This is The One

Japanese Green Tea Slush  抹茶冰沙
$6.25 + tax

Whenever it came to satisfying a bubble tea craving, Richmond would be my go-to place simply because of familiarity with the bubble tea cafes there. However, one night, a friend who works in Burnaby took me to The One for a late night munch. I was happy to be venturing out of Richmond and was excited to see what was in stock for me.

For those who have been to or have heard of The One before, you will probably immediately recognize the sky-high slushie pictured right, as it is one of their iconic features. While they are very generous with the portions, this didn't mean that they were lacking on quality. My green tea slushie with pearls was smooth and creamy and not diluted at all.

Chinese East Northern Hot Pot  酸菜白肉鍋  $11.75 + tax 

Sucker for Suika

AMY: Driving down Broadway can be a bit of a multi-task. First there's the constant roar of traffic, a million lights to pay attention to, all while you try not to focus on which of the many restaurants that line this street have yet to be visited. Situations like this can often lead to a complete overlook of dining gems, such as Suika. The outer decor is not particularly flashy or eye-catching, but that is totally misrepresentative of the inside, because the food and energy of the place has certainly caught my attention...

Sashimi "Shake" Salad $7.80

AMY: Salads never appeal to me. There's just nothing mouthwatering about a bowl of raw vegetables slathered with sauce. But Suika takes salad to a whole new different level with their Sashimi Shake Salad. There's just something about the oh-so-fresh sashimi slices, lightly drizzled with a tangy sauce, ending with a refreshing crisp of vegetables that has got me hooked. I would never think twice about ordering this dish at Suika!

LULU:  Contrary to Amy, salads are always my favourite. This sashimi salad, which was highly spoken of by friends, did not disappoint at all! It was probably my favourite dish of the night because of the freshness.

Cheesecake, Cheesecake and Cheesecake, Etc

AMY: Cheesecake Etc is easily one of the most well known dessert spots in Vancouver, and quite possibly also one of the best of its kind. The menu is simple - they specialize in cheesecakes and offer very little of anything else. Upon walking into the store you will find that the place is dimly lighted and sparsely furnished. My guess is that they're trying to set up some sort of ambience, but to me it's just really dark. I often find myself back here week after week, not only because they are open late night, but also because I really do like their cheesecakes!

LULU: The last time I was at Cheesecake Etc was more than 5 years ago, but it didn't really feel like it had been that long already. The place still looks the same and has the same vibe, besides the fact that it is now twice the size of what I recall. Most of all, the cheesecake was just as delicious as I had remembered.

Original Cheesecake $4.50 w/ Chocolate Sauce $1.25

New Dim Sum Favourite: Fisherman's Terrace

Dim sum restaurants are a dime a dozen in Richmond, so I'm sure everybody has their go-to place. For years I've been mindlessly going to our family staple, but recently we decided to venture out and what a great decision that was! The venue of choice was Fisherman's Terrace, located conveniently on the top floor of Aberdeen Center.

Let me start off with my new found favourite - the baked BBQ pork pastry. BBQ pork is good. Everyone agree? Now imagine BBQ pork stuffed within the flakiest, most buttery pastry ever.  Mouth watering, isn't it? Normally savoury pastries don't really appeal to me but this was just amazing.

Baked BBQ Pork Pastry

A Very Happy Hour at Joe Fortes

Just when I thought my summer/fall vacationing was coming to an end, a spontaneous trip back to Vancouver occurred! Yes, stay tuned for some more co-blog posts with Amy and Steven!

One night, after eating at the must-visit Ebisu,  I mentioned my craving for oysters and a friend offered to research oyster bars in Vancouver (Thanks, Dom!). After some discussion, we decided on Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House, mainly for its  $1 fresh local oysters and half price appetizers (who can say no that?!). 

In order to enjoy the happy hour offer (4-6pm, Monday-Friday), you have to sit at the bar. As you can see, we could barely fit everything on our table, but we definitely took full advantage of the sweet deal. 

