ZenQ

We made a monster! The challenge was too tempting as we stepped in the door and so we accepted!
Actually, someone else made the monster. All we did was choose Taro flavour for the shave ice base, and then 3 side flavours. We chose red bean, melon jello and mango ice cream. The tasty creation also came with a bottle of sweetened condensed milk (? I am guessing on that last thing). I'm not sure if we were maybe supposed to continue decorating with the side items? Anyway, we ate it all including the sides except for the Bugle ears!
I didn't find our monster overly frightening at $9.70 and it was very refreshing and maybe a little creamier than I expected for shave ice and enough dessert for the 2 of us. The novelty alone made us happy.
ZenQ offers quite a few different Taiwanese Deserts, including some waffle or glutinous rice-based items. They also offer bubble tea. We enjoyed the Original Milk Tea with Pearls.
There is some room and its comfortable enough here which is good as I expect they can be quite busy when the weather calls for cool desserts. We were greeted by a friendly and helpful person who walked us through the monster creating odyssey.
The one drawback is parking. Although not the worst example, ZenQ is in one of those Richmond strip malls where each parking spot is designated for a particular business. I always chalk this up to cranky business owners who only notice when someone parks in front of their business and goes elsewhere but do not see when their customers have parked elsewhere! The result is that an occasionally half half-empty parking lot still only allows for a limited number of customers for each business. Silly cranky business owners! I have in the past, driven out of such parking lots out of frustration (spying empty stalls but being unable to park in them), and taken my business elsewhere! If you can find parking or walk from around the corner ( you need the exercise, right?) then this is a fun place for dessert.

Zenq Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Corner Kitchen

My hit list of restaurants and cafes to visit is ridiculous. Every time I hear or read a good review, get a recommendation or see something that looks tasty on Instagram, the place goes on my list. Obviously, this is the recipe for a long list. Often, when I finally get back to the name, I can't remember why it is there or what it is known for. So in a way, I kind of feel like its a brand new find and that we may be revealing to the world a hidden gem that no one has been to yet! Not usually the case I know, but let me enjoy the moment!
Corner Kitchen is one of those places that I would like to claim to have discovered, although we didn't start out so keen. After a nice stroll along the Terra Nova Park dyke on a brisk Sunday morning, we sought sustenance at the nearby Corner Kitchen, a cafe with an interesting Taiwanese menu. Although their web site says that they open at 11:30, Google says that they open at 11:30 and even the sign on their front door says that they open at 11:30, somehow they just couldn't get the doors open until noon, even with prompting by telephone (Only so much prompting is appropriate if people are going to be handling your food later). Crisis averted as once we were inside, we were quickly seated and served lovely warming tea!
A couple of appetizers were ordered, the first of which was their Deep Fried Squid. This was excellent! Although the tentacles were of the larger variety, they were tender, crisply fried and tasty. A few tentacles survived and were finished at the end of our meal and yet suffered no ill effects (I.e. they did not become tougher or greasy). The Japanese Mayo on the side served them well.
Also, on the side, we tried the Chinese Golden Pickled Cabbage. A generous bowl arrived and we were hopelessly hooked! Marie and I immediately scurried to Google in search of recipes (found one!) which was followed by an exhaustive search later at T and T. Where can we get this? It was such a delightful slightly sweet, sour and crunchy flavour. Wonderful!
Mentaiko Stir Fried Udon was next and delicious! When all mixed together (they were kind enough to remind us to do this), then the roe, nori and other ingredients formed a wonderfully rich and slightly spicy mixture with lots of wood ear and a few shitake mushrooms. We really enjoyed this dish.
Finally came Stir Fired Tofu with Three Cup Sauce. This dish also made us very happy! There were many slices of ginger and whole garlic cloves and lots of basil. The tofu slices were crisp and soaked up the sauce well. We ordered a side of rice as well so as to leave no sauce behind!
Amazingly, when it was time to go, our server offered to pack our leftovers, rather than just provide a container. I forgot that people could do that!
We are now big fans of Corner Kitchen (thanks for not spelling Corner with a K!). The folks were friendly and service efficient. The restaurant was light and sharply decorated with comfortable chairs and tables. The menu is not long but there were a few other things that we will return to try. Let's just hope they can get those doors open on time!
Corner Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Thai Delicious - Cloverdale

