DOV 2018: Fishworks, wonderful staff and seafood!

Restaurant: Fishworks (visit their website here)

Location: 91 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver
Cuisine: Seafood
Dineout Price: $30 lunch and dinner menu

Date of visit: January 20, 2018
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 5/5
Food variety: 4.5/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 4/5

For our second dineout, Adorables and I had a double date with my parents in scenic Lonsdale. I apologize in advance for the quality of photos this time as our key equipment (the camera) was left at home for safety due to heavy rain. I was quite excited about the menu, with three selections for each course and dominant in seafood. A nice intimate storefront, we felt welcomed by the friendly staff. 

While waiting for our meals to arrive, we were served warm foccacia bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip. I missed the explanation of what the creamy ball on top was, but it was delicious with hints of sesame oil and chickpea-based. This went well with the soft fragrant bread.

Appetizers

Albacore Tuna Poke
avocado, mango, edamame, mixed greens, sesame seeds, tamari, wasabi aioli, brown rice
Presented in a large clear bowl, this was a colorful dish, albeit a tad messy. A good balance of every ingredient. The salad portion had bigger pieces which didn't go well with other finer ingredients. Everyone agreed it was too saucy and could have been more tart. Fresh and refreshing though!

Prawns Po'Boy Taco
fresh tomato salsa, cilantro aioli, pickled Spanish onion
This beauty came with two golden prawns stacked high and topped with the fresh salsa and onion on a bed of cilantro aioli and soft taco. The shrimp was fresh, had good crunch, and went well with the whole taco. Favorite appy out of them all!

Vegan Cream of Mushroom
coconut milk, wild mushroom, leeks
Adorables asked why I took a photo of soup because it was just soup, but we need photo evidence for everything eaten right? A simple soup of literally minced wild mushroom and coconut milk with some shredded leeks, this was as simple as it got. The coconut milk was fragrant and dominant in the soup, you taste the mushroom after a little while.

Bonus: Crabcakes
We were informed of this fourth option by our server when he was explaining the dineout menu for us, what a treat! More variety! This appeared with a small salad and tartar sauce spread beside the browned crabcake. He mentioned a wasabi aoili with the crabcakes but we didn't taste any traces of that. It was packed full of crab and fresh, however didn't scream anything spectacular to us.

Entrees

Pork Osso Bucco
pork crackling, carrot, celery, potato puree, red wine sauce
Ok. I knew this was a seafood restaurant, but had to try everything in their offerings so this was also ordered. Presentation-wise, perfectly traditional-looking osso bucco. The sauce is runny and made the dish look a bit messy with everything splattered. However, it looked succulent atop the potato puree in red wine sauce. Pork was dry in some parts and too salty for our liking. Pork crackling needed more presence in the dish, almost had to dig around to find it, but it was light and crispy when found.

Wild Salmon
poached lobster, sauce American, winter vegetable
The highlight of the entrees, the salmon was presented beautifully atop perfectly seasoned and cooked winter veggies. I was actually expecting a poached lobster tail instead of the little bits scattered on top, but enjoyed the buttery bites nonetheless. The salmon was perfectly cooked and paired well with the sauce. A dish full of flavor, my mouth still remembers the rich buttery lobster mixed with the salmon.

Mussels & Risotto
fresh basil, sweet peas, sardo cheese
I admired the detail they put into placing all the mussels open-side up to receive the risotto. A deceivingly simple dish, this was remarkably full of flavor. The mussels were fresh and delectable. The risotto was rich, creamy, and exquisite. Some grains weren't cooked through and we found it almost too overpowering in flavors (too salty).

Desserts

Tiramisu
coffee syrup
Ah, onto my favorite part of the meal-- dessert! Now, this tiramisu wasn't outstanding in appearance, but it was light, not overly sweet, and perfectly balanced with the coffee and cream. Everyone enjoyed this dish. One note is that it is a bit too moist.

Pistachio Ice Cream
saffron biscuits
This was neatly arranged in a cup but partially melted already. Unsure if the biscuit had saffron, not too strong. The ice cream itself was marvelous. A light cream swirled in with crushed pistachio to create a memorable icy treat. Contrasted well with the tart berries for an indulgent experience.

Vanilla Panna Cotta
strawberry compote
My personal favorite, this beautiful panna cotta was simple and delicately plated. I dug into the creamy panna cotta and topped it with the sweet and tangy strawberry compote for a heavenly combination of flavors. Alone, the strawberry compote would've been too sweet but with the panna cotta it was perfect.

Our server was attentive, funny, interactive and quite interested in NotMooStachio's story! Definitely enjoyed our meal more at Fishworks because of him! Portion sizes were on the smaller side, but we all went home stuffed.

We ended our meal with complimentary fish-shaped truffles, which were rich, smooth, and deliciously bitter. Bravo!

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!

Dragon Group: Amazing tea, sub-par dim sum

Family was in Richmond visiting the temple, so we thought to have lunch in the area before leaving! Saw this new place have their "Grand Opening" sign up, so we decided to give it a try, it used to be the location of South Ocean.