Love At First Bite: Cafe Medina

Go ahead Vancouverites, tell me to hang my head in shame. What could be so bad for me to condone myself to public shaming you say? It could be the fact that I'm often times too lazy to blog. Or it could be the fact that I only very recently discovered Cafe Medina, despite living here for...oh just most of my life. To top it all off, I actually only discovered this place because a certain visitor of Vancouver had eaten here in the past and wanted to go again. And I call myself a food blogger...

Lavender Latte (8oz) $3.85

Sawasdee Thai

Friends? Check. Date and time? Check. Restaurant...? A quick search on Urbanspoon turned up what seems to be a local favorite, winning over the hearts of 92% of voters -- Sawasdee Thai. I've read that this place was not what it used to be, but never mind that, because it was still packed on a wednesday night!

Sawasdee Fried Rice $10.50

First to arrive on our table was the Sawasdee Fried Rice. I didn't have high expectations for this dish because ultimately, it's just fried rice. However, by the end of the night, we came to a mutual agreement that this was probably the winner of all the dishes!

Montréal is Food Heaven Series: Cacao 70

After brunch at Olive Et Gourmando and dinner at Reuben's Deli, it's time for dessert at Cacao 70! 

To get the full Cacao experience, we ordered the Sharing Sharing for two. The entire set can be split into two parts, as showed in the two photos. The first part includes strawberries, brownies, chocolate hazelnut wafers, graham crackers and milk chocolate fondue served with a personal grill to roast marshmallows (pictured left).

I had a lot of fun grilling my marshmallow and tried to make s'mores with the fondue chocolate but ended up creating quite a chocolatey mess (which still tasted amazing). The strawberries were very fresh and sweet and it didn't seem like they were soaked in sugar water before served. The wafers and brownie however, didn't seem as fun and special as everything else. 

Montréal is Food Heaven Series: Reuben's Deli

When you think of Montreal, many think of smoked meat, and when you think of smoked meat, the first place that usually comes to mind would be Schwartz's. Schwartz's is great, but I'd like to introduce you to Reuben's Deli, which in my opinion, has smoked meat that is just as great. 

The first time I visited Montreal and ate at Reuben's, I stumbled upon it and was not under the impression that is a famous or popular restaurant. However, my second visit this time changed my views. When we arrived at the place on a night of a weekday, there was a long line up and we even saw a set with big bright lights and giant video cameras. There was a person speaking in front of the camera as they filmed the chefs making smoked meat sandwiches behind the counter. Their sandwiches looked very impressive and I swear there were 15 slices of meat in one! 

Montréal is Food Heaven Series: Olive Et Gourmando

Bonjour! Instead of going back to Vancouver this summer, I took a short vacation to Montreal. This is my second time visiting and this trip has further strengthened my belief in Montreal being the ultimate food heaven (at least in North America). To try to convince you, I am starting a series that will feature my top picks.

So, without further ado, let's get right into the first restaurant of this series! 

Amy and I are big Urbanspoon users, and we often use it to scout out new restaurants. With 700+ voters and 90% of them liking it (I'm one of them!), Olive Et Gourmando probably has by far the most votes I have seen on Urbanspoon. Naturally, this place was at the top of my to-eat list when I was in Montreal. (Also, thanks for the recommendation, Jo!) 

It was a weekday when we went, but the place was still packed with people waiting to get in. The front part of the restaurant is the breakfast and beverage area where you order and then either have it there or take out. 

The back of the restaurant is where the "real" food is served. The most famous are their paninis, with 3 cold ones and 3 hot ones to choose from. Their entire menu, which is written on the chalkboard, was in French so it took us a while to figure out what we wanted. 

Kinton Ramen: Talk of the Town

Since before its opening earlier this summer, there has been great buzz about Kinton Ramen, a ramen bar spinoff of Guu. We arrived half an hour after it opened on a weekday and waited for only about 10 minutes or so. As we were seated, I noticed that the chair was not very comfortable, especially for someone short like me (perhaps a tactic to ensure that you don't linger for too long?) 

When ordering, on top of the type of soup base (miso, shoyu, shio, spicy), you also get to choose between a light, regular, or heavy base.  There is also an option of having pork shoulder or pork belly in your ramen. I enjoyed having the freedom to customize my ramen. 

