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