Din Tai Fung Bellvue

Din Tai Fung - Lincoln Square, Bellevue. Opened in the beginning of November, this is the first location in North America

We happen to go to Lincoln square and decided to try it out. The wait was 2 1/2 hours! My suggestion is to go and put your name down first, then do your shopping and come back.



The menu list, they were so busy that they did not have any buns that day.



The dumpling soup. The skin is thin and the filling of mostly vegetable. The soup tastes like it was made with chicken bullion, or chicken stock. This was so so.


Steamed beef and noodle soup. The Beef is steamed in a light herbal soup then poured over the noodle when served. Beef was very tender and the soup was unique. Portion size is small for a $8 dish.


The steamed dumplings. We waited FOREVER for these to arrive, a good 20 minutes to half an hour Thankfully the waitress was very apologetic for the wait and kept checking up on the order for us.

The sign of a good dumpling is that it does not break when you pick it up. Yes, dumpling passes the test with flying colors. Was it good? Yes it was, the skin was very thin and the inside was juicy, however as my foodie partner pointed out, the skin has a slightly undercooked texture to it, and was too doughy for his tastes. He likes the flavoring of the filling as it is not overly seasoned. I liked the thinness of the skin and the flavor of the dumpling as a whole, but given that 1 order costs$9.50, I would have liked a bit more filling.


Stir fried rice cake. Pretty standard, but the the rice cake was a bit under cooked because it was not cut evenly.


What we liked:

• Attentive wait staff. Our waitress was very attentive and kept following up with our orders. I can't say the same for the hostess at the front of the restaurant which was very disorganized.
  
• Large and spacious dining area. Floor to wall glass windows, and classic decor.
• Freshly made dumplings. There is a difference when the dumplings are never frozen.

What we didn't like:

• The 2 1/2 hour wait time. This was excessive. I would suggest that you come back after a few months when the novelty has worn off.
• Portion sizes were very small given the price point. Our bill came to $50 and my boyfriend was still hungry afterward. For the same price he could have stuffed himself at the cheesecake factory across the street.
• Some of the items we tried were just average, and doesn't warrant the expensive price.

Given its location in Lincoln Square, I'm sure this restaurant will flourish without much competition.

Downtown street vendors : Fresh Local Wild

One of the newest additions to the downtown street vendor scene. Opened just this Thursday October 21st, they are located on the corner of Granville and Robson, across from future shop. It is open Tuesday to Saturdays.

The offerings:
Salmon Burger $8
Fried Oysters Po-boy $10
Venison burger $9
add fries for $2
add poutine for $3

We ordered the venison burger with poutine.




The burger is fresh grilled and served on a whole wheat bun. Perfectly seasoned and the patty is juicy when we bite into it. The burger holds together well and is served with some lettuce.

The poutine. Loved the chantrelles and fresh cheese curds. The gravy was thick but not overly salty.

What we like:

• fresh chantrelles on the poutine. This is a winner. The poutine by itself is a good bargain at $5. These will definitely sell given the cold weather.
  
• Burger bun is firm so that it does not fall apart when you eat it, venison is juicy, flavorful but not gamey.
• High quality ingredients is definitely worth trying once.
  

What we did not like:

• Spending $12 for a burger and fries. Given that we are standing on the corner of a street, paying close to $10 for the burger, not including fries, is just a bit steep.
  
• There are comparable food choices such as Japadog and Viet Sub just a block away that charges at least $2-$3 less and offers seating for patrons.

Downtown Street Vendors: The Re-Up BBQ

The Re-Up BBQ - Corner of Georgia and Hornby St.



This is one of the many street vendors that have been popping up in downtown Vancouver. A refreshing change from the regular hotdog stands. This stand serves pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. Every day around noon time you will see a lineup of around 10 plus people. We decided one day to find out why this was so popular.


The pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw costs $6., with HST this comes to $6.75. Although not cheap by street vendor standards, they make up for it with a generous serving of pulled pork. The pork is chunky and infused with the spiciness of paprika.