Light Shoyu Ramen with Pork Shoulder 

I opted for the shoyu (soy sauce) ramen even though my friend warned me that he found it to be extremely salty. I figured it should be fine if I went for the light soup base, but boy was I wrong. I can't imagine what regular or even rich soup would taste like because my soup was already too salty.

The noodles and pork shoulder on the other hand were delicious. The noodles were chewy and the pork was seasoned just right and very tender. Overall, I still liked my ramen although the salty soup did take away from it - I was still downing water even after lunch!

A Hot Day at Hot House Cafe

During the summer, the perfect destination besides the beach would be the patio! This summer, a friend and I decided to take on a quest to seek out great patios in downtown Toronto. Although that quest ended very shortly, we were happy with our first find. Located at the corner of Church and King Street in the St. Lawrence Historic District, Hot House Cafe's patio isn't too noisy nor too isolated. As we were seated, I had a feeling I was going to enjoy my visit!

Calamari  $9.95 and Lemonade 

Calamari is my favorite appetizers after tuna tataki, so there was no surprise that I ordered it as soon as I saw it on the menu. I had to say that the calamari was a tad disappointing. The dish was soggy and seemed like it had sat for a while before being served as it wasn't warm. 

Large House Salad  $9.95 

The house salad came with a balsamic and dijon mustard vinaigrette dressing that was refreshing and appetizing. The vegetables were fresh and crisp and tasted good even without the dressing. Overall it wasn't anything too special but was definitely enjoyable.

"High Class" Dim Sum at Crown Princess

When Crown Princess first opened in downtown Toronto, I wasn't sure of the authenticity of the food and was less intrigued as I was under the impression that it was pricey. After hearing positive reviews, I decided to give it a try instead of resorting to the usual Chinatown joint.

Har Gow    蝦餃皇     $5.30

Although known as the classic dish in dimsum, shrimp dumplings, or "har gows", have never been much of a favourite to me. However, I thought these were pretty good since the skin was thin and chewy, with big fat juicy shrimp wrapped inside.

Pan Fried Turnip Cake   經典煎蘿蔔糕  $4.30

I was most disappointed by the turnip cake. It tasted rather bland and had very few pieces of meat in it. This was definitely not on par with what I expected from this restaurant.

Vegetable and Pork Dumpling Chiu Chow Style  潮汕粉粿皇  $4.30

Baan Wasana: A Taste of Thailand

One of the things I enjoy most about the Vancouver food scene is probably the diversity. We literally have cuisines of the world right on our doorstep! I haven't had much experience with Thai food, but after trying out Baan Wasana, I know that I will definitely be back for more. The store front is small and not very eye catching, but on the inside, the decor screams "Thailand".

Baan Wasana has a special lunch menu during their noon hours, which comes with your choice of a light salad or soup, and entree of your choice. Since it was a particularly rainy day, I went with the soup. It was a nice flavorful broth, with vegetables and little vermicelli bits on the bottom. Usually these types of soups do not appeal to me, as they can get kind of bland, but this certainly was not the case!

Lunch Set Soup

For an appetizer I had their stuffed chicken wings, which went well beyond my expectations. It was very meaty on the inside and crispy on the outside. The dipping sauce adds a very nice tang.

Stuffed Chicken Wings $8.75

Lee Chen Asian Diner: Too Good to Be True!

Like many of my favourite restaurants, Lee Chen Asian Diner was a restaurant that I stumbled upon one day with some friends. The restaurant sits close to the corner of Bloor and Yonge, which is not the place where I would usually expect to see an authentic Asian diner.

Upon entrance of the place, I felt like I was in Asia again. Like many restaurants that sell dumpings and buns, Lee Chen Asian Diner also has a wide window looking into the kitchen featuring their talented chefs. Immediately, I had a good feeling and was excited to see what the food would be like.

House Fried Rice Cake $10.99

Since my first time here, I've already been back 3 more times in a month. Out of the three times I've been here, I ordered the House Fried Rice Cake on two occasions. This dish includes rice cakes, shredded pork, bamboo shoots, and pickled mustard greens. Although a rather simple looking dish, it is so delicious I can never stop eating it even when I'm already feeling bloated! The rice cakes are made just right, not too soft and a little chewy. When eating this dish, every bite is a mouthful of delicious with an interesting mixture of texture from the various ingredients.