We decided that it had been too long since we had gone for Thai food. Thai Delicious is open for lunch on Sunday and that's when we got this clever thought so that's where we ended up!
It's a homey, comfortable place that could use a little updating as a few places in Cloverdale could, but we didn't mind. We started with a couple of appetizers.
The Deep Fried Wontons were just what you'd expect. They were crispy and the pork filling was tasty enough but nothing that made us stand up and sing. Served with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, it was a decent start considering that we were pretty hungry!
Also, some tasty enough wings with the same sweet chilli sauce. These were crispy and hot again.
What they do have at Thai Delicious are pretty decent lunch specials that are even available Sunday.
The Pad Thai with chicken was $9.50 including a spring roll. The salad had seen better days and was showing a bit of brown on the cut edges but the pad thai itself was peanuty with just a tiny bit of spice. The menu allows you to choose mild, medium or hot but we weren't asked and forgot to give out preference. No problem.
Finally, the Pad Krapraw was quite good. A generous serving of beef and some nice crisp vegetables. The rich sauce had lots of shallot and garlic and had a little more punch than the Pad Thai. This one came with rice and the fourth appearance of the sweet chilli sauce.
The mains took quite a long time to arrive which was mildly disconcerting but I observed that our hostess/server/ bus person was also our chef! Apparently, at lunchtime only on Sunday, she wears all the hats herself and that being the case, she does a very good job! A nice place for lunch. I would try it for dinner also.
Thai Delicious Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Guu Garden - DOV 2019

We visited Guu Garden as part of Dine Out Vancouver 2019. Their offering for the festival was not taken from their main menu but included unique items demonstrating their inclination towards  creativity in their kitchen. This is the fourth of the Guu brand izakayas that I have visited and I would not hesitate to recommend any of them especially because of the unique menu items. Located above the plaza at Nelson and Hornby, it is not hard to find but you do have to keep your eyes open for their sign at plaza level.
Guu Garden provides a bit of an oasis from downtown, in its unique location, complete with a deck for outside dining when the weather is cooperating. The staff were friendly and on the ball, despite the first day of the festival noon rush. Communication was a bit challenging at times but we worked it out. Their offering for DOV was 3 items off of a creative list of 9 plates to be shared for $25. Being the two of us, we chose six dishes at lunchtime and certainly did not leave hungry. We started with Karaage Quail With Matcha Milk Salt.
This was lovely and crispy on the outside while juicy and tender inside. Even this slight variation of the usual Karaage Chicken gives an idea of where we were going.
Next up was a couple of Chestnut and Kambucha Squash Korokke (with a hint of truffle). Crispy outside and surprisingly naturally sweet, the truffle was wasted on me although this was another winning dish.
We also enjoyed their vegan variation on Mapo Tofu. This came in a stone bowl which continued to simmer for a few minutes after arrival. Rich with barley, cashews, mushrooms and greens, it maintained its traditional spiciness which as usual had me breaking out in a slight sweat!
We ordered rice cooked in a clay-pot, Takakomi with mushrooms including dried porcinis. A nice little surprising step into fusion that I have not seen before. The crispy bits of rice that we look for were present but maybe could have used a little more time or heat. Still a nice dish! Next onto Duck Liver Confit with Wasabi Ponzu and Fuyu Persimmon Puree!
The rich duck liver was mild and tasty while the ponzu was a more dominating flavour. A little surprising texture wise was that the persimmon puree was frozen giving a crunch and chill where I was not expecting it! I might have preferred these 2 elements separately.
Finally, and perhaps our favourite of the meal was Sea Urchin Pate with Nori Garlic Toast! Luxurious and rich, the sea urchin was nicely spreadable but had its fresh strong flavour. Worth the price of admission all by itself. DOV is not for everyone nor is it always a smoking deal. This stop was a very good one for us though, as we got to sample a nice variety of tasty interesting dishes.
Guu Garden Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Re-Up BBQ

You know what happens on a beautiful sunny day in Metro Vancouver, in the middle of winter. We, the residents, emerge in vast numbers from semi-hibernation and walk or run or sit in the sun to bolster our vitamin D levels and our moods. This being the case, I should have known that the line up at Re-Up BBQ would be prodigious as many of these same residents, who had chosen the New Westminster Quay for their sunshine dose, would require sustenance! So at 1:00 o'clock, the line up to order from Re-Up was back to the riverside entrance of the quay market, promising at least 20 minutes of waiting. To make matters worse, one of the staff came out to inform us all that because they had so many orders on the go, that food would be another 45 minutes after ordering! Aaargh! But then a magical thing happened! The line up in front of me to order, totally vanished, making me the first in line! Next, the nice woman who took my order confided that they said 45 minutes to be safe. We were eating within 30 minutes!
We ordered The Full Barnyard which is a decent selection off Re-Up's menu for 2-3 people. Now, I have eaten lots of barbeque and I have eaten a fair bit of it in America, land of low and slow, but I don't consider myself to be a qualified Memphis in May level judge. So maybe some would be more critical but I really only have good things to report.
The brisket was tender and juicy. The easiest fail for barbeque has to be dry brisket but it was the opposite of that. I have no recipe for the sauce they used but it is house made and fruity. They confided that there are raisins and vinegar and the overall was a bit sweet and tangy. Excellent!
I would also return for the ribs. Meaty and tender, all the same adjectives from above apply here. A little spicier on the sauce but not overly.
And finally, of the meats, the fried chicken was excellent. All the fried chicken superlatives apply here. The salty crispy chicken provides a nice contrast to the rich sweetish meats.
I love it when sides are not an afterthought! The slaw was leaning in the mustard/vinegar direction and just creamy enough. Very refreshing! There were also pit beans. These were not cooked to death but retained some texture and were spicy! The biscuits were a little dry and could have used butter although there were plenty of dipping choices on the platter. At $36, I would call this a good deal. It fed 2 hungry sun worshippers with a small to go box of leftovers. To be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be so good! I guess, since we're not in Texas or Kansas, decent barbeque is a wonderful find!
Re-Up BBQ Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Daddy's Kitchen