Apparently the barbecue sauce and coleslaw is vegan, ironically this sandwich is nothing but meaty. We love the addition of the coleslaw for texture.

Our Verdict:

• Location: Prime location beside the art gallery
  
• Price: Slightly expensive. For the same price we could get 2 Vietnamese subs
  
• Flavor : Nice change from the regular hotdog stands, but lacks variety. They only have 1 style of the pulled pork sandwich. With more variety this will definitely become a downtown staple, especially for the meat lovers out there.
  

Sonora Room Restaurant

Sonora Room Restaurant, located at Burrowing Owl winery, Oliver, BC


Part of the menu at Sonora Restaurant. We arrived here on a sunny weekend afternoon.



Charcuterie Plate : House made terrines, and breads with a mustard sauce. Everything is made in house. I loved the duck and pistachio terrine


Creamy corn and potato soup. Deliciously creamy and warm, I just wish there was more.


House made corned beef brisket sandwich with house greens. I don't know if we were hungry or what, but this lightly flavored brisket with tomatoes was delicious on the warm house made ciabatta bread.

Our Verdict:

• Location: Prime Location. Only 1 winery with a restaurant in the nearby area.
  
• Price: Expensive. The dinner menu is even more pricey, luckily we were there during lunchtime. We enjoyed the 5 star view and food for a 4 star price.
  
• The sandwich was a reasonable portion, however the soup was a bit small.
  
• This restaurant is excellent to come sample their vintage wines, unfortunately by the time we got here, we had done too many wine tastings already.
  

Bistrot Bistro

1961 West 4 Avenue Vancouver, BC V6J 1M7


Located in the kits area with a high density of restaurants, Bistrot Bistro positions itself as a homestyle french restaurant with reasonable pricing. Given the caliber of other mainstays in this area, Bistrot has a strong customer base. On a weekday night this restaurant is not too busy during dinner hour, but we see more and more people arrive later in the evening.



Escargots butter garlic - strong garlic and butter sauce. Appetizer portion is reasonable, but the butter sauce is too heavy for our taste.



side salad : standard fair. All sides have to be ordered separately.


Shrimps scallops Provencal : Scallops are tender, shrimp is cooked perfectly. Butter sauce does overwhelm the seafood.



Halibut tomato broth : Light tomato broth complements the tender halibut. We loved the slight acidity of the tomato as it brings out the freshness of the fish.



Ratatouille : Divine vegetable side consisting of peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes, slow cooked in their own juices. We highly recommend this as a side to any of the dishes.

Our Verdict:

• Location: Prime location in kits area. Mostly paid parking unless you are lucky.
  
• Price: Affordable pricing compared to other French fine dining restaurants in the area. Around $25-35 per person. They also offer a $27 3 course dinner. Expensive compared to other cuisines in the same area.
  
• Designed for sharing. Most dishes are complemented by their fresh french bread and a glass of wine.
  
• This Restaurant definitely caters to the more casual french dining crowd. Unpretentious French food at affordable prices.

La Gloria Market

La Gloria Market 4140 Meridian Street, Bellingham, WA 98226-5576, United States.

We have been coming to this place for about 2 to 3 years now. Every time we go to Bellingham we have to stop here for their fantastic Mexican food. This market is attached to a small restaurant. The food is made fresh to order. Located in a strip mall beside a gas station, this place is unassuming from a distance.


The open kitchen is clean and inviting. The restaurant has 3 large tables and 5 small tables as well as a small patio area outside the market.


Fresh nachos. Not like the prepackaged stuff, these chips are freshly made. The side of salsa is refreshing, with a blend of chillies, onions, parsley and tomatoes. Delicious


Daily Special: Fish Tachos with a side of refried beans and rice. The fish tacos is made with a breaded and fried fish that is sliced and combined with tomatoes and onions.



Chicken Sope : I like this better when then put less cheese. The English muffin like base is layered with chicken and lettuce then topped with sour cream and cheese.