And now...drum roll please for the highlight of this post!

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup  $9.99

Recipe: Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

In search of a chocolate-y desserts, I came across this recipe on Eating Well and have since been in love with it! These brownies are perfect for bake sales and parties and I've even managed to get friends who don't usually like cheesecake to adore it. When you're looking for something more than the usual chocolate brownie, this is your go-to recipe! 

Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe: Scrambled Eggs Nest

This long weekend, I decided to "celebrate" Easter through food. After looking up a couple Easter themed recipes, I came across this recipe from the Disney FamilyFun website. 

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Total time: 35 minutes 

Ingredients: 

1 bag of curly fries (substituted for shredded potatoes) 

1/4 cup vegetable oil or unsalted butter 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

6 eggs

2/3 cup milk 

1/2 cup finely diced onions

1/2 cup finely diced red bell peppers

3/4 cup diced cooked breakfast sausage 

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

Not Quite ImPrestoned...

In an attempt to move out of my comfort zone in Downtown Vancouver, I rounded up a couple of friends and headed over to Prestons. The interior is very modern chic, but it did kind of remind me of the casual dining chains like Joey's. Despite the modern decor, we were seated at this sort of tree-table, which to me kind of stuck out like a sore thumb. It basically looked like somebody had sliced a tree lengthwise and made it into a countertop. Anyways, enough about the decor, onto the food!

Free Range Chicken $21

The free range chicken was very tasty! The chicken itself was nice and juicy but the thing I enjoyed the most was the risotto. Although I'm not a fan of creamy foods, the butternut squash and truffle risotto was very nicely done -- buttery with a hint of sweetness.

Recipe: Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

I am a huge fan of bananas and I like them when they are less ripe and still fairly hard. One day, when I realized I had neglected my bananas for too long and that they were too ripe for me to enjoy, I decided to look up recipes for banana bread. 

While in search of a plain banana bread recipe, I came across Naked Cupcakes' recipe for Banana Chocolate Chip bread and decided to give it a try. I mean, you can't go wrong with chocolate, right? 

For some reason, I had always assumed that banana bread was hard to make. To my surprise, it is one of the easiest things to bake! 

Macaron Heaven at Soirette

The macaron frenzy really has been sweeping through Vancouver eh? To be honest I never thought much about macarons until it became the newest "it" dessert. So, being the bandwagoner that I am, I had to come down and try out Soirette, the latest addition to the macaron scene!

Macaron Selection

Soirette had such a wide range of flavours that I ended up standing at the counter, half panicing because I couldn't decide quickly enough 1) how many to get and 2) which ones to try. I especially liked how they're putting out more innovative flavours instead of just sticking to the conventional ones.

Well Done, CinCin

This Valentine's day, I took it upon myself to make a reservation for a well-known Italian restaurant, CinCin (according to the waiter, it's pronounced "chin-chin"). I love pasta and wanted to go somewhere special for the occasion so CinCin was pretty much the perfect venue.

To get to the restaurant, you have to go up a set of stone stairs, which whisks you away from the busy streets and into the warm, inviting interior. CinCin has great ambiance; it feels laid back while still maintaining a sense of classiness. The glow of the earth-toned decor made me feel very comfortable the moment I walked in the door. 

Calamari $15.50 

I was a little scared that having calamari would stifle what CinCin really had to offer in terms of food since it's such a simple appetizer, but I am really glad we did! This was one of the the best calamaris I've ever had. The chewy squid tops were stuffed with with crumbly, smoky chorizo, bringing together a magnificent composite of textures and tastes. The tentacles were wonderfully crispy and kept the classic calamari touch. I'm not sure what kind of sauce it was but trust me, it was really good.

Winterlicious: Fred's Not Here

Much like Dine Out Vancouver, the City of Toronto also has a foodie celebration. It happens twice a year and is called Summerlicious and Winterlicious.

Wood Grilled California Cut New York Sirloin

My decision to take part in Winterlicious this year was very last minute and impulsive, so I didn't put as much effort into researching as I had hoped to.
My roommate and I liked the menu at Fred's Not Here and the reviews on Urbanspoon were pretty good. Most of all, it was recommended by our friends (oh, the power of word of mouth!).
Our reservation was made for a Tuesday night, but the restaurant was packed when we got there. We figured it might have been because of Winterlicious. I can't say much about the interior and the decor since the lighting inside was extremely dark. Nonetheless, the candles made it very romantic.


