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.

Dine Out Vancouver : Smileys (-:

Dine Out Vancouver 2010 was later and less exciting this year. Limited selection of $18 menus. Smileys is another downtown pub. In summary, cheap beer and mediocre food.





Cajun shrimp tacos. Sounds good, tastes of frozen shrimp.


Beef Carpaccio. A good surprise in a pub. Slightly too heavy on the sauce. Points for presentation.


Halibut is overcooked, and under seasoned.


Roast Beef. Yorkshire pudding tasted a bit stale. We requested medium rare and got a medium well roast instead. Seems standard pub fair.


Bread pudding. Very generous whip cream. Not your regular bread pudding: slices of bread doused in sauce and whip cream.

Verdict: A Yawn. Only the main was worth paying for, in which case $18 is over priced. Won't come back for the food, but may come back for the toonie beer.

Singapore Hawker Delights

A variety of foods that I had while visiting Singapore. There was so much food and so little time.


Roast Chicken Wings, Singapore style. Unlike regular chicken wings, this is flavored with the same spices as the dried pork jerky that is so popular in Singapore. First time I have tasted chicken wings that was so unique. Loved every bite.


Singapore style Ba Kut Teh. Pork ribs in herbal soup. Unlike the Malaysian variety, this is a clear broth, with a mild herbal taste.


Stir Fried Prawn Mee. Thick vermicelli with fresh shrimp cooked in shrimp paste. The Shrimp Paste infuses the whole dish. The banana leaf used to take out the noodles actually adds additional flavor too!


Curried Stingray with stir fried lady fingers (okra) and rice wrapped in banana leaf. This stingray was fantastic.


Chicken Ume R Burger with Lemongrass Ice Tea. A Japanese burger joint that opened in the heart of Singapore's shopping district. The bun is made with marine collagen. The bun is soft and moist. Shiso leaf layered with a slice of radish (daikon) and a chicken patty with plum sauce. This is a perfect Japanese burger, light and perfectly flavored. This was a fantastic find.