Still feeling a little weird about the name of this place ( just kidding). We visited it first during Vanfoodster's Commercial Drive Tasting Plates in August of 2018.
At that time they served us a couple of taco's which I photographed poorly. They featured ahi tuna and chipotle prawns and a number of accompaniments. We enjoyed them very much and the interesting sauces on the side and wanted to come back and try their sushi and poke. And so I did one rainy Tuesday.
The basic bowl was only $10 with some choices (brown rice or white, tuna or salmon). With a small scoop of imitation crab, edamame, seaweed and corn, this is a tasty and guilt-free meal. Add in one or two of the above-mentioned side sauces and the variations are endless.
Considering that I was not really thinking of Daddy's as a sushi joint, I was pleased with this tasty a la carte selection of ahi, unagi, massago and wild salmon. Very nicely assembled with tasty rice and excellent seafood. I am on the hunt for uni these days but it was not available.

Friendly service (Do you know why I always find that? It is because I am friendly and respectful. People reciprocate when you treat them well.) and a fair bit of room both at a communal table and window seating. Conveniently close to the sky train station. A very decent place for an inexpensive but tasty meal.

Daddy's Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Bake 49 - Yaletown

I finally understand that, if we go to a cafe that serves nothing but dessert, we will not be too full for dessert! There will be no need to pass on whatever wonderful sweet things might be offered. If the conclusion is the point of the destination, then we don't miss out! Brilliant!
Bake 49 doesn't have a lot on the menu, but everything that we tried is baked in house and made us happy!
The cheesecake is certainly a showstopper here. Transported home and carefully sliced and plated as you see below, it is of the bottom half baked and top half not baked variety. As someone who has baked a few cheesecakes, I have to tell you that I thought it was very good.
It was on the subtle side as it should be and the mix of textures made it a sensuous experience. The little taste of strawberry (came on the side) added just enough of a highlight. At $27 for a 5" cake, it may seem to be expensive but certainly, it can be cut into 4 slices if not more. Sure, I wish it was sold by the slice.
Much has been said about the cheese tarts but, having never been to Japan myself, I am not in a position to make a comparison to what is allegedly the original. Both Marie and I happily munched them down and enjoyed them on their own merits. Flaky crust, check; creamy rich and slightly cream cheesy interior, check; tasty just slightly browned top, check. At $4 each, I would wait a few minutes for these.
Finally, we tried the Croquant Choux Crunchy Cream Puff. Disguising itself as a $4.50 breadstick with a crunchy almond coated exterior, inside is a hidden trove of cream puff filling. Very nice and Marie's favourite! 
Friendly folks here. They reserved a cake for me as I told them I was travelling in from the valley just for that! Don't expect to sit down and eat your treats in the bakery although there are maybe 3 or 4 window seats.

Bake 49 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sopra Sotto - Commercial Drive

I am so Instagram driven these days. As a result, ever since I first saw Sopra Sotto pics, I have wanted to sample their fresh pasta and wood burning oven pizza.

We arrived unfashionably early on Saturday at lunch time and had the place to ourselves for a few minutes. And it is a beautiful place!
Prominent in the open part of the kitchen is the wood burning oven in which they would bake a perfect Margherita Pizza for us. It was possibly the best that I have ever had!
Their pizza dough is prepared 2 days in advance to allow the yeast time to complete its 'full growth cycle' and the result is evident.  The crust had a pleasant chew with those wonderful char bits as a result of the blazing hot pizza oven. The toppings, San Marzano tomatoes (no less!), mozzarella, Grana and basil, were in generous but perfect proportion. This was a spectacular pizza.
We had started with a lovely Toscano Salad of kale, faro, roasted tomatoes and pecorino. The salad was dressed by someone with excellent self-control and not drowned as I have a tendency to do! The pecorino added a perfect note to this healthy plate.
We are huge fans of house-made fresh pasta. We shared Chitarrine al Ragu. This is a square spaghetti that I had never heard of but it stood up well to the ragu. There was a bit of chew to this pasta which was perfect. The Bolognaise itself was subtle and tasty and the whole thing was rounded out by Parmigiana. Wonderful!
I would have loved having room for Tiramisu but that will have to wait for next time. In the meantime, this was a very nice experience. Our server was friendly and efficient but just enough! My new favorite restaurant? 
Sopra Sotto Pizzeria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

About Us

Are you guys eating again? At some point Marie and I became the kind of people who take pictures of everything we eat, whether in a restaura...