Our dinners were prix fixe for $35 and included an appetizer, main course, and dessert. I really liked the fact that Fred's had numerous choices for each course. I sure had a hard time deciding on what I wanted.

Much like other steakhouses, we were served with a basket of bread shortly after we placed our orders. I liked the assortment of breads in the basket but I thought it would have been even better if the bread wasn't cold. 

First-time Frenching: Provence Marinaside

Please excuse the tardiness of this post...I know Dine Out 2012 is long gone but that's okay because I believe all of the dine out items are on their regular menu! 

A friend of mine went through the scrutinizing act of looking through the dine out menus and picked out Provence Marinaside. I've heard great things about the brunch here so I was excited to try it. I am by no means a french cuisine expert, as this was actually my first time having french food!

Complimentary Crostini & Spread 

A little plate of crostini was already on our table once we were seated. It's nice to have something to munch on immediately after sitting down. They were served with a sort of olive spread which I didn't really like because I'm not a big fan of olives. I ended up eating these plain because the olive taste was so empowering.

Complimentary Bread Basket

The bread basket was brought to us soon after. Unfortunately both the bread and the butter was cold so it was pretty hard to spread. Other than that the bread was pretty standard.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

One of their appetizer choices was the Warm Goat Cheese Salad, which to my surprise was actually very good. I'm also not a big fan of cheese, but this goat cheese went very well with the salad. I felt that the balsamic salad dressing was what really pulled it together.

Recipe: Custard Cream Puffs

One day, I suddenly had cravings for cream puffs. Specifically, the cream puffs I always get from Beard Papa's. However, there was a problem... There are no Beard Papa's in downtown Toronto! Determined to fulfill my cravings, I decided to look up recipes and make my own cream puffs!

I got the recipe from joyofbaking.com but they used whipped cream instead of custard.

Choux Pastry:
1/2 cup (65 g) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup water
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
* you can also have some confectioners sugar on the side for dusting the puffs

Glaze:
1 large egg

Custard:
3 large egg yolks
55g granulated white sugar
30g flour
300 ml milk
20 g unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
80 ml whipping cream

Yield: 15 small or 10 medium/large sized cream puffs

Thierry...Oh the Temptations!

I've been meaning to visit Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe (what a mouthful!) ever since they opened up. I finally got the chance on a rare afternoon that I wasn't completely bloated from a previous meal or starving like a pig. They have quite a large selection of treats to choose from, each with such beautiful presentation, so right off the bat I was having a tough time deciding! 

Chocolate Trio Cake

Out of the many many kinds of individual cakes, I was able to narrow it down to this Chocolate Trio. It is composed of white, milk and dark chocolate mousse, situated on top of a chocolate sponge cake. In short, this cake was sinfully decadent. The mousse was so heavenly rich and smooth, but not the point where it got sickening. There was a hint of liqueur which I thought went very well with the chocolate.

Passion Fruit Mousse

I also had to try this Passion Fruit Mousse because it looked so adorable with the mini macaron tops! The mousse was nice and airy, carrying a light fruity sweetness. The passion fruit jelly on top gave it a little zing with its tartness. This was very good, perfect for those who don't like heavy desserts. However, the macaron tops were a little soggy, perhaps from being stuck to the mousse all day.

Recipe Debut: Pink Lemon Cupcakes

On top of exploring restaurants and foods, Amy and I also like to bake, so be on the lookout for more recipes!

Being the festive person I am, I wanted to bake some Valentine's Day themed cupcakes. Instead of making traditional icing topped cupcakes, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and look up recipes that were more challenging. After scouring the internet, I came across a cupcake recipe that I really liked and decided to share in lieu of the upcoming Valentine's Day.

This is very creative cupcake idea that I found on Just Jenn Recipes and instantly fell in love with! However, instead of making vanilla cupcakes from scratch, I used a box of chocolate cupcake mix that was sitting in my cupboard.

