did hehe)

Since I got the chowder, Adorables was convinced into getting the other option (because we wanna try more variety), which was the Spruce Tip Smoked Bison Carpaccio which was equally amazing. I've never had bison before, but the meaty flavors were so delicious. Alongside the crispy parsnip, black pepper cranberry jelly, and everything else they put on top-- it was a beautiful foodgasm in my mouth. The bison itself had a bit of chew to it, which I enjoyed.

Onto the main courses! Adorables was the unique one this meal, ordered the Roasted Gelderman Farm Pork Belly. The marbling and layers of fat/pork just made the piece melt in my mouth. The skin was nicely done as well, a bit on the salty side, but it was a fluffy crisp-- which was surprising because it looked a lot like Chinese roasted pig, but was simpler and had fluffier crispy skin.

The rest of us (Feediddles, Eggtart and I) chose the Pacific Provider Spring Salmon option. This was beautifully arranged, like the rest of our meal. The salmon was flaky and "smooth"-- it melted in my mouth but had a crispy exterior-- LOVED IT. Was a bit salty on some parts (chunks of salt) but I'll dismiss that because the celery root remoulade was delicious paired with the salmon (neutralized the salty). The hash was nice too, nothing super special and neither Feediddles or Eggtart wanted the smoked onions (which I really enjoyed).

Finally, dessert! Again, Adorables chose the different option (partly because I happened to choose what everyone else chose haha). The Crumb Crusted Maple Rye "French Toast" was super good. The toast was crispy on the outside and the inside was so moist it just melted. I found the marshmallow hard to get at though. And too much chocolate it was overwhelmingly sweet.

Annnnd everyone else got the Blueberry Hazelnut Financier. It was a cakey creation with a crispy exterior. Moist on the inside while with a bit of spring in it, I really liked it and wished I could have more, if I had not been sick =( Adorables ate double desserts hehe. I snuck some cream before a photo was taken, hence the blob on my financier. I mostly tasted the blueberry and found it not overly-sweet.

Super friendly waitress who checked up on us frequently, I enjoyed my meal. Although we were here so late, the restaurant was still pretty full (until the very end, when everyone left).

Not a bad choice for dine out! Although for those of you who aren't light munchers, this might not be filling enough =(

The Teahouse: First DineOutVancouver EVER! =D

Super excited about this! I feel like I can finally be a true foodie ^-^ Anyways, after many tough decisions, decided upon a double date at The Teahouse! (Also because most of the other options were fully booked hehe)

Restaurant: The Teahouse @ Stanley Park(visit their website here)

Location: Ferguson Point (past 3rd beach), Stanley Park, Vancouver
Cuisine: Pacific Northwest, Seafood
Price range: $30+





Date of visit: January 24, 2014
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 5/5
Food variety: 4/5
Food quality: 4.5/5
Buck worthy? 4.5/5

We lucked out because parking was free after 6, and lo and behold, our booking was for 6! Pure luck or perfectly planned? Who knows ;) Traffic here was horrid at this time though =( Either way! We were greeted by friendly hosts and led to a nice table. Our guest appearance, and star of the night, was BMO, proudly owned by Donutmon =)

Of course we chose the dine out option ($28), but their actual menu doesn't look too scary *surprised* For appies, Adorables ordered the Tuscan Salad, which was packed full of greens and nuts, but in the end, just a salad with pieces that weren't bite-sized (too big!).

I ordered the Roasted Roma Tomato Soup (with Goat Cheese) and it was surprisingly creamy! Besides having some texture to it, it was still smooth and rich. Very tomato-y =) (the other two also ordered the soup, so nothing much worth noting besides they enjoyed it too, and we had a mini soup-spooning-etiquette lesson)

Oh! Complimentary bread with very milky butter (creamy?). Anyways, everyone enjoyed lots of butter on their bread-- of course this weirdo stayed away cuz uh. BREAD. *meep* Not saying it's bad. I just don't prefer bread.

Onto the mains!!! I ordered a Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks. It was GIGANTIC. Honestly the best deal for the price, and everyone agreed. The flavors were infused into the meat but not so overwhelming that I couldn't taste the lamb. Still had the lamby flavor! Texture was nice, wasn't falling apart, but not too tough either! The mash that came along with it was great too, wasn't just potatoes, so it felt light.

Adorables ordered the Brome Lake Duck Confit, which was nice and tender. The portion looked tiny compared to my gigantic lamb, but the skin was crispy and the meat was moist and tender. Reminded me of Chinese BBQ duck! Very rich duck flavor.

Donutmon ordered their Sablefish ($38 option), and said it was the most amazing fish she's had. It looked really juicy and flaky-- fell apart easily and melts in your mouth. Very fresh!

Yipster ordered a 7oz Tenderloin ($38 option) after much indecision (we were trying to figure out how big 7oz would be xD) It came with two giant onion rings and pomme frites, which was pretty nice! The meat itself was pretty bloody, but he said it wasn't bad. Maybe not amazing but it wasn't unsatisfactory.

On the side, Adorables also ordered Pomme Frites with Truffle Aioli ($6 + $2), I had a few and they were great! Fluffy potato on the inside and crispy on the outside, with flavors enhanced by the truffle oil. I felt it was a bit expensive for $8 though =/

Onto desserts!! Everyone ordered a Shortbread Lemon Bar, which was beautiful. Super tangy and light, I loved it! The strawberry puree was enjoyed very much by Yipster especially. The coconut macaroon was chewy and had coconut bits in it, quite nice.

I was the lone person venturing a Raspberry Sorbet, a decision I didn't regret. Although for pictures, it couldn't last very long (started melting) but we had good times. I felt it was very rich in raspberry flavor, I think it was high in raspberry puree content. Delish. None of that fake waxy flavor from fake raspberry flavoring! Mint was a bit odd with it though, perhaps I just don't know how to enjoy it.

Alongside the desserts were drinks, Yipster with his Mocha ($3.95)-- couldn't get a good photo of it, but it was nice and fancy, and Donutmon's Tea ($2.95). Rather personal preferences, so nothing much to say about them, besides the fact that they exist ;)

A most enjoyable evening indeed, with great company, food, and service. Stanley park is still too touristy for my liking though. Until my next DineOut adventure, toodles!