Restaurant: Dragon Group Seafood Restaurant

Location: 150-4751 Garden City Road, Richmond
Cuisine: Chinese, Seafood, Dim Sum
Price range: $15-$25/person



Date of visit: October 10, 2016
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 4.5/5
Food variety: 5/5
Food quality: 2/5
Buck worthy? 1/5

There wasn't a long wait in line for tables although it looked crowded, we were seated after about 15 minutes of waiting. The inside is quite nicely furnished now, but still the same small space. There is a $1/person charge, and the tea quality justifies this surcharge, it was very nice tea-- fragrant and light.

I was looking through the menu while we waited, so we could place the order right as we sat down (hungry peeps). First to arrive was the Halibut with Scallions and Ginger in Premium Soy Sauce ($8.25). The halibut was cooked perfectly, juicy and flakey inside with a crispy exterior that was evenly coated with the soy sauce. Not overly seasoned, I quite enjoyed the piping hot fish. Wish there were more pieces considering the price we paid.

My mom really loves Rice Roll Wrapped with Donut ($5.25), but this was an utter disappointment. The rice roll itself was mediocre, chewy but not quite "smooth". The Chinese donut was hard as a rock and over-fried. Normally it should be crispy on the outside with a bread-like interior. At least they put the soy sauce on the side.

When I first went for dim sum in Hong Kong, one thing I really enjoyed were their "combo" dishes-- basically dishes with more than one item in it, so you could have dim sum alone AND still have variety. I saw the Beef Ball, Spare rib, Chicken Feet combo ($4.75) and was sold immediately. Sadly, this wasn't quite up to standard. The chicken foot was nice, and the beef ball was a good size and average texture/taste. The spareribs were actually seasoned nicely but more than half of it was tiny bits of meat with chunks of fat. There was ONE piece with bone in it (I like the ones with bone). So basically this was one super oily dish.

Annnnd for my Elephant, Deep Fried Sesame Ball with Seasame paste ($4.75). This wasn't freshly made to order, but was still relatively warm. Crispy outside but the dough inside wasn't chewy enough. The sesame paste was too gritty and sweet that it didn't flow nicely.

Being a lover of anything Tom Yum, I ordered Beef Omasum in Tom Yum Sauce ($5.50). It was like any other omasum dish, but I like their concept of putting in Tom Yum. I'd say it's a rather personal taste, since I enjoyed this dish, but my mom said it was weird.

Didn't settle for regular shrimp dumplings, so we got Meat Rissoles with Crab ($5.75). Fancy sounding enough (it has this even fancier sounding name in Chinese). Probably the most disappointing dish of the whole meal, possibly my whole dim sum eating life. The wrapping was soft and soggy, fell apart when touched, not chewy at all. The filling did indeed contain real crab, but it also did not hold and so... the dish just all fell apart before it reached any bowl. Similar to any good sushi, your dumpling is not meant to break apart before it reaches your bowl, the wrapping should be strong enough to hold it, yet still be soft, smooth, and chewy.

Another combo dish, Steamed Tri-Buns ($4.75) should contain a custard bun, a BBQ pork bun, and a chicken bun. I say "should" because I got double of the BBQ pork bun *sadface* I asked a waiter to confirm I wasn't being stupid and not able to differentiate the two remaining buns (custard is round and easily distinguishable from the other two). These were good, the custard bun had flowy filling, as advertised and tasted pretty legit. The buns themselves were good texture and taste. I just wish I had a taste of that chicken bun now.

Something with a fusion twist to it, since I don't think truffle is commonly in Chinese dishes, the Pork Shiu-Mai with Truffle ($5.50) arrived. These looked normal, with some truffle sauce on top. I did not like the taste of the truffle, it was slimey and tasted like concentrated Chinese mushrooms. The shiu mai itself was made with ground pork and had good bite to it. Average size.

Lamb isn't commonly in dim sum, and I'm a sucker for lamb so...Pan Fried Lamb Pastry with Leeks ($6.25) was ordered. These buns were not worthy of the price we paid. Pan fried to a golden exterior with the bun being soft and moist, and the filling being all lamb, I liked the flavors. However, there were only three small buns. THREE.

Still hungry, we ordered a Wonton Noodle Soup ($7.80/bowl) expecting the usual wontons, but were surprised when they showed up more like pork and chive dumplings with no shrimp. The meat wasn't very fresh inside the dumplings, the wrapping was chewy and smooth though. Noodles weren't anything special, but I like the added touch of greens.

I saw the Pan Fried Tofu with Shrimp Paste ($5.25) come out of the kitchen a few times and they were huge! Must order. The tofu was a big chunk with shrimp paste on top. Nicely fried, it was crispy and I like how they placed the sauce on the side. Shrimp paste met the average standards.

Normally we don't eat a lot, but boy was I surprised when I saw our bill was $124.74!! Then I looked to see that they had charged us 55 people's worth of tea-- no wonder! Luckily I caught it, and they changed it.

But still, paying more than $10/person for dim sum is a rarity for my family, so this was a surprise, but hey, being adventurous means you have to suffer the consequences too! =P Overall, good service, high quality tea, hit or mostly miss dim sum.