Source: Just Jenn Recipes

Koyoi Restaurant & Bar: Forget the line ups at Guu!

Since moving to Toronto, I have pinpointed several favorite places that I visit regularly. On that list, Koyoi probably sits at the top as one of my most visited restaurants here. I was introduced to Koyoi by a  friend and since then, I've been taking new friends there and telling people about it. Well, what better way to spread the word than to do it on the internet? 

Beef Tataki　牛たたき   $5.99 + tax 

Koyoi has a special meaning to me because it is a restaurant that broke a lot of my eating habits. Many foods that I would never touch elsewhere, I would gladly eat or even crave at Koyoi.

If you read my post on Seasons in the Park, you'll remember that I like my meat cooked thoroughly. I always thought I can't eat raw meat, but this beef tataki turned things around. In fact, this is the only raw meat dish that I will eat. For some reason, although raw, the beef tataki at Koyoi doesn't have the bloody taste that I hate. Instead, the ponzu sauce, combined with the radish and green onion, creates a magical concoction in your mouth.

Okonomiyaki お好み焼き $7.99 + tax

On top of raw meat, okonomiyaki is another dish that I hardly ever enjoy. From previous experiences, okonomiyakis have always just tasted like mushy dough covered in heavy sauces to me. Koyoi, however, does it differently. Instead of drowning the pancake in sauces, they keep the amount just right. I enjoyed this much more because I could actually taste the ingredients in the pancake and the sauces didn't overpower everything.

Check out La Amigo, my amigos!

I don't frequent La Amigo Restaurant, but every time I plan to eat here, I highly look forward to it. The place doesn't look like much, decor is normal and the service is mediocre. Actually, the first time I visited, the entire place was empty so I didn't expect much. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I've dined here a couple of times now, but I always order the same thing...that's just how good it is!

Lobster Chowder & HK Style Borscht & Garlic Bread

The Chef's Specials start off with a soup and some garlic toast. I was quite surprised to see lobster chowder as one of the soup options. I'm not a big fan of creamy soups but this was pretty good, and it had bits of real lobster floating around. I love HK style borscht...it's one of the main reasons why I love HK style restaurants. La Amigo's borscht is one of the best I've ever had. It has a very intense tomato flavor and is a tad spicy.

I usually leave the bread that comes with the soup untouched, but La Amigo's garlic bread is very, very good. The edges are nice and crispy, while the middle is oh-so-pillowy soft. It has a good amount of spread to achieve full flavor without making the bread soggy. I wish there were more pieces!

Lobster Paella $32.95 + tax

The Lobster Paella is very yummy. There are lots of juicy lobster chunks and the rice is very nice. It's sort of like a fried rice, but with various spices that taste quite exotic to me. Once you start eating it's hard to stop! Don't be intimidated by the relatively high price...there is an entire lobster in this dish and the portion is gigantic. It's great to share or to indulge yourself if you're extra hungry.

Make way for Sunway!

Even though Richmond is filled to the brim with bubble tea joints and Taiwanese style restaurants, I have yet to find one that is representative of authentic Taiwanese food. That is until I discovered Sunway. I haven't explored much of their menu yet, but it is quickly becoming my Taiwanese go-to place in Richmond.

Sunway Pork Rice in Egg $8.50 + tax

The pork rice in egg (蛋包飯) was delicious. What I especially liked about it was that it tasted very homey, as if it were mama's own cooking. The egg layer was thin and cooked to a good degree. I was very impressed that the chef was able to fry an egg to such a wide surface area without breaking it! Inside consists of piping hot ketchup fried rice, which was quite flavorsome and went well with the egg. The mayonnaise dressing on top may seem odd at first but it really did add a nice tang to the dish without overpowering it. This was quite a large portion and left me bloated by the time I was done with it.

Seasons in the Park: The Perfect Place

I have to admit that this post is overdue, but I just had to share my love for Seasons in the Park before I go back to blogging restaurants in the East coast. 

I can't remember when my first time here was, but ever since I could remember, Seasons has been my family's go-to place whenever there is a celebration or when we have guests visiting us. The restaurant sits at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park and has breathtaking views. I always go to Seasons for lunch but the scenery is just as stunning as I imagine it would be at night since the park itself is very beautiful. 