Beef Tongue (Lengue) Tacos : This is a must have! The beef tongue is tender and juicy. Served with chopped onions and a generous serving of parsley. Best with a slice of radish, a squeeze of lime and squeeze of their house red and green chill sauce.

Our meal including 2 drinks cost us around US$20. After coming here, you can forget going to the westernized Mexican restaurants. This food is light and flavorful, not like the heavy and over cheesy versions we were accustomed to seeing at other restaurants.

Our Verdict:

• Location: Not very easy to find. Located in a strip mall.
  
• Price: Bargain! For the same price you get more food and better quality.
  
• Large portions, excellent home made food. Judging by the Mexican regulars that come here, you know you are getting authentic fare!
  

Tai Sun Vienamese Noodle

Thai Sun Vietnameese : 373 E. Broadway

A long standing Vietnamese restaurant that has several locations. We come here occasionally for the pho noodles. Apart from the normal pho options at lunch, our favorites are actually their dinner choices.


Fish Hot Pot: This is only available after 5pm. The hotpot is a combination of sweet and sour flavors (sugar cane, pineapple, tomatoes, bean sprout, lots of vegetables, and 4 to 5 slices of fish). In addition to the hotpot, this dish is served with another serving of fish in small pot flavored with fish sauce, giving a deep and salty flavor. The fish complements the sweet and sour soup from the hotpot. A side of rice is all you need to gobble down this dish.


Seafood Omelet : This thin and crisp omelet of shrimp, squid and shredded coconut is served with a healthy side of lettuce, jalapeno, and pickled carrots and radish. The best way to eat this is to wrap the omelet with the lettuce. Dipped in the sweet and sour sauce this wrap is crunchy and feels refreshingly light.

Our Verdict:

• Location: It has been here for a while. Easy to find, but decor is dated and dingy.
  
• Price: Standard. Pho at this location is standard fare. The hotpot is expensive by Vietnamese food standards at about $12 per person.
  
• Large portions, good food. Strong contrasting flavors that work well together. Its always a good sign when we see Vietnamese eating the same dishes as what we ordered.
  

G-men

Gmen. 1101-3778 Sexsmith Rd, Richmond


This restaurant is the sister restaurant to Gyoza King downtown. We have always been fond of Gyoza king, so we were very excited to be able to try this place.

The counter area is made to resemble a Ramen stand. This small restaurant has enough room to sit only about 20 people at 1 seating. We were lucky that when we visited this place that it was not too busy.


ToriGara Shio Ramen. The black fungus adds a crunchy touch. The lighter chicken broth is a good choice for lunch. Uses the same ramen noodles as Kintaro. What we do like is the flavor of the soup. Portion sizes are larger than Benkei and Menya, and comparable to Motomichi.


ToriGara Shoyu Ramen: Extra large and with extra egg. This is the Japanese version of the extra large pho noodle. This was served in a bowl the size of a small wash basin! Served with 1.5 times the amount of noodle, this is a pretty impressive bowl to consume. We were the only table to order this. Needless to say we got a few stares when they were bring over the noodle. We loved the flavor of this soup. Deep flavor but not overly oily. Most importantly is that the MSG factor is low.



Takoyaki. This tastes good, but would have been better if it was made to order. Seems like this was made before hand and reheated. Slightly disappointing.

Our Verdict:

• Good location outside of downtown. This strip mall is busy during lunch hour with its highly concentrated number of restaurants. Be prepared to wait.
  
• Price: Very reasonable size and portions. Price point is cheaper that most of the restaurants located downtown. Restaurant is small and will not be able accommodate large groups.
  
• Service is fast. We were able to be in and out in an hour.
  
• Offers dry ramen that is more unusual. Would love to come back here again
  

Santoka Ramen

Santoka Ramen on 1690 Robson Street, Vancouver.