On top of the great decor and view, the service here is impecable. Not long after we placed our orders, the waiter brought us a warm basket of bread. I liked that the crust was crispy and the inside soft and fluffy. The bread is also unlimited here. I always have to stop myself from filling my stomach with loads of bread!

Caesar Salad    $10 + tax

Nice Cafe is a nice cafe

Brunch was never my "thing" until I moved to Toronto. When I lived in Vancouver, the closest thing I've ever had was dimsum. As a result, when the only time that worked between my Vancouver friends and I was earlier in the day, we decided to be "classy" and meet for brunch. 

Being a rookie at brunch in Vancouver, I had to do some research to select the restaurant for our party. The brunch we wanted to go to originally wasn't open, so I had to look for an alternative. I came across Nice Cafe and decided to give it a try given its high ratings online as well as its convenient location. Given the large size of our party, I thought it'd be safer to call in beforehand to make reservations. Once I arrived at the restaurant, I was thankful that I had planned ahead. The restaurant is fairly small but extremely packed, with people crowding by the door waiting. 

Eggs Benedict    $7.10 + tax 

Adonia Teahouse: Cute, Cozy, but Cramped

AMY: You'd think that after two not so satisfying experiences of afternoon tea (ahem, Faubourg, Meloty) we would stop trying. Well third time's a charm right? We decided to give afternoon tea one more go at Adonia Teahouse. The interior is cute and very lady-like, but our seating space was very tight. 

LULU: The last time I visited Adonia was years ago back in high school, but I remembered it to be a pleasant experience. That being said, I was excited to try the afternoon tea, now that I was old enough to enjoy it. The first thing that I noticed after sitting down was, boy is this place cramped! 

AMY: We went for the Afternoon Tea set option for $27 per person with your choice of tea. They have quite a few teas to choose from. I ended up having the Peach Green Tea because it had rose buds in it. The teapot sat upon this little warmer which was a nice touch but slightly space consuming. I liked the china very much as it satisfies my need for floral adornment during afternoon tea. 

LULU: I opted for the Pink Grapefruit tea but was a bit iffy about it at first, since there are papaya bits in it according to the menu. After conversing with the owner, she reassured me that it was a good choice and that if I didn't like it she would let me order a new tea at no additional cost. And indeed she was perfectly right about my tea being a good pick. The aroma of the tea wasn't as strong as Amy's, but the taste was fruity and not too sour at the same time. 

Shortly after our tea arrived, our food came on a three tiered stand with sweets on the top and savory on the bottom two. Before I go into how the bites tasted, did I mention that I loved the fact how the floral cutlery all matched?
Anyway, we didn't have anything to eat that morning, so we were pretty hungry. I went for what I thought was the safest first, which was the ham and cheese sandwich. To my surprise, it was delicious! I couldn't figure out why it tasted so good because it was just toast, some mayo, ham, and cheese. However, everything else I had after that couldn't live up to this sandwich. My second favourite was the spinach and bacon quiche. The crust was crispy and the filling was tasty and not too salty. The top tier was my least favorite. Sadly there wasn't anything on that plate that I enjoyed -- everything was overly sweet for me.

Miku Restaurant: Aburi, A-blah

LULU: Before a girl's night out in downtown Vancouver, we wanted to start the evening with a semi-classy dinner in the area with our group of friends (welcome back, Steven!). Miku has been on our to-eat list for a while, so we decided to take the opportunity to cross it off our list. All of us read reviews online and were very hyped up about finally going here. The restaurant looked amazing from the outside and the servers greeted us wholeheartedly -- it seemed like we were off to a great start!

Yakisoba

STEVEN: Good ol' yakisoba! Fry up some noodles, toss in a bit of calamari and vegetables, and top it off with tempura batter flakes - simple, right? This was one of our dishes of the night, and in hindsight, actually  my favorite one (surprisingly). I guess it isn't exactly a promising start for Miku when a seemingly elementary dish gets the most "Not Bad's" from everyone. I've got to give credit where credit is due though, I thought the crunch and flakiness of the tempura batter gave the slick noodles a new dimension you don't normally find in yakisoba.

Calamari