Serves Hokkaido style ramen. Opened recently in May, this restaurant is the current popular joint for the ramen loving crowd. The broth is richer and thicker than most of the other Ramen restaurants. They also offer Ramen plus rice bowl combos. The noodle here is thinner than the noodle used by the other restaurants such as Kintaro, Motomach Shokudo and Gmen


Small size Shoyu Ramen: 7.95. This smaller size noodle is still surprisingly filling and rich. The noodle has bite. Served with 2 pieces of char siu and some bamboo shoots and seaweed slice. The char siu is not as tender as the ones served at Benkei, but the broth is definitely more complex and milky.



Toroniku Shio Ramen: 12.95 . A deluxe ramen with a fatty pork jowl meat as the accompaniment. As delicious as the 50/50 fat to meat ratio is, this dish is not for a small eater. I found this very heavy and rich.


Gyoza. Nice grilled crust, not not quite as flavorful as some of the other locations we tried.

Our Verdict:

• Central location, upscale decor
• Price: Expensive. A good $1 to $2 above comparable restaurants
  
• Has rich and deep flavor. Large portions and we like that you can choose the sizes. We love the thin and chewy noodle, but find the soup base too heavy for our tastes.
  

Menya Ramen

Menya Ramen: 401 West Broadway, Vancouver.


Tonkotsu Ramen, regular noodle: Soup is on the salty side. Lacks depth, has a creaminess, but not enough depth to the flavor. Noodle has good bite to it, but overall the ramen has a flat flavor profile.


Shoyu Ramen, regular noodle. Presentation was clean and simple. Portion is smaller than other places.

• Small restaurant, no stall parking, meter parking on side streets. Located close to broadway skytrain station.
  
• Portion is small given the price point.
  
• Noodle is suppose to be hand made. As good as the noodle is, took off points for the lack of flavor in the soup.
• Conclusion: Mediocre. Does not leave a lasting impression. If I was looking for good ramen, might as well drive the extra 10 minutes downtown to get something more satisfying.
  

Cheetos Flamin Hot Limon Crunchy

$0.99. Got this on a trip to San Diego.

• Deeper red color than the regular cheetos
  
• The spicy and tangy flavor has a Mexican influence. Reminds me of the Mexican salad salt from Mexico.
  
• Love the spiciness, but not nearly as sour as the Mexican Takis chips that we had.
  

Unfortunately this is not available in Canada, maybe next time I am in the states I will look for it again.

Hapi Pudding

Cost $3.99 on sale for a package of 3. Purchased at Kobinya on Robson St.

• Japanese version of the custard. Lighter than western style custard. More gelatin and less cream.
• Liked the dark jelly brown sugar bottom. Good flavor.
  
• Kid friendly design.
  
• Verdict: A-Okay. For the sale price it was good. However at regular this is too expensive, paying more for shipping than the dessert.
  

Beard Papa Cheesecake Stick

Cost: $1.95. Available at any Beard Papa Store.

• Liked the lighter sponge cake base layer. Definitely healthier than traditional version
  
• Cheesecake taste was standard, too sweet, texture creamy but not a strong cheese taste.
  
• Like the simple packaging, but portion size is small.
  
• Verdict: Overrated. Too expensive and nothing special. Stick to buying just the Beard Papa.
  

Dine Out - Au Petit Chavignol

This small restaurant is located on 843 E Hasting Street, next to the main store for Les Amis De Fromage. Being this close to the largest supply of cheese and meats in the area you know you can expect good things.

Spanish Tasting Plate: $25 : includes 36month Iberco, Iberco Chorizo, and Calbreese. Loved this. The 36 month Iberco is amazing. This is a must try.


4 cheese mac and cheese: With blue cheese in the mix this is gooey goodness. Part of the $28 dine out menu. This is also available for sale at Les Amis.

French Onion Soup: Thick and sweet, sprinkled generously with cheese

Goat cheese : surprisingly fresh of milk. A great accompaniment to bread and crackers.

· Simple menu

· High quality food at very reasonable pricing

· Good wine, cheese and charcuterie selection

· Not suitable for families or large parties, the restaurant can probably seat about 20 -25 max

· Location: Not a great part of town, especially later at night.

Conclusion, would definitely go there for lunch and to buy the prepackage food Les Amis next door. Lunch and dinner menu is the same.